Public transit agencies will need to follow innovative approaches | Khaled Shammout

Public transit agencies are facing an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment. Factors such as changing demographics, evolving customer needs, and technological advancements are driving the need for public transit agencies to be more agile and innovative in their approach. In order to stay relevant and competitive, transit agencies need to be able to quickly adapt to new trends and emerging technologies, while also providing reliable and efficient service to their customers. This requires a willingness to experiment with new ideas, embrace new technologies, and develop new business models that can help them better meet the needs of their customers. Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) is a mid-size public transportation agency that provides bus service in the Greater Cincinnati area and emerging as one of the innovative transit agencies in the US. The agency has already achieved 85% recovery rate and is now looking to expand its services even further.

Khaled Shammout is Chief Strategic Planning, Development, and Innovation Officer at Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA). He is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the agency's technology and data-driven strategies. He also leads the development of SORTA's long-term strategic plan and works to enhance the agency's customer experience. Prior to SORTA, he worked with different agencies in the US including Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), and Palm Beach County. He was also the Chief of the Bus Transit Team at Makkah Mass Rail Transit.