The Mobility Hub
Your bi-weekly guide to the latest in shared mobility
SUMC News and Announcements
2022 Summit Early Bird registration ends next week!
Register today to experience our new workshop and exciting speakers
Have you heard? March 18 is the last chance to snag Early Bird pricing for the 2022 National Shared Mobility Summit, taking place in Chicago on May 17 & 18. Read on to check out some of our new speakers and get a sneak peek of a co-hosted interactive workshop on data specifications! Secure your tickets and explore more on our Summit site.
New Speakers
Jill Sherman-Warne
Executive Director
Native American Environmental Protection Coalition
SUMC and AARP are excited to announce an in-person DRT Data Specification workshop at this year’s Summit!
Wednesday, May 18th at 2:30 PM CT
Starting with a handful of people in 2020, the group now includes 60+ participants across public and private sectors in mobility. This workshop (available to all attendees) is an open discussion to understand the benefits of transactional data specifications and share lessons learned on the challenges and strategies to reach an integrated on-demand and demand-responsive transit system.
Interested in sponsorship or exhibiting? Contact us today and join the list of companies developing innovative ideas and partnerships and making our #SUMC2022 Summit the best yet!
New in our blog: Potential Impacts of Technology on the Customer Experience
Staff at the Shared-Use Mobility Center reflect on mobility on demand projects and how to use technology while recognizing the needs of the community. Learn about some important considerations that we have observed before procuring technology or deploying a technology service in this blog post, Potential Impacts of Technology on the Customer Experience.
New in our Mobility Learning Center: Navigating Cecil County, MD with COMPASS
A microtransit program in Maryland seeks to expand access to healthcare facilities and basic amenities for rural residents recovering from drug addiction. Explore the program and watch a SUMC interview with Suzanne Kalmbacher, the Transit Chief for the program’s operator Cecil Transit, in our Mobility Learning Center.
CMS Listening Sessions on NEMT
In March and April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host four listening sessions open to the public centered on non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT). CMS seeks input regarding potential practices for improving Medicaid program integrity for NEMT. Learn more here.
Mobility Justice
Racist practices like redlining still show signs of life, according to a study tying the policy to inequities like higher levels of pollution for Black, Latino, and Asian communities in Northern CA.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure could change clean mobility options nationwide but an important question remains: where will we build it?
Accessibility is more than just expanding transportation options in underserved areas—improving infrastructure for people with disabilities is also a must.
How did you celebrate International Women’s Day? Two West Midlands agencies in the UK did so by releasing 13 bold recommendations to combat violence against women and girls.
Ridehailing/Carsharing/Carpooling
State vs. local? That is the debate for a Washington state bill considering raising the minimum wages and guaranteed benefits statewide for ridehail drivers. Skeptics believe this skirts the issue of treating drivers as employees.
Motorcycle ridehailing outfit SafeBoda recently hit the 3-million ride milestone in Nigeria after officially expanding to the country in 2020. Read on to hear how they plan to reflect and refine.
St. Lucie County, FL partnered with Via to launch a new on-demand ride service that gives residents and out-of-towners hassle-free, accessible options around the Port.
The Vancouver-based carsharing co-op Modo is 25 years old! And to celebrate this momentous occasion, they plan to electrify their entire fleet of shared vehicles to ZEVs by 2030.
Bikesharing & Micromobility
520 cities and 300,000 vehicles… is the new scope of work for Tier Mobility, after acquiring Ford’s shared e-bike and scooter operator Spin, in hopes of being the largest multimodal micromobility operator globally.
Safety first! The old motto holds up according to a Portland State University study that found safety measures, including protected bike lanes and helmet use, are key for active transportation and shared e-scooter adoption.
The Bird Bike: UK cycling retailer and mobility company Bird’s sleek new e-bike, available for purchase with plenty of power, bells, and whistles to speed up your daily errands and commute.
The Brooklyn Bridge protected bike lane spurred a boom in cycling when it opened last year, and now Streetsblog reports annual trips rose 27.2% compared to 2022. If you build it, they will ride.
Transit
Jacksonville makes history! The largest-ever public autonomous shuttle project, delivered by JTA, Beep, and Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality, is set to start the first phase of the Ultimate Urban Circulator project.
Microtransit is coming out on top in cities across the country! In Michigan, BCGo’s door-to-door microtransit service proves the feasibility and community impact of these services…
… And Indianapolis hopes for similar success with the launch of Driven 2 Success. This on-demand, door-to-door public transit option will bring Far Eastside residents to essential services.
Rounding out the innovative transit trend, RIPTA’s new pilot program Ride Free in Central Falls utilizes smart fare technology to automatically waive fares for riders.
Technology
We’re on the brink of a battery revolution. As big-name car companies compete to create the EV battery of the future, the White House is backing startups to further innovation.
AVs are arriving in Music City thanks to Argo AI and Ford Motor Co. While the mapping mission doesn’t mean a larger project is coming, we can dream, right?
In Ontario, one transit agency is enlisting a new app to make two routes more accessible for people who are blind or have vision loss. And it might expand (as long as there’s positive feedback).
Information is the answer! Carpooling gets easier in California after six transit agencies integrated their commuter carpooling platforms, letting riders have all options at their fingertips.
Sustainability
Cars that hurt the planet (aging ones with higher tailpipe emissions) are about to hurt their drivers’ pockets once London’s final expansion of its Ultra-Low Emissions Zone goes into effect.
Speaking of gas guzzlers, the EPA breaks its 20-year spell for tailpipe standards for the biggest polluters on the road with its proposed strict new limits.
Shared mobility is good for you—literally. A recent study comparing the health benefits of active transportation and EVs found these mobility options need a prominent role in national blueprints.
Climate change predictions are here and happening fast. Read IPCC’s latest report that indicates shared mobility investment is needed now.
Project Funding Opportunities
Transportation Planner & Assistant Mobile GR Director
City of Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids, MI
Deadline: March 11 & March 28
RFP: Equity Consultant
CALSTART
California
Deadline: March 11
RFP: Palm Tran Connection Paratransit Services
County of Palm Beach
Palm Beach County, Fl
Deadline: March 18
2022 AARP Community Challenge
Learn how to apply for a quick-action grant and make your community sustainable, equitable and accessible and all-around enjoyable for everyone. The deadline is March 22.
RFP: Paratransit Scheduling and Dispatch Software
Tri-Valley Transit
Northern Vermont
Deadline: March 24
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