Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities

by Veronica O. Davis, tamika l. butler (Foreword)

Transportation planners, engineers, and policymakers in the US face the monumental task of righting the wrongs of their predecessors while charting the course for the next generation. This task requires empathy while pushing against forces in the industry that are resistant to change. How do you change a system that was never designed to be equitable? How do you change a system that continues to divide communities and cede to the automobile?

In Inclusive Transportation: A Manifesto for Repairing Divided Communities, transportation expert Veronica O. Davis shines a light on the inequitable and often destructive practice of transportation planning and engineering. She calls for new thinking and more diverse leadership to create transportation networks that connect people to jobs, education, opportunities, and to each other.

Inclusive Transportation is a vision for change and a new era of transportation planning. Davis explains why centering people in transportation decisions requires a great shift in how transportation planners and engineers are trained, how they communicate, the kind of data they collect, and how they work as professional teams. She examines what “equity” means for a transportation project, which is central to changing how we approach and solve problems to create something safer, better, and more useful for all people.

Davis aims to disrupt the status quo of the transportation industry. She urges transportation professionals to reflect on past injustices and elevate current practice to do the hard work that results in more than an idea and a catchphrase.

Inclusive Transportation is a call to action and a practical approach to reconnecting and shaping communities based on principles of justice and equity.

Genres: Urban Planning, Nonfiction, Urbanism, Politics, Cities, Transport, Race

151 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2023

Reviews

[Sunny Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book useful for engineers and city planners that people involved in government & urban planning & engineering really should read

[Annisha Borah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring. Great content, but not presented in an interesting way. Would be the most useful for early career professionals or students interested in the field. Succinctly captures the foundational question of the field: “How do you find common ground with people who are frightened that change would inconvenience them, who deny the injustices their lifestyles inflict on neighbors?”

[Rawan · Rating 3 out of 5]

a guide for for urban planners/engineers. I wish there were more examples of inclusive transport systems from around the world this book was very US-centric

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

chock full of info!!!
- Tech companies care about their product, their investors, and their next fundraising series. The pressure to deliver can trump doing what is best for society.
- The transport industry is facing paralysis by analysis. In some cases, it is an analysis of the wrong type of data. We have reports, data, and dissertations that document the inequities in the transportation system.
- We have all sorts of tools and apps to analyze, measure, and visualize the data to discuss the issues with equity. These data may involve pedestrian fatalities that disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, and low-income communities' or the fact that access to transportation is important to escaping poverty.* We, myself included, have crafted grand plans complete with press conferences committing to making the transportation system safer and improving connectivity. Despite our best efforts to plan, when it is time to implement, we fall short.
- Emergency room analogy for prioritizing communities that need more urgent care
- People throughput over Level of Service
- Process of running meetings, actually incorporating feedback into planning

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very short and informative read! She does a great job of opening up the conversation about the importance of community engagement and equity in the transportation world. I loved hearing this from an engineer's/planner's perspective.

[Raiden Mano · Rating 5 out of 5]

def a book I have to come back to when I'm in the field but I see the vision, learned about key principles about equity, the process and including the comunity

[Jonathan Shaheen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being heavily geared towards professionals and not the general public, I greatly enjoyed this book/manifesto. While there’s a lot of professional advice I won’t exactly have the opportunity to live out, I found the discussions around equity and how to balance the needs of a community to be helpful in thinking about how I engage locally as an individual (especially as a white, mostly able-bodied man).

If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you’re probably sick of these quotes, but I’ve got one more. It’s a bit long for a review, but a great summary of car centric planning being self-defeating and harmful:

“Prioritizing cars creates traffic congestion. Whether I love or hate cars, the fact remains that they are not efficient ways to move people. Think about it this way: fifty people driving alone will take up more roadway space than fifty people on a bus, bicycles, or on the sidewalk. Traffic-related deaths and serious injuries are caused by people driving cars, and the fact is that the existing transportation system is overbuilt, trying to alleviate congestion during commute periods so people can have the freedom to drive to work in their cars by themselves. As a result of this effort to alleviate traffic congestion during commute periods, the near-empty roads during nonpeak times enable people to drive at unsafe speeds—thus, fatalities in motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States.”

