Best Auto Express Podcasts (2025)

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The Unmatched Power of Transit: A Conversation with Nora Leerhsen 28:18

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2h ago28:18

28:18

In this Super September episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort heads to Chicago to sit down with Nora Leerhsen, Acting President of the Chicago Transit Authority—America’s second-largest public transit system. With more than 11,000 employees, a million daily riders, and an expanding footprint, the CTA plays a massive role in the life of th…

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Inside the MTA with Demetrius Crichlow: Leading the Largest Transit System in America 29:42

6d ago29:42

29:42

We’re kicking off Super September with a heavy-hitter: Demetrius Crichlow, President of New York City Transit. In this powerful episode, Crichlow sits down with Paul Comfort to reflect on his 20+ year rise through the MTA—from climbing signal poles at Long Island Rail Road to overseeing the nation’s largest transit system. Crichlow doesn’t sugarcoa…

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The Human Side of Transit: AI, Creativity, and Kindness with Elea Carey and Mike Bismeyer 31:56

14d ago31:56

31:56

We’re getting the band back together. In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul catches up with longtime contributors Mike Bismeyer (a.k.a. the King of Kindness) and Elea Carey, marketing strategist and founder of Transit Happy. These two familiar voices helped shape the podcast during the pandemic—and now they’re shaping the industry. Mik…

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What Transit Leaders Need Now: Voices from the SWTA Conference 29:14

20d ago29:14

29:14

This Week on Transit Unplugged On the Road in New Orleans: SWTA Summer Conference Spotlight In this special conference edition of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort is on location at the SWTA Summer University Conference in New Orleans, where he dives deep into the challenges and opportunities facing small and mid-sized transit systems across the Sout…

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98% On-Time & 50 Minutes Saved — Justin Vonashek on Metro-North’s Super-Express Era 22:39

27d ago22:39

22:39

On the heels of his February appointment, Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek sits down with Paul Comfort to break down a banner year for the MTA’s northern commuter powerhouse. From 98 percent on-time performance to new “Super-Express” trains that shave up to 50 minutes a day off the New Haven run, Justin walks through the big wins, big…

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50 Years of MV Transportation: Harry Wilson on Culture, AI, and What’s Next 25:32

1M ago25:32

25:32

MV Transportation just hit a milestone few transit firms reach—its 50th anniversary. To mark the occasion, host Paul Comfort interviews Harry Wilson, the firm’s Executive Chairman, about: A 50‑Year Origin Story —How Alex and Feysan Lodde's single van in San Francisco grew into the largest American‑owned transit contractor in North America. “The New…

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Beyond Ridership – Part 2: Innovation & Smart Procurement with Rikesh Shah 27:53

1M ago27:53

27:53

Last week, Mark Aesch and Alvin McBorrough unpacked a striking statistic: only 4 % of Americans ride transit, yet 84 % of people say they value it. This week we keep that conversation going with Rikesh Shah, former Chief Innovation Officer at Transport for London. Together with host Paul Comfort, Rikesh explores how customer‑focused metrics, open d…

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Are Transit KPI’s Broken? Value, AI, and Why We Need to Stop Chasing Ridership 32:37

2M ago32:37

32:37

Only 4% of Americans ride transit—but 84% of people in communities with transit say they value it. In this episode, Paul Comfort digs into the details with Mark Aesch (CEO, TransPro Consulting) and Alvin McBorrough (CEO, OGx Consulting). Together they unpack two big levers for agency performance: measuring what actually matters and using AI to deli…

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Reclaiming Your Creativity Through Transit, Chatting w/ the Editor of Mass Transit Magazine, and Will LA Be Ready for the Olympics? 22:23

2M ago22:23

22:23

In this special roving-reporter edition of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort takes you inside the 2025 CTAA Expo in San Diego, where he caught up with some of the brightest minds in community and rural transit. From paratransit operations to industry journalism to frontline safety, these conversations reflect the energy, challenges, and innovati…

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Transit Unplugged INSIDER: Paul Comfort Answers 2025’s Biggest Industry Questions 29:22

