TOPICS FOR TODAY INCLUDE:
- Amtrak releases RFQ for 240-mile Texas high-speed rail project
- Austin Uber users can now hail a driverless vehicle
- CapMetro’s secret fight to fix a broken fare system
Meet your hosts: austinlgbtbiz.com/staff
Be sure to check out past episodes: austinlgbtbiz.com/podcast
Join the Austin LGBT Chamber: austinlgbtbiz.com/join
Find a local LGBTQ+ (and allied) business: austinlgbtbiz.com/directory
Join us at an upcoming event: austinlgbtbiz.com/events
Questions? Comments? Want to be a guest? Want to sponsor? Email us at info@austinlgbtchamber.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce podcast.
(00:13):
I'm Tina Cannon, your host and CEO of the Chamber.
On today's pod, we're going to talk about local business news.
The headlines this week, Amtrak, is looking to release an RFQ for 240 mile high speed
train project.
Let's go.
When Austin Uber users can now hail a driverless vehicle, plus cat metros having a little casus
(00:35):
casuster flicker flicker.
Yeah, they're having some shit going on with their app.
We're going to talk about what you need to know to be able to ride.
Yeah, I just needed to hear the music to get me in the mood.
How's everybody doing?
(00:57):
It was great.
It's March.
Well, I don't know after all that.
Her fluster.
I was deciding if I was going to see the F bomb or not, then I was like, fuck it.
I just say what I want to say.
Well, you've gone and done it now.
It was such an eloquent intro to the book.
I'm all but a professional.
(01:18):
I mean, those speed cushions really get you sometimes.
It's okay.
Let's say a South by Southwest is upon us, the sun is shining.
Yes, gorgeous.
Thank the gods for the sun.
The markets are failing.
The economy is taking a dump.
No, no, stop all of that.
(01:38):
Please right now.
I know me and Joey Rosari from Barb's BQ.
We were talking about that.
We just had our heads in our hands the other day looking at our investments going, should
we go to the bar?
Let it ride.
Let it ride.
Yeah, it's it's a strange time to be alive, but Austin's going to forget about it for
the next two weeks.
(01:59):
I'm excited to see all the things being built around town.
I know I'm ready.
Yeah, I'll see you all at the Waterburger Art Museum.
Yeah, I read that there's they're doing free food samples.
I don't know what that means.
Oh, is that the wanderlust thing I sent you?
Yeah, yeah, one day.
I think it's on the Saturday.
Cool.
I forgot something new on the menu.
I forgot.
(02:19):
I always forget how like Wham Bam, Thank You Man, like slap up posters in the final
hour it is around here.
Oh, yeah.
Because it's always the like last 48 hours and then it's everywhere.
Yeah, it goes nuts.
But still kind of quiet.
It is kind of quiet.
Like no activations being built just yet.
(02:41):
But then I bet you by tomorrow morning, there's going to be like a whole exhibit that we
all the little South by elves come in and build all the things.
Well, it was kind of cool, this big activation closest to us.
Yeah.
Had all the signage up.
Is that the museum one Dubai?
Yeah, Dubai Museum.
And then as soon as they set it up, they took all the signage down.
So now it's just a white tent, like until it's time, I guess.
(03:03):
Oh, let's practice and do all the work and then take it down and then do all the work
again.
Probably someone in marketing like me, I was like, did all these things print right?
Yeah, it didn't line up.
Does it line up?
It's quarter of an inch off at the bottom.
Take it down.
Is that it?
It's all in the right location.
They could be delayed on it because the weather, the wind was so bad.
(03:24):
Oh, that's a good show.
It was so.
It was like, yeah, everything was coming down.
So I might be like, oh, shit, we've got to do it all through the night.
And then there was that big dump of earth like stuff.
Oh yeah.
There's a big right across from it, that open parking lot.
Yeah.
There's a big pile of dirt.
Yeah.
It was 24 hours ago.
(03:44):
It's a big pile of dirt.
We should go back and see what it was.
It's a cat box now.
The big pile of dirt?
I'm thinking it's probably Rivian going to do probably stage their cars on it.
I don't know why, but when you said that, I thought you were talking about the dust
in the air.
Like there's a bit of earth in the air.
I was like, I mean, on Tuesday it felt like all of my dead.
(04:09):
All of my dead.
All of my dead.
What is the Saharan dust storms that come across the pond?
Those.
Yeah.
I was wondering why it's so sneezy yesterday.
Oh man.
It was in the, in of course downtown with all the buildings, it was like wind tunnels.
Yeah.
I just about swallowed a whole bottle of zirtec yesterday.
(04:29):
I don't know what got up my snout, but I was struggling.
I mean, that's enough to be a lot of stuff too right there.
Well let's take a look at the local headlines.
Amtrak has released an RFQ for a 240 mile Texas high speed rail project.
(04:51):
They are soliciting partners to help bring high speed rail to the Lone Star state.
The national passenger railroad company is releasing their RFQ for firms between Dallas
and Houston to build this new rail project.
The hope is that they can get it done pretty quickly, but there's a lot going on.
I'm just excited that Amtrak is wanting to come to the table.
(05:11):
But the longest time when we were trying to do rail projects in this region, they were
kind of like walking out their fingers and their ears going, I know, no, no, no.
Yeah.
So I'm glad they're back in the, in the fold.
Do we know what's changed?
Why, why they're motivated to seek this out?
I'm guessing money somewhere.
Yeah.
Money.
That's what comes down to you.
Sign of the times.
Yes.
