The Urbanist Agenda

Meredith Glaser, CEO of the Urban Cycling Institute and professor of cycling and urban transportation, runs immersive study tours that teach policymakers through firsthand experience. She explains why riding in the Netherlands reveals lessons videos miss. Topics include how multi-day courses acclimate visitors, assembling mixed delegations for impact, hands-on scavenger hunts, and turning travel insights into local policy wins.

Graham Haerther, VP of Creator Productions at Nebula who produces creator-driven projects, talks about bringing Day Pass to life. He describes why having a producer on-set mattered and how Nebula’s creator-owned model and shared teams enabled fast, collaborative Originals. They discuss choosing transit as the show’s lens, route research, improvisational filming, and picking cities like Luxembourg and Copenhagen for unique transit stories.

Bobby Broccoli, YouTube creator and researcher making a multi-part Rob Ford documentary. He traces how Ford rose to power, the family's political roots, and how local politics, tax promises and populist style shaped Toronto. They dig into council dynamics, scandals, staffing tactics, and the long-term fiscal and service consequences.

Brent Toderian, the former chief planner of Vancouver, shares his extensive experience shaping urban environments globally. He discusses the importance of merging data with storytelling to advocate for better city planning. Brent highlights the need for planners to engage confidently with skeptics and emphasizes tailored communication for different urban contexts. He warns against half-measures in urban interventions and outlines five key steps to improve cities. Ultimately, Brent believes transforming public discourse is essential for enacting real change.

In this discussion, Adam Something, a YouTuber and urbanism commentator, dives into Czechia's newly formed "Motorists for Themselves" party. He reveals its deep ties to far-right agendas and fossil fuel funding. The duo explores the party's anti-environmental stance and its push for pro-car policies that undermine urban bike infrastructure. Adam also shares insights on the challenges and plans for high-speed rail in Czechia, emphasizing the need for practical and sustainable transport solutions over flashy projects.

The EU is heavily promoting rail as an alternative to flying and driving, but while the "big" high-speed train projects get a lot of attention, it's often maddeningly difficult to take a regional train across an EU border. Jon Worth has travelled on almost every single rail line in the EU and he has an incredible wealth of knowledge about how cross-border rail could work so much better.The Cross Border Rail Project: https://crossborderrail.trainsforeurope.eu/Jon Worth's personal blog: https://euroblog.jonworth.eu/Jon's Mastodon: https://gruene.social/@jonNot Just Bikes: https://youtube.com/notjustbikesNot Just Bikes Mastodon: https://social.notjustbikes.com/@notjustbikesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Discover how e-bikes are transforming urban mobility, with insights from someone who transitioned from traditional bicycles. Engage with stories of memorable journeys and the social joys of biking. Uncover cultural perspectives shaping public opinions on cycling, critiquing media portrayals that favor cars. Learn about the regulatory challenges facing e-bike riders, contrasting experiences in North America and the Netherlands. Finally, explore the financial benefits of e-biking over car ownership while discussing the need for improved infrastructure.

Reece Martin, creator of the RMTransit YouTube channel, shares insights into why he’s stepping back from YouTube after over five years. He discusses the frustrations with Toronto’s public transit compared to systems in the Netherlands and Japan. Reece highlights the mental strains faced by content creators due to performance pressure and audience scrutiny. He also reflects on the importance of thoughtful urban design for families navigating public transit, blending his passion for urbanism with the realities of personal life.

Stef from Build the Lanes, a YouTube creator focused on Dutch transportation engineering, shares his mission to deliver pickup trucks as aid to Ukraine. He discusses the absurdity of these vehicles in European cities while advocating for their necessity in conflict zones. Topics include the grassroots efforts of the 69th Snipping Brigade, customizing trucks for military use, and the challenges of driving humanitarian convoys through Eastern Europe. Stef's journey reflects the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the growing community support for their needs.

Dive into the complexities of urban planning as the discussion tackles car-centric strategies versus pedestrian-friendly policies. Discover why Toronto's transit system claims the top spot in North America and the political influences at play. The conversation also critiques historical events that shaped current attitudes towards mobility, while examining the duality of a controversial political figure. Finally, the heated bike lane debate reveals clashes between community needs and business interests, pushing for a reimagined vision of urban spaces.