Populus Launches Curb Innovation Cohort to Help Cities Launch Digital Smart Zones to Improve Safety and Reduce Emissions
Up to five cities or agencies across North America and Europe will be selected to partner with Populus through a program to accelerate their curb management plans
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. March 22, 2023 — Populus, the industry-leading platform for cities to manage transportation and mobility services, today announced the launch of their 2023 Curb Innovation Cohort. Up to five cities and other organizations, such as regional agencies, airports, and universities, will be selected to receive software and professional services designed to improve curb safety, efficiency and reliability. Applications can be submitted at www.populus.ai/curb-innovation-cohort and are open until April 22, 2023.
Cities across the globe are mobilizing to act faster to reduce transportation climate emissions, improve safety, and recapture parking and curb revenue lost through the COVID pandemic. Urban deliveries are on track to increase carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels without effective intervention. Traffic fatalities hit a 16-year high in 2021, with data pointing to a similar trend for 2022. City leaders recognize that the increasingly diverse array of road users, including pedestrians, micromobility users, and delivery operators contribute to these challenges, and are taking action for effective curb management to reduce road conflicts.
Populus’ Curb Innovation Cohort will empower cities with new solutions and technologies to accelerate digital transformation of their curbs to manage the future of connected fleets, from micromobility to on-demand delivery to autonomous vehicles. Through this initiative, the Populus team will facilitate sharing of best practices from other cities paving the way forward, including the City of Oakland, which recently announced a new program for delivery operators to use digital smart loading zones.
With Digital Smart Zones, a city can share dynamic curb policies with commercial and on-demand passenger delivery vehicles about when and where they are legally allowed to park. This provides drivers with the intelligence they need to legally perform loading/ unloading activities and avoid tickets. Digital Smart Zones allow cities to more seamlessly collect revenue from commercial vehicles, rather than relying on drivers to put coins in a meter or use a mobile app, which can further exacerbate safety problems.
“Cities are feeling the urgency to improve how they manage their curbs,” said Regina Clewlow, CEO of Populus. “Through our Curb Innovation Cohort, our goal is to bring together cities to share best practices and accelerate adoption of curb strategies that lead to safer, more sustainable outcomes.”
About Populus
Populus helps cities and private mobility providers deliver safe, efficient, and equitable streets. The Populus platform is the only comprehensive digital solution that empowers cities to manage their streets and curbs—with access to mobility data from delivery services, shared scooters, and carsharing operators. The Populus platform serves over 100 cities around the world, ingesting data from more than 40 operators and 200 million rides to date. Learn more at populus.ai.