(05:32):
Before the pushback from them was, it was, actually it was Union Pacific, sorry Amtrak,
please become a member.
It was Union Pacific that was being.
And so we would, because they wanted to move freight and it was more, they would make more
money on moving freight, but yeah, Amtrak is more people centric.
I love Amtrak and I've used Amtrak a million times when I was in New York and DC and actually
(05:54):
got the Amtrak train from New York down to Florida.
What was that personnel like on that train?
I mean, I slept most of the way.
It was pretty good.
Like I've actually, I love those trains.
Is it romanticized as your picture?
Like you get a cute little car.
No, like, but the seats are like really quite comfortable.
Like I actually, like living in the Northeast using the Amtrak train between New York and
(06:18):
DC was like really amazing.
Nice.
Is it UP?
The one that comes into Austin?
Is that?
It's over nearby.
Is that UP or is that Amtrak?
Amtrak.
Yeah, I think it's Amtrak.
But that one goes to Chicago.
Yeah.
San Antonio to Chicago.
That's cool.
I didn't know that.
But it's horrific.
Oh.
On the way back.
(06:39):
Like it, because if you can catch it early from its or originating location, you can
get somewhere relatively close in a decent amount of time.
But when it comes from Chicago, it yields to all the freight cars.
It takes about three weeks.
Just about.
So like to catch a train from Austin to San Marcos, it's supposed to depart at 6.15.
(07:03):
I don't think it ever arrives before 8.
So you can't really plan your day.
There was a comedian that I let you still listen to, Carrot Top.
I love Carrot Top.
His best brows.
He would talk.
I saw him one day when I was in Orlando on my last trip there.
It was very bizarre.
He does a lot of roids.
It looks like a lot.
He's very vascular.
(07:24):
Very vascular.
I think I've seen him since Dennis the Menace.
And then he got on a little moped and drove away.
But anyway, one of his bits that he does on the stand up, he was talking about taking
a Greyhound bus from show to show.
Just starting out.
And he's like, the Greyhound station, the people who are in the Greyhound station, he's like,
they are different.
He's like, I wanted to just like walk over to the pay phone and call America's most
(07:47):
wanted to be like, I found them all.
Yes.
I mean, well, yeah, you heard about the long like coast to coast route one bus line in
Canada where somebody was decapitated on the bus.
Like with a pocket knife.
How do you get out?
You got to work.
A passenger.
Right.
Some crazy with a pocket knife.
Cut the head off of another passenger.
(08:10):
In route.
That's insanity.
Yeah.
Did the bus driver just keep going here about this story?
Everybody Google it right now.
It's wild.
Did not now streaming on Netflix.
No, we're transitioning to a true crime podcast.
I'm down with that.
This is exciting stuff.
We've only been talking about it for two decades, three decades.
(08:32):
Yeah, I'm excited for it.
Transportation is all good.
Speaking of transportation, Austin Uber users can now hail a driverless vehicle or friends
at the ABJ of a full story.
But Uber users in Austin can now book rides and driverless vehicles.
The ride hailing app has officially launched its partnership with Waymo that funky little
vehicle you see driving around town beginning March 4th.
(08:56):
Uber users can be matched with a Waymo Jaguar.
I paced vehicle while booking an Uber X, Uber green, Uber comfort or Uber, whatever the
hell.
So, I don't know.
You're going to do it.
You're going to try it?
I'm going to try it, but I have heard a friend of mine in San Francisco has already done
this with the Waymos.
Apparently they start taking off before you're even buckled in.
(09:19):
So we've also heard like they don't take turns with any kind of ease or comfort.
He's like plastered against the side window.
Let's turn.
Whoa!
It's really cold.
Waymo!
Yeah, let's use that to get from Rainy Street back down to 4th Street.
(09:39):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
I wonder what the cost difference is.
It says you can...
You can book it now through your Uber app.
Okay, but hail it like actually hail it like you hail a cab or like you call it through
the app.
I think that's a use...
Yeah.
Okay, gotcha.
You can e-hale it.
Right.
I don't know if I'll try...
I mean, I guess I'll try it just for the novelty of it.
(10:01):
Oh, 100% I'm going to have the camera going the whole time.
I do like to mess with it when it's in traffic though.
I'll act like I'm going to pull into its lane just to see what it does.
And I will say it does stop.
Do you think it has like an AI...
I'm so curious now.
The people that have developed friendships with their AI app, you heard about me.
I wonder if when you get in, if they're like, hello.
(10:23):
Look at me.
How's it going?
Like, what's your name?
Oh, you just have a conversation with yourself in the car.
That's like, what's your name?
And they're going to be like, Wayne, no.
Maybe.
Yeah.
We should...
Okay, we're doing it.
We should try it.
But if there's nobody in the driver's seat, can someone take that seat?
Right.
Like that's a question.
Are you allowed to sit in the driver's seat?
I don't know.
(10:43):
I kind of want to.
Like, I doubt it.
Whenever you see people going around, they're not in the passenger seat.
And why does it have a steering wheel?
And they just look so weird and awkward.
We're just in case.
I'm going to try and open the driver's door.
Okay.
And I feel so...
It's a challenge accepted.
I want to know what those Uber drivers and Lyft drivers think.
You know, they're now feeling like they're being pushed out of their business.
Oh, no.
(11:03):
It's kind of like the self-checkout at CVS.
Exactly.
Which I like.
Well...
Get some free stuff.
I'm just saying.
Yeah, I haven't tried it on the app yet, but I am curious, like, I'll have to try it
today.
