Transportation Equity
Melissa Rysak, CPSM
May 1, 2024
Transportation Equity aims to ensure that all community members’ needs
Transportation equity requires understanding the needs of every person potentially served or impacted by every transportation decision. What is the parking and mobility industry doing to impact transportation equity?
Gabe Mendez, CAPP
Director of Transportation Operations
University of Wisconsin-Madison
“
When your organization is evaluating the impacts of a change to a program, the equity in its availability or coverage, or its effectiveness you need to include all potential customers. One way to aid in the analysis is to include those underserved and underrepresented communities as distinct subsets.”
Nancy Kobielski
Business Services & Communications Manager, Parking & Transportation Services Division of Finance and Administration
University at Buffalo
“
Our university is spread over three campuses. Our Parking and Transportation Services Department is in the process of implementing another transit stop along our fixed route between our two main campuses to help service the student population along that line. In addition, we offer a shuttle service from one of our campuses to our downtown campus. Parking downtown comes with a high price tag and our shuttle provides a no-cost option for our faculty/staff and students.”
Jeshua D. Pringle, CAPP, AICP
Parking Planner
Kimley-Horn
“
As consultants, we strive to positively impact mobility and access. By partnering with communities, we proactively acknowledge and navigate the unbalanced distribution of accessibility by diversifying permit options to support alternative modes of transportation, offering discounted permits for low-income earners, and enhancing the mobility framework of communities to minimize barriers to equitable access for all.”
Alex Argudin, CAPP
CEO
Miami Parking Authority
“
Parking organizations can take the lead to help support economically impacted populations by providing free-of-charge or low-cost micro-mobility options that reduce the cost of transportation, foster connectivity, and close the first- and last-mile gaps. The overarching goal is to support various transportation initiatives that foster accessible, sustainable, reliable, and equitable services for all. Building and buttressing relationships with municipal, county, state, and federal partners help strengthen economic opportunities for the betterment of the community.”
Wady Burgos, CAPP
Parking & TDM Coordinator
City of Westminster, CO
“
Partnerships between local governments, transportation agencies, local businesses, and transportation management organizations to bridge transportation gaps in underserved communities are a great way to make an impact and create more inclusive transportation networks. For example, regional efforts like this in Colorado offer demand-responsive transit and electric bike rebate programs to incentivize alternate transportation modes and change how people move around our cities.”
Josh Naramore
Mobile GR Director
City of Grand Rapids, MI
“
Communities across the country are wrestling with challenges in creating a transportation system to better address equity challenges and connect residents and employees to transportation. We all need to live somewhere, and we all need to get somewhere. I think our industry is piloting low and no-cost transportation programs and services that are essential to longer-term equitable mobility solutions.”
Nicole Chinea, CAPP
Senior Planner
Harris County Engineering
“
The parking and mobility industry has prioritized public outreach efforts and the importance of data for some time now. These efforts have put our industry at the forefront of impacting transportation equity. Expanding transportation beyond the vehicle, analyzing equity trends, and being in tune with all users allows us to better bridge gaps in connectivity and equity.”
Scott C. Bauman, CAPP
Manager of Parking & Mobility Services
City of Aurora, CO
“
The parking and mobility industry continues to advance creative opportunities, services, and smart technology to offer the broadest possible selection of transportation solutions to reach as many diverse individuals and communities as possible. Equity is advancing at all levels from affordable access to car/vehicle share services in economic opportunity zones to thoughtful road space and curb lane allocation for new and evolving modes, services, and vehicle types.”
Joseph Madison
Associate Director of Parking Operations
Kennesaw State University
“
Increasing connectivity between different modes of transportation is a key to equitable service distribution. While we look to make sure all parkers have space, we also demonstrate the importance of safety when transitioning to transit. Once we park, exit our car, and begin our path to the elevator, we become the pedestrians that need the emphasis on safety.”
David Parker
CEO
Cleverciti
“
Our industry proactively implements initiatives and solutions to address transportation equity through shared mobility services, transit integration, accessibility standards, data analysis and planning, community engagement, and more. Smart parking solutions offering real-time parking availability information, mobile payment options, accessible parking availability, and more will continue to profoundly impact parking access for all individuals. Digital signage helps the entire community (not just those with smartphones) find the best transit option for them.”
John Hammerschlag
President
Hammerschlag & Co., Inc.
“
The parking and mobility industry can impact transportation equity through online sales and dynamic pricing, improving parking availability and efficiency. Research studies performed by municipalities identify and address the transportation needs of all their residents. Finally, providing accessible, affordable, and subsidized parking options can improve equity in areas where public transportation is not readily available.”
Marlene Cramer, CAPP, LEED Green Associate
Director, Transportation and Parking Services
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
“
We are addressing transportation infrastructure gaps mainly due to long-term underinvestment. Programmatic decisions should support providing sustainable, affordable, safe, reliable, and equitable transportation programs for the betterment of our communities.”
Irma Henderson, CAPP
Director of Transportation Services
University of California, Riverside
“
The biggest impact is the attention to movement and not to the cessation of it. The parking space is no longer the destination. The path of travel to the activity or service that a person needs is the destination. By changing the destination, we change the conversation to include different modes of travel, and the person becomes the center of attention.”
HAVE A QUESTION? Send it to editor@parking-mobility.org and watch this space for answers from the experts.
The opinions and thoughts expressed by the contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of the International Parking & Mobility Institute or official policies of IPMI.
This article has been written and/or compiled by the staff of Parking & Mobility magazine.
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Impacting Transportation Equity
Parking & Mobility
May 1, 2024
Transportation equity requires understanding the needs of every person potentially
