Image: Vecteezy
Now, as we look to recovery, incorporating shared mobility and innovation into federal funding allocated for equitable, sustainable, and efficient transportation systems is urgently needed. As the movement of people and goods have been restricted in order to contain the spread of Covid-19, demand-driven dynamic solutions have emerged as critical tools for resiliency. Recognizing the importance of public transit in a resilient transportation system, the federal $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, included an immediate $25 billion in emergency funding for public transit. With societal vulnerabilities top of mind, many warn greater investments and well-informed expenditure will be needed for achieving resiliency of city lifelines for the movement of people and goods for not just the immediate term but long lasting.We echo the observation that systems “are often unreliable and inefficient” and concur that technological innovation can provide for direct improvements as well as complementary systems upgrades. Zoning, through access restrictions and pricing, is another demonstrated tool for replacing an unsustainable commute with a sustainable one while increasing equity — if designed right and includes robust transit improvements.