But like, if you're booking an Uber ride, like, I wonder if you can say...
You can select it.
Okay.
(11:24):
Yeah.
Like, I would like a driver, please.
Yeah.
This ride.
Oh, I think...
Well, no, I think it's labeled as like a Waymo.
Okay.
Yeah.
You specifically asked for it when you hail said vehicle.
Well, those that are socially awkward are going to love this.
Oh, that's a good point.
And I do appreciate the Uber drivers, though.
(11:44):
They're like...
They have a questionnaire when you get in their car, like, do you want to have a conversation
or do you want to ride in silence?
Like, if you would like to talk to me, just say, hey.
Yeah.
And you know, that's me.
I do like that they're very accommodating for accessibility, because I've gotten into
several Ubers where it tells you ahead of time your driver has a differently abled or
(12:07):
they can't...
They're going to sign to you.
Right.
I love those because it's a nice, quiet ride.
Sure.
That makes sense.
I mean...
But we had an Uber driver once that was really feeling Lady Gaga.
Oh.
Do you remember that?
That was incredible.
He did not seem like the type.
Like not even a little bit.
This man picked up a drunk Amy and Colton.
(12:28):
Oh, no!
Speak for yourself!
From an event, we were responsible.
This man comes and picks us up and played exclusively Lady Gaga the whole ride.
Yeah.
Thick accent, definitely from abroad.
Just live in his best life and jam into some Gaga.
(12:48):
We should have gotten his digits and like, let's hang out.
Yeah, we should have.
Oh, well.
Well, we'll see.
Coming to a theater near you.
We'll find out.
Continuing on our transportation theme today, CapMetro's secret fight to fix a broken fare
system.
They have struggled with their faulty fare payment system since upgrading back in 03.
(13:11):
The QR scanners would malfunction, lost revenue, customer frustration, delay fare collection.
The situation escalated in March of last year when the entire fare system went offline,
halting all processing.
They were initially unaware, because who's going to tell them, of the full extent of
the failure.
By the time it was resolved in April, thousands of passengers were retroactively charged for
(13:35):
pass rides, causing some balances to go in the negative.
It led to a surge in complaints.
But they just recently switched over to yet, I think their third app in the last three
or four years that I have on my phone.
So they warned their contractor, Siemens, which is the dumbest name of the company, besides
Dix, and announced a new system launching March 1st, 2025.
(13:59):
So Colton and I downloaded the app the other day.
But it's called UMO, which has multiple transit systems that are already using it.
So the upside is at least if you download it to use it, A, you'll be able to use our
transit system.
But if you're traveling, kids are another major cities already using it too.
I will say I was not shocked to see that it had two out of five stars in the reviews.
(14:25):
This kind of drives me crazy at what like the inter transport system we have, like that
I use from Lockhart.
Oh, I forget that's called carts or whatever.
It is, but they use one called like Journey, I think.
And so now I have to have two apps.
I was going to say, it's not connected.
It never has been.
(14:46):
That's bizarre.
Well, I warmly invite Siemens to become a member of the chamber.
I think their name would be perfect.
Please give us all cellular devices.
I'll be right in touch.
I think it's a great name.
Chasing those Siemens.
(15:07):
Oh, Contraire.
Oh, my lord.
My lord.
And switch to our next fun the facts with Fiona.
Okay, so I stuck with a South by Southwest theme for today's fun fact.
And the festival began in 1987.
And I was trying to find the first LGBTQ film that was screened at the festival.
(15:30):
But it's challenging because of their limited archival records.
I did find a notable example in 2007, a film called itty bitty titty committee.
And they're, yeah, premiered at South by Southwest and they won the jury prize for best feature.
So I just thought it'd be fun to say itty bitty titty committee on the pod.
(15:56):
I BTC club.
Does anyone know this film?
Yes, I subscribe to the I BTC.
Okay.
So yeah.
I've never seen it.
You didn't know?
I've got a lot of the films I've done.
Because looking it up, it sounded like it was a bit iconic.
And I thought, gosh, I was meant to know about this, but it's a fun punk rock in infused exploration
(16:17):
of feminism, queer identity and grassroots activism.
That's a deep cut.
It sounded like titty bingo shirts that I see people wear.
Maybe rainbow shirts.
I think titty bingo was different.
Coming from Colton, all my musician friends, I feel like have a titty bingo.
(16:38):
I feel like it's like a bar or like a something.
What's that?
How do you play?
I don't know, but I'm B nine.
I don't know.
B nine.
Between that and the other exhibit that we're going to the ice cream ice cream ice cream.
You just got a GB and ice cream.
(16:59):
I've never even been to that ice cream museum we have here in town.
It's not delivered to you the same way.
It is delivered through a hole in the wall.
Yes.
A hole in a bathroom wall.
Not a bathroom.
Well, okay.
A toilet.
What?
No.
It's just no.
I'm not going.
That's it.
(17:19):
I'm not going.
The segment not brought to you by Siemens.
See all there ice cream.
I don't care how it's delivered.
Please get video.
Please get video.
Colton, you have to video Amy.
(17:42):
Yeah.
Ice cream through this.
Sure.
Hole.
Okay.
Absolutely.
Oh my gosh.
So, for our chamber has been around for 27 years.
We have just under 500 business members.
Everybody from Apple all the way down to small mom and mom and pop and pops who are our latest
new members this last week.
What do you got for us?
Latest and greatest are host publications.
(18:05):
Welcome to the chamber.
Rex, marketing and CX and Ricky wait.