2M ago29:22

29:22

What’s really going on behind the scenes of U.S. public transportation policy? In this special edition of Transit Unplugged Insider, Executive Producer Julie Gates turns the mic on our usual host, Paul Comfort, for a revealing look at the shifting political and funding landscape in Washington—and what every transit executive needs to know right now…

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No Uber, No Lyft, No Taxis—So They Built Their Own Transit System 17:19

2M ago17:19

17:19

How do you rebuild a public transportation system from the ground up? In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Mallory Avis, Director of Public Transit for the City of Battle Creek, Michigan, to talk about one of the most ambitious overhauls of a small-city transit system in the U.S. today. Recorded live at the CTAA Expo in…

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Global Lessons, Local Gains: What Can Public US Transit Systems Learn From Private Operators in UK And Asia? 34:08

3M ago34:08

34:08

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul talks with Samuel Ribeiro, Managing Director of Tower Transit in the UK, part of global transport powerhouse Kelsian Group. With operations spanning Liverpool and the Channel Islands, Samuel shares how lessons from bus systems across four continents—from Australia to Singapore, Brazil to London—are helping…

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Green Hydrogen and CEO Hiring Secrets in America’s Most Livable City 26:54

3M ago26:54

26:54

What does it take to build a transit system that powers a city—and wins global recognition for livability? In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Ryan Daniel, CEO of St. Cloud Metro Bus, and Dave Kleis, Board Chair and former mayor of St. Cloud, Minnesota, share how their long-running partnership has driven bold innovation and national recognition. …

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Detroit Transit: Robert Cramer on the People Mover, Fare-Free Service, and Urban Mobility 24:22

3M ago24:22

24:22

When most people think of Detroit, they think cars. But behind the Motor City moniker is a layered, multi-agency public transit system—and Robert Cramer is helping connect the dots. As Executive Director of Transit for the City of Detroit, Cramer leads both DDOT and Detroit Transportation Corporation, operator of the iconic elevated People Mover. I…

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From Amtrak to Annapolis: Markus Moore’s Lifetime Career in Transit 21:37

3M ago21:37

21:37

Markus Moore, Director of Transportation for the City of Annapolis, joins Paul Comfort from the rooftop of the Hillman Garage during Naval Academy Commissioning Week for a wide-ranging conversation about his remarkable journey through transit. From helping launch high-speed rail in North America as part of the Acela project at Amtrak, to managing l…

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Ozzy Gibson’s Unconventional Road to Transit Leadership 23:12

4M ago23:12

23:12

How does a career in law enforcement, animal services, and civic leadership prepare you to run a transit agency? In this week’s Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort sits down with Ozzy Gibson, Executive Director of Louisville’s Transit Authority of River City (TARC), for a candid and compelling conversation about public service, accountability, and…

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On the Bus with Coree Cuff Lonergan: Building Broward’s $4B Transit Future 20:03

4M ago20:03

20:03

What does it take to launch a $4.3 billion, multi-modal transit expansion? For Coree Cuff Lonergan, CEO of Broward County Transit, it takes vision, momentum—and a bit of patience. This week on Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort hops aboard with Coree for a rolling bus interview through Broward County, Florida. They talk big-picture leadership, bo…

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Taking The RIDE: How Michele Stiehler is Elevating Paratransit at MBTA 27:20

4M ago27:20

27:20

Michele Stiehler knows paratransit inside and out. After 35 years at New Jersey Transit, she brought her deep operational experience to Boston’s MBTA, where she now oversees one of the largest and most complex paratransit systems in the country. In this episode, Paul Comfort talks with Michele about her leadership philosophy, the importance of fron…

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From 0 to 200: Jeremi Bumpus on Building 207 New Bus Stops with Tech and Tenacity 29:17

4M ago29:17

29:17

What happens when a millennial with a higher ed background takes the wheel of a legacy transit agency? You get 207 new bus stops, a real-time tracking app, and a fresh vision for Western Kentucky mobility. In this episode of Transit Unplugged Podcast, Paul Comfort talks with Jeremi Bumpus, Executive Director of Paducah Transit Authority, about lead…

