Paul Fletcher is the principal of advisory firm Paul Fletcher & Associates and the former Australian minister for communications, urban infrastructure, cities and the arts.

He was elected to the Australian Parliament as the Member for Bradfield in December 2009, the first of six elections he contested successfully. Paul served for over fifteen years before retiring from the Parliament at the May 2025 election.

What you’ll learn:

 * Where the money for roads actually comes from. Fuel excise, state and local revenue, and why the link between what drivers pay and what gets built is weaker than most people assume.

 * Why road user charging isn’t a new tax. The case that this is an existing charge being updated for technological change, not an additional impost — and why it has gone largely unnoticed for so long.

 * What the shift to electric vehicles does to the funding base. As more drivers move to hybrids and EVs, excise revenue falls. Whether that’s a fairness problem or simply the price of encouraging the transition.

 * What connected vehicle data makes possible now. Why measuring road use accurately is no longer a logbook exercise, and what that changes about the design of any scheme.



Road User Charging: An Old Cost Made More Fair and Visible

Bart Treece is the director of the interdisciplinary Mobility Innovation Center at the University of Washington, where he leads applied research projects that tackle near-term and emerging transportation challenges.



What you’ll learn:

 * Why data needs to be personal. If you want someone to care about something, we need to explain and visualise the value in a way that is personally meaningful to their life.

 * How Washington State is preparing for nearly two million new residents. Bart explains the pressures this growth brings to housing transport mobility and quality of life and how the 2050 scenarios help guide decision making.

 * What it takes to bring siloed datasets together. Learn why the Transport 2050 project exists, how combining scattered public datasets can reveal a previously hidden bigger picture, and what cross-sector collaboration looks like behind the scenes.

 * How to plan for a future that is uncertain. How agencies can avoid picking a single path and instead prepare for multiple possible futures while protecting quality of life and shared goals.

Building a Collaborative Transport Future: Visualising 2050 | Interview with Bart Treece

Kristin White is a visionary leader serving as Transportation Industry Executive and Field Strategist for Google Public Sector, where she bridges the gap between Silicon Valley innovation and the public good. With a distinguished career that includes serving as the youngest-ever acting Federal Highway Administrator, COO of nonprofit ITS America, Minnesota DOT Innovation Director, and other roles, she’s managed $300B+ investment portfolios and led major state and nonprofit initiatives.

A lawyer and former Fulbright Fellow, Kristin pairs deep policy expertise with a human-centered philosophy to tackle global mobility challenges like road safety and expanding mobility access. Beyond her professional achievements, she’s a dedicated mentor, “human sunshine”, women’s nonprofit founder, and a fierce advocate for advancing women in transportation.

What you'll learn:

 * Why transport innovation isn’t always a technology problem. The biggest barriers to progress aren’t always related to tools (like AI or data) but the systems around them: procurement processes, institutional inertia, and misaligned incentives. Learn why solving “people and process” challenges is often the real unlock for innovation.

 * Why outcomes matter more than outputs. The difference between measuring activity (e.g. kilometres of road built, number of signals installed) and measuring impact (e.g. reduced fatalities, improved safety).

 * Why collaboration between public and private sectors is harder, and more important, than it looks. The structural differences in incentives, education, timelines, and risk between government and tech companies, and what it takes to build partnerships that genuinely deliver value.

 * Why human-centred design is critical to innovation. Understand how designing around real needs leads to better outcomes for both private and public entities and the communities they aim to serve.

Why Sustainable Transport Innovation Starts with People | Interview with Kristin White

This episode is produced in partnership with the University of Sydney Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) Board of Advice.

Prof. Michael Kennedy OAM is one of Victoria's most experienced and innovative private and public sector chief executive officers. He’s worked in a wide range of leadership roles in the transport sector for decades before joining Monash University as a Professor of Practice ten years ago. Michael is the Director of the Monash Institute of Transport Studies, who are partners with ITLS at University of Sydney as ARC Centre of Excellence in Transport Management.


 * City planning is an interconnected system, not a single project. Transport, housing, taxation, political cycles, and human behaviour all shape outcomes and simplifying that complexity leads to impaired decisions.

 * Long-term planning collides with short-term politics. Governments plan 30–50 years, but elections happen every 3–4 years, creating structural tension in reform.

 * Does faster CBD access reinforce inequality? How improving connections that perpetuate the primacy of central business districts can undermine ‘multi-city’ infrastructure planning.

Governing Long-Term Cities in Short-Term Political Cycles | Interview with Prof. Michael Kennedy OAM

With over two decades of public service, Michele Mueller has been a pioneering leader in Michigan’s transition toward smarter, safer, and more sustainable transportation. As a manager for the State of Michigan’s Connected, Automated, and Electrification (CAVE) initiatives, she has played a pivotal role in planning, developing, and deploying advanced mobility technologies that position Michigan as a national and global hub for innovation.



What you’ll learn:

 * How Michigan decides which transport pilots are worth scaling
   What criteria are used to move a project from testbed to long-term deployment

 * Why real roads expose problems test environments never will
   The practical differences between controlled testing and live traffic, and why the “last 10%” of deployment is where most risk sits.

 * How to build public trust
   Why transparency, relevance, and showing people the tech can be more than technical detail.

 * How government and industry educate each other in a shared ecosystem
   Where OEMs, tech providers, and infrastructure agencies routinely misunderstand each other and how Michigan bridges that gap.



Turning Pilots into Policy: Lessons from Michigan on Delivering Transport Innovation | Interview with Michele Mueller

Nick Leggett commenced in the role of Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand in April 2023. Previously Chief Executive of the road transport industry peak body, Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, Nick’s professional career has always centred around the need for quality and sustainable infrastructure.

