Why I’m Starting This Blog: Notes from a Transportation Researcher

I’ve spent the last few years studying buses. Not just riding them — but mapping their routes, analyzing their impact, and asking bigger questions about who gets to move freely in our cities and who doesn’t.

This blog is a small attempt to bring those questions into a more public space.

I recently completed my PhD in transportation planning, where my research focused on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, fare-free policies, and user experiences of comfort, safety, and accessibility. Alongside academic work, I’ve been involved in fieldwork, internships, data analysis, and outreach — each of which has helped shape how I think about cities and the people who move through them.

Between writing research papers and building dashboards, I’ve come to value reflection — and writing as a way to stay connected with both the transit world and the broader questions it raises.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Posts on public transportation, mobility, and urban equity

• Reflections from my research, internships, and fieldwork

• Occasional thoughts on policy, outreach, and transportation innovation

  
  

This is a space for sharing ideas in progress — not polished manifestos. I’ll try to post regularly (perhaps once or twice a month), and I welcome feedback, questions, or just a conversation.

Thanks for reading. More soon.

– Ashish