MIT Mobility Initiative

The MIT Mobility Initiative is delighted to announce the 172nd episode (8th episode of the Spring 2026 season) of the MIT Mobility Forum hosted by Prof. Jinhua Zhao taking place this Friday, Mar 27, 2026. Forum Title: A Dialog with Daniel Ramot, Co-Founder and CEO,Via Abstract: Via provides a platform of software and technology-enabled services that transforms public transportation systems into smart, data-driven, AI-powered digital networks. Since its founding in 2012, Via has grown to serve hundreds of cities across more than 30 countries, powering microtransit, paratransit, school bus, transit planning, and autonomous vehicle networks. The company went public on the NYSE in 2025, and recently launched Via AI Labs to pursue broader efficiency solutions for local governments. In this fireside chat, Daniel will discuss the lessons learned from building Via, the role of AI in the next generation of public transit, and how cities can leverage technology to deliver more equitable, efficient, and sustainable mobility. This session will explore: 1. From startup to public company: building the TransitTech category and powering B2G service as a publicly traded company 2. Microtransit debate: can on-demand transit scale to meet the needs of growing cities, and what role does it play alongside fixed-route systems? 3. AI and the future of transit: how Via is using artificial intelligence to reshape planning, scheduling, and real-time decision-making for cities 4. How AI is changing Via itself? Speaker: Daniel Ramot, Co-founder and CEO, Via Commentator: Alicia Winkelblech, Director of Transportation, City of Arlington, Texas #mitmobilityinitiative Fridays 12:00-13:00 ET, Feb 6 - May 29, 2026 The MIT Mobility Forum is open to the public. Please register here - https://lnkd.in/gmjw2TEv

The MIT Mobility Initiative is delighted to announce the 171st episode (7th episode of the Spring 2026 season) of the MIT Mobility Forum hosted by Prof. Jinhua Zhao taking place this Friday, Mar 20, 2026. Forum Title: User Experience across Mobility Modes Abstract: Working with Los Angeles Metro, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority), Gensler combined system level analysis with qualitative user research to identify the key drivers of rider experience. These insights directly inform design strategies that elevate usability, accessibility, and overall satisfaction across diverse mobility environments. They further applied the approach to review the EV Charging experience, recognizing that specific experience has proved a barrier to EV adoption globally. Beyond battery range and pricing, the actual experience of charging remains a massive barrier to EV adoption. Using examples from Los Angeles and Toronto, the speaker will reveal how physical design can re-frame charging from a frustrating chore into a seamless, hospitality-driven experience. Lastly, we will also look at how Gensler's user-centric principles of R.E.A.C.H. were pioneered to elevate the airport Journey to transform the physical environments of aviation, in San Francisco International Airport. Speaker: Dylan Jones, Principal, Global Mobility & Transportation Lead, Gensler #mitmobilityinitiative Fridays 12:00-13:00 ET, Feb 6 - May 29, 2026 The MIT Mobility Forum is open to the public. Please register here - https://lnkd.in/gmjw2TEv

Public transit provides significant value to urban areas by giving residents access to opportunities, services, and resources; increasing the productivity of the city; reducing harmful pollutants; and providing affordable transportation and economic mobility - especially to low-income residents. In the post-pandemic world of changed journey patterns, and with the increasing prevalence of private and for-hire electric vehicles, some may question the role transit plays in supporting urban and regional mobility, and in helping reduce harmful pollutants. The MIT Mobility Initiative's Transit Research Consortium worked with our partner agencies at Chicago Transit Authority, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), King County Metro Transit to look at the impact of transit systems in Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle to reaffirm transit’s powerful role as a public good supporting efficient, affordable, and sustainable urban access. We are immensely grateful to MIT JTL-Transit Lab Graduate Researchers Hanyong X. (Seattle), Seamus Joyce-Johnson (Chicago) and Lucien Wallace (San Francisco) who led the work on these reports under the guidance of Jim Aloisi and Bhuvan Atluri. The reports can be viewed here: 1. Seattle - https://lnkd.in/erNeCuzD 2. San Francisco - https://lnkd.in/emVSiGea 3. Chicago - https://lnkd.in/e3w52YX5 The video presentation given on 13th March 2026 at the MIT Mobility Forum can be viewed here - https://lnkd.in/eTABTDjM

