How Young Leaders are Reinventing the Public Transit Industry with Technology
What You'll Learn
- Why surging data center spending is outpacing public transit investment—and what that means for regulating AI’s rapid growth
- How AI’s most impactful transit applications may happen behind the scenes, from scheduling to demand forecasting
- Why microtransit is gaining traction in rural areas as a flexible, on-demand mobility solution
- How different transit experiences can shape similar passions for the industry, regardless of where riders grow up
In episode 15, Mass Transit magazine Associate Editor Brandon Lewis interviews Linus Adler and Tate Coleman, two recent graduates from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Both guests share their personal journeys into the transit industry and discuss why public transportation remains an essential part of creating connected, accessible communities. Throughout the episode, the guests discuss the importance of hands-on experiences in transit operations.
Lewis, as well as Roads and Bridges Head of Content Gavin Jenkins and Roads and Bridges Staff Writer Jessica Parks also discuss the news that the U.S. is spending more on data centers currently than transportation infrastructure.
Featured Guests
Linus Adler - UMass Amherst Graduate
Linus Adler graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. During his time in school, he was an intern for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Highway Project Development.
Tate Coleman - Public Transportation Director, Great Barrington, MA; UMass Amherst Graduate
Tate Coleman serves as the director of public transportation at the town of Great Barrington, Mass. Tate recently graduated with Master's Degrees in Regional Planning and Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he served as a U.S. Department of Transportation Dwight D. Eisenhower Graduate Transportation Fellow during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Inside the Episode
Episode Length: 42:14
Timestamps
- 0:43 — Listener email and data centers discussion
- 8:50 — Mass Transit interview
- 35:30 — Interview takeaways
Useful Links
- UMass Amherst Civil Engineering
- "US spending on data center construction now exceeds spending on public transportation infrastructure" — The Cool Down
- Roads & Bridges
- Mass Transit
- Send us a topic suggestion!
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Email [email protected] with your thoughts on data center spending— we might read them on air.