Norman Y. Mineta Statue Unveiled at
San José Mineta International Airport
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Norman Y. Mineta’s wife, Deni, and sons, David and Stuart, look at Norm's statue after unveiling it. Photo courtesy of PRxDigital.
Improving transportation was central to what motivated Norman Y. Mineta and who he was as a person. The only Democrat serving in President George W. Bush's cabinet, as Secretary of Transportation, he created the Transportation Security Administration after the 9/11 attacks, and steadfastly and passionately continued to find ways to move people through better transportation.
On Thursday, January 25, 2024, Quest Valley Charities, led by MTI's Retired Founding Executive Director Rod Diridon Sr., unveiled the bronze statue of Norman Y. Mineta at San Jose Mineta International Airport in the baggage claim area of Terminal B. Norm's wife, Deni, and his sons, David and Stuart, helped unveil the statue standing high atop a granite pedestal. The statue, created by San Jose State University instructor and sculptor Steve Davis, captures a standing Norm with his right hand over his heart and a smile on his face.
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(Left) Rod Diridon Sr. and (Right) Rep. Zoe Lofgren speak about Norman Y. Mineta during a ceremony honoring MTI's late founder and namesake. Photos courtesy of PRxDigital.
Together with Norm's family, friends, and the San Jose communities he served, U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren, Anna Eshoo, and Ro Khanna; TSA Administrator David S. Pekoske; State Senator Dave Cortese; Santa Clara County Supervisors Susan Ellenberg and Cindy Chavez; and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and current Mayor Matt Mahan paid tribute to Norm's life and legacy.
MTI is proud to continue our founder's legacy of improving our nation’s transportation systems and educating the transportation workforce of the future.
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UTC Outstanding Student of the Year
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Mike Wozniak
Manager, Civil Rights Programs
San Mateo County Transit District
Congratulations to Mike Wozniak for being chosen for the U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Center (UTC) Outstanding Student of the Year Award! Mike has worked at San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) for more than seven years and was recently promoted to Manager of Civil Rights Programs, where he oversees the agency's labor compliance, Small Business Enterprise, and Small Business Enterprise programs. Mike loved trains growing up and rode public transit exclusively through high school and college. His first job was with an electrical contractor upgrading signal and traction power systems for transit, including BART, VTA, SF Muni, and Sacramento RT.
As a current graduate Transportation Management student at San José State University, Mike is researching strategies to reduce the specific types of assaults SamTrans bus operators face. He says of being chosen for the UTC award, “I am extremely honored to be selected for this award. I would like to thank my family for their love and constant support, the MSTM faculty for their incredible knowledge and guidance, and my classmates for sharing their diverse personal and professional experiences.” Congratulations again, Mike!
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Elementary Poster Contest Winners
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We are thrilled to announce the winners of our annual poster contest! This contest spreads awareness of important transportation issues and gives students grades 1-6 nationwide an opportunity to help their community and inspire others. For the 2023 theme #VisionZero, posters are judged for adherence to the theme, use of the theme as a motto or catchphrase, and creativity. Each winner took home a cash prize and their posters will be shared with top leaders in the industry at MTI's Annual Banquet. Congratulations to the winners!
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1st Place Winner
Niyant Jindal
2nd Grade, E.M. Grimmer Elementary School
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1st Place Winner
Diya Sairam
4th Grade, Lincoln Elementary School
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2nd Place Winner
Nora Varshney
1st Grade, Fred E. Weibel Elementary School
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2nd Place Winner
Elaine Zhou
5th Grade, Hacienda Environmental Science Magnet School
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3rd Place Winner
Daksh Salimath
3rd Grade, Stratford School - Fremont Osgood Campus
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3rd Place Winner
Anaya Goteti
5th Grade, Murdock-Portal Elementary School
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Autonomous Shuttle Implementation and Best Practices
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When, where, and how autonomous shuttles are deployed can have significant safety, economic, and policy impacts on their operation and performance. This research analyzes data related to 120 existing deployments of autonomous shuttles, looking at safety, operational, economic, and policy-related issues. Analysis shows that autonomous shuttles would be an excellent supplement to public transportation. However, vehicle and infrastructure improvements are needed before any permanent deployment. The study also analyzes the perceptions of practitioners, industry experts, and transportation system users toward autonomous shuttles. The researchers found that 1) there are critical barriers to autonomous shuttle implementation, including underutilization measures, safety concerns, seating arrangements, reliability, data security, operational aspects, sensor technology, and lane use; and 2) users’ willingness to use autonomous shuttles is influenced by their perceived safety, comfort, trust in autonomous shuttles, familiarity with autonomous shuttles, household income, age, and frequency of transit usage.
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Evaluating Benefits from Transportation Investments Aligned with the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI)
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Building upon two executive orders targeting the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California, the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI) offers a comprehensive plan to work toward a more unified vision for transportation that prioritizes climate, health, and social equity. The purpose of this project was to help evaluate the benefits of transportation investments across the State of California. With support from Caltrans, the research team provided a holistic evaluation framework that involved an analysis of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and emissions impacts, an economic impact analysis, and an equity analysis of transportation investments in California.
Findings indicate that CAPTI has generally had a positive impact on California communities by helping align transportation investments with the state’s climate and equity goals while continuing to generate significant economic activity through investments in transportation infrastructure. Decarbonizing transportation is an ambitious, yet achievable goal that requires a strong emphasis on alternative transportation modes to make transit and active transportation more accessible and appealing than driving. California should continue investing in transportation infrastructure in a manner that is equitable and significantly reduces VMT and emissions while creating quality jobs and positive economic impacts.
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Harassment is keeping riders from using transit and feeling safe. Join a discussion with two transit operators and their community partners to discuss strategies for learning about what riders are facing and how to put an end to it. Taking on harassment on transit doesn't need to be a daunting task—it starts with data collection and setting up community partnerships to guide the process. Speakers will discuss both qualitative data gathering approaches and a new passenger survey tool. How can these be used to make a difference in making public transit safer for everyone? Be a part of the conversation about putting the brakes on rider harassment.
WHO IS IT FOR:
This webinar is for transit riders, operators, community-based organizations, advocacy groups, government workers, researchers, and anyone who wants to be a part of sharing insights and strategies to address rider harassment and fostering a safer and more inclusive public transit experience for everyone.
Speakers:
- Chantal Hildebrand, Co-Executive Director, Alliance for Girls
- Meghna Khanna, Senior Director, Systemwide Team, Mobility Corridors, LA Metro
- Alicia Trost, Chief Communications Officer, BART
MTI Survey Presenter: Asha Weinstein Agrawal, PhD, National Transportation Finance Center Director, MTI
Moderator: Annie Lee, Esq., Managing Director of Policy, Chinese for Affirmative Action / Stop AAPI Hate
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Beyond the Tracks: High-Speed Rail Station Access and Development
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The City of San Jose and high-speed rail thought leaders discussed best practices and lessons learned from developing and running high-speed rail stations. They also explored the intricacies of planning, designing, and developing mixed-use station areas and multimodal passenger facilities that enable a safe, comfortable, and seamless travel experience.
Speakers:
- Eric Eidlin, Station Planning Manager, City of San Jose
- Ramses Madou, Division Manager of Planning, Policy, and Sustainability for the Department of Transportation, City of San Jose
Moderator: Karen Philbrick, PhD, Executive Director, MTI
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