Over the last couple of months, in my home office, watching sessions at the ITS World Congress All-Access digital event series, the Virtual ITS European Congress and CoMotion LA Live, I’ve been struck by one thought: I can’t wait to get back into a packed conference hall.
Yes, the thought of sitting with my fellow professionals, sipping cold coffee, listening in person – rather than via a laptop - to clever people talking insightfully about their businesses, is a happy one. And it will come. We must be patient.
Many of us are getting back to work as before, using public transport – there’s plenty of evidence emerging that it is clean and safe – as well as bikes and, yes, our private cars.
Travel patterns have changed – and some of those changes will likely be permanent. This presents opportunities. Disruption brings with it creative thinking and new business models, a willingness to test and a desire to look seriously at different mobility options.
We can also plan for the next pandemic – or at least, the next big shock: the good news here is that by being agile and open to new ideas we’ll be ready for whatever’s coming.
In this issue, Ronald E. Boénau, former ITS Transit Division chief at US Department of Transportation, writes that, as well as specific resilience measures, what’s important “is the day-to-day optimistic, forward-thinking mindset of being aware of trend-setting technologies and user services that could accomplish the possible changing vision and goals of your organisation”.
It’s a positive thought. The ITS industry is very good at this sort of stuff. If you are fortunate enough to be heading into a holiday season soon then make it a restful and peaceful one. As ever, thank you for reading, and please stay healthy. And here’s to embracing the opportunities that 2021 will undoubtedly present.
