2025 is Rapidly Approaching—And So Will Charlotte Transit, Thanks to This Exciting Announcement!
I've Got News To Share
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For the OGs and the Fresh Faces 🚎
If you've been here a while, you know transit advocacy is my jam. If you're new, welcome! Now allow me get you up to speed (pun intended):
🚌 First Stop: Learned public transit in my 20s when I didn’t have a car.
🚇 Next Stop: NYC, where I mastered the subway (and complained like a local).
🚶♂️ Transfer: Tried car-free living in suburban Charlotte, Ballantyne—lasted three weeks.
🌱 Next Stop: Opened a plant boutique in 2020 in a walkable neighborhood and became RADICALIZED about transit justice.
🎓 Next Stop: Honed my advocacy game with leadership programs NACTO Transportation Justice Program and board of appointments like RVA Rapid Transit.
🌟 Final Stop: Back in Charlotte, founding Transit First CLT.
What is Transit First CLT?
A transit advocacy non-profit organization leading Charlotte’s shift away from car dependency through active and rapid transit.
As Executive Director, I proudly announce that Transit First CLT has been selected as one of 10 nonprofits for SEED20 OnStage, hosted by Social Venture Partners Charlotte! This incredible program equips us with the tools and platform to amplify our mission and compete for resources.
We focus exclusively on active and rapid transit. While there’s clear overlap with issues like density, housing, and urban design, prioritizing transit allows us to drive meaningful change where it matters most.
Here’s the truth: not every pedestrian rides the bus, but every bus passenger is a pedestrian.
Our mission is to make active transit a household name. Whether you walk, bike, or roll, you deserve to feel included in the built environment.
We’re driven by good policy but guided by community. Good policy isn’t just written— it’s built with the voices of those it impacts most.
Building a nonprofit from the ground up is no small feat, and we’re making steady progress! We’re thrilled to have secured our first two founding board members—true juggernauts in their own right. We can’t wait to introduce them in the new year.
While we work on securing 501(c)(3) status and tackling other foundational tasks, I’ve found an exciting opportunity to keep me inspired and engaged.
I’m thrilled to join Jump Transit, a locally owned micro-transit company, as a Community Ad Partner!
Jump Transit operates in the NoDa, Optimist Park, and Villa Heights neighborhoods, providing affordable, door-to-door rides for just $3 per person. Having personally used Jump Transit for light rail commutes and date nights, I can attest to the incredible value it brings to our community.
With rides typically arriving within five minutes and all destinations within this intimate “zone,” your trip is always a short and convenient ride away. Best of all, it’s all powered by zero-carbon electric shuttles, making it a sustainable choice for local mobility.
In this role, I’ll collaborate with small business owners who face challenges with foot traffic due to limited off-street parking. Together, we’ll create solutions through cross-promotion, events, and more to ensure their success while supporting local mobility options.
Recent conversations with friends of mine have involved discussing how “real” of a solution microtransit actually is?
Here are my thoughts:
Microtransit isn’t just a stopgap—it’s a solution with untapped potential to transform how we move and support local businesses. So why aren’t we investing in it more?
Summary:
Microtransit faces challenges, but with the right strategies, it can become a critical part of urban mobility.
Continue reading to explore:
How microtransit can help small businesses thrive.
Why state funding is key to its success.
The future of microtransit as a scalable transit solution.
Often you’ll hear that the major concern with microtransit is that as ridership increases, so do wait times, and capacity issues become more frequent. With shuttles typically accommodating only five passengers plus the driver, it’s easy to see how this could lead to frustrations, especially during peak hours. However, this narrative often overlooks how strategic operational planning and technological integration can address these challenges effectively.
For instance, data-driven scheduling and dynamic routing can optimize shuttle availability in real time, ensuring that vehicles are deployed where demand is highest. This approach not only reduces wait times but also improves overall efficiency. In cities like Arlington, Texas, microtransit systems have successfully scaled by leveraging advanced algorithms, resulting in a 97% on-time arrival rate and significant user satisfaction improvements. The key lies in the adaptability of microtransit, which allows it to flex capacity based on evolving needs, something fixed-route systems often struggle to achieve.
Additionally, microtransit offers a unique opportunity for small businesses with limited marketing budgets. Unlike larger agencies that command high advertising costs, local microtransit providers can partner with these businesses to create affordable, hyper-local campaigns. These partnerships can involve cross-promotion through shuttle branding, event sponsorships, and even in-app advertising. For small businesses in walkable but parking-constrained neighborhoods, this creates a powerful way to reach local customers while promoting a transit-oriented lifestyle. This synergy not only enhances microtransit’s value proposition but also helps small businesses thrive in a competitive market.
Moreover, microtransit is uniquely positioned to complement public transit systems rather than compete with them. According to research from the Transit Cooperative Research Program, well-integrated microtransit services can increase access to high-capacity transit hubs by as much as 30%. This integration helps address the "last-mile" problem, which has long been a barrier to higher ridership on traditional public transit networks. When coupled with state funding initiatives aimed at improving urban mobility and reducing emissions, microtransit becomes an even more compelling solution. Local governments can prioritize microtransit as a cost-effective, scalable, and community-driven option to bridge gaps in transit coverage.
By focusing on localized service zones, collaborating with small businesses, and leveraging public-private partnerships, microtransit proves it’s more than just a band-aid solution—it’s a critical piece of the mobility puzzle that deserves greater prioritization and investment.
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What exciting news, congratulations!