2020 Florida Commuter Transportation Virtual Summit
Commuting in the New Normal
DAY 1 – SEPTEMBER 14, 2020
September 14-15, 2020
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
Welcome & Summit Overview
Mike Wright, Commuter Assistance Program Manager, FDOT
Mike has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University and has been involved in commuter transportation issues for 20+ years; before that, he worked with Metropolitan Planning Organizations at the local and state levels. Every hurricane season makes him more committed to retire to Ohio with his wife and four cats.
Welcome to the 2020 Florida Commuter Transportation Virtual Summit. This year’s Summit will provide insight into how commuter assistance programs (CAPs) and transportation management
KEYNOTE: COVID-19 – Making Sense of the Statistics
Dr. Salemi has created a dashboard system to aggregate state-provided pandemic data; he will share his insights on how information is brought to people and the ongoing issues he sees concerning its misinterpretation.
Jason L. Salemi, PhD MPH, University of South Florida
Dr. Salemi is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the College of Public Health and is nationally recognized as an expert in birth defects surveillance methodology, evaluation, and research. In May 2020, Dr. Salemi began building his own statewide, interactive dashboard to track COVID-19 in the state of Florida.
organizations (TMOs) are rethinking their roles in the era of COVID-19. As cities begin to reopen, it is clear that employers are rethinking how their employees get to work. New transportation trends are beginning to emerge, and this year’s speakers will set the stage for a critical conversation.
Video Presentations:
St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership & New North Transportation Alliance
What does social distancing mean for transit & vanpools?
COVID-19 has shaken up public transportation. People are asked to avoid it and ridership is down. Learn how this issue is being tackled locally.
Lisa M. Bacot, Executive Director, FPTA
Lisa Bacot is currently the executive director of the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA), one of the largest state transit associations in the nation. She has over 25 years of transportation and healthcare experience.
We hope you find this
year’s Summit both thought provoking and informative.
Arlinda Karuli, Account Executive, Commute with Enterprise
Arlinda Karuli is an Account Executive at Commute with Enterprise, managing all existing vanpool accounts in Central West and Southwest Florida. Arlinda has a bachelor’s degree from University of South Florida in General Business and a minor in Economics.
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Video Presentations: Tampa Downtown Partnership & Westshore Alliance
Panel Discussion: Adapting to the New Normal – The Challenge Facing CAPs
How are Commuter Assistance Programs (CAPs) facing the current health crisis? CAPs have
unique obstacles staff must take into consideration when determining how best to respond.
Stephen Alianiello, MBA, Program Manager, reThink Your Commute
Stephen started his TDM career in 2009 as the Program Coordinator for the newly-created District 5 Regional CAP. He held various outreach roles before stepping into the Program Manager position in 2019. Stephen earned a management degree and MBA from the University of Central Florida.
Annie Arguello, Program Manager, FDOT District 1 Commute Connector Program
Annie is a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program Manager with TranSystems and leads the Florida Department of Transportation’s District One Commuter Assistance Program, known as Commute Connector. Annie has over 10 years experience managing commuter assistance programs in Florida and Texas, with specific experience in vanpool program management and contract oversight.
Pat Maurer, Commuter Assistance Coordinator, Apalachee Regional Planning Council
Pat has worked in commuter assistance since 1993, and moved with the program when it left Florida State University in 2020 for a new home with the Apalachee Regional Planning Council Commuter Services of North Florida, in collaboration with Emerald Coast Regional Council, is now “RideOn Commuter Services” covering all 16 counties in FDOT’s District 3, and some long-distance employees from Georgia and Alabama.
Jeremy Mullings, AICP Senior Planner, South Florida Commuter Services Project Director, CTS Engineering, Inc.
Jeremy is the Director of South Florida Commuter Services (SFCS), a regional commuter assistance program that spans Indian River County to Key West (FDOT’s Districts 4 and 6). He is a former FDOT employee and the project manager who introduced Florida’s first express bus operating in managed lanes, 95 Express.
