2026 Conference Recap

We kicked off the conference with our beloved Lightning Round Slideshow! This engaging icebreaker allows everyone to connect and learn about fellow attendees. It also serves as a wonderful way to introduce both new and experienced organizations, showcasing the impactful work they do in communities across North America. During this segment, we also took a moment to honor the lives and legacy of Louisa Gag and Riley O’Neal, who tragically lost their lives while cycling in their respective cities this year.

From there, attendees got a chance to discover Cincinnati by participating in one of the mobiles workshops below:

• Walking Tour: Public Art & Impact – BLINK and the Murals of Cincinnati
• Biking & Scooting Tour: Public Spaces as a Development Strategy for Diversity
• Biking & Scooting: Rivers & Bridges – Two Decades of Transforming and Connecting Across the Ohio

The mobile workshops showcased art and public spaces, ventured along the riverfront and bridges, and explored local points of interest before making their way to the opening reception at Rhinegeist Brewery, situated in the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. This event provided attendees with the opportunity to enjoy delicious food, sip on beverages, reconnect with fellow participants, and occasionally steal away for a breathtaking view of Cincinnati from the rooftop.

Day two began with the opening plenary including a keynote and conversation with Iresha Picot, Founder of Black Girl Joy Bike Ride, a bi-weekly recreational cycling group in Philadelphia created to build sisterhood, promote wellness, and help Black women prioritize self-care. During her keynote, Iresha shared her story of how she found joy through shared micromobility, discussed her work to diversify ridership, and highlighted a people first approach to programming and planning. We also heard from:

• Sam Herr, Executive Director, NABSA
• Waffiyyah Murray, Indego Program Manager, City of Philadelphia and 2026 NABSA Board President
• Doug McClintock, Executive Director, Red Bike
• Aftab Pureval, Mayor, City of Cincinnati
• Kristin Gavin, CEO, Revolution

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

• The Bottom-Line Blueprint: Diversifying Funding Streams for Resilient Shared Micromobility 
• Weathering the Storm: Operational Resilience and Contingency Planning in Extreme Conditions 
• Bridges to Belonging: Integrating Cultural Identity and Technical Frameworks in Micromobility 
• From Alignment to Impact: Public, Private and Institutional Partnerships that Drive Growth 
• Small Towns, Big Differences: Why You Can’t Just Copy-Paste a Big-City Model 
• The Multimodal Experience: Shared Micromobility in the Transit Landscape 

In the afternoon, we joined NABSA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB) Committee for a conversation with Gabriel Becerra, BKT bici pública, Dr. Lloyd Cheatom Sr., Bike Share Pittsburgh, and Waffiyyah Murray, City of Philadelphia. They shared their stories about why DEIB work in shared micromobility is important and what actions others can take to move the needle forward.

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 where NABSA is headed in the year to come. We announced next year’s conference location, Chicago, Illinois, October 13th through 15th and elected new board members! 

Attendees stepped out of the annual meeting and kicked off their evening with a beverage and snacks at the Westin Cincinnati overlooking Fountain Square. The happy hour offered attendees the chance to catch up and discuss the day’s conference happenings with good company.

Day three kicked off with a closing day plenary with the following speakers. The plenary included a fireside chat about shared micromobility across state lines. The fireside chat explored micromobility transportation in the region. 

• Lucy Stephenson, Vision Zero Network 
• Daniella Beltran, Yard & Co
• Sharmili Reddy, City of Covington
• Joshua Pine, City of Cincinnati
• Sean McGrory, Crown/Tri-State Trails

After the fireside chat, day three offered the breakout sessions below:

• Designing for the Future: Shared Micromobility Network Optimization 
• Powering Progress: Standardizing the Future of Micromobility Battery Handling
• Expanding Equity: Subsidies, Shelter Partnerships, and Spatial Distribution
• Match Madness: Managing Stadium and Event Crowds with Corrals, Valets, and Shared Wheels 
• Advocating for Shared Micromobility: Managing the Electric Exchange
• Everything Everywhere All at Once: Social and Technological Innovations

After lunch, we enjoyed a local treat then headed back out into Cincinnati to visit the Red Bike Shop, get a behind the scenes look at the street car facilities, and visit National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. After conference festivities wrapped up several people stayed around for the kick off the biannual BLINK light festival in Cincinnati which offered attendees the opportunity to remain in the area and continue experiencing all that Cincinnati has to offer.

Your support is what makes NABSA’s annual conference a reality, and it’s an event we look forward to each year. We truly appreciate your contributions as we grow and learn together, striving to enhance shared micromobility across North America. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey and for actively engaging with us!

We can’t wait to do this all again next year in Chicago, Illinois! Save the dates for October 13th-15th.

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