Happy New Year!
I’m Esri’s new director of the public transit industry.
I see my very first responsibility as community. At my core, I’m all about the public good. As challenging as it may be. I’ve learned to deal with unpredictability by staying agile, not just personally and professionally, but by the things that I create, by the solutions I’ve architected.
No two transit agencies are the same. Different demographics, different O/D patterns, different operating environment, and different local politics. But they do share one common goal: providing excellent service to the regions they serve. At the core of all transit agencies’ work is a question of “where?”. Pick a department, any department: for every team, through every workflow, for every customer, where things happen is the most important thing to them all.
I’m struck by the idea of “six degrees of separation,” a concept that seems tailor-made for our evolving field. In the geospatial realm, every point on a map is interconnected, surrounded by layers of data and narratives that bring them to life. It’s fascinating to consider how our collective experiences and insights can bridge these gaps, demonstrating that we are all linked through the intricate web of geography and technology. Imagine if we recomposed the age-old idea: in the GIS universe, we’re all connected, not just by social circles, but by the very contours of our maps and data layers, limited only by our imaginations (and maybe a Wi-Fi signal).
At this pivotal moment, we stand ready to shape the future of GIS. The knowledge we’ve acquired equips us with the tools to transcend traditional boundaries and forge meaningful connections across various sectors— each of us carries a unique set of experiences and perspectives, ready to innovate and influence our communities in ways that are both profound and practical. With the skills we’ve honed, we are equipped to connect various aspects of our work and lives, truly embodying those six degrees of location-based separation. As we move forward, our challenge will be to harness these connections to create integrated solutions that reflect the diverse needs of our communities.
In essence, the future of GIS is not just about data visualization; it’s about synthesizing information to foster collaboration and innovation. Whether it’s improving public transit, responding to environmental challenges, or enhancing urban planning, we are the architects of tomorrow’s geospatial landscapes as it relates to transit and the economic mobility it drives. Each of us will contribute to an expansive network of professionals dedicated to using geospatial intelligence to move informed decision-making forward in the field.
So, here’s to us, the architects of the GIS in transit’s future! Let’s connect the dots—because in this expansive world of maps and data, every detail counts, and every connection matters.