Psychotherapy and consulting.
Welcome to the chamber.
Good to have you.
Ricky was at the luncheon this week.
Yeah.
Didn't even have a chance to approve his application before he showed up to luncheon.
He was eager and beer.
He did not wait unlike his name.
Ricky did not wait.
(18:26):
Yes.
It was the luncheon was good.
It was a little different than what we normally have.
So I enjoyed it.
If you are ever looking for any kind of person to do business with, please check out the
member directory to find all of the hundreds of chamber members on there.
It is more important I think in the current days that we are living in to support members
(18:50):
of diversity chambers of commerce.
Yes.
You're round.
And we were talking about clear storytelling and the importance of branding and being authentic.
And if you have a directory listing with us, I think it's a perfect opportunity for you
to get in there and tell your story.
(19:11):
So if you go on to the directory and you search your own company name and it doesn't look
like a story is on there, you should fix that.
Yeah.
You want your directory listing to be inviting.
There's a great way to add profiles, more information about you, links to your own website,
photos of what you do or your business or the experience.
That's right.
Even video contents.
Fancy.
(19:31):
Yeah.
So Rachel today who is sharing owner of Pride Sox, go look at Pride Sox directory listing
and get some inspo, please.
Amazing.
All right, Colton, we got a gazillion events.
Hi, we're so busy.
Take a deep breath.
We're so busy.
This Friday, today, March 7th at 7 p.m. is the 12th annual Big Queer Kickoff Party.
(20:00):
Outstanding.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and we will have networking out on the patio of rain for an hour.
And then DJ's Kalu and Eric Styles will be pushing buttons.
Yeah.
Providing the beats.
Yeah.
Providing the beats.
They'll be disc jockeying.
(20:22):
Sweets.
Precisely.
It is a jam packed event.
If you it's a great way to also meet people who are in town, who are part of the community
or supported the community.
It's a great international crowd that shows up.
It is a packed house.
The photos from every year are just amazing.
And have the homo-fomo.
And we'll have two drag queens performing from Austin, two of our very favorites, Violet
(20:47):
Ward and Maeve Haven.
Oh, Maeve Haven.
It's Maeve Haven.
Hey, Austin, Texas.
I love both of them.
It's going to be a good night.
Come hang out with us.
And Amy and I will be there late, making sure y'all are having a great time.
Badges do have primary access to the event, but there will be a GA line too.
(21:09):
Come hang out with us.
GA Y line.
Stop.
No.
I was like, shit, I got to rewrite all the signs.
And on Saturday, we have an official South by Southwest discussion on the power of intersectional
queer storytelling at Gina's on Congress, moderated by Fiona Dawson.
(21:31):
We know her.
We know her.
And speakers for this event include Nathan Manskey with I'm from Driftwood, digital executive
producer Tamar Price, deaf Austin theaters, Dr. Brian Cheslik and Sam Rogers.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav Rogers.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
(21:52):
Sav.
Sav.
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Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
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Sav.
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(22:13):
Sav.
Sav.
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or register and ride the bus with us for $10.
(22:36):
Yes, so three people today are registering for the bus.
So like...
Girl, it might be full.
Hurry up.
It might be full, so you need to jump on it.
But that will be a very fun event.
We will enjoy some beverages on the bus on the way there.
And then maybe a couple more at some businesses
around Lockhart, do some shopping,
(22:56):
support local LGBTQ plus and allied businesses in Lockhart.
So cute.
And then on March 31st,
the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Equality Texas
for a virtual event for a trans day of visibility.
(23:17):
Amazing.
Fiona, would you like to add anything about PDOV?
I will add a couple of quick things.
I also want to give a shout out to Desanu
for sponsoring our South by panel with ASL and voice interpretation.
Amazing.
Then on March 31st, we have Transgender Day Visibility
and I'm very thrilled that we have Layla Island,
(23:39):
who is in the film Transgender at War and in Love
with her now husband.
And that story talks about them serving active duty trans service members
when a band was in place.
And now, of course, we have a new band going into place.
And this film came out 10 years ago.
So it's very, very topical.
Layla is a hoot.
I can't wait for you all to meet her.
(23:59):
She's amazing.
And then partnering with Equality Texas.
And so we have panelist Miriam Lesky from Equality Texas.
She's the political director.
And we have Sophia Sepulveda, who is field director.
And then we have from our board, Eve Molna from Scout.
Seven Scout.
(24:21):
So we've got a really robust panel and it's free to attend,
complimentary, so all of you corporations that don't have plans
for your TDOV, we got you covered.
We've made an event for you.
And then that evening we'll go to El Raval for a happy hour
and a celebration.
Very nice.
Very fun.
I'm exhausted already.
(24:41):
I know.
And we threw a bunch at you at once.
I just saw.
Thank you, Colton.
You've put the film on our website.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
So everyone, you can watch the film.
It's only 13 minutes.
You can watch it ahead of the event,
or we'll screen it as well.
But I highly encourage you to hear these stories
of trans service members because they're
about to potentially get kicked out
(25:01):
and lose their jobs for no reason whatsoever.
Absolutely.
Mine's awful.
Anybody who has the courage to serve
is not something that is in my DNA.
It's right.
I'm thankful for folks who step up
and we should treat our service folks better than we are.
I agree.
Correct.
On that happy note.
(25:22):
Yay!
Mark's real busy, y'all.
A ton of things happening in March.
Enjoy yourself at South By.
Don't have too much fun.
Be sure to check out all of our events online
and join us wherever you get your podcasts on Friday.
