Tactical Public Transport: Lessons from the Boston Metro Area

Greater Boston has faced a series of acute crises in public transport over the past 10 years – from shifts in ridership during and following the pandemic to operator shortages, infrastructure failures and service closures. This has led to much needed reform, and also to creative approaches in building awareness and understanding of how the public transport system can adapt and change in response to crises. Small temporary measures have led to sustained change and allowed for hope when the system and the people who rely on it were facing duress.

In this webinar, we learned how tactical public transport interventions including pop-up dedicated bus lanes, all door boarding pilots, and level boarding, have led to free fare trials and permanent bus lanes and helped keep momentum alive for bus transformation and reform.

Moderator: Julia Wallerce, Assistant Director of Transportation, Boston Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Speakers:
- Wes Edwards, Deputy Chief of Operations Planning, Scheduling, and Strategy, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
- Jay Monty, Director of Transportation and Mobility at City of Everett, Massachusetts
- Anne Lin, Director of Planning & Narrative Strategy, Grayscale Collaborative