2022 Strategic Directions

On Thursday, January 27th, NABSA hosted our annual members-only Strategic Directions Call discussing our priorities for 2022. Members heard from our Executive Director, Samantha Herr, and NABSA Board President, Caroline Samponaro. The presentation kicked off with a summary of highlights from 2021:

• We celebrated the release of the second Shared Micromobility State of the Industry Report for North America. This report added a COVID-19 Resilience and Response section and workforce diversity metrics.
• To honor the legacy of Russell Meddin, we launched the Meddin Emerging Researcher Scholarship. Karly Nygaard Peterson received the first Meddin Scholarship. Learn more about her and her research here.
• We increased our social media network by 40%.
• We hosted our second virtual conference attended by 400 industry professionals.
• We hired our first Events & Membership Manager.
• We hosted 8 virtual events attended by more than 785 people.
• We successfully advocated for the inclusion of shared micromobility as an eligible activity under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) programs at the federal level.

Learn more about NABSA’s 2021 highlights in our State of NABSA report.

Building on our successes from last year, we turn our attention to the year ahead. It’s clear that the shared micromobility industry is at an inflection point. The industry’s resilience and critical transportation role through the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the contribution and potential of shared micromobility to many for the first time, opening the eyes of many policymakers who hadn’t yet embraced it. Federal legislation in the US, for the first time, includes shared micromobility – specifically as a term and mode – in surface transportation law. Canada is having important conversations about shared micromobility for the first time at the federal level. Ridership continues to reach new heights, and service is expanding in new and continuing markets alike.

Now is a critical moment to grow shared micromobility across North America. Communities seek to increase access to transportation, reduce congestion and carbon emissions, provide more multi-modal options, increase transit connections, and ultimately create more equitable, sustainable, and livable communities. Shared micromobility is a powerful tool in helping to realize these benefits, and NABSA is committed to helping achieve this growth.

In 2022 and the years ahead, NABSA will leverage our voice and past successes to grow our momentum, particularly in the advocacy space, to make our voice even louder and more widespread in regulatory and policy settings than ever before.

Here are a few highlights to look forward to in 2022:

• This summer, we will release our third State of the Industry report, capturing ridership metrics, equity in the industry, community impacts, and much more.
• Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has passed, we’re working to ensure the inclusion of shared micromobility in new and existing program implementation, and continuing our work for the passage of the Bicycle Commuter Act that includes shared micromobility in the US, and inclusion of shared micromobility in the AT fund in Canada, among other provisions that benefit shared micromobility in North America.
• Our new DEI Working Group will provide recommendations for how NABSA can best help the industry and our members move from DEI awareness to action.
• NABSA will begin a new communications series highlighting innovative and exciting programs from our members.
• We will (finally!) hold our annual conference in Guadalajara and continue to monitor COVID-19 and guidance from the CDC and other health agencies. Information and updates will be posted at nabsa.net/2022conference.
• We’re continuing the Meddin Emerging Researcher Scholarship into its second year, with applications opening this Spring.

We are genuinely excited for the year ahead and hope you are too!

To learn more about NABSA and how to become a member, visit nabsa.net/membership.

To learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit nabsa.net/sponsorship.

Resources Mentioned

• View the 2019 and 2020 Shared Micromobility State of the Industry Reports for North America at nabsa.net/industry.
• More information about NABSA’s past and upcoming advocacy work can be found at nabsa.net/advocacy. Here, you’ll also find information about our Advocacy Toolkit, a collection of resources for those interested in advocating for shared micromobility.
• Visit nabsa.net/meddinscholarship to learn more about the Meddin Emerging Researcher Scholarship and when the 2022 submissions open.
• Learn more about our annual conference at nabsa.net/conference and learn more about our 2022 conference at nabsa.net/2022conference.