Q&A: Metro’s future MicroTransit service
You might have heard some buzz that Metro is working to bring a new service known as “MicroTransit” to the region through a pilot program. What exactly is it? Details [continue reading]
Rethinking the future of transportation
Transit is a critical piece of overall mobility in any urban environment. But, it is still just that – a piece of a much larger transportation picture. Across L.A. County, about six to seven percent of commuters use transit to reach work. This means that there many opportunities to capture [continue reading]
Thoughts on the Hyperloop and autonomous vehicles
Embed from Getty Images How will autonomous vehicles impact Metro is a question oft-asked of our agency’s innovation office. By Joshua Schank / Chief Innovation Officer When you have a title like “Chief Innovation Officer in the Office of Extraordinary Innovation at LA Metro” people tend to ask you about [continue reading]
Update on Metro’s unsolicited proposals from private sector
With our rookie season in the books, here’s a look at what we’ve seen and done with Unsolicited Proposals In February of 2016, Metro established the Unsolicited Proposal Policy, opening its doors to the private sector. The policy allows any company to submit a proposal on any idea and encourages [continue reading]
Unmanned aerial vehicles and the future of track and facility inspection
Denver’s unmanned aerial vehicle program has launched. What does this mean for the industry? In July 2016, Metro received an Unsolicited Proposal to use unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for a variety of tasks. While this proposal may hold exciting prospects for LA Metro as our vast rail network grows and [continue reading]
An Operator’s OEI experience
By Darrell Carter / Operations Exchange Fellow and Bus Operator 10075 – Division 7 A Bus Operator reflects on his time working for the Office of Extraordinary Innovation I believe that innovation is the new frontier in the transportation industry. As a current Bus Operator with more than 30 years [continue reading]
Riding is believing: OEI kicks off ride along program
By Nolan Borgman/Transportation Planner Could a simple bus ride change our perspective on how to solve transit’s toughest problems? Any good designer knows that understanding a system they seek to improve is critical to success. But understanding it as a designer is not sufficient. To create a truly great system, you [continue reading]
OEI and Metro Joins Google-Sponsored Smarter Cities Collaborative
By Colin Peppard/Innovation Manager for Outreach and Strategic Relationships Can the world’s biggest tech firm and a leading transportation non-profit help to bring smarter transit to Los Angeles? The U.S. Department of Transportation last year came up with an innovative new program to harness new transportation technologies. Called the “Smart [continue reading]
OEI wins $1.3 Million to expand the definition of transit access
By Nolan Borgman/Transportation Planner With a major federal transit grant, Metro will seek to redefine what it means to be “near” transit. With a major federal transit grant, Metro will seek to redefine what it means to be “near” transit. Professor Brian D. Taylor, Director of UCLA’s Institute of Transportation [continue reading]
Measure M is a game changer. Innovation can change the game
By Joshua Schank / Chief Innovation Officer What does an innovation agenda look like in a Measure M world? With the passage of Measure M, Los Angeles County made a bold choice for the future of transportation in the region. In the coming decades, Metro and our partners will build [continue reading]