Clark Harder, Director of the Michigan Public Transit Association

The Michigan Public Transit Association's Clark Harder discusses key transit issues for MPTA, including how his previous career as a member of the Michigan State Legislature informs his work with the Association, his thoughts on the impact of term limits, and the Association's recent foray into non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) at the state level.

Listen Here (33:03)

Julie Wilcke of Portland's Ride Connection on Improving Transportation for Dialysis Patients

Ride Connection's Julie Wilcke discusses the agency's recent research on Improving Transportation for Patients Receiving Dialysis Treatments. The research, funded by the Administration for Community Living's Inclusive Coordinated Transportation Planning Project, involved direct feedback from dialysis patients, their caregivers, family members and more. Here, Wilcke talks about potential solutions gleaned from a more patient-centric approach to dialysis transportation.

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Dr. Marsha Simon on Transit's Vital Role in Managing Chronic Illnesses

Dr. Marsha Simon, President of MJ Simon & Co., recently authored Medicaid Expansion and Premium Assistance: The Importance of Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) To Coordinated Care for Chronically Ill Patients, a report that recognizes the complexity of today’s medical environment by highlighting the important role that behavioral health and other complex medical conditions play in transportation to today’s medical services. This edition of the CT Podcast expands on that report, looking at the key trends and impacts its research reveals.

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CTAA's Charles Rutkowski, Technical Assistance Programs Director

In 23 years, CTAA's Charles Rutkowski has helped develop rural transit systems and solutions in more than 200 communities and in conjunction with 50 tribes. In this rural transit-focused edition of the CT Podcast, Mr. Rutkowski discusses some of what he's learned in working with so many rural areas about how to develop transit solutions that meet local needs and that build local community support.

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Jeff Meilbeck, GM, NAIPTA, Flagstaff, Ariz.

Jeff Meilbeck, General Manager of the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) in Flagstaff, Ariz.,  joins the CTPodcast to discuss NAIPTA and its tremendous growth — from 100,000 rides 13 years ago, to 1.8 million today. NAIPTA, like many other small-urban transit systems, is thriving, but needs sufficient federal bus and bus facility investment to maintain its services and meet burgeoning local demand. Given Flagstaff's current bus and bus facility formula allocation, it will take 48 years, according to Meilbeck, for the agency to have enough investment to build the facility the system and community needs. In this conversation, Jeff also explains the importance of the Small Transit Intensive City program and urges its expansion.

Meilbeck is a leader with CTAA's Small Urban Network (SUN). For more information on the SUN click here. He presented at the SUN Legislative Staff Briefing, those materials are available here.

For the latest information on MAP-21 reauthorization, click here.

LISTEN HERE: (13:04)

You Can Go Home Again: Newly named Detroit DOT Director Dan Dirks on Turning Around Transit in the Motor City

Dan Dirks, who was appointed Director of the Detroit DOT on January 16 by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, joins the CT Podcast to discuss the commitment of Detroit DOT employees to reviving public transit across the city. From covering the current state of the system to the initial beginnings of what many hope is a remarkable comeback story, Dirks provides an inside look at the challenges ahead, the focus on customers and transit's role in facilitating Detroit's economic recovery. Born and raised in Detroit, Dirks certainly seems like the right person for this job.

Listen Here (25:06) 

Brrrr... Expert cold weather transit tips

With much of the U.S. experiencing extreme cold weather, the first CT Podcast edition of 2014 takes a look cold weather transit. Jim Heilig, Director of Administration and Planning with the Duluth Transit Authority in Duluth, Minnesota and Rochelle Cotey, Executive Director of Alger County Public Transportation in Michigan's Upper Peninsula discuss how their operations deal with extreme winter weather, from low temps to piles of snow. From planning and communications to emergency management and special equipment, these two seasoned transit professionals — each located along the shores of Lake Superior — offer their best advice on handling winter conditions while ably serving their communities.

Duluth's temperature at 8am today: -16 F
Munising's temperature at 8am today: 6

Listen Here: (26:24)