OK, Most People will Continue to Drive, But Others Need Choices - A Pie 2022 Seminar

April, 2022

We are never going to get folks to change their transportation modes unless we give them choices. Cars are great but, in some cases, scooters, buses, light rail, bikes can fit the bill, too. 

Forcing choice
does not work.

Successfully tackling congestion and making it possible for people to move easily and comfortably from place-to-place is not about pitting cars (and roads) against mass transport, micro transit, bicycles, or other modes of travel. Zero-sum thinking will entrench current stresses, not transcend them. 

Choice coupled with convenience is no longer an enhancement – it is an expectation. Join us as we explore ways to offer choices to our customers!

For years, planners have been designing their cities and higher learning environments around the car, however, concerns for the environment, pedestrian safety, as well as the socioeconomic status of a very diverse population has re-defined planning practices with the focus now on ‘livable communities’. 

This new practice has planning and development based on many different modes of transportation including, but not limited to, walking, biking, mass transportation and, in many cases, attempting to minimize the use of the personal vehicle. 

Forcing choice does not work. Join the discussion to define approaches to collaborating and coordinating transportation options to truly offer a menu of mobility. 

Another area of choice to be explored is the variety of price points and types of payment methods offered to accommodate all abilities and needs, keeping not only the mode of transportation chosen accessible to all, but the affordability and convenience of paying for it, as well. 

The events of the last two years have shaped society in many ways; work, dining and shopping patterns have changed. Working and learning from home is a common practice now, and a hybrid environment is likely here to stay. 

This means that the traditional long-term permit for both parking and public transportation must now be reshaped to conform to society’s needs. 

Shorter term usage and more flexible options are choices that must be offered. 

What about the increasing
pressure to prioritize the slowdown of climate change? 

What about the fact that vehicles and pedestrians often don’t ‘get along’? 

Studies have shown that people continue to choose the personal vehicle, even when it is not in their best short term or long-term interest to do so. But exactly who defines “best interest”? Best interest is usually in the eye of the beholder, and the louder voices impact funding and support. Let’s get our talking points defined and get loud!

Tuesday, May 17