Wheel Talk: Transit, Trends, and How We Get There
Join Dan Lieberman and Randol White as they explore how transit agencies are working to solve public transportation challenges, improve the rider experience, and build a more connected future..
Each Wheel Talk episode features insightful conversations about navigating travel — whether on foot, by bicycle, SamTrans bus, Caltrain commuter rail, or car. Listen to in-depth interviews with transit experts, agency leaders, planners, and community advocates who share transparent insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping Bay Area mobility.
Also, once a month, check out Hop Off Here — Wheel Talk’s special series on food, festivals, and fun. From taco trucks to music festivals, we’ll help you discover the flavors, celebrations, and hidden delights waiting just beyond your stop. Think of it as your rider’s guide to making the journey as enjoyable as the destination.
Whether you’re a daily transit rider, transportation planner, or interested in sustainable, inclusive transportation solutions, Wheel Talk delivers strategic perspectives on the public transit systems that keep the Bay Area connected and moving forward.
Subscribe to Wheel Talk to stay informed about the latest developments in Bay Area public transit and regional transportation planning. And don't forget to rate us on your favorite streaming device!
Wheel Talk: Transit, Trends, and How We Get There
The Big Sync: Making Bay Area transit transfers seamless
Wheel Talk Guests (in order of appearance):
- Andy Metz, AC Transit Regional Plans Principal Planner
- Millie Tolleson, SamTrans Director of Planning
- Ted Burgwyn, Caltrain Director of Rail Network and Operations Planning
- Adina Levin, Seamless Bay Area Executive Director
The Big Sync: How SamTrans Is Teaming Up to Improve Transit Transfers on the Peninsula
SamTrans is partnering with other Bay Area transit agencies to better align bus and rail schedules at major hubs along the Peninsula. The effort is part of a regional initiative known as the Big Sync.
One element of the Big Sync is the Bay Area TRANSFER Plan — short for Transit Reliability and Accessibility Network Scheduling Framework and Equitable Regional. The goal is to improve the rider experience by reducing transfer wait times and increasing reliability at key multimodal hubs.
By synchronizing arrivals and departures where services intersect, the plan aims to make transit more seamless, equitable and time-competitive — especially for riders who depend on multiple systems to complete a single trip.
This August, four major Bay Area transit hubs are seeing improved interagency coordination: Daly City BART and Palo Alto Caltrain — both served by SamTrans — along with Concord BART and Dublin/Pleasanton BART.
“It really is about how we knit the system together in a way that works for the rider,” said SamTrans Director of Planning Millie Tolleson. “And that’s across agencies.”
Read more about how this coordination is unfolding along the Peninsula.
