Stop Requested

In this episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono talk with Schneider St. Preux, General Superintendent of Bus Operations at Miami-Dade County DTPW. Schneider began his career as a bus operator and now oversees one of the largest bus fleets in the United States.

The conversation covers launching a fully electric BRT corridor from an operations perspective, training operators on new vehicle technology and double-sided boarding, bus rodeos, and Miami-Dade’s approach to electrification and safety innovation. Schneider also shares lessons from Leadership APTA and reflects on why frontline operators have one of the hardest jobs in transit.

In this episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Cristian Londono kick off a new series focused on Miami-Dade County with Linda Morris, Chief of Service Planning and Scheduling at Miami-Dade County. Linda oversees service planning across bus, rail, and Metromover in one of the most complex transit environments in the country.

The conversation covers launching Metro Express BRT, coordinating service across dozens of municipalities, modernizing scheduling tools, and improving reliability in a large and growing region. Linda also reflects on her experience at AC Transit, including managing major capacity projects and implementing double decker buses, and how those lessons shaped her approach to service planning in South Florida.

This week, Stop Requested replays our conversation with Megan Perrero, Editor-in-Chief of Mass Transit Magazine. Levi McCollum and Christian Londono revisit a discussion about how transit stories are reported and how coverage shapes agency credibility and rider understanding.

Megan reflects on how her experience as a daily Chicago rider informed her journalism, the role of trade publications in the industry, and why transparency and clear communication matter for public buy-in. The episode also covers sector trends, the 40 Under 40 program, and advice for new journalists.

If you missed it the first time, this episode offers a useful perspective on the connection between media, messaging, and public transit.

In this episode of Stop Requested, I sit down with Dr. Nick Ferenchak, an expert in pedestrian and bicyclist safety, to explore innovative strategies for designing safer streets. We delve into the concept of latent demand, discussing how many dangerous corridors go unreported in crash statistics, and the importance of proactive safety measures. Dr. Ferenchak highlights the benefits of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as a transformative intervention, emphasizing its role in reducing serious injuries and fatalities. We also examine the intersection of land use, infrastructure, and socioeconomic factors, all of which play crucial roles in shaping pedestrian and cyclist safety. Tune in to discover how we can rethink urban design to promote safer, more equitable transit options for everyone.

In this follow-up episode of Stop Requested, Levi McCollum and Christian Londono welcome back Carter Lavin, author of If You Want to Win, You’ve Got to Fight. Carter reflects on the response to the book since its release and digs deeper into what effective transit advocacy really looks like in practice. The conversation covers inside and outside collaboration, common mistakes agencies make when engaging advocates, the importance of having a clear ask, and why advocacy is ultimately a team sport. It’s a practical discussion for transit professionals, advocates, and anyone trying to turn good ideas into real-world change.

Pick up a copy of Carter's book here: https://a.co/d/io7mqpv