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Leading Transit on Three Continents: Graeme Legh on Growth, Innovation, and Kelsian’s Future 26:57

4M ago26:57

26:57

In this episode of Transit Unplugged Podcast, Paul Comfort talks with Graeme Legh, the new CEO of Kelsian Group, one of the world’s leading transit and mobility operators. From ferries off the coast of Australia to motorcoach operations across the U.S., Graeme shares how Kelsian is tackling growth, innovation, and sustainability across three contin…

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From Operator to Officer: Dwight Ferrell on Leading SMART Transit Across Southeast Michigan 26:24

5M ago26:24

26:24

From driving a bus in Dallas to leading one of the largest transit systems in the Midwest, Dwight Ferrell’s story is the blueprint for leadership rooted in experience. In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort rides along with Dwight, General Manager of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), for a candid …

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Moving the Masses: M.J. Maynard on the Power of Las Vegas Transit’s One-of-a-Kind Agency Model 31:16

5M ago31:16

31:16

This week on Transit Unplugged, Paul visits Las Vegas to talk with M.J. Maynard, CEO of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC). From managing traffic for massive events like the Las Vegas Marathon and Formula 1, to running one of the busiest bus-only transit systems in the U.S., M.J. gives us a behind-the-scenes look at wha…

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From Hydrogen to the World Cup: John Rossant on the Future of Mobility 30:14

5M ago30:14

30:14

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with John Rossant, founder and CEO of CoMotion, to explore what’s next for cities, transit, and technology. From preparing for mega-events like the World Cup to pioneering hydrogen-powered aviation, John shares how CoMotion is helping shape the future of urban mobility—with a pasta recipe…

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Texas Transit Trends: Live from the Texas Transit Association Conference in McAllen 36:38

5M ago36:38

36:38

Please subscribe to our newsletter! This week on Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort hosts a special episode recorded live at the 2025 Texas Transit Association Conference in McAllen, Texas. In this roundtable, Paul speaks with five accomplished Texas transit leaders about the realities of running transit systems across Texas—from expansive rural regio…

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Optimal Mix: Light Rail vs. Bus Rapid Transit with Professor Niels van Oort 38:34

6M ago38:34

38:34

Join Paul Comfort on this episode of Transit Unplugged for an insightful conversation with Professor Niels van Oort, Associate Professor of Public Transport and Shared Mobility at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and co-director of the Smart Public Transport Lab. Paul and Niels explore critical considerations in transit planning, i…

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Mobility Redefined: Exploring Global Transit Trends with Dr. Kaan Yildizgöz 36:10

6M ago36:10

36:10

In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort welcomes Dr. Kaan Yildizgöz, host of Mobility Redefined, the new sister podcast of Transit Unplugged. Dr. Yildizögz, a leading global expert in public transportation and former senior director at UITP, shares his personal journey into transportation, driven by childhood memories in his fath…

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Exploring Tucson's Transit Future with Mikel Oglesby 37:09

6M ago37:09

37:09

Take a behind-the-scenes look at Tucson, Arizona’s SunTran transit system with General Manager Mikel Oglesby. Host Paul Comfort and Mikel explore the city’s transit modes, budget, and future projects, including the innovative Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plans. Discover Mikel's unique journey in public transit, from his childhood riding buses with his f…

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Inside Amtrak: Growth, Modernization, and High-Speed Rail with CEO Stephen Gardner 35:20

6M ago35:20

35:20

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort interviews Stephen Gardner, CEO of Amtrak, at their Washington, DC headquarters. They discuss Amtrak's record ridership of 32.8 million passengers in the past year, recent capital investments totaling $4.5 billion, and the introduction of new Acela trains. Gardner shares insights into Amtrak's…

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A Lifetime in the Business of Moving People with Tom Drozt 26:15

7M ago26:15

26:15

After decades at transit agencies across the U.S., Tom Drozt decided at 56 to retire, spend time with his family, work on his yard, and find some new passions to put his energy into. Turns out transit is his passion, so before long he was out of retirement and at MARTA in Atlanta running bus operations. Now the CEO of Ben Franklin Transit in Southe…

