This Week on Transit UnpluggedOn the Road in New Orleans: SWTA Summer Conference SpotlightIn this special conference edition of Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort is on location at the SWTA Summer University Conference in New Orleans, where he dives deep into the challenges and opportunities facing small and mid-sized transit systems across the Southwest. Main Interview:Perri D’Armond – Director, Fort Bend Transit (Fort Bend County, TX)Perri shares how one of America’s fastest-growing and most diverse counties is reimagining transit service. She discusses:Fort Bend's explosive growth from 350,000 to nearly 900,000 residents since 2000The success of their new downtown Houston commuter service, even post-COVIDA real-world use of transit for seniors and ADA riders — including the memorable line: "I don’t care if I’m taking you to play bingo…"How local context shapes flexible service models, from park-and-ride to rural demand responseHer career path from ag education to economic development to transit leadership Special Guests:Rich Sampson – Executive Director, Southwest Transit Association (SWTA)Rich gives us a front-row seat to the key challenges and trends for transit in the SWTA region, including:Calls to raise federal match ratios for smaller systemsChanging ridership patterns in post-pandemic suburban networksWhat makes SWTA’s events stand out — and what’s next for the organizationDinero’ Washington – CEO, SporTran & Chair, LPTA (Louisiana Public Transportation Association)Dinero’ outlines Louisiana’s big transit wins:A new $23M admin center and multimodal hub in ShreveportStatewide investment in ferry programs, CNG, and BRTThe importance of unified support from DOTD and agencies alikeThis episode captures the energy of transit leaders on the ground, collaborating across state lines and service types to deliver real solutions — with community impact front and center. Subscribe & Stay ConnectedLike what you heard? Subscribe to Transit Unplugged on your favorite podcast platform, or sign up for the newsletter at TransitUnplugged.com for weekly updates from the field. Podcast CreditsTransit Unplugged is brought to you by ModaxoCreator, Host, + Producer: Paul ComfortExecutive Producer: Julie GatesProducer + Newsletter Editor: Chris O’KeeffeAssociate Producer: Cyndi RaskinPodcast Intern: Desmond Gates Brand Design: Tina Olagundoye Social Media: Tatyana MechkarovaGot a question or comment? Email us at: info@transitunplugged.com Subscribe to the newsletter:transitunplugged.com/subscribe-to-the-transit-unplugged-newsletter