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read to realign on what it means to do people oriented transportation planning grounded in equity and “above the minimum” community engagement. It inspires me to know more about how it all gets done and leaves recommendations for advocates on how to shape projects - around 5 ish hours, a short read!

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this one but it did feel relatively surface level/left me wanting a lot more but i suppose that’s the point of a manifesto/cant expect it to give me everything. the last two chapters were a bit less relevant to me (practical advice for urban planners) so skimmed those but overall a great overview of the topic - really interesting, quick, and accessible read. i did a subject on geography and cities a few years ago at uni simply bc it was basically the only elective that looked half interesting and i ended up loving it - human geography/city planning etc etc is such an interesting area and i really want to read more about it.

particularly loved how this book emphasised the importance of an intersectional/diverse/inclusive perspective - it’s such a fascinating intersection that i never really think about and am very keen to learn more about! really appreciated all the examples throughout the book about this too e.g., self-driving cars being more likely to hit black pedestrians, renting bikes etc being left on footpaths an issue for people with disabilities, “access to transportation is important to escaping poverty”, bikes representing gentrification: “a symbol of young white people moving into black communities… [and] black communities not getting improvements until white people move in”

some other thoughts
- am i anti-car? maybe? something to read more about and develop my opinion on. i think i always took driving for granted and thought about how rushed/entitled/selfish we are and how natural that’s become for us (eg. her examples of how people justify their selfish driving, the ways cars have rights over people in ways they didn’t previously). realising i don’t even have my license and i take these things for granted despite being a pedestrian/public transport user was very interesting.
- the links between capitalism, transport, and community: “I did live in a part of the city that made me dependent on the bus system, which was designed to get people downtown during the workday but made it impossible to get to church or even a grocery store on the weekend within my community.”
- gentrification and white flight and redlining - poc living in poorer neighbourhoods with worse transport etc
- paradox of more empty roads = more accidents as people drive faster - “in 2020, there was an uptick in fatalities, an estimated 23 percent increase for black people and an 11 percent increase for speed-related crashes. unfortunately, in 2021 the united states had the highest number of traffic-related fatalities in sixteen years”
- would love to learn more about the health outcomes of living in a car-centric community v more walkable/public transport friendly cities
- liked the idea of the ice cream test as a way of considering walkable/liveable cities: the ability of an eight-year-old child to safely get somewhere to buy an ice cream and make it home before it melts”
- liked the emphasis on sustainable development and capacity building!!
- found the different interpretations of equality v interesting: re. the classic equity v equality watching a game graphic: “There’s still someone who has decided that the goal of these folks is to watch a baseball game. But what if you don’t like baseball? What if you want to play in the game? What if you want to coach the team? What if you want to own the team? What if you want to be the business person that has an exclusive contract with the stadium and you’re providing all the food?” tamika’s view is that the image misses the underlying concepts of power and who holds the power.”
- safe roads requires safe sidewalks
- “A really important note for advocates working with the Silently Suffering is to amplify the voices of this group. It can be tempting to speak for them, which can sometimes lead to speaking over them. The name Silently Suffering does not imply that you need to save them. As you engage, check your motivations. Are you engaging them because they are a means to your end? Part of engagement is to reach out to them and allow them to use your platform to describe how the project would benefit or harm them. For the Silently Suffering, who is hurt by the existing condition, or who could be hurt if you make a change without their input? They are constantly harmed by decisions (and indecision, which is also a decision). The data show that these are consistently the ones killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes, the ones with unreliable bus service, the ones living with poor air quality from traffic congestion.”
- importance of community egngagement - diverse, representative, those who are often silenced, hearing what they need, their perspective, not making assumptions etc - ask why are people doing X (e.g., jaywalking because risk of violence, lack of other places to cross, lack of parking) - but also recognising there will be some naysayers and have to do what is important for safety etc

[Kay Mammo · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have so many good things to say about this book. it’s short, but filled with a lot of information. i think it’s perfect for entry-level professionals in urban planning, engineering, transportation etc or people in the industry who don’t know/understand how equity comes into play when you talk about transportation and the way we build our cities. the way she addresses how urban planning, as we have done it and continue to do, perpetuates racism and disenfranchising Black communities is great.

