To enable quick access to research, METRANS has launched the Fast Facts project, an ongoing series of cutting-edge research summaries created by students for students- and anyone - who’d like an easy to read introduction to new transportation research.  We hope that these short research summaries will make the ongoing research at METRANS/PSR more accessible and interesting to students and the general public ad will introduce various transportation and planning topics in a quick, easy-to-read format.  Each new summary will be featured on the Student Newsletter and posted to the METRANS website.

The Fast Facts team is led by Dan Lamere, second-year Master of Urban Planning student at the University of Southern California (USC) Sol Price School of Public Policy concentrating in Transportation and Mobility Planning. Dan also leads the Opportunities Teams and is a regular contributor to the METRANS on the Move Newsletter as a Staff Writer. Dan shared that his interest in transportation comes from his life experiences growing up just outside of Boston, studying abroad in London, and then working in Boston post-graduation without owning a car. “While I had used public transit in Boston since I was a kid, I truly began to appreciate living a car-free lifestyle traveling by bus and train, and appreciating the walkability of the cities of London and Boston.” He developed an interest in transportation to promote accessible and sustainable transportation options so that the communities can be less reliant on personal vehicles. Dan aspires to pursue a career in private consulting or the public sector, doing a wide range of transportation projects from transit to active transport. He advises students to get involved in different extracurricular activities like on-campus organizations, attending METRANS events, and taking advantage of the many resources available while in school.

Fast Facts team member Hayley Rundle is a first-year Master of Urban Planning Student, also concentrating on Transportation and Mobility Planning at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. In addition to her work on the Fast Facts team, she writes for the Newsletter, and specializes in news articles on research and research events. Hayley worked in environmental planning during her undergrad at UCLA, through which she became interested in Transportation Planning and Sustainability. “After I graduated from UCLA, my sister and I went to Europe for the first time. We traveled through London, Paris, and Amsterdam, and I was blown away by their public transit systems and how efficient and easy they were to use, especially when I did not speak the native language. That inspired me to study transportation to improve mass transit and make transportation more sustainable in general.” Hayley is specifically interested in mass transportation, active transportation, safe routes to schools, and climate adaptation planning. She hopes to work in a private consulting firm pursuing transportation planning or a combination of transportation and environmental planning. Hayley is also interested in climate change and desires to contribute to sustainable transportation and shifting mode choice away from automobiles. She recommends her fellow students get involved with as many organizations as practical while in school and be sure not to miss any opportunities that might be beneficial in the long run.

Team member Kevin Argueta Flores is a first-year Master of Public Policy/Master of Urban Planning student at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. Apart from his work as a Graduate Research Assistant, Kevin is also involved in the METRANS Student Newsletter and METRANS Transportation Student Association (MTSA). His interest in transportation stems from the impact he sees of transportation on the local economy and urban landscape in areas like Los Angeles. Kevin aspires to pursue a career in the urban planning and policy field, specifically assessing social and economic impacts related to mobility and goods movement. He hopes to explore transportation technology being developed and adopted in urban centers and contribute to sustainable and efficient urban projects in a public or private sector agency. Kevin suggests his peers to “Stay in tune with urban developments in various regions, as well as transportation developments happening in all sectors - Supply chain, transit, public transportation, maritime, rail and electric/alternate fuel.”

Master of Urban Planning student Marley Randazzo, the Managing Director of the METRANS Student Team, originally designed the Fast Facts and handed over design responsibilities to undergraduate Business Administration Max Fuji in the fall of 2020, a role Max held until graduating in December. Currently, undergraduate Design student Edward Kim is responsible for designing the Fast Fact in Adobe InDesign and producing the final product.

About the Author:

Dr. Nikitha Kolapalli is a health economist/clinical pharmacist pursuing her master's in Healthcare Decision Analysis from the USC School of Pharmacy. She works as a staff writer and editor for the METRANS student team. She is deeply passionate about maximizing accessible, equitable, and affordable healthcare.