It's been a month now since I've joined the team at Mass Transit magazine. I've had the opportunity to meet many of you at the American Public Transportation Association's Annual Meeting in San Francisco, and some of you I've known from my most recent experience, in freight and transit rail with Railway Age, RT&S (Railway Track & Structures) and IRJ (International Railway Journal) magazines.
I loved my experience in the freight rail industry because it showed me how important trains are for moving goods across our country. Their commitment to safety and the environment are of utmost importance. It also taught me how freight rail and passenger rail have to work together to move people to their destinations.
I lived in the city of Chicago for many years, and I used public transportation on a daily basis — commuting downtown to my job or taking the bus to the Cubs game or one of the many outdoor festivals. If you’ve ever been stuck in Chicago traffic, you know how important public transportation is to this city.
You can explore many different neighborhoods by hopping on a bus or a train. Learning the Chicago public transportation system made it easy to navigate and explore cities like New York City, London and other European cities and use their public transportation systems The unlimited mobility allowed me to really explore the cities I was visiting.
With the migration of large corporations to larger urban areas and people wanting to live and work close to urban areas, the need and usage of public transportation is growing so fast. The public is embracing new light rail systems in places like Phoenix and Dallas and technology is changing how people move around and how they utilize public transportation. It’s an exciting time to be in the world of public transportation!
I’m thrilled to be a part of this rapidly changing industry that is seeing an increasing role in building the sustainable cities of tomorrow.
When not at work, I’m spending time with my husband and our 2-year-old son cheering for the Cubs and being outdoors.