Cyndi Raskin-Schmitt, Director of Commuter Services, TBARTA
Cyndi has been at TBARTA for only 1.5 years, but has been in the transit industry for more than 22 years, in communications, marketing, and public relations arenas. She holds two Associates degrees from St. Petersburg College, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities and Literature from Eckerd College. She is a 2016 graduate of the prestigious Leadership Pinellas program.
Closing Remarks: Mike Wright, FDOT
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DAY 2 – SEPTEMBER 15, 2020
State of the CAP: Mike Wright, FDOT Teleworking in Florida & How Employers are Adapting
Hear success stories and lessons learned from two Florida employers as they continue to navigate the “new” workday.
Courtney Reynolds, TDM-CP, Transit Planning Manager, VHB
Courtney Reynolds is VHB’s Transit Planning Manager for their Orlando office. Over her 16-year career, Courtney has advocated for multi-modal transportation options throughout Central Florida. She helped create FDOT’s reThink Your Commute program and assisted with the creation of FDOT’s Commute Connector program. She is the President of the Florida Bicycle Association, working to encourage more people to bicycle.
Kristina Morrow, Transportation Planner, CTS Engineering, Inc.
Kristina Morrow,Transportation Planner, CTS Engineering, Inc. Kristina has spent the last five years working as a Transportation Planner in CTS Engineering’s Fort Lauderdale office, and has been working [primarily] from home since March 2020. Some of her recent work includes an assessment of the Tri-Rail Commuter Connector buses and the Miami-Dade Transit TDP update.
Video Presentations: South Florida Commuter Services & Commute Connector
COVID-19: Impact on Bicycling and Short- and Long-term Behavior Change Opportunities
Gain perspective on bicycling trends nationally, including research around COVID-19 and its impact on transportation and biking behavior. Thomas will share recommendations on how to achieve long-term mode-shift.
Thomas Stokell, CEO, Love to Ride
Thomas Stokell is the CEO of Love to Ride—the online platform that gets more people biking and has engaged more than 500,000 people, 22,000 companies, and 140,000 ‘new riders’ in its programs. Thomas has been running TDM behavior change programs for 12 years.
Mobility Week 2020: Promoting Smart, Efficient, and Safe Transportation Options
Mobility Week in FDOT District 5 has been encouraging residents to explore local commuter
options. Hear how this year’s Mobility Week will offer new opportunities for partner engagement to
promote active transportation.
Libertad Acosta-Anderson, P.E.
Libertad has more than 20 years of transportation experience and has been with FDOT District 5 since
2009. Libertad is the current Modal Development Office Rail Administration Manger. She is primarily
involved with SunRail and Brightline projects and continues to support the Mobility Week initiative which she spearheaded in 2016.
Video Presentations: TBARTA, RideOn Commuter Services & ReThink Your Commute
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Travel Choices Awards Ceremony
Presented by Mike Wright, FDOT
The Florida Travel Choices Awards recognize excellence in Florida public transportation and are awarded in three categories:
Travel Choices Marketing Excellence Award
This award recognizes excellence in Florida public transportation-related marketing including, but not limited to, the following: advertising campaigns, electronic media, print media, and special events. Candidate marketing programs have been implemented within the past two years and include objectives and demonstrable results.
Travel Choices Leadership Award
This award honors a Florida individual who has made outstanding contributions to the public transportation industry. This award may be conferred upon a public transportation policy maker or a private citizen who has made outstanding contributions to public transportation at the local or state level.
Travel Choices Innovative Program Award
This award is given to a Florida public transportation system, commuter assistance program, transportation management organization,
or other Florida entity that has designed and implemented specific public transportation-related programs that demonstrate innovative
concepts or effective problem-solving techniques. The awarded program has proven value and is adaptable for use by others.
Prospective awardees have been implemented within the past two years and have quantified results.
Commuter Choice Certificate Graduation
Presented by Mike Wright, FDOT & Phil Winters, CUTR
The Commuter Choice Certificate (CCC) program provides a comprehensive training program for transportation professionals involved in managing demand for our transportation systems. The certificate is awarded to participants who complete modules in the two core clusters and elective modules from the other four clusters within a two-year period. Graduates have completed the required 80 hours for certification.
