Talking Transport Transformation

Join us as we meet Keisha Mayuga, a remarkable feminist voice in the field of transportation. Keisha is a cycling activist and researcher, who has worked both in the Philippines and in Germany. Her work focuses on creating transport systems that are inclusive, accessible, and safe for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity. In this episode, we explore what a feminist transport system looks like and the challenges women face in mobility and transportation around the world. We also discuss ways in which we can create a more equitable society through policy and advocacy work.

Many people worldwide rely on public transport, whether it is a government-regulated or an informal, less fixed system. Informal transport represents up to 90% of the transport supply in many African cities. What approaches are needed to drive the improvement of this sector for actors involved and for the environment to reduce the emissions caused by that system? Together with Tom Courtright, the research director at the Association for Electric Mobility & Development in Africa and the Co-founder of Lubyanza, a research group in Kampala focusing on boda bodas, we examine transportation in eastern Africa. Tom gives us exciting insights into his research to learn about different kinds of vehicles, policies behind the system, responsibilities of different stakeholders involved and approaches to move electrification forward in these countries!

How does the future for the world’s almost 300 electric trolley bus networks look like? In fact, many systems feature outdated vehicles and low service standards due to decade-long under investment and neglect. Do existing grid infrastructures support a quicker electrification by modern vehicle technology? Or are cities with trolley bus systems limited by a technology lock-in? Together with Adrian Kobayashi, director of planning at Solingen’s municipal transport operator, we’ll investigate the case of a city which not only decided to maintain its trolley bus systems but is making it fit for the future.

Crystal Asige leader the Ability Programme in Kenya seeks to create awareness around the intersectionalities of being a young, black-African woman and entrepreneur with an invisible disability living in the global South. Neil Taylor director of Integrated Transport advocates for focusing transport planning efforts on developing a better range of transport options, namely making them accessible to all cohorts in society. In this episode Crystal and Neil give us their insights about their work towards more accessible and inclusive transport systems.

The Doppelmayr/ Garaventa Group builds ropeways all over the world. 15,400 ropeway systems in 96 states have already been realized. In today's episode Torsten takes us on a journey through South America and what experiences he has made as a project manager in the realization of ropeways in Bolivia, Mexico and Colombia.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) fights to improve working lives and is the voice for nearly 20 million working men and women across the world. Bruno Dobrusin is the just transition coordinator at the ITF. In this episode he gives us insight on the ITF’s work toward a green and just transition.

We all enjoy getting our online orders quickly delivered right to our doorsteps. However, most of us do not question the negative side effects of it. Deliveries made by motorized transport, contribute to traffic jams, air pollution, and reduced road safety. Couriers are often only hired for the short-term or on demand, therefore not receiving fair compensation or a long-term job perspective. Our guest, Jérôme Lühr, founding member of the bike courier collective CROW Cycle Berlin, shares his critical view on the gig economy and insights into setting up an independent bike courier service.

GLS Mobilität – or GLS Mobility – is part of the GLS Bank, the first sustainable bank in Germany. As part of the GLS Community, GLS Mobilität acts as an initiator and enabler of future-oriented mobility solutions. In this episode, Elena Kornettka, Political Communication Officer at GLS Mobilität, will give us insights on the specific fields of action of GLS Mobilität, such as their approach to contactless payment at charging stations, Giro-e.

Dr. Giulio Mattioli conducts research at the Department of Transport Planning at the Technische Universität Dortmund in Germany as the project leader of "Advancing knowledge of long-distance travel: uncovering its connections to mobility biography, migration, and daily travel", funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Giulio holds a PhD in Urban and Local European Studies from the University of Milan-Bicocca and has published numerous journal articles.

What role does ‘cycling’ play in the urban mobility system and what can be done to promote this sustainable practice? Our guest, Jill Warren, CEO of the European Cyclists’ Federation gives us interesting insights on promoting this sustainable transport. She shares her experience in advocating for cycling as an active and climate-friendly mode. Listen to our latest podcast episode about her work and recommendations to accelerate this sustainable practice.