But I cannot thank you enough for hanging out with us.
Be sure to follow the show.
It helps our metrics.
And if you love us, you know we love our metrics.
(25:43):
I'm Tina Cannon.
Join us next Friday.
We'll see you.
[♪ Dark middle amongst killings plays一個小 K Paid, and street tiles beatクッキー Porschedrive parts drum beat, and gangstaено beatג€$$$$ wäreManh pulsatingmade to start shell
Welcome to the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce podcast.
(00:13):
I'm Tina Cannon, your host and CEO of the Chamber.
On today's pod, we're going to talk about local business news.
The headlines this week, Amtrak, is looking to release an RFQ for 240 mile high speed
train project.
Let's go.
When Austin Uber users can now hail a driverless vehicle, plus cat metros having a little casus
(00:35):
casuster flicker flicker.
Yeah, they're having some shit going on with their app.
We're going to talk about what you need to know to be able to ride.
Yeah, I just needed to hear the music to get me in the mood.
How's everybody doing?
(00:57):
It was great.
It's March.
Well, I don't know after all that.
Her fluster.
I was deciding if I was going to see the F bomb or not, then I was like, fuck it.
I just say what I want to say.
Well, you've gone and done it now.
It was such an eloquent intro to the book.
I'm all but a professional.
(01:18):
I mean, those speed cushions really get you sometimes.
It's okay.
Let's say a South by Southwest is upon us, the sun is shining.
Yes, gorgeous.
Thank the gods for the sun.
The markets are failing.
The economy is taking a dump.
No, no, stop all of that.
(01:38):
Please right now.
I know me and Joey Rosari from Barb's BQ.
We were talking about that.
We just had our heads in our hands the other day looking at our investments going, should
we go to the bar?
Let it ride.
Let it ride.
Yeah, it's it's a strange time to be alive, but Austin's going to forget about it for
the next two weeks.
(01:59):
I'm excited to see all the things being built around town.
I know I'm ready.
Yeah, I'll see you all at the Waterburger Art Museum.
Yeah, I read that there's they're doing free food samples.
I don't know what that means.
Oh, is that the wanderlust thing I sent you?
Yeah, yeah, one day.
I think it's on the Saturday.
Cool.
I forgot something new on the menu.
I forgot.
(02:19):
I always forget how like Wham Bam, Thank You Man, like slap up posters in the final
hour it is around here.
Oh, yeah.
Because it's always the like last 48 hours and then it's everywhere.
Yeah, it goes nuts.
But still kind of quiet.
It is kind of quiet.
Like no activations being built just yet.
(02:41):
But then I bet you by tomorrow morning, there's going to be like a whole exhibit that we
all the little South by elves come in and build all the things.
Well, it was kind of cool, this big activation closest to us.
Yeah.
Had all the signage up.
Is that the museum one Dubai?
Yeah, Dubai Museum.
And then as soon as they set it up, they took all the signage down.
So now it's just a white tent, like until it's time, I guess.
(03:03):
Oh, let's practice and do all the work and then take it down and then do all the work
again.
Probably someone in marketing like me, I was like, did all these things print right?
Yeah, it didn't line up.
Does it line up?
It's quarter of an inch off at the bottom.
Take it down.
Is that it?
It's all in the right location.
They could be delayed on it because the weather, the wind was so bad.
(03:24):
Oh, that's a good show.
It was so.
It was like, yeah, everything was coming down.
So I might be like, oh, shit, we've got to do it all through the night.
And then there was that big dump of earth like stuff.
Oh yeah.
There's a big right across from it, that open parking lot.
Yeah.
There's a big pile of dirt.
Yeah.
It was 24 hours ago.
(03:44):
It's a big pile of dirt.
We should go back and see what it was.
It's a cat box now.
The big pile of dirt?
I'm thinking it's probably Rivian going to do probably stage their cars on it.
I don't know why, but when you said that, I thought you were talking about the dust
in the air.
Like there's a bit of earth in the air.
I was like, I mean, on Tuesday it felt like all of my dead.
(04:09):
All of my dead.
All of my dead.
What is the Saharan dust storms that come across the pond?
Those.
Yeah.
I was wondering why it's so sneezy yesterday.
Oh man.
It was in the, in of course downtown with all the buildings, it was like wind tunnels.
Yeah.
I just about swallowed a whole bottle of zirtec yesterday.
(04:29):
I don't know what got up my snout, but I was struggling.
I mean, that's enough to be a lot of stuff too right there.
Well let's take a look at the local headlines.
Amtrak has released an RFQ for a 240 mile Texas high speed rail project.
(04:51):
They are soliciting partners to help bring high speed rail to the Lone Star state.
The national passenger railroad company is releasing their RFQ for firms between Dallas
and Houston to build this new rail project.
The hope is that they can get it done pretty quickly, but there's a lot going on.
I'm just excited that Amtrak is wanting to come to the table.
(05:11):
But the longest time when we were trying to do rail projects in this region, they were
kind of like walking out their fingers and their ears going, I know, no, no, no.
Yeah.
So I'm glad they're back in the, in the fold.
Do we know what's changed?
Why, why they're motivated to seek this out?
I'm guessing money somewhere.
Yeah.
Money.
That's what comes down to you.
Sign of the times.
Yes.
(05:32):
Before the pushback from them was, it was, actually it was Union Pacific, sorry Amtrak,
please become a member.
It was Union Pacific that was being.
