PMP Inaugural Newsletter

DECEMBER 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

PLANNING & MODAL PROGRAMS NEWSLETTER INAUGURAL ISSUE 01

DIRECTOR’S 2 DEPUTYMESSAGE

3

LATEST NEWS

5

PROGRAM UPDATES

18 UPCOMING EVENTS 19

REMINDERS & DEADLINES

20

KINGVALE TOUR

21

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

DEPUTY DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Deputy Director’s Message Dear Team Planning and Modal, I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings as I leap into the role of your Acting Deputy Director of PMP. I want to express my sincere appreciation for the incredibly warm welcome I have received upon assuming this leadership position. Your collective enthusiasm and commitment to excellence have not gone unnoticed, and I eagerly anticipate the collaborative journey ahead.

Having spent my career in a district, I am excited to bring my experience and perspective on how statewide programs and policies impact the transportation system at a local level. I am confident that our combined efforts will contribute significantly to the achievement of our program goals.

In response to recent policy changes, there has been a noteworthy shift in the direction of California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans') investment strategies. These changes are captured in our PMP goals and accompanying strategies, aligning seamlessly with the Caltrans Strategic Plan, California Transportation Plan (CTP) 2050, and the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI). These policies underscore pivotal objectives such as addressing climate change, enhancing accessibility, improving equity, and reducing vehicle miles traveled, among others.

In the upcoming months, my focus will be on working closely with you, delving into the specifics of your contributions that are integral to meeting our goals and fostering strong relationships with our partner agencies.

As we close out 2023 and prepare for a new year, I want to take a moment to wish you all a happy holiday season. I very much look forward to achieving great milestones together, directly supporting the Department's mission to provide mobility for people, services, goods, and information.

Best Regards, Ann Fox

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LATEST NEWS

Latest News What is GenAI?

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) On Sept. 6, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-12-23 on Generative AI. Some of the key deliverables will be:

To capture its benefits for the good of society, but also to protect against its potential harms, Governor Newsom issued an executive order today laying out how California's measured approach will focus on shaping the future of ethical, transparent, and trustworthy AI, while remaining the world's AI leader.

The establishment of a State Agency Lead on AI (for every state agency)- for Caltrans, it will be Dara Wheeler.

Creation of policy on AI by end of January 2024 (lead by GovOps).

Starting up again the AI Community of Practice (lead by California Department of Technology (CDT) – this has been created.

Standing up a sandbox for GenAI at CDT– where state agencies can pilot use cases.

AI procurement guidelines will be updated.

An AI State Government Summit will be conducted in mid 2024.

Training on GenAI and AI will be provided in 2024.

Stay in the know...

Caltrans has a bi-monthly AI Focus Group led by Division of Research, Innovation, and System Information (DRISI), where all programs and three districts are represented.

In November, DRISI and Division of Information Technology (IT) will deliver an executive board presentation on AI. Caltrans has submitted 5 AI use cases for consideration in the statewide pilot – two were selected already (use cases on Vulnerable Road User and Traffic Management), and the three other use cases will likely be brought into the sandbox later in 2024.

On October 30, President Biden issued an executive order on AI.

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LATEST NEWS

Caltrans Geographic Information System (GIS)

The Caltrans initiative GIS4ALL is about enabling the power of GIS for everyone. The Office of Data Services and Technology (DST) in DRISI is leading this effort in partnership with the Information Technology Program and under the guidance of the Caltrans Geospatial Data Officer. GIS4ALL is about ensuring that all GIS professional staff and GIS users at Caltrans are proud of being part of the Caltrans GIS team no matter where in the organization they reside. This initiative will open the power of data through simple to use GIS web applications that improve our work as well as provide standards, guidance, and the tools that GIS professions need to do their daily mission critical work. This initiative will complement our Enterprise Data and Geospatial Governance Program, CTDATA, and ensure that Caltrans GIS data is authoritative, trusted, and accessible.

Some of the activities that have been initiated as part of this effort are the creation of a Geospatial Governance Subcommittee, the creation of an Enterprise GIS Roadmap, increased engagement with program areas, increased engagement with other State Departments, and increased public engagement.

There are many exciting opportunities for GIS within Caltrans and hopefully everyone reading this becomes part of the solution and enables the power of GIS for everyone. Keep an eye out for our GIS Day email and future announcements describing how GIS is transforming how we work for the better.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Human Resources (HR) Updates

HR Liaison Reminders Please send all hiring related emails to PMPPARFS@dot.ca.gov.

Please send all benefit and pay related emails, including timesheet issues, to PMPBENEFITS&PAY@dot.ca.gov.