she’s really honest about how to deal with NIMBYs, car lovers, and stakeholders—like community members and gov officials—from top to bottom that will have different opinions on projects. a main theme of the book is how to get and use community engagement in a way that can help build transportation plans that don’t disenfranchise people. great job of talking about what powers you have as an advocate, consultant, engineer, transportation agency, etc.

i think it’s a super comprehensive book for its size. i think sometimes the short length made the information she’s presenting not as exciting as it could have been, but i love this topic so anything on it is exciting. this book makes me super excited to be a Black woman/WOC in urban planning/architecture. will be recommending to anyone interested in the topic or industry!

[Zoe Ito · Rating 3 out of 5]

3

‘Almost every city in the US has a highway that either divided a tight knit community or encircled the community’. This is a book aimed at planners (urban planners, transit planners, civil engineers etc), which I do not fall under but appreciated parts of it nonetheless. I loved how she introduced the book with how transportation had separated her family (The Louisiana government taking her family home to construct a highway in the 1960’s) and how common this is to non white families in America.

I was stuck by the passage on how white men being in charge of creating highway systems in 1950’s and 1960’s, led to Highways being placed through Black, Brown, indigenous, low income neighbourhoods (as these communities did not have the right to vote or protest how this would impact their areas and spaces). One way this impacted communities is exemplified well: ‘Across the United States, Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities are overrepresented in pedestrian fatalities, asthma, heart disease, and obesity. There are plenty of “get out and move” campaigns, but how does one get out and move when there are no sidewalks or paths, no trees to provide shade, and no places to sit when one gets tired? Even active transportation falls flat when there are no safe places to bike to grocery stores, jobs, places of worship, and schools, or places to lock your bike once you arrive. Improving health outcomes in many of these communities will require more than encouraging behavioural changes. It will require acknowledging and correcting the systemic racism that has shaped the physical infrastructure.’

I found some of her solutions and approaches interesting, and her writing is accessible to people outside of the field. My issue was that I found it quite dry and I did not feel engaged from how information was being put across for the most part. On a final note, it made me reflect on how aspects of the everyday (transportation systems) are always inherently political and should be examined with more thought and care.

[Adi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative read aimed at planners who are seeking to engage with the communities they work in/serve. It was interesting learning about the admin side of planning, what’s legally required when developing local plans vs what actually happens at the civic engagement stage. While this was transit-oriented, I think the principle of considering who certain plans affect applies across the planning spectrum, and overall I took some pointers that I think would be helpful when I attend my lil community board meetings!

[Abby Fortune · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging and easy to read! Davis provides a compelling call to action for elevating public engagement in transportation planning projects.

[Elizabeth Layman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a thoughtful, insightful, and well-researched read. I loved the big picture views paired with the brass tacks tips. This is something I know I’ll return to again and again in my work.

[julia jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

4✨right before this came out I was a transportation justice fellow with NACTO & so this book was highly anticipated. for some reason I didn’t end up reading it when it came out, but it still went around in my circles & I’m connected with Veronica on LinkedIn so I was often in conversation with its concepts. Finally 2 years later I’ve listened to it! The narration was rough since I didn’t like their voice & cadence but I made it through for the sake of the content. It was a wonderful book with wonderful insights, but nothing really new to me. I’ll definitely be sharing it with colleagues as a guide but for those of us that have even doing equitable planning & urbanism, this isn’t groundbreaking

[Micah Grossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bristling with energy and passion, this is short, efficient and motivational

[Angie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard this author interviewed on a podcast and knew I needed to read this book, so had to purchase it and am so glad I did. I took notes all over the book. The interview was really talking up chapter four, but it really is the best chapter. Over a year ago I headed down this path of urban planning, and this chapter is THE chapter I have been looking for. I am looking for a guidebook on how to get protected bike lanes in my community and this book addresses that quest, and highlights many insightful variables to consider (including equity). This book discusses the inequities related to our existing transportation network. Everyone deserves safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options. For some, bike lanes have become a symbol of gentrification, and seen as symbols of Black communities not getting improvements until White people move in.

