Attention, Transit Professionals!

Are you currently employed in some aspect of public transit planning, management, policy, or operations?  Do you deal with public transit as part of your job, which could be in anything from town planning to social services to journalism?  If so, please click the email button under my photograph at right, if only to tell me who you are.  I’d like to know that you’re out there reading.  You’re also encouraged to submit comments that way.

Most comments on this blog seem to come from people who are interested in transit as advocates or activists, and their input continues to be encouraged.  I hear less often from professionals who read the blog; I suspect that’s because of professional risks associated with stating opinions under your own name.  That’s fine, but I’d still like to hear your perspectives, so use email.

My policy on this:

• Information or comments received via email won’t be quoted except in ways that make it anonymous, unless you specify that your name can be used.
• You can state clearly that your remarks are off the record, which means they won’t be quoted in any way, anonymous or otherwise.

You’re welcome to give further clarifying direction in your email.  For example, if your email is quotable but anonymous, you can specify how you want to be described to get the balance of anonymity and authority that’s right for you.  (For example, it’s up to you whether you want to be “a New York planning consultant” or “a Brooklyn planning consultant specializing in convention centers” … You tell me.)

I thought I’d mention this because a recent post named a professional commenter by name.  This was done with his permission, but it might have given the appearance that anyone who writes to me risks being quoted that way, which would be unacceptable to most professionals.  So to be clear: I won’t use your name unless you tell me I can, and I won’t quote you at all if you want your words to be completely off the record.

Speak up!