Transit Unplugged

Does commuter rail still describe what the service is becoming in many cities?

Across the industry, the traditional model of carrying workers downtown in the morning and home again in the evening is evolving. At Metra in Chicago, that change is showing up in a fascinating way: total ridership remains below 2019 levels, but CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski says Metra now serves more unique passengers than it did before the pa...

What if the work you're meant to do isn't something you find—but something you build?

In Part II of Transit Unplugged's special Find Your X Factor series, Paul Comfort talks with two transportation leaders whose very different careers reveal how our experiences, abilities, and passions can eventually come together into something bigger.

Mike Heidkamp spent his career working his way through nearly every level of public transpor...

What happens when the bus can actually beat the car?

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Melinda Metzger, Executive Director of Pace Suburban Bus, for a conversation recorded at Pace’s ADA headquarters in downtown Chicago.

Melinda has spent 42 years at Pace, beginning as a summer intern and eventually working her way through planning, operations, procurement, and executive leadership. She takes Pau...

What happens when the things you’re naturally good at intersect with the things that give you energy?

In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort brings his new book, Find Your X Factor, to life through conversations with two leaders who found very different ways to turn their interests, abilities, and experiences into meaningful careers.

First, Paul talks with Noah Berger, CEO of Merrimack Valley Transit, about ...

How can transit agencies give riders more options while still strengthening the core network?

In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort returns to St. Pete/Clearwater for extended conversations originally filmed for Transit Unplugged TV, exploring how transit leaders across Pinellas County, FL are approaching everything from Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and microtransit to ferries, paratransit, and first- and last-mile c...

San Antonio is growing fast—and VIA Metropolitan Transit is growing right along with it.

For this special episode of Transit Unplugged, we’re going back to our Transit Unplugged TV visit to San Antonio and bringing you three extended, uncut conversations with the VIA leaders shaping the future of mobility in the city.

VIA President and CEO Jon Gary Herrera talks about what makes San Antonio unique, VIA’s role in con...

In this episode, Frank joins Paul Comfort to discuss what it's really like to move from leading bus operations at one of the world's largest transit agencies to running an entire organization. He shares how Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) is building on a legacy of innovation while tackling today's biggest challenges—from the post-pandemic fiscal cliff to workforce development, transit-oriented development, a...

https://youtu.be/M1PeM6D1ciw

The future of passenger rail is being built right now—and Transit Unplugged takes you inside one of the industry's biggest events to see it firsthand.

Recorded on location at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Rail Conference in Baltimore, this special video episode features exclusive conversations with the leaders driving some of North America's most ambitious rail projects. From...

https://youtu.be/ZDsPkG_ruQc

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) General Manager Scott Sauer joins Paul Comfort to discuss leading one of North America's most complex transit agencies through a period of transformation. After beginning his career as a trolley operator at just 19 years old, Sauer now oversees the nation's sixth-largest transit system as it modernizes aging infrastructure, grows ridership, prepa...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv39AxBZFMY

Leadership transitions are inevitable, but successful ones are far from guaranteed. In this special on-location episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort visits Delaware Transit Corporation (DART First State) to explore a rare example of intentional succession in action.

Outgoing CEO John Sisson reflects on a 32-year career and the legacy he leaves after more than a decade leading one of A...

https://youtu.be/32WxfrlanJw

Access to healthcare doesn't start at the doctor's office—it starts with transportation.

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort sits down with Steven Feist, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Coordinated Transportation Solutions (CTS), to explore the world of Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) and its growing role in healthcare access. Steven explains how transportati...

https://youtu.be/4nmn0hLJHbQ

Former Federal Transit Administration Administrator Marc Molinaro joins Paul Comfort for an in-depth conversation about federal transit policy, funding, and the future of public transportation.

Drawing on his experience as both a member of Congress and the leader of the FTA, Molinaro offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the agency operates, what transit agencies should understand about federal grants, a...

What does public transit look like when you're serving 20 counties across Central and East Texas?

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort continues his series featuring new transit CEOs with a conversation with Wendy Weedon, CEO of the Brazos Transit District. After spending 17 years with the organization, Wendy stepped into the top leadership role in September and now oversees one of Texas' most diverse transit systems.

W...

What does success look like for transit agencies in a post-pandemic world? According to Christie Wegener, it may be time to stop measuring against 2019 altogether.

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort speaks with Christie Wegener, Executive Director of the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA), about the changing realities of suburban transit, evolving commuter behavior, and why reliability may matter ...

When Steve Fuentes arrived as the new President & CEO of Milwaukee County Transit System, he stepped directly into a perfect storm: major service cuts, labor tensions, budget deficits, and the looming transit fiscal cliff.

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Steve joins Paul Comfort to discuss how his 30-year journey at the Chicago Transit Authority — from part-time bus operator to senior leadership — prepared him ...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to North America—and for public transportation agencies across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the countdown is already underway.

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort speaks with transportation journalist Dan Zukowski of Smart Cities Dive about the enormous mobility challenge behind one of the world’s biggest sporting events. From Los Angeles and Boston to New York-N...

Commuter rail is being reinvented—and at Virginia Railway Express (VRE), that shift starts with one big idea: becoming a true regional rail system.

Katie Choe, CEO of VRE, joins Paul Comfort to explain how the agency is moving beyond its traditional peak-hour, commuter-focused model toward a more flexible, all-day, bi-directional network designed for today’s travel patterns.

At the center of that transformation is VRE&rs...

In this quarterly Transit Unplugged Insider, Paul Comfort and Julie Gates break down the most important developments shaping public transportation right now—from Washington leadership changes to emerging mobility technology.

They cover the five biggest stories transit leaders need to know, including:

FTA Leadership Shakeup – With no administrator or deputy currently in place, what does this leadership gap mean for the Fed...

Tiffany Gunter, GM + CEO of Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, joins Paul Comfort to explain how SMART saw a 40% ridership increase on key high-volume corridors including Gratiot and Woodward. She shares the operational changes behind the gains—from stronger on-time performance and improved frequencies to cleaner shelters, onboard Wi-Fi, and a renewed focus on customer experience.

Tiffany also shares her ...