It is not sustainable to live in a community where driving a car is your only option. life is better when people have options. how do you change a system that was never intended to be equitable (transportation). There are still plenty people who are fine with destroying a community to widen a highway to relieve congestion. Urban planners are not taught the skill of speaking with community members to gain their perspective. The JPB foundation helped fund the bike share program in Philly. A curriculum geared to introduce women to use biking as a form of transportation included instruction on: biking to the grocery store, biking at night, and biking in different kinds of infrastructure.

Power, Influence, and the Complexity of people:
Know your stakeholders::: It is important to understand that there are those who hold power and those are are affected by the influence of those in power. Who are the people who agree with your position? who are those who disagree, and why? Is there a commonality you can tap into to help them see your side? Start with a demographic analysis::: (map race, ethnicity, age, gender, low or no English proficiency, household income, countries of origin, and disabilities). You need to get the perspective from all in your community. Develop a power analysis::: who controls whether or not the change will occur. when is the right time to engage in the change process. Engage with the naysayers in the group::: and get to their real concerns. who benefits from the existing conditions? what would they have to give up for things to change? Identify the Champions::: Identify the Silenty suffering::: Understand the people and what they all care about. How do you incorporate public feedback into the planning process. Is it time to start a bike advocacy group?

[Celeste Loia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering I just co-led a 1-week project-based learning on equity in transportation, this was a well-timed book that got me thinking about the how of building inclusive transportation. I will note that the target audience of the manifesto is other urban/transit planners and civil engineers, to a lesser extent journalists, and just a bit to the general public.

***so, so many quotes***

"Hell hath no fury like a community that may lose parking." (xvi)

"For me, biking is freedom--the freedom to come and go when you want and the financial savings from not having to own a vehicle." (28)

"When civil engineers are disconnected from the communities where their projects are located, it leads to decisions that prioritize infrastructure over the actual needs of the community." (30)

"If we continue to project from today using trends from the past, we will get the future we predict." (33)

"We cannot allow technology to distract us from the need to create safe, affordable communities where people can walk, wheel, or bike short distances to meet their basic needs." (35)

"Equity starts with an inclusive outreach process to understand what is the community's need rather than what you may interpret as the need." (42)

"Finally, for the sake of building an inclusive transportation plan, you will need to center the voices of people who travel during off-peak hours." (67)

"When it comes to safety and equity, we cannot get so focused on the future people who will live in a community when people who exist today are being injured and inconvenienced by the current transportation system." (123)

"Rather than project from what we can see today, we should be projecting from a vision of what we want life to be in the future. Projections based on the past are why we end up with wide roads." (126)

"The reality is that no matter how many years of professional experience we have, we are limited by our lived experiences." (130)

[Michael Doane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inclusive Transportation is a timely and essential work that interrogates the structural inequities embedded in U.S. transportation systems. Veronica O. Davis tackles the complex task of reimagining urban planning and transit with an unwavering focus on justice and equity. Through clear explanations, case studies, and actionable guidance, Davis highlights how historical decisions continue to divide communities, privileging automobiles over people and marginalizing vulnerable populations.

The book offers a roadmap for planners, engineers, policymakers, and anyone invested in creating inclusive cities. From rethinking data collection to reshaping professional teams and decision-making processes, Davis presents practical strategies for effecting systemic change. The foreword by Tamika L. Butler enriches the discussion with additional context on equity and civic engagement.

At 151 pages, Inclusive Transportation is both concise and impactful a manifesto for those ready to transform transportation from a divisive force into a unifying one.

Michael

[April Zurowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great reminder to ensure planners and zoning professionals are being more equitable throughout the approval process. It serves as a good outline for what questions you should be asking yourself and the public to make a project effective for all. And to be sure we acknowledge members of the community who may not be participating in public outreach (the "silently suffering" group). My only wish is that there were more real-life examples of Davis's ideas being used. There are a lot of "for example" moments throughout the book, but more physical examples are how I learn best.

Did you know that the technology designed for self-driving vehicles does not recognize dark skin as effectively as lighter skin? This makes black pedestrians more likely to be hit by an autonomous vehicle. WTF!

