The Remix Policy team: sharing expertise to support cities’ transportation plans
Since Remix was founded, one of the most important questions we’ve asked is: “What problems can we help solve?” Answers to that question have always come from close communication with our customers, helping us understand the complex challenges across transportation.
In a few short years, the transportation landscape has changed rapidly, in both physical and digital dimensions. As an example, TNC passenger trips increased to over 2.6 billion in 2017, a 37% increase from the prior year. This fall, 12 private, relatively new companies submitted comprehensive applications to operate shared electric scooters in San Francisco. In 2017, the shared scooter business model barely existed.
Mobility is no longer a simple set of public operators and private individuals. It’s an increasingly complex set of options, innovative new business models, and evolving public policies mixing together to reshape movement in cities.
To stay ahead, cities must play an active role in managing public and private transportation to ensure equitable, safe, and accessible outcomes. In this changing environment, cities must simultaneously build the internal capacity to understand and plan their desired transportation futures at an equal, if not faster pace.
We’ve continually heard that cities desire the ability to adapt to these changes. We also believe that positive change in cities can’t be accomplished through technology alone. That’s why we created the Remix Policy Team. Our goals are to serve as a resource to advance industry best practices and elevate analyses and information critical for the future of mobility in cities.
To achieve these goals, we’ve brought together a cast of professionals whose passion is cities and experience spans local government, transportation, and technology. This nexus of skills is critical as planning becomes more data-driven, dynamic, and paired with current transportation practices and policies.
📒 Remix Policy Briefs: Tactical Guidance for Cities
To share our research and work, we’ll begin by delivering a cadence of Remix Policy Briefs, highlighting specific topics drawn from our customers and industry partners. Given the continuous change in the industry, the content will adapt over time and serve as a bridge between current practices and information needed to plan tomorrow’s transportation.
One example topic is mobility data policy. Jascha Franklin-Hodge weighed-in earlier this week to frame the subject. This is an area that we’re certain to explore further in the upcoming weeks.
If a subject generates ongoing interest, we’re also interested in convening panels (online or in-person) or broader industry events similar to the Remix Conference to share findings or prompt further exploration in the space.
🛴 Mobility Brief #1: Micromobility: an opportunity to serve the underserved edges
Our first Remix Policy Brief explores one of the newest forms of private shared mobility: ‘micromobility’ — dockless bikes, e-scooters, and mopeds. Their rapid proliferation across the United States (and worldwide), has raised many questions regarding their contribution to the larger transportation ecosystem.
We see an opportunity for micromobility to connect those living in the underserved edges of urban areas to a city’s larger transportation network. However, these opportunities cannot be realized without the correct policy lens and regulatory requirements to guide positive outcomes. For cities evaluating new mobility policies, the brief offers guidance across several topics:
- How are different US cities approaching equitable transportation access goals?
- What topics should every city address in their e-scooter or dockless bikeshare requirements?
- What metrics are available to evaluate equitable access goals?
If guided correctly, micromobility can improve access to the greater transportation system in ways unseen from past options. The brief is authored by Rachel Zack, the co-author of San Francisco’s Guiding Principles for Emerging Mobility Services and Technologies. You can download the document by clicking below.
Stay informed
The future of transportation is malleable, and cities have an opportunity to shape it. We’re proud to advocate for cities in that endeavor and bring new insights to the discussion.
To learn more, let me know at paul@remix.com or sign up for our newsletter at www.remix.com.
