2023 Mobility 21 Summit is Sold Out!

Thank you to our attendees and sponsors – the 2023 Summit is sold out!

PLAN YOUR DAY

  • Hear from more than 60 General and Breakout Session speakers.
  • Network in our expo hall with more than 100 exhibitors, including our vehicle display.
  • View the conference agenda and choose the Breakout Sessions you want to attend.
  • Check out our Hospitality Suite in the Expo Hall for a place to charge your electronics, play retro arcade games and lounge in a quiet space.
  • Complimentary wifi is available throughout the Summit.
  • Don’t forget to bring business cards!

Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Kristin Decas
CEO and Port Director
Port of Hueneme

Kristin Decas took the helm of the Port of Hueneme in 2012 with a laser focus on prospering economic, environmental and community enrichment.

On Kristin’s watch trade volumes have grown 77% and revenue has climbed 127%. The Port’s total economic activity has soared 175% increasing from $800 million to $2.2 billion. Trade related jobs have jumped 96% from 10,200 to over 20,000 jobs and tax revenues for vital community services have risen 224%. Despite COVID-19 and subsequent global supply chain disruptions in 2022, the Port realized its strongest sustained trade year since its inception in 1937 moving over $15 billion in cargo value.

Since Kristin took the CEO post, the Port has invested over $70M in environmental improvement projects including shoreside power plug-ins for vessels and cranes, harbor deepening projects which re-nourish local beaches, and the launch of a world-class air quality monitoring program. She also championed impactful community work including food drives for over 45,000 families, local school trade programs, and thousands of port tours for the community.

Kristin currently serves on high profile county, state and federal transportation, economic development, and hospital boards. Kristin lives in Oxnard with her husband and is the proud mother of two daughters.

Mobility 21 Advisory Board Member Spotlight:
Ural Yal
Senior Vice President
Flatiron

As Senior Vice President at Flatiron, Ural Yal has more than 25 years of construction industry experience including 15 years as executive oversight of heavy civil construction projects, many of which are located in Southern California. Since joining Flatiron in 2017, Ural has focused on business acquisition, operations, commercial management and strategy. In his current role, Ural leads major pursuits for Flatiron companywide, develops key partnering relationships. He supports public and private clients in planning and delivering complex infrastructure projects.

Ural holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in California, and the current Vice President of the Highway and Transportation Division of AGC of California.

Summit Titanium Sponsor Spotlight:
WSP

To address the challenge of developing a diverse and inclusive workforce, WSP USA is proud to partner with Young Oak Kim Academy (YOKA) and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) on an interactive educational program that engages students in planning and engineering. This partnership inspires an early interest in planning and engineering in these students, and that inspiration can lead to careers in which they make their own positive impact in this industry and our communities.

Strengthening the engineering labor talent pool is a key priority for WSP USA’s chief executive officer Lou Cornell. In recent years, the firm has doubled the size of its internship program and seeks to convert as many as 80 percent of those interns into full-time employees. Familiarity and continuity with client projects as well as enhanced productivity and mentorship engagement allows WSP’s early career professionals to hit the ground running and help meet the demands of infrastructure projects across the country for years to come.

The Orange County Transportation Authority is moving ahead on a study for short- and long-term solutions to protect the coastal rail line through southern Orange County and keep trains moving safely. Photo courtesy of OCTA.

OCTA Moves Ahead with Study on What’s Threatening
Rail Corridor, How to Keep Trains Moving Safely

The Orange County Transportation Authority is pushing forward on studying solutions to protect the vital coastal rail line that connects passengers, freight and military assets from San Diego County to Orange County and important destinations farther north.

The OCTA Board today selected HDR Engineering Inc. as the firm to lead the South Coast Rail Infrastructure Feasibility Study and Alternative Concepts Analysis. The study will bring together technical experts and public agency partners and engage a wide range of stakeholders to pinpoint the issues threatening the rail corridor and offer solutions to protect it.

Two major landslides in the past year near the rail line in San Clemente forced the temporary closure of the track to passenger service for several months while OCTA and its partners worked on emergency projects to stabilize the track and protect it from falling debris.

The track through San Clemente reopened to all service in July and remains open, including to Metrolink regional rail and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passengers.

Cyprus Shore project

Now OCTA is moving ahead with the first of two studies to seek longer-term solutions.

