Day 2 - Comfort's Corner - Covid 19 and the Transit Response

On this episode we delve deep into the new funding package from Washington On headline news and our interview with Bennet Resnick from Cardinal infrastructure. We also hear from Rochester New York public transportation CEO Bill Carpenter on best practices they have adopted to help keep transit safe and available. Plus a reading from our book.

On this episode we give you the headline news for the day including the $25 billion Senate passed package and interview top news makers William Vantuono, Editor in Chief of Railway Age Magazine and Bridgette Beato, CEO Lumenor Consulting Group. We close with a reading from our bestselling book on increasing ridership:

On this episode we cover the headlines coming from major transit systems across North America and their response to the coronavirus pandemic. We discuss the upcoming potential $25 billion stimulus package for public transit coming out of Washington. We also have a newsmaker interview with Wade Coombs - Director of Strathcona County Transit in western Canada. In our third segment we once again read a portion from the future of public transportation on the latest transit trends.

We cover top headlines in the industry including systems implanting free fares, delivering food and hiring cleaners. Dr. Bob Schneider, Executive Director of OmniRide in Northern Virginia outlines the impact of coronavirus on federal employees and commuters with some great input for public transit system executives. Finally we take a brief respite and read from our best selling book the future public transportation the section on payment methodology.

On today’s episode we bring you the latest headlines from Washington DC and around the nation and the world for transit and Covid 19. We also include an interview with Dennis Solensky, head of public transit in the state of Connecticut. Plus a new feature call Mike’s Monday Minute and a reading from our book The Future of Public Transportation.

On this episode we cover today's new from Friday, March 20 and speak with John Sisson, CEO of DART - Delaware Transit about their responses and we read a passage from my book - The Future of Public Transportation. 

Thanks for joining a brand new podcast Comfort's Corner, to bring you the fast breaking news of how the Coronavirus is impacting public transportation.   On  this episode we cover the headlines this week from the world of public transportation.  Covid-19 has impacted ridership dramatically across North America and agencies are quickly adapting to concerns from drivers and the public by increasing cleaning, opening the rear doors of buses for boarding and even eliminating fares in some cases to minimize contact between drivers and the passengers.  Some systems have even decided to stop offering regular fixed route bus service and are only providing paratransit, dial -a -ride type services.  We'll cover all of it! The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) this week is calling on the President and Congress to include a $16 billion dollar relief package for public transit. We'll highlight the details.  How is this Coronavirus pandemic affecting transit contracting companies?  We talk to John Donlan, CEO of UZURV, to find out.  Finally, I read the Forward of my new book The Future of Public Transportation, written by Robbie Makinen, CEO of Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA). I'll read a section of my book during each episode.  Stick with us and I'll try to bring you a new show almost daily to stay on top of all the latest breaking developments affecting public transportation.  Let me know if you want to be on the show with you agency/company impact and efforts. Thanks 

Today we talk with Courtney Knichel, GM of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs baseball team, which are part of the Atlantic League - unaffiliated Minor League. MLB - Major league baseball this year has chosen to pilot a number of potential rule changes in the Atlantic League and Courtney tells us about how they are playing out at her team, the Blue Crabs - including the new artificial intelligence Umpire calling balls and strikes.

Get ready to follow my upcoming trip to western Canada this week as we visit with BC Transit and Vancouver’s TransLink, their leaders and a couple trips by Sea Plane.