Populus Is Taming Curbs from The Mile Square to Magic City
Populus Is Taming Curbs from The Mile Square to Magic City
Dr. Clewlow talks Curb Activity Challenge, evolving competitive landscape
Hey mobility and delivery heads! Join Jonah, Harry and the Curbivore Crew tonight in Culver City for a casual happy hour, presented by GridMatrix. The fun lasts from 5 to 7 PM - RSVP now.
The world of the curb is always in flux, meaning any startup serving cities’ curbside needs has to stay on its toes, quickly evolving its offerings. I chatted with Dr. Regina Clewlow, Founder and CEO of Populus, to learn where she sees the industry headed next.
Jonah Bliss: Regina, thanks so much for taking the time to catch up with us. To start, you’ve been working in this space for an impressive amount of time. What’s changed since you first started Populus back in 2017, or even since your earlier work at Daimler Moovel and as a researcher?
Regina Clewlow: Thank you for having me! The landscape of urban mobility has transformed dramatically since I first started Populus in 2017, and even more so since my earlier roles. When we launched Populus, the concept of shared mobility was just starting to gain traction, with ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft becoming household names. Micromobility, in the form of shared scooters and bikes, was just about to take the US by storm.
Back then, cities were grappling with how to integrate these new modes of transportation into their existing infrastructure. There was a lot of excitement but also a lot of uncertainty. Data was fragmented, and there wasn’t a clear framework for managing the influx of new mobility options. Our mission at Populus was to bridge that gap by providing cities with the data and tools they needed to manage their streets more effectively and equitably.
Since then, the changes have been profound. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many trends, including the rise of e-commerce and the corresponding increase in delivery vehicles on our streets. This has placed unprecedented demands on curb space, highlighting the need for dynamic curb management solutions. At the same time, the push for sustainable transportation has intensified, with cities worldwide setting ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. Managing the public right-of-way has never been more complex for cities.
Thankfully, while the challenges have evolved, so too have the solutions including dynamic data systems that provide a much clearer picture of how mobility is evolving in cities. It’s an exciting time to be in this space, and I’m optimistic about the future of urban mobility.
Populus seems to be very busy of late, and what’s caught my eye is your work to digitize curbs in Hoboken. What have you seen from that initiative?
Our work with Hoboken has been incredibly rewarding and illustrative of the potential for modern curb management. Hoboken is a forward-thinking city that has embraced the need to digitize their curb regulations through our Curb Manager platform. By creating a real-time, digital map of curbs, Hoboken is unlocking their ability to address issues like congestion and double parking more effectively. Hoboken's commitment to initiatives like Vision Zero, achieving seven consecutive years with zero traffic deaths, highlights the positive impact of these advanced curb management strategies. It’s a prime example of how cities can leverage technology to create safer, more efficient, and more livable urban environments.
That seems to have paved the way for an even bigger project – you were recently named one of the winners of NYC Transit Tech Lab’s Curb Activity Challenge. What does that entail, and how do you scale from working from a city that’s famously a “Mile Square” to one of eight million plus residents?
Being selected as one of the finalists of the NYC Transit Tech Lab’s Curb Activity Challenge is a significant milestone for us. This opportunity allows us to pilot our curb management solutions with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT). Our project will focus on the Upper West Side of Manhattan as part of NYC DOT’s Smart Curbs pilot program. We will collect, translate, and digitize curb and parking regulations to create a comprehensive digital inventory. This will help NYC DOT gain crucial insights into curb space, usage, and opportunities to improve efficiency and safety.
Scaling from Hoboken to New York City involves addressing the complexities of a much larger urban environment. While Hoboken provided us with a strong foundation, NYC presents unique challenges due to its size and density. However, the core principles of our Curb Manager platform—digitizing regulations, integrating real-time data, and actively managing demand—remain effective at any scale. We’re excited to leverage our experience transforming data and intuitive digital tools to contribute to more vibrant, accessible, and efficient streets in New York City.
And last but not least, you’ve been making waves in Miami as well. How does that project differ from the other two?
Our work in Miami with the Miami Parking Authority (MPA) is particularly exciting because it focuses on launching Digital Smart Zones to actively manage curbside space for delivery fleets. Unlike Hoboken and New York City, which emphasize digitizing and analyzing curb regulations broadly, the Miami project is tailored specifically to focus on better managing commercial fleet operations.
In Miami, we’re addressing the challenges posed by the increasing demand for curb space from delivery services like Amazon, Uber, and Lyft. The Digital Smart Zones allow fleet operators to use GPS technology for seamless per-minute payments, eliminating the need for physical payment methods. This innovative approach not only simplifies the payment process but also improves safety and reduces congestion by encouraging better compliance with designated loading space.
This project is a critical part of Miami’s curb modernization initiative, aiming to enhance operational efficiency, reduce illegal parking, and improve overall traffic flow. By leveraging our Curb Manager platform, we can provide MPA with valuable insights to optimize curb usage, ultimately making urban life safer and more efficient for both residents and delivery operators.
Getting fleet operators to “play nice” with curb management schemes has always struck me as the holy grail for this industry. How do you ensure that players like UPS or the food delivery heavyweights know these programs exist, let alone comply with them?
Ensuring fleet operators are aware of and comply with curb management programs involves a multi-faceted approach and identifying win-wins that both improve their operational efficiency and reduce costs. Populus is very proactive when we launch programs in new cities, collaborating and meeting with major food delivery and package delivery companies. At the end of the day, a core problem that exists in many cities is there simply isn’t enough dedicated or flexible space to accommodate the volume of deliveries that happens in cities today. Programs like Populus’ Digital Smart Zones make it easier for operators to seamlessly pay for parking, while making a case for expanding delivery zones that reduce the existing losses they experience today due to inefficiencies at the curb.