And so we would, because they wanted to move freight and it was more, they would make more
money on moving freight, but yeah, Amtrak is more people centric.
I love Amtrak and I've used Amtrak a million times when I was in New York and DC and actually
(05:54):
got the Amtrak train from New York down to Florida.
What was that personnel like on that train?
I mean, I slept most of the way.
It was pretty good.
Like I've actually, I love those trains.
Is it romanticized as your picture?
Like you get a cute little car.
No, like, but the seats are like really quite comfortable.
Like I actually, like living in the Northeast using the Amtrak train between New York and
(06:18):
DC was like really amazing.
Nice.
Is it UP?
The one that comes into Austin?
Is that?
It's over nearby.
Is that UP or is that Amtrak?
Amtrak.
Yeah, I think it's Amtrak.
But that one goes to Chicago.
Yeah.
San Antonio to Chicago.
That's cool.
I didn't know that.
But it's horrific.
Oh.
On the way back.
(06:39):
Like it, because if you can catch it early from its or originating location, you can
get somewhere relatively close in a decent amount of time.
But when it comes from Chicago, it yields to all the freight cars.
It takes about three weeks.
Just about.
So like to catch a train from Austin to San Marcos, it's supposed to depart at 6.15.
(07:03):
I don't think it ever arrives before 8.
So you can't really plan your day.
There was a comedian that I let you still listen to, Carrot Top.
I love Carrot Top.
His best brows.
He would talk.
I saw him one day when I was in Orlando on my last trip there.
It was very bizarre.
He does a lot of roids.
It looks like a lot.
He's very vascular.
(07:24):
Very vascular.
I think I've seen him since Dennis the Menace.
And then he got on a little moped and drove away.
But anyway, one of his bits that he does on the stand up, he was talking about taking
a Greyhound bus from show to show.
Just starting out.
And he's like, the Greyhound station, the people who are in the Greyhound station, he's like,
they are different.
He's like, I wanted to just like walk over to the pay phone and call America's most
(07:47):
wanted to be like, I found them all.
Yes.
I mean, well, yeah, you heard about the long like coast to coast route one bus line in
Canada where somebody was decapitated on the bus.
Like with a pocket knife.
How do you get out?
You got to work.
A passenger.
Right.
Some crazy with a pocket knife.
Cut the head off of another passenger.
(08:10):
In route.
That's insanity.
Yeah.
Did the bus driver just keep going here about this story?
Everybody Google it right now.
It's wild.
Did not now streaming on Netflix.
No, we're transitioning to a true crime podcast.
I'm down with that.
This is exciting stuff.
We've only been talking about it for two decades, three decades.
(08:32):
Yeah, I'm excited for it.
Transportation is all good.
Speaking of transportation, Austin Uber users can now hail a driverless vehicle or friends
at the ABJ of a full story.
But Uber users in Austin can now book rides and driverless vehicles.
The ride hailing app has officially launched its partnership with Waymo that funky little
vehicle you see driving around town beginning March 4th.
(08:56):
Uber users can be matched with a Waymo Jaguar.
I paced vehicle while booking an Uber X, Uber green, Uber comfort or Uber, whatever the
hell.
So, I don't know.
You're going to do it.
You're going to try it?
I'm going to try it, but I have heard a friend of mine in San Francisco has already done
this with the Waymos.
Apparently they start taking off before you're even buckled in.
(09:19):
So we've also heard like they don't take turns with any kind of ease or comfort.
He's like plastered against the side window.
Let's turn.
Whoa!
It's really cold.
Waymo!
Yeah, let's use that to get from Rainy Street back down to 4th Street.
(09:39):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
I wonder what the cost difference is.
It says you can...
You can book it now through your Uber app.
Okay, but hail it like actually hail it like you hail a cab or like you call it through
the app.
I think that's a use...
Yeah.
Okay, gotcha.
You can e-hale it.
Right.
I don't know if I'll try...
I mean, I guess I'll try it just for the novelty of it.
(10:01):
Oh, 100% I'm going to have the camera going the whole time.
I do like to mess with it when it's in traffic though.
I'll act like I'm going to pull into its lane just to see what it does.
And I will say it does stop.
Do you think it has like an AI...
I'm so curious now.
The people that have developed friendships with their AI app, you heard about me.
I wonder if when you get in, if they're like, hello.
(10:23):
Look at me.
How's it going?
Like, what's your name?
Oh, you just have a conversation with yourself in the car.
That's like, what's your name?
And they're going to be like, Wayne, no.
Maybe.
Yeah.
We should...
Okay, we're doing it.
We should try it.
But if there's nobody in the driver's seat, can someone take that seat?
Right.
Like that's a question.
Are you allowed to sit in the driver's seat?
I don't know.
(10:43):
I kind of want to.
Like, I doubt it.
Whenever you see people going around, they're not in the passenger seat.
And why does it have a steering wheel?
And they just look so weird and awkward.
We're just in case.
I'm going to try and open the driver's door.
Okay.
And I feel so...
It's a challenge accepted.
I want to know what those Uber drivers and Lyft drivers think.
You know, they're now feeling like they're being pushed out of their business.
Oh, no.
(11:03):
It's kind of like the self-checkout at CVS.
Exactly.
Which I like.
Well...
Get some free stuff.
I'm just saying.
Yeah, I haven't tried it on the app yet, but I am curious, like, I'll have to try it
today.
But like, if you're booking an Uber ride, like, I wonder if you can say...
You can select it.
Okay.
(11:24):
Yeah.
Like, I would like a driver, please.
Yeah.
This ride.
