How will our public transportation system recover after the pandemic?

The pandemic has led to dramatic decreases in ridership on mass transit. In response the MBTA is cutting and reducing service on bus and subway routes, commuter rail and ferries. Officials say when the pandemic eases and demand comes back, service will return. But will it? And if it does, will it look like it did before? What does this mean for cities and towns across the state and how should we adapt? With a focus on equity and impact, MassINC and the GBH Forum Network explore these issues with Jarred Johnson of TransitMatters, Veronica Vanterpool of Delaware Transit Corporation and Mayor Thomas McGee of Lynn, MA. _This event is part of the TTOD "Transformative Transit-Oriented Development" Talks sponsored by MassINC and is produced in collaboration with GBH Forum Network._

Jarred Johnson

Jarred Johnson is the Executive Director of TransitMatters. He came to this position after serving as a project manager for the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation where he managed a variety of complex affordable housing real estate projects and supported organizing efforts for better service on the Fairmount Line.

Thomas McGee

**Thomas M. McGee** is the current major of Lynn, MA. He formerly served the Third Essex District, which includes the communities of Lynn, Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscott. Before his election to the Senate in 2002, McGee served four terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he represented West Lynn and Nahant. Before running for public office, McGee was a lawyer.

Veronica Vanterpool

**Veronica Vanterpool** is the Chief Innovation Officer at Delaware Transit Corporation. She also has 15 years of transportation leadership experience in the NY Metro region, where she advocated for equity and sustainability in transportation. Veronica is the former deputy director of the national Vision Zero Network and served on the board of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority as a voting member.

André Leroux

**André Leroux ** is a consultant who currently leads MassINC’s Transformative Transit-Oriented Development program at the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute. A native of Worcester, he has extensive experience living and working in our older industrial cities in Massachusetts. Prior to that, he led the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance for 12 years, where he championed zoning reform and other policies to support walkable, affordable, vibrant, and diverse communities. He also serves on the board of Smart Growth America and chairs the planning board for the City of Medford. André studied at Dartmouth College and El Colegio de México in Mexico City, is fluent in Spanish, and is a member of the LGBTQ community.

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