What you’ll learn:

 * Why eRUC matters now: How fuel efficiency, EV adoption, and declining petrol tax revenues have made the old system unsustainable.

 * How eRUC works: The shift from fuel excise to distance-based charging, and the role of GPS/odometer technology.

 * Lessons from heavy vehicles: What New Zealand has already learned from decades of applying road user charges to trucks.

 * The bigger picture: Why this reform isn’t just about roads, but about New



Timestamps:

01:05 – The Biggest Change in 50 Years
Minister Bishop’s announcement: moving away from fuel excise (petrol tax) to electronic road user charges (eRUC). Why this is a generational shift.

02:25 – Why the Current Model is Breaking Down
How fuel efficiency, EVs, and hybrids are eroding petrol tax revenues while still using road assets, and how eRUC aligns with a 30-year infrastructure vision and why bipartisan support is critical for stability.

06:12 – What is eRUC and How Does it Differ from Petrol Tax?
Explaining distance-based charging, fairness, and the role of GPS/odometer technology.

08:20 – Why Now?
Trends driving the shift: electrification, efficiency gains, equity issues, and declining revenue.

10:06 – Lessons from Heavy Vehicles
What New Zealand has learned from applying road user charges to trucks and how that informs rollout to light vehicles.

12:19 – Building Fairness into the System
How eRUC addresses regressiveness in petrol tax, with options for rebates, concessions, and dynamic pricing.

14:19 – Defining Success
What success looks like and how eRUC can build confidence that New Zealand can modernise and deliver infrastructure for the next generation.

eRUC: The Next Era of New Zealand Roads | Interview with Nick Leggett

This episode is produced in partnership with the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney

Prof. David Levinson joined the University of Sydney from the University of Minnesota in 2017 as Foundation Professor in Transport Engineering. He conducts research on Accessibility, Transport Economics, Transport Network Evolution, and Transport and Land Use Interaction. He is the Founding Editor of the Journal of Transport and Land Use and of Findings.



What you’ll learn:

 * The meaning of accessibility. How it differs from mobility, how to measure it, and why it should be the core goal of transport planning.

 * How land use and transport are inseparable. And why treating them as separate problems leads to inefficiencies and missed opportunities.

 * The accessibility trade-offs of major projects and policy. How initiatives create winners and losers in access, and what that reveals about policy priorities.

 * Why speed isn’t everything. Reaching more destinations versus moving faster, and how this shapes city design and property values.

 * How small design choices shape behaviour. Traffic signal timings can encourage or discourage walking, cycling, or driving.



Mobility Isn’t Enough, We Need Better Accessibility | Interview with David Levinson

Russell King is a seasoned transport policy strategist with over two decades of experience spanning the UK and Australia. His career offers a rare 360-degree perspective on transport policy, having served as an elected London Councillor, strategic Policy Advisor to both the NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and Premier, senior public servant, and advocate within influential peak bodies.

As the editor of the Transport Leader Newsletter and Blog, read by hundreds of transport decision-makers globally, Russell delivers actionable insights for leaders navigating transport's evolving landscape.

What you'll learn:

 * Why transport reform struggles to gain traction

 * The biggest mistakes transport professionals make when pushing for change

 * How to make transport conversations more inclusive and impactful

 * The difference between outputs and outcomes—and why it matters

Transport Professionals: Are We Our Own Worst Enemy? | Interview with Russell King

This episode is produced in partnership with ITLS Board of Advice.

Professor Behnam (Ben) Fahimnia is a distinguished expert in supply chain management and decision sciences, currently serving as a Professor and Chair at the University of Sydney. His extensive research encompasses areas such as supply chain transformation, risk management, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in supply chain operations.

Elton Brown is a Senior Consultant at Demand Management Systems. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer in Intelligent Supply Chains at the University of Sydney, an active member of SCLAA, an author, presenter and industry advisor.

What you’ll learn:

 * What makes AI succeed—or fail—in supply chains?

 * Can AI work with poor data, or is clean data a must?

 * Where does human judgment still matter in automated systems?

 * How should AI be used at different decision levels in supply chains?

 * Is AI helping or hurting sustainability?

The Role of AI in Modern Supply Chains & Logistics | Interview with Ben Fahimina & Elton Brown

Dr. Chandra R. Bhat is the Joe J. King Endowed Chair Professor in Engineering at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin, where he teaches courses in transportation systems analysis and transportation planning. He is currently serving as the Director of the US Department of Transportation’s National University Transportation Center on Travel Behavior and Demand. Dr. Bhat is recognized nationally and internationally as a leading expert in the areas of travel behavior analysis and travel demand modeling.



What you’ll learn:

 * Is Public Interest Secondary in Transport Innovation? There is a growing concern that corporate interests from technology vendors are overtaking public interest in transportation planning.

 * The Complex Interplay of Psychology and Transportation: Transportation isn’t just about infrastructure – it’s about understanding human behavior and travel choices, which can be incredibly complex

 * Transportation as a Lifeline: Access to transportation directly impacts social inclusion and quality of life, making it a fundamental societal need.

 * Equity and Road Pricing: While pricing mechanisms can help manage travel demand, they must be implemented with careful consideration of equity

 * Behavioral Data and Bias in AI: AI systems trained on human driving behavior may adopt our biases, highlighting the need for human oversight, lest we exaggerate patterns and reinforce them through our own models.
   
   
   
   This episode was produced in partnership with the ITLS Board of Advice

The Complex Psychology Behind Travel Behaviour Analysis | Interview with Chandra Bhat

A series where we talk to traffic and mobility experts, discuss innovations, and highlight business leaders within transport and city planning.

Byte Size