Welcome to the Shared-Use Mobility Center’s weekly guide to the most impactful news, thought-provoking articles and innovative technologies that are shaping our transportation future. We believe in sharing information, just like sharing cars, bikes, and scooters, so if there’s anything additional you’d like to see, just drop us a line.
SUMC News and Announcements
Mobility on Demand: A Smart, Sustainable, and Equitable Future
This comprehensive report from the Transportation Research Board covers panel sessions, breakout sessions, and key takeaways from the January 2019 annual meeting. SUMC kicked off the event with a sold-out reception along with sponsor Via.
New on the MOD Learning Center:
Read about the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s autonomous shuttle pilot program with May Mobility. The “Little Roady Shuttle” offers free shuttle service daily in Providence.
Have you signed up for the Bike-to-Work Challenge?
From June 14 – 28, the Active Transportation Alliance urges you to commute on two wheels to benefit the environment and your health. Want to “compete” on a bigger scale? The National Bike Challenge is hosting a global workplace challenge in September and individuals can sign up for free right now.
Ridehailing/Carsharing/Carpooling
IL Governor J.B. Pritzker’s capital bill garners opposition over its lack of meaningful transit investment and its flat fee on ridehail trips, regardless of whether they’re shared or not.
The promise of a “living wage” for ridehail drivers is long overdue. A new economic report out of the Federal Reserve echoes many of the struggles that drivers face trying to make ends meet in a destabilizing TNC environment.
Carpool tech company Scoop racks up 50 partnerships since its launch in Detroit last week, with companies eager to tackle congested commutes in the Motor City.
Over in Europe, German mobility company Sixt launches its carshare service in Munich.
Partnerships and Programs
The 2020 Fiscal Year THUD Appropriations bill, which passed by a voice vote, will allocate $16.2 billion to new and existing projects for public transportation and intercity passenger rail and bus.
SAE International is forming a micromobilty consortium “to develop data-sharing frameworks to support safe, equitable, and livable streets.” Initial partners include Miami-Dade County, JUMP, Spin, Populus, and others.
The US Federal Transit Administration selects 37 projects to receive a total of $9.6 million to expand healthcare access through transportation with its Access and Mobility Partnership Grants.
Ford and Egyptian on-demand shuttle startup Swvl are partnering up to expand microtransit solutions for Swvl’s routes.
Bikesharing and Micromobility
Uber’s JUMP bikes launches 350 dockless and electric pedal-assist bikes in London’s Islington borough as part of a new pilot.
New York’s Citi Bike has changed how people commute in the region by getting more people on bikes, and has no plan to slow down its endeavors.
New micromobility startup Wheels plans to launch 1,000 dockless e-scooters with seats in Atlanta, its third city, with features like swappable batteries and helmets with “biodegradable hygienic headliners”.
This summer, Spin and EV charging startup Swiftmile are bringing solar-powered docks for shared e-scooters to Washington, DC and Ann Arbor, MI as a 60-day pilot program.
Transit
Politico lays out 5 key lessons from cities on how to reduce car dependency and fight congestion—definitely worthy goals.
Electric bus growth has increased substantially in China to a jaw-dropping 421,000 compared to only 300 in the US. As a result, EV sales are now over 50% of total new bus sales worldwide.
Denver will start offering teens free transit passes as part of the city’s On My Way transportation initiative for summer programs.
From city-spanning gondolas to incline-climbing funiculars, Atlas Obscura lists 18 fun and weird transportation systems from around the world.
Technology
Portland’s TriMet and Google’s Sidewalk Labs are leveraging data and software to analyze how people are moving around the city, but some are skeptical that the data will be gathered ethically.
Real-time transit information should be available everywhere, not just at transit stations. A new report from Mobility Lab shows that people want more access to dynamic public transportation data in public spaces.
Transport for London will be starting a new pilot to track rider data through WiFi across the Underground tube network. People have the option to opt out, but is that enough to combat privacy concerns?
Robo taxis that endlessly circle streets between rider requests is the “hell scenario” NPR believes could happen if we don’t start talking about AV parking now.
Urban Sustainability
Check out CityLab’s tribute to the late I. M. Pei., highlighting his sizable contributions to modern city architecture.
How should congestion pricing work in the future? It may be based on “square-foot-second of road capacity” that accounts for the width of the vehicle, the size of the buffer zone around it, and the time you occupy that space.
Montreal has announced plans to add a massive 184 kilometers of bike lanes to the city in an effort to support sustainable mobility and environmental health, with the first phase of 5 corridors to be completed by 2021.
Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood has plans to convert a two-mile section of an abandoned railway line into a linear park called the Englewood Line Trail, and wants it all done through local community support and grassroots development.
NEW: Requests for Proposals, Inquiries, and Information
NEW: Buses and Bus Facilities Program Notice of Funding
Deadline: 6/21/2019 at 11:59 p.m
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of approximately $423.35 million of Fiscal Year 2019 funds for buses, bus facilities, and bus equipment. Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
NEW: Improving the Efficiency of New York’s Transportation System
Deadline: 10/30/2019
This program advances an integrated, multi-faceted, energy-efficient, and sustainable transportation system through the identification and demonstration of innovative strategies, policies, underutilized commercial technologies, and partnerships in New York State. NYSERDA and NYSDOT are co-sponsors of this solicitation and welcome proposals that have the potential to reduce the greenhouse emissions and the associated energy consumption of the existing multi-modal transportation system in New York State. Proposals must center on NYS transportation issues and innovative strategies and solutions in Efficient Mobility Solutions or Efficient Infrastructure, Operations, and Systems Planning. Contact: [email protected]
Mobility as a Service Phase I (Microtransit and Mobile Ticketing)
Chattanooga, TN
Deadline: 6/26/2019 at 2:00 p.m.
Reply to: Annie Powell, CARTA, 1617 Wilcox Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37406 Telephone 423-629-1411, Facsimile 423-698-2749, email [email protected]
Proposers must respond to CARTA’s RFP, which will be mailed by request. See CARTA’s RFP for additional requirements. No proposer will be discriminated against because of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, or disability.
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