Beyond Ridership – Part 2: Innovation & Smart Procurement With Rikesh Shah Transit Unplugged podcast

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

3d ago 27:53

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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 data, and smarter procurement can turn that 84 % of “transit supporters” into satisfied users—and why leadership has to set the stage for risk‑taking and co‑creation.

From Volume to Value —Why ridership shouldn’t be the sole north‑star KPI, and how London’s open‑data program shifted travel behavior for the better.
Customer‑First Metrics —Using design‑thinking and qualitative research to uncover the real pain points of diverse riders (and non‑riders).
Making Cities a Test Bed —How transparent “problem statements” and outcome‑based procurement invite startups, scale‑ups, and tier‑ones to co‑create solutions.
Smart Procurement 101 —Engage procurement early, signal future tenders, and use one streamlined process that covers pilot, scale‑up, and rollout.
Leadership & Risk —What CEOs can do today to foster entrepreneurial cultures, align internal teams, and de‑risk innovation without overprescribing specs.
Lessons from London —Congestion charging, Ultra‑Low Emission Zones, and open innovation under successive mayors—and what U.S. cities can adopt.
🎧 Podcast Credits

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo

Creator, Host, + Producer: Paul Comfort
Executive Producer: Julie Gates
Producer + Newsletter Editor: Chris O’Keeffe
Associate Producer: Cyndi Raskin
Podcast Intern: Desmond Gates

Special thanks to:

🎨 Brand Design — Tina Olagundoye

📱 Social Media — Tatyana Mechkarova

⚠️ Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent. This production belongs to Modaxo and may contain information subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.

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