UAS Drones, Data and Cincinnati’s Transit Transformation with Sinan Abood and Khaled Shammout

Key Takeaways: 

• By using unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) significantly reduces the need for crews and equipment on busy roadways, minimizing worker exposure to traffic and improving safety conditions.
• Drone-collected data is processed and delivered to engineers within 24 to 48 hours, allowing for rapid decision-making, real-time project monitoring and quicker responses to infrastructure needs.
• Cincinnati’s new bus rapid transit corridors will feature level boarding, transit signal priority, queue jumps and articulated buses—designed to provide faster, more accessible service while reflecting the character of each neighborhood.
• Cincinnati Metro uses fare data and origin-destination analysis to plan routes more effectively while also investing in alternative-fuel vehicles and infrastructure with long-term flexibility in mind.

Description:

In episode nine of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast, the team explores innovation on the ground and in the air. First, Roads and Bridges’ Gavin Jenkins speaks with Dr. Sinan Abood from MassDOT Aeronautics Division about how drones (UAS technology) are transforming highway inspections, increasing safety and reducing costs. Then, Mass Transit’s  Brandon Lewis sits down with Khaled Shammout, newly promoted deputy innovation and vision officer at Cincinnati Metro, to explore the city's ambitious plans for bus rapid transit, the challenges of transitioning to zero-emission vehicles and how data and advanced modeling are driving smarter public transit systems.