T3 Webinar Overview

Findings and Lessons Learned from the MOD Sandbox Demonstrations: Commuter Transportation Impacts

Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Cost: All T3 webinars are free of charge.
PDH: 1.5 | View PDH Policy

T3 and T3e Webinars are brought to you by the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) ITS Joint Program Office (JPO). References in this webinar to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the USDOT.

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Background

In 2016, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) established the Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox Program as a foundational element of FTA’s strategic research focus on mobility innovation. Through the Sandbox Program, 11 communities were supported in creatively leveraging a range of mobility options from bike- and car-sharing systems to demand-responsive bus services. Some projects explored enhanced payment systems as part of a suite of concepts, technologies, and solutions with the potential to advance the Complete Trips for All vision that sits at the center of FTA’s mobility innovation research efforts.

The program connects people to their communities, mitigates socio-economic disparities, advances racial equity, and promotes affordable access to opportunity. For example, the program has made it possible for community college students to access night classes after local buses stop running; allowed travelers with disabilities to travel more spontaneously; increased carpooling to transit stations; connected rural communities; and provided useful mobility options in areas where bus service was not available.

This webinar will highlight findings from independent evaluations funded jointly by the USDOT ITS Joint Program Office and FTA for the following three MOD Sandbox Demonstrations, which include a focus on commuter transportation impacts:

• Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Integrated Carpool to Transit Access Program Evaluation Plan
• City of Palo Alto and Prospect Silicon Valley Bay Area Fair Value Commuting (FVC) Demonstration Project Evaluation Plan
• Los Angeles County and Puget Sound MOD First and Last Mile Partnership with Via Evaluation Plan

The webinar will include presentations from the implementing organizations and a panel discussion among demonstration project staff and members of the independent evaluation team.

Target Audience

The target audience includes: regional development organizations (RDOs), regional transportation planning organizations (RTPOs), public transportation agencies, States, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), city and county transportation professionals, and other agencies interested in the planning and implementation of MOD demonstrations.

Learning Objectives

Objectives of this webinar are that participants will gain an understanding about:

• The latest developments in integrated mobility innovation;
• The changing role of public agencies, from service providers to mobility managers;
• Lessons learned forming and managing public-private partnerships;
• Strategies for leveraging MOD for commute use cases; and
• Best practices for planning, deploying, and evaluating MOD services.

Host

• Bob Sheehan, Research Program Manager, USDOT ITS Joint Program Office

Presenters

• Les Brown, AICP, Senior Transportation Consultant, ICF
• Adam Cohen, Senior Research Manager, UC Berkeley
• Jumana Nabti, Manager of Access Programs, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
• Bob Franklin, Customer Access and Accessibility Departments Manager, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
• Emma Huang, Principal Transportation Planner, Los Angeles Metro
• Gary Hsueh, Director of Mobility Programs, CHS Consulting Group