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Brisbane’s Dynamic Transit System with City Councillor Ryan Murphy 18:57

7M ago18:57

18:57

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort interviews Ryan Murphy, the Chair of the City Council's Transportation Committee in Brisbane, while riding one of Brisbane’s famous CityCat ferries to talk about the vibrant and evolving transit system in this river city. Episode Highlights: CityCat Ferries: Discover the unique CityCat ferry servic…

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Electrifying Chile’s Transport: A Conversation with Transport Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz 38:37

7M ago38:37

38:37

This is a special episode of Transit Unplugged from our sister podcast, Mobility Redefined. Learn more about this great new show on their website: https://mobilityredefined.com/. Below are the original show notes for the episode: In this episode of Mobility Redefined, host Dr. Kaan Yildizgoz speaks with Juan Carlos Muñoz, Chile’s Minister of Transp…

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Australian Women in Public Transport 39:36

7M ago39:36

39:36

In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort and co-host Kelly Chapman highlight the inspiring stories of four remarkable women leaders in Australian public transport. This is the third of five episodes coming from Paul’s recent 10-day tour of Australia. Don’t forget to also check out Transit Unplugged TV on YouTube for the TV episode…

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Transportation Shakeup: New Rules that Could Impact TNCs 33:25

7M ago33:25

33:25

In 2016, Brad Miller, CEO of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), had an idea. What if subsidized rides with Transportation Networking Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft could help people in his community get where they needed to go. What if you could get a subsidized Uber ride at the end of your overnight shift when regular transit isn…

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Transforming Australia’s Railways with Steve Butcher 21:05

7M ago21:05

21:05

In this week’s episode, host Paul Comfort sits down with Steve Butcher, Executive General Manager of Rail and Transport for John Holland. Paul and Steve caught up at the AusRail conference in Brisbane while Paul was on his 10-day tour of Australia. Steve shares his extensive career journey, starting at British Rail at age 16 all the way up to his c…

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Ned Freeman and UZURV Helping Communities One Ride at a Time 29:24

8M ago29:24

29:24

Ned Freeman joins host Paul Comfort to talk about UZURV and how it's changing how paratransit is delivered in the U.S. UZURV is an adaptive Transportation Network Company (TNC) that gives transit agencies more options for delivering paratransit in their communities. Ned and Paul talk about how UZURV uses its technology to offer on-demand, ADA compl…

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How the FTA Supports Transit Across the U.S. with Acting FTA Administrator Veronica Vanterpool 32:35

8M ago32:35

32:35

In a Transit Unplugged exclusive, Paul talks with Veronica Vanterpool, Acting Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) about the inner workings of the FTA, how the Regional Administrators help set priorities and connect agencies with funding, the transformative developments in public transportation over the past four years, and Ver…

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In conversation with transit legend Howard Collins 23:16

8M ago23:16

23:16

This week we are proud and excited to share an interview with a true public transit legend: Howard Collins, OBE. Howard's remarkable 47 year career has taken him from London's Tube and Sydney's trains to leading transit for the state of New South Wales in Australia. Howard sat down with Paul to talk and reflect on not just where transit has been, b…

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Transportation Trends That Will Shape 2025 with Rudy Salo 37:57

8M ago37:57

37:57

In this special New Year's Eve episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul is joined by transportation expert and futurist Rudy Salo to discuss what's going to shape the entire transportation sector in 2025. From robotaxis and EVs to autonomous vehicles, Rudy shares his thoughts on transportation in Los Angeles even before the Olympics start. Rudy also expl…

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A Transit Unplugged Special: Looking back at 2024 and ahead to 2025 18:46

9M ago18:46

18:46

We're turning the tables on host Paul Comfort this week with guest host and Transit Unplugged Executive Producer Julie Gates interviewing Paul on the best of 2024 from Transit Unplugged, what to watch for in 2025, and what they are thankful for. This is also our first video podcast on the podcast! You can watch the video version on YouTube and Spot…

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Public Transport in Australia: Turning Points, New Trends, and Big Transformations 21:47

