At this year's Transportation Research Board's (TRB) meeting, twelve TRB committees came together to sponsor a session entitled, "Equity Reframed: Looking Back and Planning Ahead." The focus was to review historical milestones and forecast future opportunities to eliminate systemic barriers to full equity by marginalized communities and to provide more equitable access to transportation services. As a speaker, I had the opportunity to share CNT’s perspective.   Our session ... Continue reading »

Today, the City of Chicago released an evaluation of the city’s e-scooter pilot. The program, which ran from June 15th to October 15th 2019 within a designated area on the west and northwest sides, involved 10 e-scooter providers, over 800,000 reported rides, and was intended to evaluate whether e-scooters could enhance the sustainability, equity, and safety of the city’s transportation system. CNT applauds the City of Chicago’s commitment to rigorous analysis and community engagement to... Continue reading »

Thanks to all who engaged with us in 2019! With a new year comes new priorities and opportunities at CNT. Here are some of the things I’m most excited about in 2020: 1. New roommates. Our friends at Greenprint Partners, a mission-driven green infrastructure firm, have joined us in Suite 1400 at 17 N State Street. We’re already partnering with Greenprint on a USDA Conservation Innovation Grant and a research grant from the National Science Foundation, and hope to do more together in the... Continue reading »

Transportation experts often talk about the potential of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) to solve the “last mile problem.” What they usually mean is the potential for people to use TNCs in combination with transit to reach key destinations just outside the reach of transit. Many of the collaboration pilots around the country between TNCs, transit agencies, and employers are aimed at addressing the last mile problem of work trips, particularly to suburban locations that lack safe... Continue reading »

On December 10, 2019, CNT’s tech challenge participants presented their final project results. Students from UIC and IIT partnered with three community groups – Austin Coming Together (ACT), Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI), and Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School – to answer one guiding question: Is there a high cost to being poor? To answer this question community groups picked a topic most pressing to their community members. Are absentee landlords a problem in Austin... Continue reading »

In collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Communities, CNT analyzed equity of access to smart mobility in Chicago and nine other cities across the country. The purpose of the report was to explore disparities in access to transportation options that incorporate technology, support a clean environment, and enhance access to opportunity. CNT calculated measures related to accessibility, employability, livability, and mobility, broken out by race, ethnicity, and income. Check out the... Continue reading »

In the weeks since Mayor Lightfoot proposed changes to the tax structure for ride hailing trips, much of the discussion around the changes has centered whether they are equitable. The transportation network companies (TNCs), as well as community leaders and residents have raised concerns that increasing fees will make using ride hailing unaffordable in Black and Brown neighborhoods on South and West Sides, where incomes are lower, car ownership less common, and these services have the potential... Continue reading »

As summers grow hotter and rainstorms increase in frequency and severity, it’s more important than ever to promote and invest in solutions that improve local climate resilience. However, governmental solutions often value pipes over natural permeability and engineering over community engagement. And, where nature-based stormwater solutions are installed, many residents are at risk of displacement due to increasing property values. While there’s no quick fix to this challenge, CNT, through... Continue reading »

Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) are increasingly significant contributors to the transportation system in Chicago. A recent study commissioned by Uber and Lyft estimated that Uber and Lyft rides represent 3.3% of VMT in Cook County. That figure is likely significantly higher in the city of Chicago, and particularly in some of the city’s most dense and congested neighborhoods. The city’s TNC dataset shows that different parts of the city are using TNCs differently, and these differences... Continue reading »

The City of Chicago recently released a new proposal to restructure the fees the city charges for rides people hail with transportation network companies like Uber, Lyft and Via. Currently, the City of Chicago charges a flat, per-trip fee for all TNC rides, regardless of whether the trip is a shared or solo ride, and regardless of where and when the trip occurs. The new proposal increases fees on solo rides, particularly those that begin and end downtown during times of peak congestion. Shared... Continue reading »