Meeting of the Minds, a nonprofit, knowledge sharing network that provides a place for cities to develop practical solutions for sustainability and to create smart cities, held a meeting in Cleveland on May 23 to spark a conversation around “Mobility, Equity and Data.”

With a significant emphasis on transportation, the meeting began with comments from Armond Budish, Executive of Cuyahoga County, and Brad Whitehead, President of Fund for Our Economic Future, about the state of Cleveland’s transportation.

“In the Central neighborhood [of Cleveland] 56 percent of individuals don’t have access to a car.”

Whitehead enlightened the crowd with some stark Cleveland transportation data, for example, “In the Central neighborhood, 56 percent of individuals don’t have access to a car.”

Providing transportation equity in a city, provides people with tools they need to access healthcare, work and school so how is technology helping with that? Read more here. Click To Tweet

A panel then transitioned the discussion to one about ways that changes in technology can change the ways we use traditional mass transit. Joseph Calabrese, CEO of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), provided input on how emerging technology can play a vital role, and be incorporated into, mass transit in Cleveland. Rahul Kumar the National Director of Emerging Mobility for TransLoc, a Ford Smart Mobility Company, and Eleanor Joseph, Director of Business Development at Via, provided detailed descriptions of the way their models have revolutionized transportation in cities around the world, and ways those changes can impact Cleveland.

Technology advances have created the ability to expand public/private working relationships in the transportation industry. By overlaying tech developments like TransLoc and Via on top of existing transportation structures like GCRTA, cities can continue to provide access to underutilized routes.  Via has able to demonstrate this model in cities around the country by providing an Uber or Lyft-like ride experience for customers who may live just outside of public transportation or on an underutilized route. TransLoc, as a transportation software development company, has been able to working with the public transportation providers to find additional efficiencies that may assist their needs. Allowing new efficiencies, like these, can assist with low income areas of cities were access may be hardest.

Via has able to demonstrate this model in cities around the country by providing an Uber or Lyft-like ride experience for customers who may live just outside of public transportation or on an underutilized route.

Providing transportation equity in a city, provides individuals the tools they need to access healthcare, work and school to enable all drivers to move up and out of poverty. On August 10, The Center for Community Solutions will be continuing the conversation around transportation and equity as we host the Human Services Advocacy Network (HSAN) with Randy Cole, the Executive Director of the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.

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