“We’ve seen just how important this rail line is – especially with the challenges of the last year – to the tens of thousands of passengers and the business owners and others who rely on steady train service,” said OCTA Chairman Gene Hernandez, also the mayor of Yorba Linda. “Now that we’ve dealt with the emergencies that forced the track to temporarily close, we will continue to work with urgency with all our partners to ensure our tracks can remain open and reliable.”

Framework for Studies

In February, the OCTA Board approved the two-phase approach, with the first phase to examine short- to medium-term solutions, then a second-phase study that would look at longer-term solutions.

The approval to hire HDR to conduct the first study is a major step in that effort.

The goals of the Phase 1 study, which include the cities of Dana Point and San Clemente and unincorporated coastal regions of Orange and San Diego counties, include:

  • Developing options to protect coastal rail infrastructure in its current location
  • Gaining a more detailed understanding of climate effects on the rail line
  • Identifying potential solutions for beach erosion
  • Consulting with key stakeholders and agencies each step of the way.

The study is expected to cost approximately $2 million, with grant funding already identified. Future costs for making the necessary improvements to ensure ongoing rail operations along the 7 miles of south Orange County coast would be identified through the study.

ls of the Phase 2 study, which will look at longer-term options, include:

  • Partnering with LOSSAN, state and federal agencies
  • Developing options for protecting or potentially moving the rail line
  • Creating an action plan
  • Consulting and engaging residents and key stakeholders throughout the process.

Critical to the success of studying how to protect the rail line, OCTA will partner with other agencies such as Metrolink, the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, the California Coastal Commission, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and other key stakeholders.

Casa Romantica project

Emergency Work Wrapping Up

Milepost 206.8 (Cyprus Shore)

The emergency work along 700 feet of rail line in south San Clemente largely wrapped up on Sunday, Aug. 13, with hydroseeding of the reformed slope covering the newly built grade-beam wall. The wall was built just below homes in Cyprus Shore.

OCTA led the emergency work at that location beginning in October 2022, after continued movement in the hillside on the inland side of the track – and erosion of the beach on the coastal side – caused movement of the track of up to 28 inches.

The emergency fix included installing 220 ground anchors – each 133 feet long – into the bedrock below, securing two rows of 110 grade beams that helped stabilize the hillside above. The wall included approximately 1,000 cubic yards of shotcrete (sprayed concrete) to help protect the railroad track.

Recently, the wall was covered again with soil and reseeded so vegetation will eventually cover the hillside again.

Milepost 204.6 (Casa Romantica)

The rail line through San Clemente reopened for all passenger rail service on July 17, as emergency work was completed on a temporary barrier wall to protect the track below the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens.

Metrolink, which operates regional passenger rail service, and its contractors worked in partnership with OCTA to build the temporary barrier wall, which is 250 feet long and 12 feet high, with the piles set 32 feet below ground.

The wall is meant to keep any debris from reaching the tracks. The city of San Clemente, which owns the hillside below Casa Romantica, continues to work on a longer-term fix to stabilize the hillside.

For more information on rail projects, visit octa.net.

For information on passenger rail service, visit metrolinktrains.com and pacificsurfliner.com.

Emerging On-Demand Microtransit Services
Expand Mobility Options in Riverside County

The advent of small scale, flexible transit service – also known as microtransit – is shaping the way travelers get around. Recently launched on-demand microtransit programs from Riverside County transit providers have riders excited – and for good reason. With a few taps of a smartphone app or a short phone call, riders can plan and book rides to bus stops, schools, local businesses, doctor appointments, and other popular destinations. These rides are often less expensive than common ride-hailing apps allowing for residents from underserved communities to also use the service.

GoMicro, the popular on-demand microtransit service from Riverside Transit Agency (RTA), offers shared rides in the Hemet-San Jacinto microtransit zone that overlays existing RTA fixed routes. The GoMicro service made its much-anticipated debut in December 2022, providing nearly 3,000 rides in its first 30 days of service. Booking a ride is as easy as downloading the RTA GoMicro Transit App, creating an account, and requesting a pickup. Trips can also be booked through the GoMicro webpage or by calling 951-633-2629. GoMicro service operates Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

GoMicro’s surging popularity has prompted the need for additional funding to extend the service. Earlier this year, RCTC worked closely with RTA to assemble a grant application for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) grants program. As a result of the joint effort, a $2,378,635 grant was awarded that will allow RTA to extend the pilot program an additional 12 months and to implement similar on-demand microtransit service in other areas in the region.

