A four-year post-COVID transportation challenges initiative has concluded. The University of California Institute of Transportation Studies is sharing the results at the February Mobility 10x Summit, and the Association will be there to advocate for transit’s needs.
By Arianna Smith
Managing Editor
Transit California
The Association will have a central spot at the upcoming Mobility 10X Summit: Accelerating Transportation Innovation Across California to showcase transit’s post-shutdown needs.
The full-day session will highlight the Resilient and Innovative Mobility Initiative (RIMI), a four-year research effort launched in 2021 by the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies (UC ITS) and offer panels and breakout sessions for transportation leaders to discuss findings and proposals. RIMI research centered on California’s transportation challenges in the years following the pandemic disruption, with a focus on public transit and shared mobility, as well as carbon neutrality and emerging technologies in the transportation sector. Across each focus, RIMI centered the themes of equity and jobs.
RIMI research on public transit concentrated on new approaches to finance and operations that would improve stability, pandemic-shutdown ridership decline and recovery strategies, improvements to transit resiliency and adaptability, public transit’s role in meeting the state’s climate goals, and private shared mobility.
The initiative’s other two pillars, carbon neutrality in transportation and emerging transportation technologies, also touch transit. The research explored the ongoing transition to zero-emission vehicles, power grid preparation for greater electrification demands, and making it easier for people to drive less than they currently do. Research also considered new technologies and services, such as connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) and advanced air mobility (AAM) that come with their own vulnerabilities in security, integration into transportation systems, regulations, safety, and environmental impacts.
“The RIMI 10x Summit brings together the research, policy, and practice communities at a pivotal moment for public transit,” said Dr. Susan Shaheen, the RIMI Director at UC ITS and a Professor at UC Berkeley. “Rebuilding ridership, stabilizing transit finance, and thoughtfully integrating microtransit, ridehailing, and emerging driverless technologies are deeply interconnected challenges. Our hope is that attendees leave with a clearer sense of the tradeoffs, opportunities, and coordinated strategies needed to strengthen public transit as the backbone of an equitable, sustainable, and resilient transportation system.”
Transit as a critical component to strengthening California’s transportation system
Association Director Michael Pimentel will kick off the day as a panelist in the morning plenary session, “From Disruption to Opportunity: Shaping Mobility’s Next Chapter.” Moderated by Dr. Shaheen, the session will also feature transit leaders Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board Steven Cliff, Director of the California Department of Transportation Dina El-Tawansy, and Assemblymember Lori Wilson, who chairs the California Assembly Transportation Committee. Panelists will discuss the forces that will shape mobility locally, regionally, and statewide over the next 5 to 10 years, including potential disruptions – the effects of climate change, and changing travel behavior – as well as transformative trends, such as decarbonization strategies, transportation pricing, and cross-sector collaboration to drive sustainable and equitable mobility strategies.
“In the aftermath of the pandemic, transit agencies refocused on the fundamentals—prioritizing transit‑first projects, strengthening system safety, and expanding access through reduced fares. In the years ahead, they will build on this foundation with new vehicle technologies, emerging mobility options, and deeper regional coordination. This panel will dive into what it will take to move transit from recovery to transformation,” said Pimentel of the upcoming session.
Additionally, three of the nine breakout sessions pertain to transit.
The morning public transit breakout session, “Complement or Compete? Exploring Microtransit, Ride hailing, and Public Transit in California’s Future,” will attempt to answer how microtransit and ride hailing services fit alongside public transit in California’s transportation landscape. Moderated by Tilly Chang, Executive Director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, the panel will consider possible business and governance models for aligning these emerging services with public sector goals, and will feature a discussion on the ongoing introduction of automated vehicles. Panelists include James Corless, Executive Director of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments; Michael Hyland, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering at UC Irvine; Katie Malkin, Vice President of State and Local Policy of Via Transportation, and Dr. Shaheen.
In the afternoon, attendees will learn from policymakers, transit operators, and researchers about how public transit agencies are addressing the post-pandemic shutdown challenges of ridership reductions, budget shortfalls, and evolving travel patterns in “The Future of Public Transit: Resilience, Ridership, and Revenue.” Solutions discussed will include ridership recovery strategies, adapting to shifting work and land use choices, financial sustainability in the long-term, post-COVID-19 funding recovery challenges, new revenue options, and workforce issues. The panel is moderated by SPUR Transportation Policy Director Laura Tolkoff, and panelists include State Senator Christopher Cabaldon, LA Metro Chief Innovation Officer Seleta Reynolds, Professor Brian D. Taylor, Ph.D. of UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, and Professor Kari Watkins, Ph.D. of UC Davis.
The final afternoon breakout session, “Zero-Emission Frontiers: Decarbonizing Freight, Aviation, Marine, and Public Transit,” will feature panelists discussing the difficulties of decarbonizing heavy-duty vehicles in a variety of sectors, including the public transit sector. Scott Moura, Ph.D., a professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley will moderate a session that examines infrastructure, investment, and policy choices needed to effectively scale hydrogen, electrification, and sustainable fuels as zero-emissions strategies in hard-to-abate sectors. Panelists include Kip Lipper, Chief Policy Advisor on Energy and Environment in the Office of Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón; Colin Murphy, Ph.D., Co-Director of the Low Carbon Fuel Policy Research Initiative at UC ITS; and Chris Shimoda, Regulatory Affairs Consultant with the California Trucking Association.
Additional panels that do not specifically pertain to public transit include discussions on driving efficiency, equitable electrification, designing systems for pedestrian and cyclist safety, automation safety, driving grid readiness, and equitability for on-demand services. The full day event ends with a fireside chat on turning the vision of an equitable, affordable, resilient transportation system into reality. See the full agenda here.
There’s still time to register and attend!
The event will take place on February 6, 2026 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Sacramento Library Galleria.
The Summit is by invitation only, but prospective attendees may express their interest in attending on the interest form. Registration is $100; the full day event includes two plenary sessions, nine breakout sessions, networking break sessions, and a reception that will be held immediately following the summit.