2024 Conference Recap

We kicked off the first day of the conference with our annual tradition – the Lightning Round Slideshow! It is such a fun way to break the ice and get to know one another. Additionally, it provides a great opportunity to introduce organizations, seasoned and new, to other conference attendees and explore the work they are doing in their communities across the globe. 

From there, attendees jumped into one of the workshops below:

• Center City West Biking Tour
• Indego Warehouse Operations Tour
• Downtown Center City Walking Tour

Through the workshops, we explored Philadelphia’s cycling infrastructure and history and took a look behind-the-scenes with Indego before heading over to the opening reception at Independence Beer Garden, located in Philadelpia’s Historic District. This outdoor retreat offered attendees the chance to eat, drink and mingle while overlooking the Liberty Bell Center and Independence National Historical Park.

Day two began with the opening plenary and keynote address from Anna Zivarts. Anna is a low-vision parent, nondriver and author of When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency. During her keynote, she explored how when the needs of involuntary nondrivers are viewed as essential to how transportation systems and communities are designed, not only will we be able to more easily get where we need to go, but the changes will lead to healthier, climate-friendly communities for everyone. We also heard from:

• Adriel Thornton, Executive Director, MoGo Detroit and NABSA 2024 Board President/2025 Immediate Past President
• Meredith Marshall and Tavis Sanders, Indigenous Education 
• Waffiyyah Murray, Indego Program Manager, City of Philadelphia and NABSA 2024 Board Vice President/2024 President
• Michael Carroll, Deputy Managing Director Office of Transportation and Infrastructure, City of Philadelphia
• Caroline Samponaro, Head of External Affairs, Lyft Urban Solutions and NABSA Board Member
• Inbar Kishoni, Community & Equity Programs, Lyft Urban Solution

After the kickoff, attendees had the opportunity to dive into breakout sessions with the choices below:

• The Philly Experience: Building and Sustaining Equitable Shared Micromobility
• Balancing the Equation: The Importance of Equity for Shared Micromobility Systems
• Bringing It All Together: How to Establish and Maintain Regional Shared Micromobility Systems
• Adapt and Overcome: Scaling Adaptive Micromobility for Wider Implementation
• From 0 to 10 Million [Trips]: How to Grow Ridership and Maintain Success
• Practice Makes Perfect: How to Develop a Thriving Operations Ecosystem
• Sponsor Mini-Presentations

In the afternoon, we joined NABSA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Committee for a conversation and screening of Diverse Voices in Shared Micromobility: A Video Series. This video series takes our existing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging resources and stories off the page, and into the field. It shares some of the faces and voices that make up the shared micromobility workforce and make shared micromobility happen in communities. NABSA just released the first video on our blog and will release the next videos in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

We rounded out the conference sessions on day two with the NABSA annual meeting. Attendees learned what NABSA has been up to this year and what we have planned for the future. We announced next year’s conference location, Montreal, Quebec and elected new board members! Thanks for joining us!

After the annual meeting, we made our way over to Spring Garden Street to kick off our evening with a local brew from Yards Brewing Company. Attendees had the chance to catch up and discuss the day’s conference happenings over a drink, games, and good company.

Day three kicked off with an informative and engaging keynote panel about the future of shared micromobility featuring the following speakers:

• Peter Topalovic (Moderator), Manager Active Transportation and Mobility, City of Hamilton and NABSA Board Member
• Amanda Howell, Innovative Mobility Program Manager, Oregon Department of Transportation
• Laura Krull, Bikeshare Coordinator, Metropolitan Transportation Commission 
• Sherelle Streeter, Urban Planner, City of Detroit

After the keynote panel, day three offered the breakout sessions below:

• Making it a Reality: Transit and Shared Micromobility Success Stories 
• Partnering for Success: The Role of Community Partnerships in Building Vibrant Shared Micromobility Systems
• Large and In Charge: Scaling Charging Stations in Shared Micromobility Systems
• Integrating Bikeshare and E-Scooter Share: Lessons from Pioneering Cities and Operators
• The Connected Network: Infrastructure and Planning to Build Thriving Systems
• Serving the Under-Represented Rider: Tools for Success
• Sponsor Mini Presentations

In the afternoon, conference attendees had the opportunity to select from one of the mobile workshops below: 

• Mantua Neighborhood Mobile Tour
• Black Metropolis Walking Tour

Attendees closed out their conference experience by saying goodbye to friends new and old with a local treat back at the Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square.

Thank you again for your support of NABSA and our annual conference. It is an event we look forward to every year and it would not happen without your contribution and support. We are growing and learning together to continue to build better shared micromobility throughout North America. Thank you for sharing and for listening!

We can’t wait to do this all again next year in Montreal, Quebec – October 15th to 17th! 

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