In the sunny Coachella Valley, SunLine Transit Agency’s microtransit service – SunRide – has also proven to be a popular option amongst riders. The on-demand service launched in two Coachella Valley zones and has recently expanded service to seven zones that includes Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs-Desert Edge, Indio, Mecca-North Shore, Palm Desert, and Palm Springs. SunRide connects riders to SunLine’s fixed route network and serves more than 100 destinations that include John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, DMV, schools, parks, and shopping centers. Riders can plan, book, and keep track of trips through the official SunRide mobile app or by calling SunRide Customer Service at 760-343-3450. The service is currently available Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Through these exciting new transit services, RTA, SunLine, and agency partners are focused on offering expanded mobility solutions to meet the diverse needs of Riverside County’s growing population.

L.A. Mayor and Metro Board Chair Karen Bass speaks at Metro’s annual State of the Agency event in July at Union Station. From left, Glendale Council Member Ara Najarian, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, Supervisor and Metro Board 1st Vice Chair Janice Hahn and Metro Customer Experience and Communications Chief Jennifer Vides. Click here to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/embed/lCqjGaXUj-8

Metro Holds Annual State of the Agency Event and
Looks Ahead to Improvements in Fiscal Year Ahead

Metro held its annual State of the Agency event last Monday at Union Station. As we do each year, the event was a chance to look back at our work over the past fiscal year — and put forth goals for this coming fiscal year. (Our fiscal year began July 1 and runs through next June 30).

This fiscal year has brought immense change to Metro, as the agency works to restore ridership and improve the customer experience while delivering the largest transit capital program in the country.
Last year’s Metro Board Chair Ara Najarian also handed over the ceremonial gavel to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, whose term as Board Chair began July 1 and runs through next June 30.
Not surprisingly, each speaker discussed our work on the public safety front — an issue that has been at the forefront of our work the past year. We believe we’re making progress. Overall crime fell in May by 53% on the rail system and 13% on our buses. Customer complaints have also decreased and loitering and trespassing are both down. More people are paying fares.

Here are some of our accomplishments this past fiscal year, as well as goals for the year ahead:

We opened two new rail projects last fiscal year, the first time in the agency’s history that’s happened. 

The initial operating segment of the K Line in Inglewood and South LA opened last October. The K Line now operates between Expo/Crenshaw and Westchester/Veterans, and we’re aiming to open the rest of the K Line and connect it to the C Line in 2024. Directly related to that, construction of the LAX/Metro Transit Center Station — which is along the new K Line and will serve both C and K Line trains — is 64% complete. Once the K Line fully opens, you’ll be able to take a one-seat ride on it from Expo/Crenshaw, through the LAX/Metro Transit Center, to Redondo Beach. The C Line will run from Norwalk to LAX.

We also opened our Regional Connector project with its three new underground stations serving our new A and E Lines. As readers of the Source know, there was no connection between the old Gold Line and the Blue and Expo Lines for many years.

With the Regional Connector, we consolidated those three lines into two, enabling one-seat trips from Azuza to Long Beach and from East LA to Santa Monica. The three new stations — at Little Tokyo/Arts District, Historic Broadway and Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill — feature some incredible public art, and have attracted new riders to those lines.

Ridership on the A and E Lines is now about 13% higher than it was on the old Blue, Gold, and Expo Lines before the Regional Connector opened.

We also worked hard last fiscal year to improve our bus service.

We fully restored our bus service to pre-pandemic levels — to give people more frequent and convenient service. We greatly reduced the bus operator shortage by hiring 1,000 new bus operators, which has helped us add service and has also greatly reduced canceled bus trips. In June 2022, 3.4% of our bus trips were canceled — a number that dropped to 1.1% this past June. (Our bus cancelation report is online here).

And we added to our network of bus priority lanes in the city of LA, most recently opening them up on Venice Boulevard. In the last two years we’ve added 36 miles of bus priority lanes to speed up trips — and more are on the way. Work on new lanes on La Brea is underway and they’re forecast to open next month to help speed up trips and help buses stay on schedule.