Hiring Managers – This time of year we see an increase in retirements and separations. Please ensure timely communication with PMPARFS@dot.ca.gov when your team members are transitioning to new roles, i.e., transferring, promoting, separating from state service, so we can support you with offboarding and backfilling the position as soon as possible. PMP’s goal is to have an active Position Action Request Form (PARF) for every vacancy.

HR Liaison Update Cal Employee Connect Update - In addition to pay warrant and W-2 history, State Controller’s Office (SCO)’s Cal Employee Connect, now allows employees to enroll/change direct deposit and submit address change forms directly with SCO. Go to connect.sco.ca.gov and register today!

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PROGRAM UPDATES

HR Updates PMP Staffing Changes

Ann Fox

Acting Deputy Director

Eloisa Gomez Eric Reitz Niedy Pinulas Aaron Catubig

Senior Transportation Planner Senior Transportation Planner Supervising Right of Way Agent Senior Transportation Planner

DOTP

Jennifer Duran

Senior Transportation Planner

DRISI

Yu-Jen Chen

Research Data Supervisor II

ESTA

Riley Keller

Senior Transportation Planner

PM²

Joseph Mercado Kenni-Marie Fitzgerald Brandon Shoemaker Corinne Padilla

Staff Services Manager I Staff Services Manager II Staff Services Manager II Staff Service Manager I

PMP

DLA

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Training & Development Updates

Training & Development Webpages

Planning and Modal Program Management (PM²) is excited to share with you… our new Training and Employee Development (TED) Branch Webpages! The ‘TED’ Branch resides within the PM² Workforce Development and Recruitment Office in Headquarters (HQ) and supports staff from all PMP Divisions and Districts, with a myriad of Training and Employee Development programs and services.

Go to Training and Development Webpage

Meet The Team

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Contact us via email

PROGRAM UPDATES

Recruitment Updates PMP Recruitment Ambassadors The PM² Workforce Planning & Recruitment Branch is gearing up for yet another successful recruitment year.

We still have a lot of vacancies that we would like to see filled with qualified candidates.

Additionally, we’ve learned there is a huge interest in Engineering (Civil, Electrical, etc.) from the schools we’ve been engaging with. We would love to see more Engineers become Recruitment Ambassadors, to share their knowledge and experiences with students and job seekers, that are eager to become Engineers for Caltrans PMP. We also have a targeted plan to engage with schools and programs that focus on Urban Planning, Geography, GIS, Economics, and Public Policy. Thus, we are always seeking planners to also engage with students and job seekers.

What can you expect when you’re a PMP Recruitment Ambassador?

Recruitment Training – Our team will provide a half-day virtual training to go over frequently asked questions, what to expect during events, and helpful tips when talking with potential candidates.

Virtual & In-Person Events – You will attend both virtual and in-person recruitment events. For example, career fairs, info sessions, panels, classroom presentations, employer mixers, and conferences.

Logistical Support – We coordinate and provide you all the details (date, time, location, etc.) for the events. All you have to do is show up and be prepared to tell everyone how great it is to work for Caltrans PMP!

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Recruitment Roundtable – We’ll host a virtual meeting quarterly to get your feedback on how we can improve and any ideas you have to enhance our reach to qualified candidates.

Workforce Development – You’ll have an opportunity to inspire and shape the development of our new workforce! We find that students and alumni are highly interested in creating social impact (i.e. sustainability, equity, etc.) and are passionate about Engineering and Planning. As an Ambassador you can help them discover or solidify a career pathway to Caltrans PMP! You will have the support from the PM² Recruitment Team to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and tools for success when speaking to potential candidates. If you haven’t already, we encourage you all to consider becoming a PMP Recruitment Ambassador!

If interested, please CLICK HERE for the Ambassador Sign-Up Form

Stay Informed!

For all open PMP job opportunities and upcoming events, please visit our PMP recruitment website:

Visit PMP Recruitment Website

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Business Management Updates Improved Communication & Processes The PM² Facilities Management, Health & Safety Branch has developed several new ways to allow for better customer service throughout PMP. We would like to announce the launch of three e-mail inboxes to better assist the program with their facilities management needs: PMP Onboarding, Equipment & Property Control – For hiring managers that are bringing new staff onboard, a representative from our branch will work with you to make the onboarding process as smooth as possible. This inbox will also serve for any hardware equipment needs, ranging from replacement equipment (such as broken laptops or monitors) to inquiries regarding hardware refresh scheduling.

PMP Facilities Health & Safety – This inbox will serve for building operational needs and repairs such as: Light fixtures, ergo evaluations, broken printers, parking inquiries, general maintenance and facility inquiries.

