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Hello newsletter readers, 

As we've been sheltering-in-place across the country, the desire to go outside and be able to move around freely has become uncomfortably apparent - at least to me. I've been taking long bike rides around Washington D.C. to literally place my mind elsewhere and get some fresh air. I'm amazed at how clean and fresh the air is at this time, with a lot less vehicles on the road idling in traffic. I feel safer biking now than I ever did before. With substantially less vehicles to share the road with, and less of a need to weave and wiggle around double-parked cars in bike lanes or buses hopping from stop to stop, it makes me think - why can't it be like this every day?

Through mobility management, the opportunity to improve the everyday conditions and experiences of those around us can happen. Why can't every major road have protected, separate bike lanes so everyone can feel safe to bike where they please? Why can't everyone make their medical appointments on time, every time, regardless of ability to own or operate their own vehicle? Why can't those who desire to take a career development program, make it to every session even if where they live is inaccessible to public transportation?

As those working in the field of mobility management know, the answers to these questions are varied and complex. No one solution will work for any situation but it's of utmost importance to imagine that there exists a solution for every situation - and that it can be accomplished. When the time comes to get things back to normal, as an end to this current period is becoming clearer, consider there's the chance to change things to be better. I now know what biking conditions I'd like to experience every time I saddle up to go somewhere and will work towards making that the case. Maybe a new idea for improving senior mobility or for justice-involved folks is in your head right now. Go act on it! In our workplaces continue to consider the impact access to mobility has on everyone, every day. The world can be a better place and we can make that happen. 

As always, if you have any recommendations for website or newsletter content, a written piece you'd like considered for NCMM's blog, Mobility Lines, or just want to reach out, my contact information is below. 

Best,

Kirby Wilhelm

[email protected]

(202) 489-6020

NCMM's COVID-19 Resource Center is live and has been continually updated as new resources and information becomes available. Partner resources are listed, as well as our survey regarding the virus' effects on mobility management practitioners - please consider filling it out. This survey will help NCMM to determine common concerns and trends regarding COVID-19's impact on service, providing key data to work towards solutions and best practices for this time and beyond. NCMM aims to later release a report on the findings to the greater mobility management community. 

NCMM's 2020 Mobility Management Forum, Unconference, and Poster Session Postponed

NCMM's scheduled events during CTAA's EXPO 2020 have been postponed to later in the year due to concerns regarding COVID-19. The new dates for EXPO 2020 are Sunday, Nov. 15 through Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. If you are already registered for the event, your registration will transfer to the new dates. For more information, visit CTAA's EXPO 2020 page.

As it gets closer to November, NCMM will reopen the application process for the 2020 Poster Session. It will be announced on Twitter, NCMM's newsletter, and NCMM's website with updated guidelines. Stay tuned.

NCMM's newest e-learning Course is now live. The course provides participants the opportunity to become familiar with cost allocation techniques and their many uses. Over 5 modules, participants will gain the knowledge to calculate and record the full cost of service delivery, as well as the different cost allocation models used in developing one. The course walks participants step-by-step through developing a model for an example organization. Start today and finish at your own pace.

NCMM is excited to announce our upgraded website search. The new search allows users to search every word on our website to easily find the information they are looking for. You can also easily search our partner technical assistance centers and the FTA website in our search bar, all at the click of a button. Head to the NCMM website and use the search bar in the upper right of your screen.

Check out our freshly updated Daily Mobility News page, it's the perfect place to start your morning. Now, you can search News by topic and date to find exactly what you're looking for.

NCMM constantly updates its Grants and Opportunities page as staff learn about new funding options. 

Check out the NCMM Calendar to keep up-to-date on collected mobility management events, webinars, and other opportunities.

Have a question about technology? You can find answers by contacting NCMM's technologist, Kevin Chambers, at [email protected].

At 2 p.m. EST, the National Center for Applied Transit Technology will be hosting a webinar presenting a framework for considering and making technology decisions that are broadly applicable to different types of technologies, whether they are incremental or fundamentally new. Transit agencies can take the materials brought up in the webinar to begin working through considerations they've been navigating for tech in their systems. 

Mobility Management News is the newsletter of the National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM), which is operated jointly by the Community Transportation Association, the American Public Transportation Association and Easter Seals under a cooperative agreement with the Federal Transit Administration.