cq9�ټ���

“Move fast and break things” might be a perfect mantra for Silicon Valley startups, encapsulating a culture that delivers innovation through experimentation and disruption. When it comes to transportation networks, however, breaking things isn’t an option. 

Unlike consumer technology, where software updates can be pushed overnight, transportation systems require decades of planning, investment and construction. They must be able to move goods and people, seamlessly, day in and day out. Moreover, as mandated by transportation operators, authorities and agencies the world over, safety is mission critical.

Public confidence in transport infrastructure is essential for long-term transformation success, so practical, data-led decision making with stakeholder inputs are key.

The balancing act of transformation

As the transportation sector moves away from fossil fuels that have powered it for more than a century, it faces a complex balancing act. Planners are managing the tension between the drive for the type of disruptive innovation synonymous with Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurship – electrification, alternative fuels, autonomous systems – and the need to maintain safe, efficient operations. 

Urbanization and population growth add further pressure by fueling sector demand. projects global passenger and freight transport to grow by 196% and 200%, respectively, by 2050.

For planes, trains, automobiles, trucks and even ships, decarbonization is about more than swapping diesel engines for electric ones. It requires rethinking entire networks – fleet procurement, power infrastructure, workforce skills, supply chains – all while keeping the world moving. 

Overcoming an established ecosystem, and ingrained cultural behaviors, is not for the faint of heart. It requires managing risk, recruiting and cultivating newt talent and skills, shifting processes established over more than a century. 

Reducing carbon emissions in the sector requires Silicon Valley speed. Transportation accounts for about 23% of energy-related CO2 emissions contributing to global warming. Without global action, its share could rise to 40% by 2030.

Responding to this challenge requires forward-looking transport planners who think programmatically to create detailed, sequenced roadmaps, know how to manage the risk associated with deploying new technologies and can make sure their people are ready for the challenge.

Managing risk in transportation innovation

Risk is inherent in any major transformation, but in transportation, the stakes are high. The potential impact on lives, supply chains and infrastructure mandate a proactive approach to risk mitigation. The challenge is financial and logistical. Without access to replacement parts, maintenance support and supplier continuity, agencies won’t be able to sustain a new fleet.

Take fleet upgrades and electrification. Many operators have approached their transitions in silos, often failing to appreciate the level of complexity and interdependencies. One transit agency in the U.S. had to build a new maintenance garage when they found their existing facility could not accommodate taller electric vehicles – a story that’s far from unique. 

In the aviation sector, airports eager to transition to electric ground operations often discover existing power grids cannot handle the increased demand. In fact, a study from Enterprise Mobility, Xcel Energy and cq9�ټ��� found that the electrification of airport ecosystems by 2050 could require nearly five times the current electric power used. Even if the capacity is available, it is often in the wrong location and requires substantial reworking of existing electrical distribution systems. Intelligent and technical programming is crucial for the continuity of airport operations. 

At one global airport, cq9�ټ��� led a risk-based master planning initiative to evaluate future trends. This included increasing power distribution requirements to ensure the airport could scale up its electrification efforts without disrupting daily operations by safeguarding a range of possible futures outside of those previously considered. This kind of forward planning is critical, and without it, the move to sustainable energy can inadvertently create bottlenecks.

This planning is about more than rigorously vetting suppliers. Operators must ensure that investment decisions account for financial stability, long-term maintenance needs and compatibility with current assets.

Smart agencies map dependencies before procurement, test compatibility with existing systems and secure long-term maintenance agreements and parts. They build resilience and redundancy into critical systems.

The human factor in decarbonization

The success of any decarbonization effort hinges on people – planners, technicians and drivers – who ensure that innovations translate into real-world impact.

Consider the shift to electric buses. Drivers accustomed to diesel vehicles must be retrained to handle new acceleration profiles and charging schedules as well as the additional vehicle telematics data given to them. Maintenance crews must learn to diagnose and repair electric drivetrains. Depot managers must rethink how vehicles are rotated to ensure charging availability without disrupting service schedules.

Brisbane City Council’s Brisbane Metro project, is a city-shaping project, delivering a high-capacity electric bus rapid transit (BRT) system. With a fleet of 80-foot (24.4 meter) electric, bi-articulated metros and redesigned infrastructure, the new system will move more people with fewer vehicles, becoming a critical part of Brisbane’s sustainable public transport future.

In addition to cutting-edge metros and enhanced infrastructure, this project demonstrates that success also relies on human expertise.

Behind the scenes, a team of more than 300 professionals, including transport planners, engineers and environmental specialists, have been instrumental in navigating the challenges of system design, network planning and funding approvals. From developing charging infrastructure, identifying and delivering depot requirements to identifying opportunity for new operating policies, their work supports metros to operate efficiently in real-world conditions.

A dedicated Brisbane Metro depot was designed and built to serve as a hub for fleet maintenance, vehicle charging, driver facilities and training. Capturing the needs of the depot operations, optimizing functional layouts and training and workforce readiness have been crucial to the project.

Brisbane Metro exemplifies that investment in human capital can turn an ambitious plan into an operational reality. As seen with this project, a deep understanding of the power of people in an increasingly technical world is essential to implementing complex projects.

Overcoming organizational paralysis with digital tools

Despite strong sustainability commitments, many transport agencies struggle to move from ambition to action. Electrifying an urban bus network or shifting a national rail system to hydrogen power isn’t a single decision. It’s a series of interconnected dependencies that must be executed in parallel and with deep operational understanding. The key to overcoming this paralysis is a phased approach aided by digital tools to map out a smooth transition. 

One of the largest vehicle operators in the U.S., the federal government, faced this while electrifying fleet elements using battery and EV technology from the private sector.

Consider simplifying: cq9�ټ��� worked with one U.S. military branch to electrify its non-tactical vehicles across North American bases. Newly created digital tools linked field assessment teams with engineering groups, while a top-down phasing and stage gate process enabled the development of EV charging design packages at more than 150 locations in months.

Leaders tasked with transforming mission-critical infrastructure understand that successful decarbonization requires clear, staged implementation plans with embedded risk assessments at every step to break through inertia and doubt. This doesn’t happen in the dark. It relies on a digital infrastructure that leverages real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, route optimization, energy management and systems integration. 

Tools like StreetLight provide real-time transportation analytics to give transport planners the tools they need to make urban planning decisions. By transforming complex mobility data into meaningful insights, StreetLight can identify where electric vehicle charging stations are needed or pinpoint high-risk road safety zones. 

Advanced analytics and forecasting tools can also provide operators with the foresight and strategic vision required to understand what the future might look like. 

Over 20 months, (STA) produced new models for forecasting traffic demand on its railways and implemented them within a new transport analytics software system.

By understanding how transport infrastructure will be used in the future, operators can make informed planning decisions. For the STA, this means a reliable rail system that will be equipped to serve communities for decades to come. 
 

Bold, but built to last

Transport agencies don’t have the luxury of trial and error. The transition to resilient, energy-efficient transport must be swift but structured, bold but balanced. Programmatic thinking and data-driven decision-making can drive progress while keeping communities and economies moving.

Whether it’s electrifying city bus networks, transforming ports or modernizing military logistics, this change moves beyond hype to deliver true value – it’s practical, sustainable and built to last.

cq9�ټ��� holds a 65% stake in PA Consulting, with the remaining 35% held by PA employees. Both cq9�ټ��� and PA operate as separate entities, each responsible for serving clients independently.