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This week on Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort hosts a special episode recorded live at the 2025 Texas Transit Association Conference in McAllen, Texas.

In this roundtable, Paul speaks with five accomplished Texas transit leaders about the realities of running transit systems across Texas—from expansive rural regions to fast-growing cities. They share how they’re serving students, seniors, tourists, and workers alike—while facing challenges like extreme heat, limited funding, and changing rider expectations.

Featured Panelists:

• Serena Stevenson – General Manager, Waco Transit System; Chair, Texas Transit Association
• Mario Delgado – Transit and Downtown Services Director, Metro McAllen
• Derrick Majchszak – CEO, Corpus Christi RTA
• Vince Huerta – Director of Transportation, ETCOG GoBus
• Allen Hunter – Executive Director, Texas Transit Association

Highlights from the discussion:

• “10,000 square miles of service” – Vince Huerta shares how GoBus operates across 14 rural counties and how they’re building in-house maintenance capacity to improve service reliability.
• “From the islands to the military base” – Derrick Majchszak explains how Corpus Christi RTA connects barrier island workers, students, and military personnel across a sprawling service area.
• “We’re the bridge between urban and rural” – Serena Stevenson talks about integrating Waco’s fixed routes, microtransit, and university service to close first/last mile gaps.
• “We don’t feel like a small town” – Mariel Delgado details how Metro McAllen serves a growing cross-border population, offers university service to UTRGV (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), and is planning for BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) and TOD (Transit-Oriented Development).
• “Invest in transit today for the system you want tomorrow” – The panel emphasizes the need for proactive funding, community partnerships, and creative solutions to meet Texas’ evolving mobility needs.

From bus stop design to funding advocacy, and from CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) fueling strategies to regional job access, this episode dives into what it takes to deliver safe, reliable, and rider-focused transit—Texas style.

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com

Host: Paul Comfort

Producer: Paul Comfort

Editor: Chris O'Keeffe

Executive Producer: Julie Gates

Special thanks to:

Brand design: Tina Olagundoye

Social Media: Tatyana Mechkarova

Marketing content, Transit Unplugged Newsletter, & transit puns: Cyndi Raskin

If you have a question or comment, email us at info@transitunplugged.com.

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Show Notes:

Join Paul Comfort on this episode of Transit Unplugged for an insightful conversation with Professor Niels van Oort, Associate Professor of Public Transport and Shared Mobility at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and co-director of the Smart Public Transport Lab. Paul and Niels explore critical considerations in transit planning, including the effectiveness of light rail versus bus rapid transit (BRT), integration with cycling and micro-mobility, and global best practices for creating high-quality transit systems.

Niels shares details about his innovative transportation planning game designed to help students and professionals balance various mobility modes and societal goals. He also discusses the benefits, challenges, and appropriate contexts for implementing light rail and BRT systems, emphasizing the importance of seamless integration with active transport modes like cycling.

You can read more about Dr. Oort’s work here: https://www.tudelft.nl/en/ceg/about-faculty/departments/transport-planning/staff/personal-pages/oort-n-van

Additionally, communication experts Rebecca Klein and Keith Scott from TALLsmall Productions (https://tallsmallproductions.org/) provide practical guidance on mentorship, highlighting strategies for effective mentor-mentee relationships, open communication, and meaningful feedback.

Highlights:

• Insights into the comparative advantages of Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
• Integration strategies for active mobility modes, particularly cycling.
• Innovative educational tools for transit planning.
• Special segment: Mentorship insights from communication specialists Rebecca Klein and Keith Scott.

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com

Host: Paul Comfort

Producer: Paul Comfort

Editor: Chris O'Keeffe

Transit Unplugged Newsletter & Media Support: Cyndi Raskin

Executive Producer: Julie Gates

Social Media: Tatyana Mechkarova

Don't miss this engaging episode packed with practical insights into creating efficient and effective transit systems.

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In this special episode of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort welcomes Dr. Kaan Yildizgöz, host of Mobility Redefined, the new sister podcast of Transit Unplugged. Dr. Yildizögz, a leading global expert in public transportation and former senior director at UITP, shares his personal journey into transportation, driven by childhood memories in his father's bus workshop, and his academic expertise in ride-hailing and mobility.

Paul and Kaan dive into global mobility trends, exploring key issues such as decarbonization of bus fleets, resilience in transit governance and funding, digitalization, and workforce challenges across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Discover how transportation leaders worldwide tackle these universal challenges with innovative solutions and best practices.

Also in this episode, communication experts Rebecca Klein and Keith Scott offer practical strategies for navigating change management, emphasizing the power of active listening and consistent messaging to guide teams effectively through transitions.

Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com

Host: Paul Comfort

Producer: Paul Comfort

Producer: Chris O'Keeffe

Media Support: Cyndi Raskin

Executive Producer: Julie Gates

Special Thanks To

Social Media: Tatyana Mechkarova

Transit Unplugged Newsletter & Media Support: Cyndi Raskin

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.