Oh, I think...
Well, no, I think it's labeled as like a Waymo.
Okay.
Yeah.
You specifically asked for it when you hail said vehicle.
Well, those that are socially awkward are going to love this.
Oh, that's a good point.
And I do appreciate the Uber drivers, though.
(11:44):
They're like...
They have a questionnaire when you get in their car, like, do you want to have a conversation
or do you want to ride in silence?
Like, if you would like to talk to me, just say, hey.
Yeah.
And you know, that's me.
I do like that they're very accommodating for accessibility, because I've gotten into
several Ubers where it tells you ahead of time your driver has a differently abled or
(12:07):
they can't...
They're going to sign to you.
Right.
I love those because it's a nice, quiet ride.
Sure.
That makes sense.
I mean...
But we had an Uber driver once that was really feeling Lady Gaga.
Oh.
Do you remember that?
That was incredible.
He did not seem like the type.
Like not even a little bit.
This man picked up a drunk Amy and Colton.
(12:28):
Oh, no!
Speak for yourself!
From an event, we were responsible.
This man comes and picks us up and played exclusively Lady Gaga the whole ride.
Yeah.
Thick accent, definitely from abroad.
Just live in his best life and jam into some Gaga.
(12:48):
We should have gotten his digits and like, let's hang out.
Yeah, we should have.
Oh, well.
Well, we'll see.
Coming to a theater near you.
We'll find out.
Continuing on our transportation theme today, CapMetro's secret fight to fix a broken fare
system.
They have struggled with their faulty fare payment system since upgrading back in 03.
(13:11):
The QR scanners would malfunction, lost revenue, customer frustration, delay fare collection.
The situation escalated in March of last year when the entire fare system went offline,
halting all processing.
They were initially unaware, because who's going to tell them, of the full extent of
the failure.
By the time it was resolved in April, thousands of passengers were retroactively charged for
(13:35):
pass rides, causing some balances to go in the negative.
It led to a surge in complaints.
But they just recently switched over to yet, I think their third app in the last three
or four years that I have on my phone.
So they warned their contractor, Siemens, which is the dumbest name of the company, besides
Dix, and announced a new system launching March 1st, 2025.
(13:59):
So Colton and I downloaded the app the other day.
But it's called UMO, which has multiple transit systems that are already using it.
So the upside is at least if you download it to use it, A, you'll be able to use our
transit system.
But if you're traveling, kids are another major cities already using it too.
I will say I was not shocked to see that it had two out of five stars in the reviews.
(14:25):
This kind of drives me crazy at what like the inter transport system we have, like that
I use from Lockhart.
Oh, I forget that's called carts or whatever.
It is, but they use one called like Journey, I think.
And so now I have to have two apps.
I was going to say, it's not connected.
It never has been.
(14:46):
That's bizarre.
Well, I warmly invite Siemens to become a member of the chamber.
I think their name would be perfect.
Please give us all cellular devices.
I'll be right in touch.
I think it's a great name.
Chasing those Siemens.
(15:07):
Oh, Contraire.
Oh, my lord.
My lord.
And switch to our next fun the facts with Fiona.
Okay, so I stuck with a South by Southwest theme for today's fun fact.
And the festival began in 1987.
And I was trying to find the first LGBTQ film that was screened at the festival.
(15:30):
But it's challenging because of their limited archival records.
I did find a notable example in 2007, a film called itty bitty titty committee.
And they're, yeah, premiered at South by Southwest and they won the jury prize for best feature.
So I just thought it'd be fun to say itty bitty titty committee on the pod.
(15:56):
I BTC club.
Does anyone know this film?
Yes, I subscribe to the I BTC.
Okay.
So yeah.
I've never seen it.
You didn't know?
I've got a lot of the films I've done.
Because looking it up, it sounded like it was a bit iconic.
And I thought, gosh, I was meant to know about this, but it's a fun punk rock in infused exploration
(16:17):
of feminism, queer identity and grassroots activism.
That's a deep cut.
It sounded like titty bingo shirts that I see people wear.
Maybe rainbow shirts.
I think titty bingo was different.
Coming from Colton, all my musician friends, I feel like have a titty bingo.
(16:38):
I feel like it's like a bar or like a something.
What's that?
How do you play?
I don't know, but I'm B nine.
I don't know.
B nine.
Between that and the other exhibit that we're going to the ice cream ice cream ice cream.
You just got a GB and ice cream.
(16:59):
I've never even been to that ice cream museum we have here in town.
It's not delivered to you the same way.
It is delivered through a hole in the wall.
Yes.
A hole in a bathroom wall.
Not a bathroom.
Well, okay.
A toilet.
What?
No.
It's just no.
I'm not going.
That's it.
(17:19):
I'm not going.
The segment not brought to you by Siemens.
See all there ice cream.
I don't care how it's delivered.
Please get video.
Please get video.
Colton, you have to video Amy.
(17:42):
Yeah.
Ice cream through this.
Sure.
Hole.
Okay.
Absolutely.
Oh my gosh.
So, for our chamber has been around for 27 years.
We have just under 500 business members.
Everybody from Apple all the way down to small mom and mom and pop and pops who are our latest
new members this last week.
What do you got for us?
Latest and greatest are host publications.
(18:05):
Welcome to the chamber.
Rex, marketing and CX and Ricky wait.
Psychotherapy and consulting.
Welcome to the chamber.
Good to have you.
Ricky was at the luncheon this week.
Yeah.
Didn't even have a chance to approve his application before he showed up to luncheon.
