GVF Team Heads to Music City for ACT’s TDM Forum!

Rail, e-scooters and walkability, oh my! If you’ve never been to Nashville, get online and get that trip booked today - okay maybe wait for some warmer weather! It’s a fascinating city with a diverse community of locals, tourists, and folks looking to get their big break in show business, with great BBQ food and entertainment at every turn.

In November, some of the GVF team headed down to Nashville for the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) TDM Forum. The TDM Forum is an annual three-day event where Transportation Demand Management (TDM) professionals come together to stay informed on the rapid changes in mobility.

Despite the frigid November temperatures, we still got out to take in the sites of Music City. Along the way, we came across so many electric scooters, which made for an easy commute to some places. However, Nashville’s congestion has increased and recently they proposed a referendum to expand their transit system. In May 2018, voters in Nashville rejected the expansion transit plan, which if funded, would have launched five light-rail lines, one downtown tunnel, four bus rapid transit lines, four new crosstown buses, and more than a dozen transit centers around the city.

With ACT’s TDM Forum being held in Nashville, ACT President Rob Henry and ACT Executive Director, David Straus, wanted to kick off the Forum with a TDM Charette. Close to 50 people attended this invite-only event, with the goal of helping to identify implementable TDM solutions to address Nashville’s transportation and mobility challenges.

The Charette began with a panel session with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, Vanderbilt University, We Go Public Transit, Nashville Connector and The TMA Group, which Rob moderated. These organizations worked together in advocating for the transit expansion, telling a compelling a story how important transportation is to the business community, University students and its overall economic climate of the city, but unfortunately the referendum still did not pass.

Through the breakout sessions during the Charette, which Rob and Maureen Farrell, who also sits on ACT Board, moderated, ACT will be compiling the action items, which will then be outlined in a report that Nashville can utilize to help develop a comprehensive approach to improving TDM in their region.

After the half day Charette, Rob led his last ACT Board of Directors’ meeting as President. Rob’s term as ACT Board President finishes at the end of 2018 and he will move into the role of Immediate Past President beginning in 2019. Maureen was re-elected for another two-year term on the ACT Board of Directors.

The TDM Forum began on November 12th a SOLD-OUT event! The Forum included

multiple concurrent breakout sessions led by some of the best TDM professionals in the industry bringing new and insightful ideas to plan for the future of mobility. ACT also recognized its 2018 40 Under 40 class, where our very own TDM Manager, Stacey Weiss, was a recipient.

These awards recognize leaders who are committed to developing programs that shift behavior and create long-lasting change within their communities and organizations. Rob also had the pleasure of presenting Santa Monica with the Small Government Award during ACT’s Excellence Awards luncheon.