PMP Purchasing – An inbox for all requests of purchasing such as office supplies and software licenses.

In addition to these, our branch has continued to develop Smartsheet forms to better assist the program and expedite several facets of PMP: PMP Employee Onboarding Request Form – This form is for hiring managers and provides our Facilities Management Team with the necessary information to begin the process of onboarding new staff to the division and the deployment of hardware and network access.

PMP Purchasing Request Form – This form is for IT and non-IT purchasing requests and will provide the necessary information to expedite the purchasing process. Once completed, a Facilities Management Analyst will work with you to process your request.

Inventory Property Control Form (TBD) – Our Facilities Management team is currently working on the development of a Smartsheet Form that will allow for complete tracking and data regarding PMP’s hardware deployments, Property Control audits and estimations of hardware refresh needs. Our team expects this Smartsheet to be completed and ready for division-wide rollout very soon.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Contracting Updates Common Audit Findings The Common Audit Findings Flyer provided by the Contract Management team in PM² is a resource PMP staff should provide Local Agencies in preparation for when an audit is conducted through high level helpful information that includes common audits conducted, who may conduct the audits, an overview of the audit process, common audit findings, and helpful resource links.

Click for Common Audit Findings Flyer

Transportation System Network Replacement (TSNR) Project Updates Change is good, especially when it promotes safety. The new Transportation System Network (TSN) database will provide quality data, meet mandates, and increase efficiencies through cutting edge technology such as, GIS and linear referencing systems (LRS) which allow for a comprehensive view of safety data. Incremental beta testing begins this year and continues until the “Go Live” date in February 2025. We are excited about this project and want to be sure that you are informed as the project evolves. That’s why we have a team mailbox for specific questions and a project webpage with project schedules, and more.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Legislative Updates Legislation - It Impacts You! Since its kick off in December 2022, the recent legislative cycle has produced bills that will have considerable impacts on Caltrans and all Californians. Governor Newsom made the final bill signings in October, and we’re working hard to implement them at Caltrans. Here are some of the bills that affect Planning and Modal Programs.

AB 776 This bill requires Caltrans to identify appropriate locations for highway signs and markers to recognize the historical and cultural importance of California tribes and tribal lands along State Route (SR) 210 in the Counties of Los Angeles and San Bernardino, and to erect those signs and markers. This marks a milestone in Caltrans acknowledgement of tribal lands in Southern California.

AB 971 This bill clarifies responsibilities for installing and maintaining signage designating transit-only traffic lanes and would require transit agencies that maintain such signage on highways to do so with the agreement of the highway management agency – Caltrans for the state highway system.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

SB 434 This bill would require the top ten transit operators, as defined, to collect and publish specified survey data for the purpose of informing efforts to improve the safety of riders and reduce street harassment on public transit on or before December 31, 2024.

The bill would require a transit operator to conduct outreach activities with subpopulations of riders who are underrepresented in surveys and impacted by street harassment to gain insight into the perspectives of these riders based on their experiences. Caltrans will work with multiple transit agencies on implementation, which will likely involve physical survey handouts aboard buses in many languages. This bill will help transit agencies develop new programs and measures to improve the experience for transit users.

SB 677 This bill would require the Los Angeles - San Diego - San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that manages the Pacific Surfliner intercity train service in Southern California, to include in its annual business plan a section on climate change impacts beginning in 2024. This bill meets Caltrans’ Strategic Plan to combat climate change within transit and rail.

These bills, along with others identified by the Legislative tracking team, make substantial progress in meeting Caltrans’ strategic goals such as climate change, equity, and safety. Each has a distinct impact on different divisions and regions and people, but overall, they come together to brighten the future of Caltrans and the state of California as a whole.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Rebuilding California Updates The Rebuilding California and Caltrans Efficiencies Team has had a busy six months. Most importantly, we welcomed two new team members, Lalé Moradpour and Alison Terry.

We have completed or are working on the following:

Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) Semi-Annual Report Alison Terry and Patrick Lo gathered and assembled the 30-page report, outlining the progress of required programs funded with SB 1 funding during the period of Jan 1st through June 30th, 2023. Angel Pyle presented it to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) during the October meeting.

