MnDOT, Transit Technology Planning for Rural, Small Urban, and Tribal Organizations

Served as engagement lead and provided technical support for this project that worked with rural, small urban, and Tribal organizations to develop a Greater Minnesota Transit Technology Plan (prime: TransitPlus).

Led the work with a diverse statewide Steering Committee to ensure their expertise and perspectives drove the decisions, directly engaged all Greater MN transit providers at each stage of the work, and supported engagement with MnDOT team members. Worked with the Committee to refine their charge, commitments, group norms, and ways for them to contribute to this effort, even as they faced operational crises trying to serve their communities and highly vulnerable riders including seniors and people with disabilities.

With this entire statewide engagement conducted under COVID restrictions, we used highly participatory virtual workshops, exercises, roundtables, small-group sessions, surveys, and other tools and techniques to successfully engage transit agency staff throughout Minnesota.

As a result, these local transit agency staff directly shaped major Plan elements including statewide transit technology goals, as well as implementation content including resource guides, key strategies, and detailed action steps for local agencies, MnDOT, and regional coordinating organizations

Helped shape Plan development process, structure, and content reflected stakeholder priorities, and created and maintained the project website. Worked to ensure Plan provided rigorous, accessible, and relevant content for both immediate and longer-term use, to help bring Greater Minnesota transit technology to contemporary standards to better serve local riders and communities, support transit providers, and provide clear guidance for MnDOT.