- Kim Comstock
- Thomas Harrington
- Cyndi Raskin-Schmitt
- commute.org
- Intuit
- Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority
- Judy Galen
- Parin Patel
- Mary Thomasmeyer
- Loudoun County Commuter Services
- San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency commute.org
Recognizing Florida’s Best Workplaces for Commuters
Presented by Julie Bond, BWC
Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) is a national membership program supporting employers that provide progressive commuter
benefits to employees. In 2020, 64 Florida employers were named BWCs.
Closing Remarks: Mike Wright, FDOT
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Florida Best Workplaces for Commuters
Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) is an innovative membership program that provides
qualified employers with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits, such as free or low cost bus passes and vanpool fares, and strong
telework programs. BWC also has tailored programs for Universities and employer Sites.
Auro Hotels-Residence Inn (Orlando, FL) AutoLoop (Clearwater, FL) Center for Urban Transportation Research (Tampa, FL) Central Florida Regional Planning Council (Bartow, FL) City of Casselberry (Casselberry, FL) City of North Port (North Port, FL) City of Orlando (Orlando, FL) City of Sarasota (Sarasota, FL) City of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg, FL) Dix.Hite + Partners, Inc. (Longwood, FL)
PlanSource (Orlando, FL) Polk State College (Lakeland, FL) Polk State College (Winter Haven, FL) PowerDMS (Orlando, FL) Ramada by Wyndham Suites Orlando Airport (Orlando, FL) Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. (Miami, FL) Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (Sarasota, FL) Seminole State College of Florida (Sanford, FL) Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport (Orlando, FL) smart panda labs (Orlando, FL)
Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Airport (Orlando, FL) Environmental Protection Commission of
Hillsborough County (Tampa, FL)
Florida Department of Environmental Protection –
Central District (Orlando, FL)
Florida Department of Transportation, District 1 (Bartow, FL) Florida Department of Transportation District 5 (DeLand, FL) Florida Department of Transportation, District 7 (Tampa, FL) Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (Orlando, FL) Hand N Hand Child Enrichment Center (Orlando, FL) HDR, Inc. (Orlando, FL)
South Florida Commuter Services (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Space Coast Area Transit (Cocoa, FL) St. Petersburg College (Clearwater, FL) Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (Tampa, FL) Tampa Downtown Partnership, (Tampa, FL) Tampa General Hospital (Tampa, FL) The Children’s Trust (Miami, FL) The Orlando VA Healthcare Systems,
Lake Nona (Orlando, FL)
Tindale Oliver (Tampa, FL) TranSystems (Orlando, FL)
- KPM Franklin (Orlando, FL)
- University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL) University of South Florida (Tampa, FL) US Citizenship & Immigration Services –
Southeast Regional Office (Orlando, FL)
VHB (Orlando, FL) VHB (Tampa, FL) Viera OPC (Viera, FL) Westshore Alliance (Tampa, FL)
Lake Baldwin OPC and Lakemont Campus (Orlando, FL) Lee County Board of County Commissioners (Fort Myers, FL) Lee County Clerk of Courts (Fort Myers, FL) LEGOLAND Florida Resort (Winter Haven, FL) MetroPlan Orlando (Orlando, FL) Orange County Library System (Orlando, FL) Orlando Airport Marriott Lakeside (Orlando, FL) Orlando Senior Health Network (Orlando, FL) Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) (Orlando, FL) Pall Aerospace Corp. (New Port Richey, FL) Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) (St. Petersburg, FL) Pinnacle Family of Companies (Maitland, FL)
William V. Chappell, Jr. OPC (Daytona Beach, FL) Wingate by Wyndham Orlando International Airport
(Orlando, FL)
Workforce Logiq (Orlando, FL)
Thank you from the Summit Team:
Phil Winters, TDM-CP
Director, TDM Program Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida
- Julie Bond, MPA
- Vanessa Wheeler
- Jeff Horton
Christine Epps
Senior Research Associate Center for Urban
Program Coordinator Center for Urban
Program Director
Training Support Specialist
- Center for Urban
- DeSantis Center for Executive
Management Education FSU College of Business
Transportation Research University of South Florida
Transportation Research University of South Florida
Transportation Research University of South Florida
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