​​​​​​​​​​​​The Chaddick Institute’s podcast features episodes with timely analysis on transportation and urban development. Listeners receive fresh analysis on emerging trends and innovations, with an occasional dose of punditry, from prominent experts in these fields. 

Talking Transportation Podcast 

This podcast series features conversations between guest experts and Joseph Schwieterman, the DePaul professor who is regularly heard discussing transportation on NewsNation, NPR’s All Things Considered, and other programs. Talking Transportation brings you up to date on fascinating aspects of air, bus, and train travel and other methods of moving people and goods. Professor Schwieterman, president of the Transportation Research Forum, also shares insights about newly released research by prominent organizations rarely featured on podcasts.

Podcast Episodes​

Episode #10: How Cities are Redesigning Legacy Transit Systems for Better Connectivity​. April 23, 2025. Duration: 36 minutes​​

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​Take a journey from coast to coast with us to explore ambitious projects to modernize legacy transit systems while improving integration and connectivity. Returning guest, transit expert Chris Kopp, describes initiatives in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Philadelphia, and New York, with brief stops in Chicago, Seattle, Florida's Brightline corridor, and places developing bus rapid transit. Kopp, vice president at HNTB who leads the firm’s transportation funding practice, chats with Talking Transportation host and DePaul University professor Joe Schwieterman. Listen on SoundCloud or Spotify.

Show notes and links: Reflections on Grand Central Madison. Los Angeles Union Station through-track proposal, Tri-Rail starts service to Miami Central. San Francisco's T-Line subway, Professor Schwieterman's book on Chicago's terminals.​​

Episode #9: Elevating Experiences Through Placemaking: Insights from All Together. December 22nd, 2024. Duration: 36 minutes​​

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Enjoy our special podcast exploring how communities create joyful experiences through reimagined public spaces, experiential programming, and cutting-edge engagement strategies. Host Joe Schwieterman sits down with All Together principals Rachael Aziz and Marisa Schulz “on the road” at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. The conversation quickly moves from design and branding to novel public outreach to capture “the spirit of a place and its people.” Marisa and Rachael’s impressive backgrounds include time at DePaul’s Chaddick Institute and support for the Municipal Design Review Network. Listen on SoundCloud or Spotify. Duration: 36 minutes. 
Show notes and Links: All Together website, about Marisa and Rachael | Finding Joy on Public Transportation ​|​ Lemonster Days | Municipal Design Review Network​

Episode #8: E-Scooter Surprises + The Rise of Micromobility in Major Cities. May 24th, 2024. Duration: 30 minutes​​

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​​We welcome LeAaron Foley, Senior Director of Government Relations at Lime, to the studio to discuss the latest happenings with e-scooters, e-bikes, and other “micro-mobility” options. Host Joe Schwieterman, a DePaul professor, and LeAaron explore the recent shift toward longer-distance trips, new technology to limit e-scooter speed for novices, growth in lower-income neighborhoods, and trends in governmental policymaking. Listen on SoundCloud or Spotify.

Show notes and Links: Streetsblog article on regular bike vs. e-bike ratio | Chicago Sun-Times article on Chicago cycling ridership

Episode #7: High Speed Rail Success Stories + Brightline Florida. December 12th, 2023. Duration: 30 minutes​

 Listen in as we talk with high-speed rail expert Rick Harnish about notable (and fast!) rail services that are transforming travel in Europe and Asia and review Brightline Florida, which Rick considers a prototype for US regional rail.  Rick and host Joe Schwieterman explore key differences between the high-speed rail systems of France, Germany, and Spain, with brief “station stops" in China and Turkey.  Harnish is the Executive Director of the High Speed Rail Alliances. Listen on SoundCloud or Spotify​. Duration: 30 minutes

Episode #6: Rethinking Commuter Rail & Public Transit's Ridership Recovery. October 26th, 2023. Duration: 30 minutes​

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​Public transit expert Chris Kopp returns to discuss recent shifts and surprises in the sector's ridership recovery.   Kopp and Joe explore successful strategies for commuter railroads to win back riders and the differing pace of the recovery across cities, with some nearly back to pre-pandemic traffic levels while others lag.  Kopp is Associate Vice President and Transportation Practice Leader at HNTB. Click here to listen. 

​Episode #5: Transportation Titan: Chicago’s Lofty Role in Air, Bus, and Rail Travel. February 21, 2023. Duration: 29 minutes​

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Chris Lynch’s books on Chicago Midway Airport​ | Midway Historian | Windy City Historians | Joseph Schwieterman’s book on Chicago terminals​ |  Chicago Hub Improvement Program​​

Episode #4: Flying High: A Look at Airline Travel Approaching the Holidays. November 22, 2022. Duration: 24 minutes

Check out the fast-moving podcast between special guest Mary Schlangenstein, Bloomberg airline correspondent, and Professor Joe Schwieterman, exploring recent moves by U.S. airlines, how pandemic-weary airline CEOs are heeding the lessons learned over summer, when cancellations surged, and the surprising niches being carved by Breeze Airways, Avelo Airlines, and other startups. Mary and Joe also discuss the remarkable transformation of New York’s LaGuardia Airport.​

Show Notes and Links:
No frill flying sees peril of debt-land airlines | Delta CEO Bet |Southwest’s estimate​
Avelo Airlines route map | Breeze Airways route map​

​​Episode #3: One-Track Minds—How Railroad Investments Can Reduce the Growth of Truck Traffic. ​September 30, 2022. Duration: 26 Minutes

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This fast-moving conversation between Professor Joe and Michael Sussman, CEO of Strategic Rail Finance and founder of OnTrackNorthAmerica, explores ways to bring more freight to underutilized railroad lines to reduce heavy-truck traffic and improve highway safety. You’ll enjoy our vicarious journey through Iowa, Nevada, the Northeast, and other locations on the national rail system (26 minutes).

Show Notes and Links: ​
Nevada -Sparks | Nevada- Innovation Park | Iowa Northern Railway | Strategic Rail Finance | OnTrackNorthAmerica​​​

​​​​Episode #2: In the Fast Lane aboard FlixBus. September 6, 2022
Duration: 18 Minutes. ​

​​​This episode features a conversation between Professor Joe and Pierre Gourdain, CEO of FlixBus USA. The discussion ranges from recent moves by FlixBus, the creation of Flix North American, which oversees Flix and Greyhound, and electric-bus rollouts.​

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Episode #1: Public Transit’s Ridership Recovery, A Glass Half Full? August 17, 2022. Duration: 25 minutes. 

This episode features a conversation between Professor Joe and Christopher Kopp, Associate Vice President, Transportation Planning, Finance, and Economics Practice, at HNTB. Joe and Chris discuss reasons you should view the recovery of public transit ridership and service enhancement with a healthy degree of optimism.​​

​Show notes and links: ​​
McKinsey forecast for New York’s transit system | American Public Transit dashboard