We’ll also be adding more Metro Transit Security Officers to our buses, to help keep our bus patrons and hardworking operators safe.

To give people a better customer experience on Metro, we added more than 300 Metro Ambassadors to the system.

The Metro Ambassadors have had 365,000 contacts with customers — helping them find their way around and simply feel more comfortable while riding Metro. We’ve also increased the visibility of staff on our system — law enforcement, our Transit Security Officers, custodians and other staff, especially on our rail lines.

We did a lot of work in the last fiscal year to improve access to Metro for our riders.

The GoPass program, which provides free fares for K-12 and community college students at participating schools/districts in L.A. County helped push student ridership to all-time highs. There were 16.7 million rides using our GoPass that more than tripled the number of GoPass rides the previous year. Based on data from this program and our other student discount programs, more students are riding Metro today than prior to the pandemic.

We also signed up 89,036 people for our LIFE low-income fare program in the past fiscal year, almost doubling the number of people in the program. People can also sign up for the LIFE program when applying for assistance from the LA County Department of Public Social Services, which has helped us greatly increase the number of participants in the program.

All these efforts are helping us move the needle on Metro’s ridership. In June we posted our seventh consecutive month of year-over-year ridership increases and we had 269 million boardings in calendar year 2022 — an increase from 255 million in 2021. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but Our CEO Stephanie Wiggins summed it up best by saying:

“We’ve shown that we can make big improvements to our system. And now we’re in growth mode. This year, our primary goal is to earn back our riders and regain their trust.

“We are determined to make public transportation the preferred choice for all. If recent challenges and changing circumstances caused you to step away from public transportation, I want you to know that we are fully committed to providing an exceptional transit experience for everyone.”

We encourage you to watch the speeches — which are below. Lot of interestingness in all of them about our wide variety of services, projects and programs. Photos of the event are here.

Click here to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Mrcvvc0Vng

Click here to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z5mBAhFt2hg

Click here to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/embed/ba88sWOCDu0

Click here to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Mxhub5HbaY

Your Auto’s Safety Net: The Lifesaving
Potential of Driving Assistance Tech

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are the eyes and ears of your car. They use sensors and cameras to detect potential hazards, warn drivers, and can take corrective action automatically. These safety systems are common on new vehicles, and they have the potential to save lives by preventing crashes – but how many?
New research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that available ADAS technologies could prevent approximately 37 million crashes, 14 million injuries, and nearly 250,000 deaths over the next 30 years. This would represent 16% of crashes and injuries and 22% of deaths that would otherwise occur on U.S. roads without these technologies.

“The findings from this latest study on the AAA Foundation’s work in emerging technologies suggest that ADAS have the potential to transform road safety,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation. “However, the full safety benefits of ADAS will not be realized unless they are fully understood by the consumer, used properly, and widely adopted.”

The future safety benefits of ADAS could be larger or smaller, depending on many factors, including the rates of consumer uptake, use, and the future development of these technologies, as well as many other factors. But technology limitations still exist, and while ADAS may save 250,000 lives over the next 30 years, nearly 900,000 lives will be lost on our roads if current trends continue.

So how do these systems work? Here are a few of the most common ADAS features:

  • Forward Collision Warning: Detects a potential collision with a vehicle ahead and alerts the driver. Some systems also provide alerts for pedestrians or other objects.
  • Adaptive Cruise Control: Cruise control that also assists with acceleration and braking to maintain a driver-selected gap to the vehicle in front. Some systems can come to a stop and continue, while others cannot.
  • Automatic Emergency Braking: Detects potential collisions with a vehicle ahead, provides forward collision warning, and automatically brakes to avoid a collision or lessen the severity of impact. Some systems also detect pedestrians or other objects.
  • Lane Departure Warning: Monitors vehicle’s position within the driving lane and alerts the driver as the vehicle approaches or crosses lane markers.
  • Lane Keeping Assistance: Provides steering support to assist the driver in keeping the vehicle in the lane. The system reacts only when the vehicle approaches or crosses a lane line or road edge.
  • Blind Spot Monitoring: Detects vehicles in the blind spot while driving and notifies the driver of their presence. Some systems provide an additional warning if the driver activates the turn signal.

