U.S. transit visionary Robert Puentes has been confirmed as keynote speaker for the opening ceremony at the upcoming UITP Global Public Transport Summit, being held May 15 to 17 in Montréal.

Puentes is president/CEO of the Eno Center for Transportation and is responsible for overseeing a range of projects concerning innovation and the development of urban mobility.  

He is well placed to speak about the changes that are occurring in the public transport sector and his speech at the UITP (International Association of Public Transport) Global Public Transport Summit will focus on “How to manage and lead the transition in a fast-changing mobility landscape.” He will also participate in a round-table discussion involving transport CEOs from the across the globe.

Highlighting his commitment to innovation in public transport is the Eno Project, Digital Cities, which explores the impact of technology on the sector, with the ultimate goal of developing specific recommendations for policymakers and transport operators.

“It is a very interesting and exciting time to be working in transportation. We are in the middle of a historic era of technological progress that is changing how people live, how companies operate, how communities function, and how our economy works. This impacts transportation greatly,” said Puentes.

Puentes is also a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and serves on a variety of boards and committees including the Federal Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity, New York State’s 2100 Infrastructure Commission, and the District of Columbia’s Streetcar Financing and Governance Task Force.

“Today, we are living through an era of historic change that is changing the need, purpose, and function of our transit systems. At the same time, we should recognize the financial and political challenges ahead and the complexities inherent today. We need to figure out new solutions for the delivery, design and financing of transportation, and make them the norm rather than the exception,” Puentes added.