Northwest Dakota Public Transit, Williston, North Dakota

We are joined by both Diane Lopez (Executive Director) and John Pearcy (Transit Coordinator) of Northwest Dakota Public Transit in Williston, North Dakota. Williston's population has gone from 12,000 to 38,000 in three years as the energy boom Pearcy calls "black gold" continues unabated in certain parts of North Dakota. This CT Podcast discusses the impact of this population boom both on Williston itself and the local community transportation operator. Service requests on the all demand-response Northwest Dakota Public Transit have nearly tripled and for the first time, the agency faces a future where fixed routes might be deployed.

Listen Here: 14:02

Deb Dauenhauer, Executive Director, Silver Rider, Laughlin, Nevada

Deb Dauenhauer, Executive Director of the Southern Nevada Transit Coalition's Silver Rider, talks about her agency's challenges and innovation and its' recent recognition as the 2013 Rural Community Transportation System of the Year. In its first decade of service, Silver Rider has gone from serving three communities in Southern Nevada, to 11. The system provides access to jobs, to health care and much more with its more than 300,000 annual trips. What has been the key to its success? According to Dauenhauer, Silver Rider has built a brand that is always looking for new ways to meet unmet mobility demands, whether it be traditional fixed-route operations, demand response services or special trips for local veterans or the homeless populations.  

Listen Here (14:18)

CTAA Executive Director Dale J. Marsico, CCTM

CTAA Executive Director Dale J. Marsico, CCTM, joins the pod to assess the current environment for community and public transportation -- from economics to politics to demographics -- and to discuss the best ways forward. Dale talks about a more encompassing definition of private-sector involvement in the transit industry and the Association's soon-to-be-announced financial tools to help agencies around the nation meet growing local demand. From sustainability and affordability to low-cost financing and innovative services, this is one podcast you won't want to miss.

Listen Here: (24:17)

Tom Cahir, Cape Cod RTA Administrator

In this edition of the CT Podcast we talk trains with Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) Administrator Tom Cahir. Earlier this summer, CCRTA launched the CapeFlyer, a summer weekend train between Boston and Buzzard's Bay and Hyannis. The CapeFlyer is the first train between these two points in 50 years and, not surprisingly, it's a huge hit. In the podcast, Cahir covers the importance of local bus connections on the Cape and the enthusiasm locally with which the service has been received. Last week alone, 996 people left their cars behind and went to the Cape on the CapeFlyer.

Listen here: (13:45)

Ron Baumgart, Executive Director, River Cities Public Transit, Pierre, South Dakota

Ron Baumgart, executive director of River Cities Public Transit in Pierre, S.D., was named the 2013 Community Transportation Manager of the Year at the CTAA EXPO last month in Albuquerque. Ron shares his perspective on effective transit management in this multi-faceted podcast discussion. From looking at his agency's service through the eyes of a customer to surrounding himself with the best staff possible, Ron offers his transit management insights here.

Listen Here: (14:48)

Ted Ward, 2013 National Community Transportation Driver of the Year

Last month in Albuquerque, NM, Ted Ward — an operator under contract with MV Transportation at Austin's Capital Metro — won the body-on-chassis bus division at the 2013 National Community Transportation Roadeo and was named the Otis Reed Jr. Driver of the Year. Ward has been driving in Austin for more than two decades, focusing on serving people with disabilities. "My job is a joy," he says. He joins the CT Podcast to discuss his work, the roadeo and more.

Listen Here (15:38) 

                                                                   

Sandra Webb, Transportation Manager, Heart of Texas Council of Governments

On the evening of April 17, a fertilizer plant in the town of West, Texas exploded. The blast was so severe that it measured 2.1 on the richter scale. Many homes, businesses and local facilities were destroyed or damaged. Tragically, 15 people lost their lives and more than 160 people were injured in the explosion.

Sandra Webb is the transportation manager for the Heart of Texas Council of Governments in Waco, some 30 miles south of West. She was watching the unfolding news of the explosion on television when her phone rang. They needed buses up in West to help evacuate people and to offer shelter to first responders. She had four vehicle there as fast as possible. This edition of the CT Podcast highlights the vital role that community and public transportation plays in emergency preparedness and response, even in rural communities. Webb and her staff exhibited the very best of community transit on that tragic evening in West, Texas.

Listen Here (17:29)