9M ago21:47

21:47

We're kicking off the first of five podcast episodes from Paul's 10-day trip to Australia. First up, we have John Storms of Transit Systems Victoria and Mark Peters of Transit Systems Australia giving us an overview of transit in Australia and their plans for the future. Much like North America, Australia has cities surrounded by sprawling, low-den…

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Are we creating enough future transit leaders? 18:30

9M ago18:30

18:30

Sometimes the difference between winning and losing is your bench. The people you can call on to step up and win the game, finish the project, or get it done when your usual players can't. That's a strong bench. People you know who can step into the shoes of current leaders and be the next ones. By 2030 all baby boomers will be 65 or older and prep…

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Crafting Connectivity: Ben Limmer’s Vision for Public Transport 20:42

9M ago20:42

20:42

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort sits down with Ben Limmer, Chief of Public Transportation for the Connecticut Department of Transportation. They talk about what it takes to run a massive statewide transit agency with a billion-dollar budget that is a critical part of the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington D.C. Paul…

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Eileen Collins Turvey TriMet’s Innovation Trailblazer 20:45

10M ago20:45

20:45

Paratransit is the most expensive mode transit agencies in North America provide, so finding ways to save money and better serve the community is paramount. One way to do that is offer a bare-bones, only-what's-mandated service; which saves money, but underserves a vulnerable population. The other way is to get smart, to get innovative. And that's …

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Post-Election Impact Unplugged with SWTA 50:27

10M ago50:27

50:27

This episode of Transit Unplugged, brought to you in conjunction with the South West Transit Association (SWTA), tackles a big question after the U.S. election: what does it mean for transit? Rich Sampson, Executive Director of SWTA, and Becca Green, their Legislative Committee Chair and Chief Communications Officer at Rock Region METRO, provide a …

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Enhancing the Transit Experience with Stephen Tu: Innovations at LA Metro 23:54

10M ago23:54

23:54

For people to want to ride transit, they need to feel safe. And feeling safe is more than just physical safety, it's a perception. A perception based on cleanliness, vandalism, anti-social behaviors, loitering, open drug use, fare jumping; things that create a feeling of disorder on top of actual physical safety. This was a huge problem in LA overa…

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Driving Transit Innovations – 5 Global Transit Leaders Share Their Visions of the Future 38:35

10M ago38:35

38:35

Join Paul Comfort we kick off Season 8 of Transit Unplugged! This special episode features a live CEO roundtable from the APTA TRANSform and EXPO packed with five of transit's biggest leaders. The panel features: Andy Lord from Transport for London Dottie Watkins from CapMetro in Austin Dwight Ferrell from SMART in Detroit Shawn Donaghy from North …

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Achieving accessibility – Ron Brooks and Kristen Joyner on how to get us there 24:25

11M ago24:25

24:25

Accessibility is an essential and important topic in transit--and one that Transit Unplugged has deep connections to. From Paul's first job in transit to his work at WMATA and Baltimore MTA, he has championed ensuring transit connects everyone to all of life's opportunities. Tris' father was a pioneer in helping veterans in wheelchairs live indepen…

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Transit Unplugged Deep Cuts – Eulois Cleckley 11:00

11M ago11:00

11:00

From an interview with Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works CEO Eulois Cleckley and Paul Comfort originally aired in February, 2023. Eulois talks with Paul about his vision and approach to leadership with his REPPS model and how it's helped his team perform better and exceed what they thought they could accomplish. Link t…

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Driven to Succeed: Schneider St. Preux on climbing the transit career ladder 20:40

11M ago20:40

20:40

This week Paul is talking with someone we could call a Transit Unplugged superfan—Schneider St. Preux—who says he's listened to every podcast episode and credits Transit Unplugged with helping him in his upward career trajectory. We're so pleased to be part of Schneiders' career journey. As he says in this interview—listening and engaging in our po…

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From the Eye of the Storm: A Transit Unplugged Special Episode 1:03:05

11M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

The back-to-back hurricanes that swept through the Southeastern U.S. brought unimaginable destruction to the region. Many places are far from recovered, with tens of thousands of people still without power in some areas. But behind the scenes, transportation networks need to keep running. People need to be evacuated to safety. Supplies have to get …