[Vale Alvarado · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like I was sitting and talking to Davis. She talks about her family and background in a way that sounded like a friend would over coffee; she shares her thoughts, experiences, and reflections after years of doing community engagement for public works projects, and then she asks us to reflect and respond as well. As someone who is not an urban planner, there were parts of the book that didn’t feel relevant to me, which is okay because Davis makes it clear that this book is meant to be a manifesto for those who want to make impactful change in the industry. There were parts of the book that felt a bit repetitive, but I recommend this read for anyone in urban planning or interested in urbanism.

[mica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book but read it at the worst possible time (as Doug Ford plans to make all forms of inclusive transportation worse in my province), which made it incredibly depressing to read.

The language Davis uses is, in my opinion, accessible (direct, to the point, no jargon), the data is cited, and the book itself doesn't waste time with filler. I'm not a city planning professional, but just someone who lives in a city and has a strong interest in my city becoming more inclusive. I found this book informative and truly appreciated getting a perspective on community meetings and more.

[Skye B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for both the professionals and the enthusiasts in the field of civil engineering and public transportation. There aren't enough books on this subject, but this one does a lot of the heavy lifting for that lack. The section about understanding how to get representation at meetings reflective of the demographics of the area affected is great advice for any project, not just those in public transportation. As I become more politically involved in my area, I notice the lack of representation from certain communities now and ask "Why? What can we do better?"

All in all, 10/10 would recommend.

[Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a pretty light read. It’s not deeply technical or philosophical. If you’re well read on the subject then you can probably skip this one.

That being said, I think the lightness of this book does mean that it can serve as an easy entry for people that want to learn about inclusiveness and equity in transportation.

For myself, I enjoyed chapter four the most. It is the most well written and organized of the chapters. My work has nothing to do with transportation. City planning is just of interest to me. However, the lessons and advice the author shares in chapter four, “Power, Influence, and the Complexity of People,” have broad applications in many fields of work.

[Chris Bongorno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to more of this than read, which was helpful, but led to a less fulfilling "read." Davis offers a practical and tactical perspective on planning and designing a transportation network that fits within the current system, but pushes back against much of the practice of planning and engineering of the past 50+ years. Folding in personal experience from her career and offering moments of reflection, Davis encourages introspection and conscious action from readers, whether professionals, bureaucrats, or citizen activists.

[Joshua Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inclusive Transportation is, well, fine. It hits the points you think it hits. With these, I read in a weird way. Which, funny enough, was talking about with a dear friend who does a similar thing:

1. Read introduction
2. Read conclusion
3. Read middle.

It’s what I have done since college for these types of books. They’re always fairly dry, albeit this one is very personal, which is a change of pace. If someone is first getting into any legislative policy and looking at how systems – and the people they affect – operate, this would be a really solid start. A C, if you will.

[winnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book for which i'm not the intended audience, which is urban planners who are unfamiliar with the theory side of urban planning (as opposed to the engineering logistics) that comes with a lot of practical advice on how to navigate public works projects + why infrastructure benefits from de-emphasizing cars. maybe closer to 3.5 for me personally. but while the theory side is pretty introductory & not what i was looking for, understanding the practical processes for how to get metrics on what's needed and communicate with the public about it is pretty cool too

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was at a conference where Davis spoke and I absolutely fell in love with her ideas. I read her book in a few hours and have been spilling with ideas since. She addresses problems while also introducing framework for viable solutions. She uses her lived experiences in communities to present solutions rather than academic theories. I also loved the shoutout to how fiction books can tell you about culture and communities too, we love women who read. Excellent book.

[Senanu Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a quick, informative book about the meaning of equity, the role transportation plays in equitable communities, and specific strategies to implement equitable practices. It’s very readable from a general audience. I like that the author is a Black woman engineer and urban planner, it helps to have a voice in the field who has direct lived experience of hardships faced by marginalized groups. Great read!

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about public engagement and inclusivity within transportation planning is right up my alley!

I really enjoyed reading this and made a lot of connections to work projects I have been involved with in the past, as well as ones that I am currently working on. This was in line with what I was expecting it to be but I did really enjoy all the opportunities for reflection and how thought provoking this was.