The MIT Mobility Initiative is delighted to announce the 169th episode (5th episode of the Spring 2026 season) of the MIT Mobility Forum hosted by Prof. Jinhua Zhao taking place this Friday, Mar 6, 2026. Forum Title: The New Global Possible: Rebuilding Optimism in the Age of Climate Crisis Abstract: In 2015, world leaders came together in Paris and signed an agreement to save the planet. Ten years later, we have made little progress on the ground, and multilateralism is fraying. Can we rebuild optimism amid a climate crisis, and do so at speed and scale? Ani Dasgupta says yes, and wrote a book to show how. The New Global Possible draws on decades of frontline experience to lay out a pragmatic yet hopeful vision for climate action, weaving together stories of unusual partnerships, collaborative leadership, and lessons learned from failure. Dasgupta defines the narrow path to a hopeful future, and offers a radical new practice for orchestrating change for good. We will dialogue with Ani about the role of transportation, the connection between climate change and economic growth, AI for nature, the future of emerging economies, and what it takes to move from ambition to action. Speaker: Ani Dasgupta, President & CEO at World Resources Institute #mitmobilityinitiative Fridays 12:00-13:00 ET, Feb 6 - May 29, 2026 The MIT Mobility Forum is open to the public. Please register here - https://lnkd.in/gmjw2TEv

The MIT Mobility Initiative is thrilled to announce our 2026 Cohort of MIT Mobility Initiative Senior Fellows: https://lnkd.in/evQZ2jM9 Daniel Berkovits, SVP Strategy, Via Topic: Challenges & Opportunities: Integrating Autonomous Mobility and Public Transportation Systems Anjali Mahendra, Director of Global Research, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, World Resources Institute Topic: Integrating and Optimizing Informal Transport Networks in the Global South Kristin White, Transportation Industry Executive & Head of Transportation Strategy & Partnerships, Google Topic: The AI Mobility Maturity Model: Bridging the Gap Between Tech and Institutional Adaptation in Public Agencies Michael Woods, Architect & Filmmaker, Circumstance & Design Studio Topic: Exploring Urban Design: Lessons Learned from Multimodal Mobility Hubs Jiang Xu, Corporate Innovation, Volvo Group Topic: Comparative Analysis of Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Strategies in US, Europe and China Stephanie Pollack, former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation; former Deputy & Acting Administrator, US Federal Highway Administration Topic: Registering and Licensing Autonomous Vehicles: Exploring a Regulatory Framework for States This is a remarkable group bringing professional experience to important and timely topics across the mobility spectrum. We look forward to their contribution!

The MIT Mobility Initiative is delighted to announce the 168th episode (4th episode of the Spring 2026 season) of the MIT Mobility Forum hosted by Prof. Jinhua Zhao taking place this Friday, Feb 27, 2026. Forum Title: The Shoup Doctrine: Essays Celebrating Donald Shoup and Parking Reforms Abstract: How can cities reform their parking policies to create cities that are more sustainable, just, and economically-resilient? Daniel B. Hess explores this question as he presents his recent book The Shoup Doctrine: Essays Celebrating Donald Shoup and Parking Reforms. In the edited book, Hess tributes and extends Donald Shoup’s (1938-2025) research about parking and its ability to transform activity corridors, neighborhoods, and cities. Shoup has spent his career encouraging everyone to rethink relationships between parking and the built environment, traffic congestion, energy consumption, and local economic development. Three key parking reforms—remove minimum parking requirements from zoning codes, raise underpriced curbside parking to market rates, and return parking revenue for local neighborhood improvements—serve as the foundation for conversation among 37 scholars and practitioners who contributed to The Shoup Doctrine. This book celebrates Shoup’s decades-long contributions to research, practice, and education and demonstrates how parking reform can support affordable housing development, lessen air pollution, encourage better street design, and reduce automobile dependency. This talk will be both a celebration of Shoup’s decades-long scholarly contributions about parking and a look ahead at how progressive parking reform affects urban planning practice today. Speaker: Prof. Daniel Hess, University at Buffalo Commentator: Prof. Brian Taylor, UCLA #mitmobilityinitiative Fridays 12:00-13:00 ET, Feb 6 - May 29, 2026 The MIT Mobility Forum is open to the public. Please register here - https://lnkd.in/gmjw2TEv