Click to view Semi-annual Report

The 2022-23 Efficiencies Report Patrick Olsen collected and verified 51 Type One and Type Two Efficiencies this year, 13 more than last year. Type One efficiencies qualify to be counted towards the SB 1 goal of $100 million. These efficiencies have been implemented since SB 1 was adopted in 2017. Type Two efficiencies are legacy practices which still save Caltrans money. These efficiencies may be considered “standard practice” and many were implemented before the passage of SB 1. The 2022-23 report details $138 million in Type One Efficiencies and a total cost savings of $318 million. Lalé Moradpour developed the visual and accessibility aspects of the impressive report. The Efficiencies Report is now in the final approvals stage and will be presented to CTC during an upcoming meeting. “If you save something, say something.” Everyone at Caltrans is encouraged to submit efficiencies for next year’s report by visiting the Rebuilding CA website.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Modernizing the Rebuilding California website and Project Map The Rebuilding CA website is being modernized to increase engagement and best tell the SB 1 and federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) project funding story. The site and map are migrating to a new Content Management System called Contentful. Contentful will allow us to make updates and add more multimedia and engaging content ourselves, saving money by relying less on our vendor for day-to-day site maintenance.

Creating the first Annual Accomplishments Report for CalSTA Our team has been asked to create the first Annual Accomplishments Report for California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). This report will feature 2023 accomplishments from Caltrans, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Transportation Commission (CTC), High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA), New Motor Vehicle Board (NMVB), Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), and Board of Pilot Commissioners (BOPC). Tom O’Hair will oversee the collation of content from the various CalSTA agencies, while Lalé Moradpour will lead the creation of the report, ensuring it's designed with accessibility in mind.

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PROGRAM UPDATES

Office of Strategic Freight Planning (OSFP) Update Approval Announced: California Freight Mobility Plan (CFMP) 2023 The Office of Strategic Freight Planning (OSFP) is pleased to announce that California’s Freight Mobility Plan, the CFMP 2023, was approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on September 1st, 2023. The CFMP 2023 is a comprehensive plan that governs the immediate and longrange planning activities and capital investments by the state with respect to freight movement. In consultation with our California Freight Advisory Committee (CFAC) and several other public and private stakeholders, the OSFP prepared the Plan in accordance with the statutory requirements established by the IIJA (codified under Title 49 U.S.C. Section 70202). The team was under an extremely tight schedule as the federal guidance for state freight plans came out in January 2023, only four months before the plan was due in May 2023. Despite this challenging schedule, the freight team was able to conduct analysis and create new content in the plan that met the new requirements under the guidance. The CFMP 2023 was accepted after only one submission, while other states required revisions. The CFMP 2023 is considered an excellent example of a state freight plan and will be used as a best practice example by FHWA.

Caltrans Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP) Research Update Data & Digital Services continues work to integrate travel modes using data and contactless payments. Recently, Cal-ITP conducted a bikeshare market sounding to identify market needs, operational and governance best practices, and recommendations for market sustainability – essential to ensuring bikeshare’s role in advancing a sustainable, equitable multimodal transportation network. In another study, Cal-ITP demonstrated the need for a convenient, low-barrier payment option for low-income Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) users, and showed how prepaid debit cards support the transition to banking access and further contactless payment usage.

Click to view Bikeshare Report

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Click to view ZEV Charging Card Report

PROGRAM UPDATES

Communication Updates PM² Communication Plan The Communications Office has released the PM² Communications Plan to provide PMP with an overview of the services the Communications Office can provide to improve customer engagement, elevate the design of core assets, and streamline online publishing and multimedia content.

Click for PM² Communication Plan

PM² Branding Guidelines The Communications Office and Graphic Design Branch has also released the PM² Branding Guidelines which outlines how to use the PM² visual identity with confidence and clarity. These guidelines have been designed to ensure consistency within the PM² brand, with the overall goal of helping to create strong, recognizable, and innovative communications.

Click for PM² Branding Guidelines

Communication Service Request Form The PM² Communications Office has created an intake form to help with tracking service requests from our stakeholders. Please complete this form for all future communication service type requests.

Click Here for Communication Intake Form

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Caltrans Vendor Day The Innovation Program is developing Caltrans' first-ever Vendor Day, an opportunity for industry stakeholders to respond with innovative solutions to the Department's most pressing needs.

Learn more about Caltrans Vendor Day

Lunch & Learn Session: Replica 101 Presented by the Division of Data and Digital Services (DDS) Join us for a Replica 101 session where you'll learn more about Replica's datasets and available metrics, how to access the data and navigate the Replica Platform, and different cases for how Replica data can be used in your work.

Register for Lunch & Learn

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REMINDERS & DEADLINES

FY 24-25 Research Selection Process Caltrans uses research to increase knowledge, solve problems, and develop processes and products to ensure a modern and sustainable transportation system. DRISI has a process to identify research needs, conduct research, and deploy research that includes input from committees representing all functional areas of Caltrans and all levels of staff ranging from technical experts to executive management. The Research Request form includes 6-7 questions that are scored. Requests are then prioritized and selected for funding.

