Room: International AB
Sponsor(s)
Â
Session Description
Supporting the Development of Transit Leaders
Stream: Leadership Stream
Moderator:
Speaker:
Jeff Casello, University of Waterloo
As cities and regions become more complex, and more fiscally constrained, increasing pressure is being placed on transit systems to deliver high quality, competitive service with limited resources. Successfully navigating this evolution requires strong leadership throughout a transit organization. In this session, emerging and established leaders will describe their academic and professional paths to their current positions, and how these experiences have prepared them for the challenges they (and their organizations) are facing. The session will include a diverse panel representing the public (OCTranspo, TTC, Grand River Transit have been invited) and private sectors. Attendees to this session will learn best practices in supporting the development of transit leaders and have an understanding of emerging skills and tools necessary for success in the industry.
Speaker(s) / Presenter(s)
Bio:
Professor Casello’s interests lie in urban transportation systems and their impacts on healthy and economically viable urban areas. As such, he conducts research on the design and operation of public transportation systems, urban roadway systems, and facilities for non-motorized modes. His research aims to promote efficient, balanced transportation that enhances regional economic competitiveness and supports social mobility.
He is an expert in the planning, design and operation of sustainable transportation systems. He has written more than 110 articles and reports for both scholarly and professional audiences.
Professor Casello supported Dr. Vukan Vuchic in his writing of Urban Transit – Operations, Planning and Economics (ISBN: 978-0-471-63265-8). At the same time, Vuchic and Casello updated the seminal text Urban Transit – Systems and Technology (ISBN: 978-0-471-75823-5), originally published in 1981 with a re-release in 2007. In 2015, Professor Casello authored the Urban Regions Chapter in Natural Resources Canada’s book on Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency. Dr. Casello is the lead author (with Vuchic) of Transit Planning for the Institute of Transportation Engineer’s (ITE) 3rd edition of the Transportation Planning Handbook.
Dr. Casello has been asked to provide advice to governments throughout Canada. In 2014, he was invited to speak to members of Canadian Parliament on the future of public transportation. Professor Casello has worked as a consultant, instructor and researcher with many transit agencies and cities in the US, Canada and abroad. These include Singapore (Land Transport Authority), Washington DC (WMATA), Houston (METRO), Philadelphia (SEPTA), the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (GRT), Metrolinx, the Province of British Columbia, the City of Kingston, the City of London (LTC) and Mexico City (D.F.). Dr. Casello has also worked in the public sector for the New York State Department of Transportation.
Since 2013, Professor Casello has coordinated international student exchanges and workshops, with colleagues at the Karlsruhe (Germany) University of Applied Sciences.
At the University of Waterloo, Jeff is a Professor in the School of Planning and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has supervised more than 40 graduate students.
In 2013, Jeff was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award, the highest honor given to instructors at the University. He has also served as a senior administrator at the University, holding positions as Associate Dean and as Associate Vice President.