What is Urban Leisure and how do various public transport users have varying levels of access? Our guest, Shahin Shakibaei, a researcher at Istanbul Technical University, discusses his research into the transgender and gender-diverse experience on public transportation of those living in Istanbul, Turkey. For transgender and gender-diverse people, access to urban leisure can be disrupted by issues of violence, discrimination, and harassment when using public transport. What recommendations are out there to improve the experience of public transport for all users? To learn more about these recommendations and the experiences from the communities he has interviewed, tune in!

How can cycling empower women in Africa? Our special guest on this episode has an answer. Wyson Lungo, CEO, and founder of Onyx was introduced to us through our TUMI Friends network. In 2018, Wyson realized the immense impact a bicycle can make throughout rural and urban communities in Zambia, and started to sell bikes made for heavy loads, long distances, and rougher roads. The women of Zambia typically provide the daily life-sustaining tasks- such as carrying water, food, and firewood long distances to their homes. Prior to Wyson, these tasks would take double the time compared to a trip on a bicycle provided through Onyx. To learn more about the importance of providing bicycles to those living in Zambia, tune in!

The global transport sector is changing – more and more countries are establishing ambitious targets in support of transport electrification. To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement a global transformation must take place – also in regions where the implementation of e-mobility solutions seems more difficult. In Sub-Saharan Africa e.g. challenges arise from unreliable electricity systems, missing availability of capital and high dependency on an informal transport sector. For further insights into the cross-disciplinary challenges associated with transitioning towards net-zero, we had the chance to talk to Dr Katherine Collett about her interesting research work on this topic. Katherine is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher in the Engineering Department at the University of Oxford with experience in electric vehicle integration both within the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Anuela Ristani is the Deputy Mayor in Tirana, the capital city of Albania. As the city faced rapid urban growth in the last decades the government had to find a way to face the challenges coming along with uncontrolled urbanization. Tirana’s leadership saw a sustainable mobility concept as a solution for using the available space as efficiently as possible and creating a more livable city at the same time. In this episode we talk with Deputy Mayor Anuela Ristani about the challenges Tirana faced and the solutions the government put forward to solve them.

Why is it that the benefits of active mobility have been widely underestimated? In this episode Carly Gilbert-Patrick will bring us closer to an answer. As the Team Leader for “Active Mobility, Digitalisation & Mode Integration” at the UN Environment Programme she is working with countries around the world in support of active mobility. Listen in to learn her views about economic, social and ecological advantages of walking and cycling and what should be done do to accelerate investment in human-powered transport.

In 2018, Melissa and Chris Bruntlett became the unofficial ambassadors for Dutch cities with the publication of their first book “Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality”. In June 2021, they published their second book: “Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars in Our Lives”, telling their very own personal story since their move to Delft, and looking beneath the surface to explore why the model of an equitable and accessible city works so well in the Netherlands. The book emphasizes the benefits that a pedestrian- and cycling-friendly city offers for citizens on a psychological and sociological level.

Public Transport remains the backbone of mobility systems in major cities around the world. And as urbanization continues, the formal and informal public transport services in mega cities grow and change constantly. What is key to utilizing the full potential of public transport and to increase its attractiveness for commuters is information about how and where these services can be accessed - or even where they are currently obstructed. To understand approaches to improve public transport services, we had the chance to talk to Devin de Vries. Devin is the CEO and co-founder of WhereIsMyTransport a mobility technology company that develops products to improve the public transport experience in emerging-market megacities. Join us for the discussion on the role of mobility data and up to the hour mobility monitoring for an improved usability of public transport services.

Electric vehicles are viewed as critical for transport decarbonization. To understand how to best leverage the potentials of a large-scale electrification of the transport sector, we had the chance to talk to Erika Myers. Erika works as Global Senior Manager, Electric Vehicles at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. Join us for the discussion on the role of e-mobility for a sustainable mobility transformation, electrification of bus fleets and her ambition to empower women in the EV industry.

Urban transport is often seen as gender neutral – a road or bus system benefits all equally. But really: it´s not! Women and men have different mobility behaviors, needs and restrictions for using transport. We discuss these disparities together with Ines Kawgan-Kagan, who is managing director of the AEM Institute in Berlin and Sonal Shah from Delhi, founder of the Urban Catalysts. They will give us a better understanding on this topic and how to improve the gender equality in mobility as well as urban spaces.