The MIT Mobility Initiative is delighted to announce the 167th episode (3rd episode of the Spring 2026 season) of the MIT Mobility Forum hosted by Prof. Jinhua Zhao taking place this Friday, Feb 20, 2026. Forum Title: Tech Foundation of WeRide and Bot.Auto Abstract: The autonomous vehicle industry has reached its performance inflection in 2026. The MIT Mobility Forum #167 brings together two architects of the autonomy landscape: Speakers: Dr. Tony Han: CEO and Founder, WeRide Dr. Xiaodi Hou: CEO and Founder, Bot Auto We will explore the technical foundation of WeRide and Bot Auto: 1. The role of simulators and world model WeRide: GENESIS unifying physical and generative AI Bot Auto: Foundation Model-to-All Architecture High-fidelity modeling of interactions with road users 2. "Human-in-the-loop" vs. Strictly "humanless" operation 3. Hybrid architecture: end-to-end AI model + deterministic safety layer 4. Safety evaluation and decision support for legislation #mitmobilityinitiative Fridays 12:00-13:00 ET, Feb 6 - May 29, 2026 The MIT Mobility Forum is open to the public. Please register here - https://lnkd.in/gmjw2TEv

The MIT Mobility Initiative is delighted to announce the 166th episode (2nd episode of the Spring 2026 season) of the MIT Mobility Forum hosted by Prof. Jinhua Zhao taking place this Friday, Feb 13, 2026. Forum Title: State of Canadian Transit Abstract: Across Canada, record levels of federal and provincial capital investment are moving long‑planned projects forward and reinforcing national priorities around climate action, housing supply, and economic productivity. At the same time, agencies are grappling with rising demand driven by rapid immigration‑led population growth, trade‑related supply chain pressures, growing security and social disorder challenges, and persistent operating funding gaps.   As Canadian transit agencies navigate a pivotal era, how are major hubs like Toronto and Metro Vancouver paving the way for a resilient future? Join us for MIT Mobility Forum #166, where we will break down the national tailwinds and headwinds defining the state of Canadian transit. This session offers a deep dive into fleet electrification, rapid expansion, and the practicalities of modernizing legacy systems at scale. Speakers: Josh Colle, Chief Strategy & Customer Experience Officer, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Jeffrey Busby, Chief Operating Officer, TransLink David Cooper, Principal, Leading Mobility Consulting #mitmobilityinitiative Fridays 12:00-13:00 ET, Feb 6 - May 29, 2026 The MIT Mobility Forum is open to the public. Please register here - https://lnkd.in/gmjw2TEv

We cordially invite you to the MIT TRB Reception 2026!  MIT TRB Reception hosted by MIT Mobility Initiative (https://www.mmi.mit.edu/) Tuesday, January 13, 2026 from 6:00 – 8:00PM  Simple food will be provided; a cash bar will be available. Thanks to the overwhelming interest and the limited capacity of the venue, we need your RSVP here (https://lnkd.in/e5UJKWmm); and we will notify you regarding your attendance status and the venue location by the end of day Friday, Jan 9. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Happy holidays and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!

The MIT Mobility Initiative (MMI) Senior Fellows (Cohort 2026) application is due 10 January 2026. Please apply at https://lnkd.in/evQZ2jM9 The MMI Senior Fellows program is an annual program that identifies a small cohort of individuals with unique insights and professional experience to contribute toward scholarship that advances safe, clean and inclusive mobility systems. MMI Senior Fellows are invited to engage with and contribute to the Mobility Initiative and the broader MIT community. MIT Mobility Initiative (MMI) Senior Fellows: Cohort 2025 Jamey Tesler: Rethinking the Drivers License Test Kara Kockelman: New Tech for Traffic Law Enforcement Adam Grosser: Vehicle Development and Manufacturing with AI David Zipper: Tactics to reduce urban vehicle speeds Stephanie Pollack: Capacity and Comparison: Laying the Foundations for Measuring the Effectiveness of State Departments of Transportation MIT Mobility Initiative (MMI) Senior Fellows: Cohort 2024 Laura Fox: Deploying Non-Dilutive Capital to Scale Early-Stage Urban Mobility Climate investments David Zipper: Marketing Electric Vehicles– Which Metrics Make Sense? Alex Mitchell: Scaling Private Sector Investment in and Government Support for Micromobility in the US