Unlike full automation, which is not yet commercially available, ADAS works to form a vehicle’s “safety net.” The study found that the safety benefits of ADAS will vary depending on the type of system and how it is used. Last year, AAA engineers examined automatic emergency braking systems, which effectively prevent rear-end crashes but less so when encountering bicyclists or vehicles crossing paths.

According to recent Foundation research featuring Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), drivers may initially lack the appropriate knowledge to use it properly. This can lead to misuse or mistrust, especially in situations beyond the system’s capability (i.e., edge cases). But with time and exposure to various edge-case events, drivers may better understand and use ACC more effectively.

The Foundation’s research reinforces the importance of the Safe System Approach (SSA). It’s a strategic way of leveraging the engineering and behavioral countermeasures proven effective at preventing traffic crashes and the injuries that can result from them. Learn more about the SSA HERE.

“The future for ADAS is bright, but it’s not a cure-all,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy. “While these technologies offer substantial safety benefits, we cannot engineer our way out of traffic injuries and deaths on U.S. roads. Investments in a diversity of proven traffic safety measures, including but not limited to vehicle technology, is in order.”

AAA urges automakers to adopt a standard naming convention for vehicle technology to ensure drivers understand the capabilities of catchy, marketing-driven branded names for popular systems.

Please refer to the Foundation report for methodology details.

About AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Established in 1947 by AAA, the Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit, publicly funded 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by researching their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research informs the development of educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users.

About AAA

Started in 1902 by automotive enthusiasts who wanted to chart a path for better roads in America and advocate for safe mobility, AAA has transformed into one of North America’s largest membership organizations. Today, AAA provides roadside assistance, travel, discounts, and financial and insurance services to enhance the life journey of over 63 million members across North America, including over 56 million in the United States. To learn more about all AAA offers or become a member, visit AAA.com.

The Journey Toward Self-Powered,
Zero-Emission, Compliant Trains

Traveling more than 5,000 miles across the Atlantic, North America’s first-ever compliant zero-emission, hydrogen-powered passenger train is en route to the United States, making a handful of pit stops before heading home to the tracks in San Bernardino County.

Known as ZEMU, or Zero Emission Multiple Unit, this landmark moment marks a giant leap forward in SBCTA’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, combat climate change, and build a more sustainable and eco-friendly rail future.

ZEMU’s journey to the United States dates as far back as the late 1800s when the Santa Fe Railroad arrived in the area and San Bernardino became Santa Fe’s “gateway” to Southern California. For more than a century, the railroad industry has been a major contributor to the San Bernardino economy. For decades, trains have been a vital mode of transportation, connecting communities, fostering economic growth, and offering a more eco-conscious alternative to air and road travel. However, traditional diesel locomotives have long been associated with significant greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the global climate crisis. In response, the rail industry worldwide has been diligently working to develop cleaner, greener alternatives.

Stemming from a partnership that includes agencies such as CalSTA and Caltrans, and thanks to SBCTA’s innovative forward thinking, the ZEMU train was manufactured by Stadler in Switzerland, but this is just the beginning. The wheels of progress are already turning and once the train hits U.S. soil, it will be transported and assembled at the FRA’s Transportation Technology Center in Colorado and then commissioned before traveling across the country passing through many of America’s great landscapes until it reaches Orlando, Florida to be revealed at the 2023 APTA Transform Conference & Expo. The APTA Expo is renowned for being the public transportation industry’s long-standing resource for advancing mobility systems through a robust showcase of the latest-breaking technologies, products, and services.

The arrival of North America’s first zero-emission, hydrogen-powered, compliant passenger train sets a powerful precedent for the rest of the world, showcasing SBCTA and Southern California’s commitment to sustainability and adopting greener technologies.

Join us in celebrating this milestone that will help shape the future landscape of rail travel as we embark on a journey that is leading us toward a future where sustainability and innovation ride hand in hand.

Help OCTA Develop Strategies for Sustainable
Transportation in Orange County

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is developing a plan that will provide recommendations that shift away from driving alone and expand access to alternative travel options. Potential strategies include carpooling, telecommuting, bikeshare, mobile trip planning apps, and more. OCTA wants to hear your ideas!

Here is how to get involved:

Attend the Zoom Webinar
Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 5:30 pm. Register here!

Participate in the Online Survey
Take the survey by September 18 for a chance to win one of two $50 gift cards!

Learn more about the draft plan and the paths to success at octa.net/TDM.