Butch McDuffie, Transit Manager, Athens (Ga.) Transit

Butch McDuffie — Transit Manager for Athens Transit — joins the CT Podcast to discuss his agency and its operations. Having spent 11 years in Athens, McDuffie describes the system's growth and the impact of serving so many younger passengers (Athens is home to the University of Georgia). He also covers the unique challenges of today's small-urban transit operator in terms of both capital and operating issues. Says McDuffie: "The work we do at Athens Transit makes a difference in people's lives."

Listen here (22:11)

Barb Cline, CTAA Board President, Executive Director Prairie Hills Transit

Newly elected CTAA Board President Barb Cline — executive director of Prairie Hills Transit in Spearfish, South Dakota — joins the CTPodcast to discuss community and public transit at the local, state and national levels. With a service area of more than 12,000 square miles, Cline's experience in providing rural transit meeting health care, employment and general public transit needs, has helped guide her efforts with the Dakota Transit Association and with CTAA. From safety certification to bus capital needs to non-emergency medical transportation, this lively conversation covers a wide variety of vital transit topics.

Listen here (17:03)

Dennis Johnson, Executive Vice President, Children's Health Fund

Dennis Johnson, Executive Vice President with the Children's Health Fund, talks with the CTPodcast about the organization's work on healthcare and advocacy for America's most vulnerable children. Mobility and transportation, according to Johnson, are key components in ensuring successful long-term health care outcomes for children in both urban and rural settings. Johnson cites some of his agency's research that found that more than 3 million children, in a single year, missed vital health care appointments due to a lack of transportation. "The connection between health and mobility is especially important in the context of health care reform," says Johnson.

Listen Here: (19:18) 

Josh Baker, Transit Coordinator, New River Valley Community Services

New River Valley Community Services provides, among other services, community and public transit options in a four-country region in southwestern Virginia. Josh Baker – the organization’s transit coordinator – joined DigitalCT Editor Rich Sampson for an extensive podcast discussion on how the organization meets the region’s varying needs with a range or mobility options.

Listen Here (24:52)

Evan Goyke, Wisconsin State Assemblyman

Recently sworn in Wisconsin Assemblyman Evan Goyke discusses his views on community and public transit in this special edition of the CT Podcast. Representing the 18th District in one of the state's most diverse regions along Milwaukee's north side, Goyke is proud to say, "I'm a bus rider."  Assemblyman Goyke advises transit professionals and advocates on how to work with elected officials — stressing the importance of having them ride the system. He also covers his transportation goals for the term and challenges he expects in Madison.

Listen Here (18:47)

Ian Shackleton, Proterra VP Sales & Marketing

Proterra Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ian Shackleton joins the CTPodcast to discuss his company's innovative electric battery buses. With its fast-charge and even en-route charging, Proterra has taken a radically new approach to transit bus technology that it believes will help redefine public transportation. In this lively talk, Shackleton discusses Proterra's many innovations and how its buses not only passed Altoona testing -- the first all-electric vehicle to do so -- but their impact on operating expenses, maintenance costs and customer/community reaction. "We'd rather carry passengers than batteries," says Shackleton.

Listen Here: (17:26)

Amber Blake, City of Durango, Colo.

Amber Blake, Multimodal Administrator for the city of Durango, Colorado, joins the CT Podcast to discuss the importance of the city's recently completed multimodal transportation master plan and its impact on the community. From auditing the local bike and walk network, to holding 75 meetings, Blake looks at the process of developing multimodal plans designed to shift local travel patterns away from single-occupant vehicles and onto transit, shared rides, bikes and walking.

Listen Here: (10:42)