He was eager and beer.
He did not wait unlike his name.
Ricky did not wait.
(18:26):
Yes.
It was the luncheon was good.
It was a little different than what we normally have.
So I enjoyed it.
If you are ever looking for any kind of person to do business with, please check out the
member directory to find all of the hundreds of chamber members on there.
It is more important I think in the current days that we are living in to support members
(18:50):
of diversity chambers of commerce.
Yes.
You're round.
And we were talking about clear storytelling and the importance of branding and being authentic.
And if you have a directory listing with us, I think it's a perfect opportunity for you
to get in there and tell your story.
(19:11):
So if you go on to the directory and you search your own company name and it doesn't look
like a story is on there, you should fix that.
Yeah.
You want your directory listing to be inviting.
There's a great way to add profiles, more information about you, links to your own website,
photos of what you do or your business or the experience.
That's right.
Even video contents.
Fancy.
(19:31):
Yeah.
So Rachel today who is sharing owner of Pride Sox, go look at Pride Sox directory listing
and get some inspo, please.
Amazing.
All right, Colton, we got a gazillion events.
Hi, we're so busy.
Take a deep breath.
We're so busy.
This Friday, today, March 7th at 7 p.m. is the 12th annual Big Queer Kickoff Party.
(20:00):
Outstanding.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and we will have networking out on the patio of rain for an hour.
And then DJ's Kalu and Eric Styles will be pushing buttons.
Yeah.
Providing the beats.
Yeah.
Providing the beats.
They'll be disc jockeying.
(20:22):
Sweets.
Precisely.
It is a jam packed event.
If you it's a great way to also meet people who are in town, who are part of the community
or supported the community.
It's a great international crowd that shows up.
It is a packed house.
The photos from every year are just amazing.
And have the homo-fomo.
And we'll have two drag queens performing from Austin, two of our very favorites, Violet
(20:47):
Ward and Maeve Haven.
Oh, Maeve Haven.
It's Maeve Haven.
Hey, Austin, Texas.
I love both of them.
It's going to be a good night.
Come hang out with us.
And Amy and I will be there late, making sure y'all are having a great time.
Badges do have primary access to the event, but there will be a GA line too.
(21:09):
Come hang out with us.
GA Y line.
Stop.
No.
I was like, shit, I got to rewrite all the signs.
And on Saturday, we have an official South by Southwest discussion on the power of intersectional
queer storytelling at Gina's on Congress, moderated by Fiona Dawson.
(21:31):
We know her.
We know her.
And speakers for this event include Nathan Manskey with I'm from Driftwood, digital executive
producer Tamar Price, deaf Austin theaters, Dr. Brian Cheslik and Sam Rogers.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav Rogers.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
(21:52):
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
(22:13):
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
Sav.
or register and ride the bus with us for $10.
(22:36):
Yes, so three people today are registering for the bus.
So like...
Girl, it might be full.
Hurry up.
It might be full, so you need to jump on it.
But that will be a very fun event.
We will enjoy some beverages on the bus on the way there.
And then maybe a couple more at some businesses
around Lockhart, do some shopping,
(22:56):
support local LGBTQ plus and allied businesses in Lockhart.
So cute.
And then on March 31st,
the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Equality Texas
for a virtual event for a trans day of visibility.
(23:17):
Amazing.
Fiona, would you like to add anything about PDOV?
I will add a couple of quick things.
I also want to give a shout out to Desanu
for sponsoring our South by panel with ASL and voice interpretation.
Amazing.
Then on March 31st, we have Transgender Day Visibility
and I'm very thrilled that we have Layla Island,
(23:39):
who is in the film Transgender at War and in Love
with her now husband.
And that story talks about them serving active duty trans service members
when a band was in place.
And now, of course, we have a new band going into place.
And this film came out 10 years ago.
So it's very, very topical.
Layla is a hoot.
I can't wait for you all to meet her.
(23:59):
She's amazing.
And then partnering with Equality Texas.
And so we have panelist Miriam Lesky from Equality Texas.
She's the political director.
And we have Sophia Sepulveda, who is field director.
And then we have from our board, Eve Molna from Scout.
Seven Scout.
(24:21):
So we've got a really robust panel and it's free to attend,
complimentary, so all of you corporations that don't have plans
for your TDOV, we got you covered.
We've made an event for you.
And then that evening we'll go to El Raval for a happy hour
and a celebration.
Very nice.
Very fun.
I'm exhausted already.
(24:41):
I know.
And we threw a bunch at you at once.
I just saw.
Thank you, Colton.
You've put the film on our website.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
So everyone, you can watch the film.
It's only 13 minutes.
You can watch it ahead of the event,
or we'll screen it as well.
But I highly encourage you to hear these stories
of trans service members because they're
about to potentially get kicked out
(25:01):
and lose their jobs for no reason whatsoever.
Absolutely.
Mine's awful.
Anybody who has the courage to serve
is not something that is in my DNA.
It's right.
I'm thankful for folks who step up
and we should treat our service folks better than we are.
I agree.
Correct.
On that happy note.
(25:22):
Yay!
Mark's real busy, y'all.
A ton of things happening in March.
Enjoy yourself at South By.
Don't have too much fun.
Be sure to check out all of our events online
and join us wherever you get your podcasts on Friday.
But I cannot thank you enough for hanging out with us.
Be sure to follow the show.
It helps our metrics.
And if you love us, you know we love our metrics.
(25:43):
I'm Tina Cannon.
Join us next Friday.
We'll see you.
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