Research Requests are due January 15, 2024 To learn more about the Research Program Steering Committees (PSC) and Technical Advisory Panels, click on the link below: Research PSCs and Technical Advisory Panels

To view the Research Request Template, click on the link below: Click Here for Research Request Form Template

To view the Research Selection TImeline, click on the link below: View FY 2023-24 Extended Research Selection Timeline

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To learn more about the DRISI Research Selection Process, contact tori.kanzler@dot.ca.govto get access to their website.

Kingvale Tour

Kingvale Tour DRISI staff members attended the Caltrans Kingvale Maintenance Station in Nevada County on November 14, 2023. The purpose of the tour was to learn from maintenance personnel about their challenges and innovative ideas that might have been utilized and implemented locally.

Key Information The Kingvale Maintenance Station, established in 1962, focuses on safety and mobility as its primary objectives.

The Station is responsible for maintaining and operating 92 lane miles on I-80 in Placer, Nevada, and Sierra counties, as well as other sections of highways on CA-49 and CA-174.

Highway I-80 was designed for 3,500 vehicles per hour, but during holidays, the volume is estimated to be double.

The station has 80-room dormitory with a kitchen and can accommodate & feed 160 people.

The Station has a small Transportation Management Center (TMC) center. TMC coordinates Caltrans radio traffic, operates the Changeable Message Sign system, and feeds information to the Caltrans website’s QuickMap feature.

The station is home to "Kingvale University" or "Snowfighter University," which trains Caltrans workers from across the state in the latest snowclearing techniques.

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DRISI staff members on the Kingvale Tour

Major Challenges Traffic management & high volume of traffic.

Truck issues during major storm Traffic/Chain Control Communication with the public/motorists Retention of Qualified Snow removal personnel due to the remote locations Short of Kingvale Maintenance Station staff & CHP.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Division of Local Assistance (DLA) successfully delivers 24th consecutive year of Obligation Authority (OA)

DLA successfully delivers 24th consecutive year of Obligation Authority!

In the context of transportation funding, OA is a critical aspect of the financial management process for federal-aid highway and transit programs. OA allows federal transportation funds to be committed to specific projects, ensuring the timely execution and completion of infrastructure improvements. It plays a vital role in the financial management and implementation of federally funded transportation programs, enabling states and agencies to utilize federal resources for necessary transportation projects while adhering to federal regulations and procedures.

This is the highest August Redistribution, with CA receiving $718M Nationwide, CA received almost twice as much as the next closest state $465M (Texas) Based on the September OA Report, locals delivered approximately 110.5% of their annual OA

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AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Personally Identifiable Information Redaction Project (PRP) Caltrans has recently implemented an automated system process that redacts Personally Identifiable Information (PII) on Traffic Crash Report (TCR) used by Transportation System Network, alleviating privacy risks. The PII redaction process supports Caltrans’ goal by eliminating risks of exposing PII to the public while allowing traffic safety investigators to see only applicable information required for safety investigation and roadway improvement. DRISI successfully completed this PRP project in collaboration with IT, Safety Programs and Districts, earning the “Best Application Serving the Public” award at the annual “Best of California Awards” 2023 Innovation Summit.

PRP Project Award Celebration

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AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Research-to-Practice Symposium The 2023 Research-to-Practice Transit Symposium, held from October 24th – 26th , was a stellar presentation of transit research from all parts of California and beyond. Hosted

by Caltrans and other partners, the Symposium welcomed transit researchers from countless agencies to discuss a variety of topics. Attendees included students at planning programs of Universities nationwide, transit professionals and researchers, and people interested in transit.

Dr. Kari Watkins of UC Davis giving the opening plenary of the Symposium

The Symposium provided attendees the chance to learn from a wide range of professionals with a wide range of experience. Dr. Kari Watkins, Co-Director of the Transit Research Center at the Institute of Transportation Studies at Davis, provided the opening plenary. Other illuminating panels discussed women in transit, disability in transit, fare equity programs, and more. The educational presentations informed listeners of what makes up transit today, but what was more inspiring was the discussion of the future of transit accounting for historically underrepresented communities.

Overall, anyone that attended the Symposium left with a positive outlook on transit, signifying a successful event and an anticipation of the 2024 symposium. The recordings for each day of the symposium can be found here: Research to Practice Transit Symposium October 24-26, 2023 - University of Florida Transportation Institute (ufl.edu)

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For all Communication questions, please reach out to the PM² Communications Team at PM2.communications@dot.ca.gov.