An overview.
Transportation serves as a bridge to opportunity for millions of Americans — a fact that gains a particular poignance due to the economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. But in many communities across the country, reliable transportation is limited to those who have access to private cars. And for communities with solid fixed route transit options, the first-and-last mile challenge means those without a way of getting from their home to stations or vice versa are still stuck. To combat this inequity, many cities and transit agencies have turned to microtransit.
This conversation, moderated by the Director of Transportation for America, Beth Osborne, explores how microtransit has been a vital public resource for communities during this time.
About the speakers.
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Beth Osborne
Executive Director, Transportation for America
Beth is the Director of Transportation for America. She was previously at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy since 2009.
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Casey Gifford
Senior Planner, King County Metro
Casey Gifford is a senior planner for King County Metro’s Innovative Mobility program. She is a leader in implementing public-private partnerships that leverage mobility and new technologies to improve regional mobility, advance equity, improve the environment, and support communities.
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Barkha Patel
Director of Infrastructure, City of Jersey City NJ
Barkha is the Director of Infrastructure for Jersey City - one of the most densely-populated, transit-rich, and culturally diverse cities in the U.S. In this role, she oversees the planning, design, and implementation of over $400 million of capital improvements and infrastructure including streets, transit, parks, public spaces, and other public facilities.
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Veronica Vanterpool
Chief Innovation Officer, Delaware Transit
As Chief Innovation Officer at Delaware Transit, Veronica launched the state's first on-demand microtransit service with Via in rural Delaware called DART Connect. She was also in charge of the autonomous shuttle demonstration project. She is now the Acting Administrator at the Federal Transit Administration.