Lastly, where do you see the industry heading in the next few years?
I built Populus with the vision of helping cities manage the future of mobility, during a time when the world around us is constantly evolving. Our platform is designed to empower cities to manage everything that moves — from shared micromobility to autonomous vehicles. We are also at a juncture where AI is transforming every industry. There are significant potential applications for artificial intelligence to improve transportation. We are in an industry and space that is constantly evolving and innovating. I’m most excited about how Populus can continue to support cities in their digital journey to keep transportation moving safely and sustainability.
HOT INDUSTRY NEWS & GOSSIP
Ride on: Obi’s new Global Ridershare Report is chock full of useful factoids about the state of TNCs worldwide. Of note: 78% of respondents said they’d travel in an autonomous taxi, Lyft rides average out as cheaper than Ubers, surge pricing rarely happens any more, driver pay is down YoY, Lyft users tip an average of 4.18% while Uber users tip just 2.63%, and while riders *say* they like green rides, they show essentially zero interest in paying even a penny more for them.
Biking, unplugged: Citi Bike fares are going up in NYC, as Lyft looks to offset higher costs associated with rising e-bike usage. Aggrieved New Yorkers are noting that in the past two years, some rates have gone up as much as 60%. Could be worse though, Houstonians are saying goodbye to bikeshare altogether: after 12 years and 1.76 million trips, Houston BCycle is shutting down due to a lack of fiscal support. It’s a happier story in DC, where Capital Bikeshare just hit a new ridership record.
Best cities for biking: On a related note, People for Bikes released its 2024 Best Places to Bike list, with the list of big American cities topped by Minneapolis, Seattle and San Francisco. It would be nice to see this data for complete metropolitan areas, not just cities proper, since people use bikes to commute across city lines, after all…
Delivery challenge: LACI has rolled out its Zero Emissions Delivery Challenge, with an RFI for piloting with local governments across the country. Got a clean delivery idea? Bring it to them by 7/24!
Le urbaine transformation: Anyone paying attention these past few years can tell you that Paris has been undergoing a remarkable urban transformation, adding thousands of miles of new bike lanes and transit routes. New findings from the Urban Institute show just how successful that’s been in changing transportation habits in the City of Light, with car usage way down in the city proper as well as the surrounding Petite Couronne. With another 169 miles of rail in the works, expect these numbers to only keep improving.
Tri-state two step: Just when you thought it was dead… congestion pricing might rise from the grave? NY state leaders are mulling reviving the concept, but with lower tolls. The only problem is that the legislation that authorized the program required raising enough money to support $15 billion in debt, and going beneath the proposed $15 peak charge would be unlikely to meet that threshold. Across the Hudson, legislators in New Jersey just approved a new five year corporate tax that will funnel $800M/yr towards transit.
Tunnel vision: Underground retail in NYC isn’t faring too well either, with the MTA reporting that nearly 75 percent of its shopping areas vacant. And it’s not just odd spaces or inconvenient locations: on my own recent visit to the market / dining hall under Grand Central Terminal, I was taken aback by just how vacant the once grand eatery felt. One culprit is of course lower foot traffic, with MTA ridership still only at about 80% of its pre-pandemic levels. The other factor, unmentioned in the NYT article, is that straphangers have even more options above ground these days, with delivery bringing the world to your desk, and outdoor dining making it a bit less appealing to dine subterranean.
Deep links: With California’s budget impasse resolved, transit leaders are on track to bring to life Duke Ellington and Jack Benny / Mel Blanc’s dream. The LA Metro line A light rail, already the world’s longest, will be extended to Montclair (okay, not quite Cucamonga.) Never mind that that billion dollars could have been spent making the adjacent Metrolink line run every 15 minutes or so…
Fresh dosh from a to zed: Two UK cleantech startups, with oddly similar names, just pulled in new funding. Zedify — a zero emissions delivery co — just raised £4M ($5.14M.) Meanwhile Zeti — which helps fleet operators finance their transitions to EVs — raised £5M ($6.4M.)
Gimme shelter: After what felt like faaaar too long, new, amenity-rich bus shelters are finally rolling out across Los Angeles, giving a bit of dignity to bus riders, while sprucing up the curb. Let’s hope Angelenos treat these structures with a bit of respect!
The Internet is also a physical place… Some of you may have noticed that the Curbivore website was offline for part of the last few days. Evidently, some of our hosting facilities are near Houston, meaning not only were the servers taken offline by the power outages, but the impact of Hurricane Beryl severed some of the fiber that routes those ones and zeros to the rest of the world. As about a million Houstonians continue to suffer, let this be a reminder that as climate change comes for us all, we can’t simply retreat to our screens.
SimSuburb 2000: Now here’s great parking reform propaganda: kudos to the developers of Car Park Capital for highlighting the absurdity of American planning. In this new game, your goal is to flatten your city, replace it with parking, and convince denizens that they love it.
A few good links: Fresh off record revenue, Bolt pushes to harmonize European shared mobility regulations. Recommendations for how to reduce costs for HSR. Delivery Hero faces $433M fine. CitiesFirst Podcast chats with former Mayor of Bogota. Nothing says “there are no laws anymore” like being served ads on IG for a tool that can cover your car’s license plate… Cartken raises $10M to expand its delivery bot fleet, right after Starship turned 10. Big news for Big Apple curbs — Mayor Adams has invented the “trash can.” Street justice — LA City Council drops vending fees from $541 to $27. Inner ring suburbs need to pull their weight in the housing crisis. Baltimore may get new light rail. Montreal unveils its 2050 land use and mobility plan, which looks to open streets to the people.
See you tonight at the happy hour!
- Jonah Bliss & The Curbivore Crew