2014 Mobility Management Conference: Take 1

Personal Dialysis Story and Design Thinking Were Highlights

By RJ Erickson,Mobility Planner/Regional Mobility Manager, Northern Arizona Council of Governments
Participants from across the country joined together for the Mobility Management Special Conference: Past, Present and Future in St. Paul, Minn. The attendees were as diverse as the emerging field of mobility management, all with the common element of moving people. Our table included a mix of individuals representing volunteer transportation, policy and outreach, transportation brokerage, as well as a past United We Ride Ambassador. As a mobility manager for northern Arizona, this was powerhouse of knowledge and created a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas.

A personal dialysis story: One of the guest speakers, Troyce Crucchiola presented Journeys in Dialysis. He shared his personal experiences with dialysis and the audience was spellbound. On an intellectual level, I understood the basic demands of dialysis, however I was unaware of the overall impact it has on ones' life. I plan to heed Troyce's call for action to facilitate transportation with much greater sensitivity and considerations in mind. As members of the Community Transportation Association of America, perhaps we should collectively address this growing issue. [View the latest issue of Community Transportation magazine for a dialysis transportation article and coverage of non-emergency medical transportation issues.]

Design Thinking: "Design Thinking" was a new concept to me and one I found to be of immense value. The process to dig deeper and deeper to identify creative solutions to old problems was a refreshing tool that I will implement at home. Although we were given a very brief introduction to this concept, it was a wonderful example of out-of-the-box thinking. Another tool that is easily implemented is the yes, and. I appreciated Carolyn Jeskey's introduction to this useful tool. Yes, and I look forward to the opportunity to including this in the next round of coordination meetings. [View more information at the Design Thinking for Mobility web page.]

The choice of guest speakers was inspiring. The material covered in the two-day conference was expansive and beyond covering in this brief review. Kuddos to all. To those who did not have the opportunity to attend the conference, I encourage you to do so. Oops, all this excitement and I haven't mentioned the quality and valuein CTAA's conference general sessions, classes and intensive training opportunities and networking, plus the trade show! I look forward to seeing you in Tampa, Fla., in 2015.