In this episode of "High Frequency," host Kapish Singla explores the state of transit funding with Yonah Freemark, senior research associate at the Urban Institute. Based on insights from the recent Urban Institute report, “Surmounting the Fiscal Cliff,” the interview delves into the reasons behind transit’s current fiscal cliff,  and the policy choices that have perpetually put transit agency finances on precarious footing. The episode advances sustainable funding solutions that could finally disrupt this vicious cycle of underinvestment, and ensure that the current crisis is transit’s last fiscal cliff.

“Transit is key to our society, and transit is going to come back from the pandemic at higher ridership levels if we give our transit systems the opportunity to provide the services they need. Transit systems that have invested in improved quality of service have benefited from increased ridership, including higher levels of ridership than pre-pandemic, and a number of systems. We don't have to give up on transit. In fact, we should be thinking about the future as a more transit-heavy future than even before the pandemic.” - Yonah Freemark

To read “Surmounting the Fiscal Cliff,” click here. 

To watch a webinar with the report researchers, click here.

For more on TransitCenter, visit us here. 

Hosted by Kapish Singla
Edited by Melanie Marich & Kapish Singla
Produced by TransitCenter
Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot Sessions
Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

Central Maryland Transportation Alliance is an advocacy group working to improve and expand transportation options in the Baltimore region. Using data and storytelling, CMTA has forefronted how unreliability and breakdown issues on buses and trains have negatively impacted workers and students throughout the region. 

In this episode, I interview Brian O’Malley, President & CEO at CMTA, to discuss how his organization built a winning coalition to secure state funding for the state of good repair needs of Baltimore’s transit system to address the breakdowns. Their advocacy led to the passage of the Transit Safety and Investment Act in 2021, which requires the state of Maryland to provide minimum annual funding for maintenance of the system. CMTA’s efforts demonstrate the power of organizing legislators and community groups to challenge the entrenched political prioritization of car infrastructure in transportation funding. 

“It was compelling when we were able to find data that said that our light rail breaks down the most in the country. That helped us win bipartisan support because legislators view themselves as stewards of taxpayer dollars and public assets and didn't like it one bit that we had let this asset fall into such disrepair that it was breaking down more than any similar system in the country.” - Brian O’Malley

For more on Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, click here. 

For more on TransitCenter, click here. 

Hosted by Kapish Singla
Edited by Kapish Singla
Produced by TransitCenter
Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot Sessions

Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.

ACT-LA is an advocacy organization that strives to create equitable transit systems and neighborhoods in Los Angeles. In recent years, ACT-LA has campaigned on securing safety alternatives to armed policing on LA Metro’s buses and trains, and helped to win an unarmed transit ambassador program that launched in October 2022. 

In this episode, I interview Scarlett De Leon, Campaigns Director at ACT-LA, to discuss her organization’s vision for creating community safety on transit. In 2021, the group released its “Metro as a Sanctuary” report that audited Metro’s policing contracts, and analyzed the racially disproportionate impact of over-policing in the system. ACT-LA’s report and subsequent pop-up activations demonstrated what care-based safety solutions that forefront rider dignity could look like. 

“Some population segments might feel more comfortable with armed security, but at the same time, they are causing actual harm to our Black riders, Latino riders, and other segments of our community. When we look at safety for our station, we want to make sure that everyone feels safe.” - Scarlett De Leon

For more on ACT-LA, click here. 

For more on TransitCenter, click here. 

Hosted by Kapish Singla

Edited by Ali Lemer and Kapish Singla

Produced by TransitCenter

Music: “Comma” - Blue Dot Sessions

Disclaimer: Political views raised by guests on the podcast do not reflect the views of TransitCenter.