Transit in Transition

Transit in Transition will consider the current state of public transit in the United States and options for the future. The pandemic accelerated the pre-existing trend of declining ridership. Transit agencies have built fixed-route and rapid transit infrastructure to serve commercial centers and downtowns, but expanding remote work brings uncertainty to recovery of demand in these areas.

The more flexible bus is the workhorse of many transit systems, including Los Angeles, and has catered to lower-income transit users. An enhanced focus on equity often brings additional resources for the bus and meeting the public’s mobility needs through alternative shared mobility options.

We will highlight the work from the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies Public Transit Initiative and the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies Public Transit and Shared Mobility Recovery program.

For a full list of speakers and to register for individual sessions, visit the event website at www.uclaarrowheadsymposium.org.

THUR Sept. 30
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Transit Before and During COVID-19
COVID-19 has exacerbated trends of increasing transit ridership and increasing costs that existed before the pandemic. What has happened? What changes will be short-lived? Which may change transit for the longer term?

THUR Oct. 7
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Money for Transit
Transit’s finances have been temporarily boosted by a series of federal stimulus bills. California’s budget surplus has also provided additional funding for transit. But what happens after agencies exhaust these one-time infusions of funds?

THUR Oct. 14
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Transit for People
Public transit exists to serve people and their mobility needs. This mission as a provider of social service includes addressing societal problems, like homelessness, that occur on transit, enhancing the safety of transit passengers, and ensuring that fares are not a barrier to meeting mobility needs.

THUR Oct. 21
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Transit Now
Operator stories focused on implementing changes to regain ridership.

THUR Oct. 28
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. PT
Transit’s Future
We’ll present the results from two academic approaches to explore the future of public transit and public mobility: the UC ITS Resilient and Innovative Mobility Initiative and UCLA ITS work on the California 100 project.