2020 turned the world upside down. All over the world, mobility activities took place in an astonishing pace and new paths were taken. A few days into the new year, 2021 promises to be no less exciting and transformative for sustainable urban mobility solutions. In this episode, Daniel Moser, Management Head of the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI), will take us through the mobility developments of the past year and give us a taste of what to expect of 2021’s mobility activities.

Supporting innovative pilot projects is one of TUMI’s key pillars of action to strengthen the resilience of urban mobility systems. To tackle the ongoing COVID Pandemic, TUMI is currently developing a COVID Challenge in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. For this episode we are happy to talk to James Theom, director at the Copenhagenize Design Company. James supports the project in Cuenca which will enable safe and inclusive cycling infrastructure in the city.

Even though city officials and planners have introduced many safety precautions for road safety throughout the last decades – we still see way to many traffic fatalities on our roads. We talk about and understand this dilemma with Viktor Zagreba from Ukraine. Viktor is a road safety activist, was advisor to the minister of infrastructure and just recently founded his own mobility consulting company. Tune in to hear how road safety can be improved and lives saved!

Cycling has become more and more popular in many places around the world during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Especially the Colombian capital Bogotá has become famous for their bicycle friendliness over the last months. To learn how the city officials have successfully pushed cycling as a safe and healthy transport alternative, we are happy to have had the chance to talk to Nicolas Estupinan. He is the Secretary of Mobility for the city of Bogotá and shares his success factors of the transformation and how citizens respond to it.

Dario Hidalgo, Senior Mobility Researcher at the World Resource Institute shares his insights on questions of mobility and justice with us today. He has an extensive experience as researcher, consultant, government official and lecturer and a focus on Latin America, shades light on the cross-sectoral topic from different angles. Listen to best-practices of accessible mobility, how city development can be more just and what the right ingredient towards a fair urban transport system are.

Today we will have a chat with Elsa Marie D'Silva from India. She created an app that enables women to identify and avoid sexual violence hotspots in their cities. Feeling comfortable and safe is a precondition for people, especially women, to use public transport. Elsa gives women the possibility to anonymously report incidents which then are published on the safecity.in website. The map is the largest crowd-sourced map showing sexual violence hotspots in India, Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria and Nepal.

In todays episode we will have a look at the ongoing African Mobility Month, which is a campaign to promote sustainable mobility in African cites. The African Mobility Month 2020 is running from September 18 to October 18.

In May 2018 TUMI organized the first all-female conference “WomenMobilizeWomen” (WMW). In 2019 TUMI published the first “Remarkable Women in Transport” publication. Laura Ballesteros, former Undersecretary of Mobility in Mexico City, was part of both milestones. Today we have the chance to speak with her about empowering women in mobility and the work she and her colleagues do at Mujeres en Movimiento, the Latin American Chapter of WMW.

Many transport operators witness sharp drops in demand, with negative financial impact. Governments need to bailout public transport operators and create innovative solutions to guarantee mobility during the time of crisis. One low-cost option is to support cycling and walking. We are happy to speak to Emmanuel John, a dedicated road safety and transport expert about the initiatives taken in Nigeria. In our second episode Emmanuel advocates for the bicycle to be part of the solution in cities.

The coronavirus crisis is shaking the whole world, with devastating consequences around the globe. In this tremendously difficult situation, we are also facing another crisis: a shock to our economy tougher than the 2008 crisis. This shock calls for a strong coordinated economic response. Sustainable Mobility will be a key driver of a solid and Green Recovery.

Welcome to TTT – the Talking Transport Transformation Podcast: We are TUMI – the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative. Join us on a trip around the world to learn about sustainable mobility solutions in cities. Meet inspiring experts and pioneers working on resilient urban transport systems, e-mobility, gender-sensitive transport planning and many more. Our guests will be taking us from Nairobi via Bogotá to Delhi. Tune in to accelerate the sustainable transformation of urban mobility.