The new mobility paradigm is pushing the transportation industry beyond the old exclusive structure, and moving toward a shared environment. By working together, and taking advantage of unprecedented technologies and new mobility options (rideshare, bikeshare, transportation network companies, etc.), the industry can reshape cities, lifestyles, and infrastructure development.
ThinkTransit: The Trapeze Technology Conference, which kicked off this morning, allows 400+ attendees to share strengths, challenges, and opportunities facing public transit in this changing mobility landscape.
“We live in an advanced technological world that’s transforming the way we move,” said keynote speaker, Jim Carroll. “The speed in which technology and our expectations are accelerating is forcing the way we have to react to our surroundings. It all comes down to thinking big, starting small, and scaling fast.”
Showcasing how public transit fits into this new mobility climate is one of the many goals of ThinkTransit. Jim Carroll did just this, challenging the notion of innovation, examining what is truly possible for transit, and when it’ll become a reality.
“The entire transportation spectrum is inclusive to the new definition of mobility,” said Kevin Bade, General Manager, Trapeze Group. “ThinkTransit shows how transit agencies can push the boundaries of traditional transit concepts by embracing innovative technologies to become the lifeblood of the shared mobility paradigm.”
One of the big technologies driving the innovation discussion is autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles are a significant factor in the mobility movement, and new to ThinkTransit is the Autonomous Vehicle Experience.
“The autonomous vehicle demonstration shows how transit agencies can integrate autonomous vehicles into their existing fleet with Trapeze technologies, especially as we transition through mixed fleets to a fully autonomous vehicle future,” said Jeff Moore, VP, Industry Solutions and Alliances. “Integrating with existing technology makes it easier for transit agencies to innovate more quickly.”
Nashville MTA is the host agency for ThinkTransit 2018. Later today, MTA is hosting technical tours that give an overview of their entire agency. Additionally, Stephen Bland, CEO of Nashville MTA, is set to be the keynote speaker for the final day of the conference.
The conference, running from June 3-6, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee, marks the 25th year of transit professionals coming together to learn from the industry’s most knowledgeable.
For more information, please visit trapezegroup.com/thinktransit.