January '25 Newsletter

MTI NEWS

January 2025

MTI has spent more than 20 years delivering education and workforce development programs for K-12 students and adults. Now, we have developed a new program for preschoolers! Our latest pilot program incorporates transportation-themed STEM and early literacy with imaginative play and hands-on activities to help young children explore the world around them and learn about transportation. Our industry is experiencing a critical workforce shortage, and introducing career education in early childhood can enable a deeper understanding of the world and lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the world of work and how it fits into local and global communities. Our latest perspective explicates the research and collaboration behind our new pilot program and curriculum that lets four- and five-year-old children understand that buses and trains aren’t just vehicles—they're lifelines that bring people together, support local economies, and help create a more equitable and sustainable world.

Heryang Lee at the Council of University Transportation Centers banquet with MTI staff and trustee Josue Vaglienty, who was recognized with the same award in 2023.

Congratulations to Heryang Lee for her recognition as Outstanding Student of the Year by the U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Center! Heryang and her fellow awardees were recognized at the Council of University Transportation Centers banquet in Washington, D.C. in early January. Heryang grew up in Tokyo using public transit as a vital part of everyday life, which contributed to her appreciation for its role in shaping sustainable and connected societies. These days, she works as a licensed structural engineer at Bay Area Rapid Transit ( BART). With both a B.S. and M.S. in structural engineering from UC San Diego already in hand, Heryang is now pursuing an M.S. in Transportation Management at SJSU with MTI and is expected to graduate this June. Her Capstone project is Understanding the "BART Effect" — Capital Construction Bid Trends and Measuring its Impact at SF Bay Area Rapid Transit District. She looks at the MSTM program as the “perfect opportunity to bridge the gap between my technical engineering background and a broader understanding of policy, funding, management, and other critical aspects of the public transportation sector.” Congratulations, Heryang!

Congratulations to Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Director of MTI’s National Transportation Finance Center, on her appointment to the newly established Federal System Finance Alternative Advisory Board! Appointed by outgoing U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Dr. Agrawal will join a 15-member board tasked with advising the U.S. Department of Transportation on a pilot program to test a national mileage-based user fee, as directed by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With decades of experience in transportation tax and fee policy, a strong history of diverse stakeholder collaboration, and endorsements from prominent leaders, Dr. Agrawal brings unmatched insights to this important initiative. MTI is proud to celebrate this well-deserved new appointment recognizing Dr. Agrawal and her contributions to our field.

It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Hannah King, an MTI researcher and doctoral student at UCLA's Department of Urban Planning. Hannah passed away in November 2024. She worked with MTI National Transportation Finance Center Director Asha Weinstein Agrawal from 2018 to 2024 on a series of 5 MTI reports projecting how much revenue the State of California would generate into the future from state fuel taxes and other fees on motor vehicles. In each of these projects she played a central role, helping to develop the project methods and then conducting highly complex spreadsheet modeling. Dr. Weinstein Agrawal said, “I looked forward to every meeting with Hannah because of her quirky sense of humor and wide-ranging curiosity about the world around us, whether that be history, public policy, or literature.”

Prior to joining UCLA, Hannah studied at Florida State University where she earned a bachelor's degree in Applied Economics and English Literature, as well as masters degrees in Geographic Information Systems and Urban and Regional Planning. MTI staff send heartfelt condolences to Hannah’s family, friends, and colleagues. More information about Hannah and her extensive research career is available in an article from UCLA's Institute of Transportation Studies.

This report examines the Viva CalleSJ event held on September 8, 2024, in San Jose, where six miles of city streets were transformed into car-free zones to encourage active transportation, foster community engagement, and support local businesses. Using surveys, interviews, and observations, the study found the event attracted an audience, boosted physical activity, and generated economic benefits, with over 50% of attendees biking to the event and spending an average of $54.23 each. Community-building impacts were significant, with 76% of participants feeling more connected to their community and 80.4% discovering local businesses. The report concludes with recommendations to enhance future events while advancing San Jose’s mobility and community goals.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping the transportation sector, driven by advancements in computing power, data availability, and algorithms. Within transportation, AI applications are diverse, including automated driving, traffic management, predictive maintenance, and cybersecurity. Use cases can also encompass optimizing traffic flow through adaptive signal control, enhancing safety via real-time incident detection, and improving public transit efficiency with dynamic routing. However, AI's integration into transportation presents both opportunities and challenges. It offers potential safety improvements by predicting accidents and enabling faster responses, while also improving efficiency by reducing traffic congestion and optimizing logistics. Yet, concerns remain over technical risks, ethical considerations, and the energy demands of AI systems, which may offset some environmental benefits. The economic impact can include job displacement and the creation of new AI-related roles, with implications for workforce development. This perspective piece explores the potential policy needed to address data privacy, cybersecurity, and equity to guide AI's responsible deployment.

As the US public transportation sector accelerates its shift from fossil fuels to zero-emission alternatives, transit agencies and transit bus manufacturers face significant financial, technical, and workforce challenges. This report provides policymakers with updated insights into the US transit bus market, focusing on key industry dynamics, financial challenges with zero-emission bus (ZEB) acquisition, technological obstacles in deployment, and regulatory issues. The research relies on stakeholder interviews, a detailed review of existing literature, and an analysis of US public transit data.

Key findings reveal that purchase prices for zero-emission buses in the US remain significantly higher than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and have not declined as quickly as previously theorized. Additionally, the full-size ZEB market in the US has become highly consolidated, and most transit agencies lack the technical knowledge, staff, and funding required for a successful transition to ZEBs. Potential options to combat these challenges may include enhanced funding mechanisms, industry partnerships, facilitating access to supporting technologies and best practices, and undertaking initiatives to prepare the ZEB workforce. While more research is needed to support the sector's full transition to ZEBs, this report provides actionable insights policymakers can use in a rapidly evolving market to identify solution areas for further exploration and ease transit into a more sustainable future.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025
10:00-11:00a.m. (PT) | Link to register

Get ready for the latest installment of our On the Right Track series featuring Tobias Keyl from the globally acclaimed architecture firm Gerkan, Marg & Partners ( gmp). Explore how world-class multimodal transportation hubs enable seamless global mobility, while also serving as destinations in and of themselves. Renowned for their designs of rail stations, airports, and sports complexes across Europe and Asia, gmp has redefined large-scale infrastructure. Mr. Keyl will highlight Berlin Main Station as an example of how national infrastructure investments helped unify a long-divided country. He will also discuss gmp’s work in China, and advancements that can inspire the future of intermodal travel in the U.S. Join us to help shape the future of mobility!