Mobility and Public Transportation
Program Overview
Providing a comprehensive approach to solving issues facing rural transportation (transit), federal lands (National Parks, Forests, etc.) and tribal agencies through research, outreach and education/training. Facilitating transportation coordination among transportation providers, including human service, tourist industries and other organizations. Increasing mobility for individuals of all ages and abilities by using innovative solutions that include bicycle, pedestrian and all possible modes of transportation.
About the Mobility & Public Transportation Program
This program expanded in 2004 from a focus specifically on public transportation (transit) to a program that included additional modes, including aviation, rail, bicycling and pedestrian travel. Equally as important, the program looks at how various modes interact, and how individual and public mobility can be improved by improving the link between the various modes.
Today, the Mobility & Public Transportation Program focuses on how to improve mobility in rural and frontier areas by coordinating resources so that even basic public transportation services can be provided. This is a challenge in rural and frontier areas due to a scatter population or seasonal visitors (tourist), that must travel a significant number of miles to reach medical and other life-line services (educational campuses, business centers, airports), and recreational sites.
Program Staff
David Kack, MBA, is the Mobility & Public Transportation Program Manager. Having worked at WTI for eight years, David has focused on many projects to improve mobility within Montana, and increase coordination between various agencies and organizations. David was part of the team that created the Montana Coordinated Transportation Handbook© and then implemented these coordination principles in the Real Choices Systems Change Grant project. David also helped launch two new public transportation systems in Montana, Streamline in the greater Bozeman area, and Skyline in Big Sky.
Rebecca Gleason, P.E. B.Sc. Civil Engineering joined WTI in 2006. Rebecca is an avid mountain biker and is working on several projects related to bicycling. She recently completed a Federal Highway Administration "Guide to Promoting Bicycling on Federal Lands". As the primary author of this guide, Rebecca interviewed managers from the BLM, NPS, USFS and F&WS to learn about bicycling issues on federal lands. She also completed a non-motorized traveler study in Grand Teton National Park. Rebecca has worked in Montana for over 13 years. Her experience includes three years on hydrology and hydraulics for transportation and flood control projects, and eight years cleaning up superfund sites in the Upper Clark Fork River Basin where she coordinated efforts of multiple stakeholders and developed a Greenway trail system.
Jaydeep Chaudhari, MCP, MPA, B.Arch, is a Research Associate at WTI, where he brings multiple skills in the fields of public transportation, planning, policy analysis, administration, geographical information system and architecture. For 2 ½ years he was a research assistant for Auburn University’s Multimodal Transportation Planning project, funded by the Federal Transit Administration. Prior to joining WTI, he worked for the Coastal Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University. He recently finished working on the Grand Teton National Park Public Transportation Feasibility Study.
Contact:
David Kack
406-994-7526
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