September 9, 2021

Welcome!

On behalf of the Conference on Advancing Transportation Equity (CATE) Planning Committee, the Transportation Research Board (TRB), and the Conference sponsors, thank you for participating in what we anticipate as the first conference on advancing equity in all aspects of transportation.  CATE is hosted by the Transportation Research Board, organized by the Standing Committee on Strategic Management (AJE10) and the Standing Committee on Equity for Transportation (AME10), and co-sponsored by many other committees.

The overarching conference theme is Bridging the Divide: Connecting People, Research, and Practice.  As we are too aware, the benefits and penalties of transportation infrastructure and investments are not evenly distributed across different groups, which leads to cycles of disenfranchisement that systematically lock some people out of opportunities while giving others a leg up. Our industry’s almost singular focus on engineering, design, and construction has often come at the expense of the human factors of our work, which is ultimately the entire point of what we do: helping people get to the places they need and want to go. This conference recognizes and acknowledges that not all people can safely travel between places; that highways can be racist; that public transit systems must competitively meet the needs of its existing and potential riders; and that the burdens of those with mobility impairments are our collective burdens.

Planning for CATE began over two years ago as an event to bring advocates, researchers, policymakers, and transportation professionals together to better understand equity issues and explore opportunities to address them through policy and programmatic interventions. As noted in our Conference Summary, the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic have accentuated CATE’s relevance by laying bare the consequences of inequitable access to opportunities, destinations, and mobility in general.

Your participation in this conference and your engagement in these issues is critical to moving an agenda for equitable transportation networks forward. Just as this event could not be possible without the support of the Planning Committee, TRB staff, TRB sponsoring committees, and our generous patrons, we all must continue to define and implement the policies and practices necessary to achieve our goals for an equitable transportation system. We are called to step beyond our professional roles to bring in personal and community experiences and aspirations. 

During the conference, please make note of where you may find your passion in this work. Be sure to explore the Mentor and Resources Hall as well as the Technical Tour Showcase.  While maneuvering around the CATE virtual platform, you will notice many young professionals and students attending. One of the features of CATE is a mentorship of students and young professionals to continue our work into the next generations. Will you mentor someone?  Do you need a mentor?  Is there a community issue that needs assistance?  Do you have a practice to share? What do we need to continue the advancement of equity in the industry? The answers to these and other questions will help to shape not only future conferences but sets the stage for advancing transportation equity in all of our work.

Special appreciation is extended to our conference planning committee and the Transportation Research Board staff for all of their hard work and dedication. We thank all of the panelists and speakers for providing their insight. We would especially like to express our sincere gratitude to our Patrons, for without their support, this conference would not have been possible.

Again, welcome and thank you.  We hope you find the conference inspiring, informative and enjoyable.