Shalaby shares insights and latest research on technological innovations in transit - University of Toronto Transportation Research Institute

UTTRI associated faculty Professor Amer Shalaby was an invited speaker and panelist in “From point A to B, intelligently: Public transit expansion and modernization,” a public event presented by the National Capital Commission’s Urbanism Lab in Ottawa the evening of September 26.

Positing that excellent public transit makes it easy to get around, thereby making a city more attractive, the event aimed to take attendees “behind the scenes of public transit expansion and modernization to learn about the pitfalls and triumphs you might not read about in the morning news.”

speaker at podium and two seated — Professor Amer Shalaby (at podium) gives presentation at “From point A to B, intelligently” in Ottawa, September 26, 2019 (seated L-R: Professor Ralph Buehler, Virginia Tech; Professor Emily Grise, University of Alberta) Photo source: screen shot from event video, National Capital Commission.

Tobi Nussbaum, Chief Executive Officer of the National Capital Commission, gave opening remarks, and Stan Leinwand, Acting Director of Sustainable Development and Environmental Services acted as moderator.

Professor Shalaby, one of three speakers on the panel, spoke on intelligent and technological innovations in transportation. His presentation entitled “Technological Innovations in Transit: The Promise and Challenges” covered transit service woes and their impact, disrupting technologies, intelligent transit systems, ongoing and future advances such as the battery electric bus “revolution,” and the latest research at the Centre for Automated and Transformative Transportation Systems (CATTS).

Joining him were:

Ralph Buehler, Associate Professor and Chair of Urban Affairs and Planning, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech, who spoke on transit integration (governance and structure); and
Emily Grise, Assistant Professor, University of Alberta, whose topic was modal integration (bikes, scooters, etc.).

Following the presentations, a lively Q&A session with the audience was held.

The entire two-hour event, including Q&A, was livestreamed and can be viewed here on YouTube.

Moderator at podium, three speakers seated on stage — Panelists take questions from the audience at close of “From point A to B, intelligently”, Ottawa, September 26, 2019 (L-R: moderator Stan Leinwand, Acting Director, Sustainable Development and Environmental Services, National Capital Commission; Professor Ralph Buehler, Virginia Tech; Professor Emily Grise, University of Alberta; Professor Amer Shalaby, University of Toronto) Photo source: screen shot from event video, National Capital Commission.

The NCC’s Urbanism Lab is an innovative space where Canadians and leaders in urbanism, design, heritage and conservation, sustainability, and placemaking get together to inspire the future of Canada’s Capital Region. The event series is now in its sixth year.