A team of Tufts undergraduate/graduate students, under the guidance of Professor Justin Hollander, are leading a coalition of non-profit organizations to push the Bus Rapid Transit campaign forward. They are based out of the Tufts Urban Attitudes Lab, which facilitates projects that improve planning and policy through both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. 

Meet our team!

Emilia Arabbo

” I have been using public transportation since I was little and have witnessed my parents’ frustration with the different transit systems they relied on. I hope to help create more efficient and accessible transit systems for communities like the one I grew up in. “

Rhone-Ann Huang

“I am passionate about sustainable urban planning, and with Worcester being the second largest city in New England, a reliable bus rapid transit system would serve as a central example for other urban areas to expand their public transportation systems as well.”

Shivom Sadhwani

“I got involved with BRT given how much better our cities and towns are with less cars on the road and better public transportation methods. I am helping with media outreach for the project.” 

Pascale N de Buren

“I am interested in the role of public transit in shaping vibrant, sustainable cities. I am passionate about enhancing transit options in Worcester through Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, striving to create efficient and environmentally-friendly solutions for the community.”

Vaishnavi Kanakamedala

“I wanted to be part of this project because I always have supported the idea of walkable cities. As someone who is living in Boston relying mostly on public transport, I now know more than ever how important well-designed public transportation is. I hope with this project, we are one step closer to make every city accessible.”

Sada Schumann

“I am studying environmental science and studio art at Tufts University, and use my interdisciplinary background in filmmaking, environmental planning, and community education to inform my work on the project. I am excited to further explore media as a key tool for outreach and gain experience in the practical implementation of urban planning initiatives. “

Evan Kelly

“Worcester is such an important hub for the state, so the prospect of bringing it the kind of rapid transit system that it deserves is incredibly exciting. So far I’ve been helping with publicity materials for the project.”

Nyapal Chuol

“I wholeheartedly believe that efficient and accessible public transportation is a cornerstone for sustainability justice which is why I’m excited to be a part of the Real Rapid Transit for Worcester team, and I hope to continue pursuing sustainable justice initiatives in the future. “

James Rochberg

Owen Lawler

Justin Hollander

“Among the many types of transit improvements the city might consider, bus rapid transit is the most flexible and most well-suited for achieving a long-standing goal of the city: to better knit together the close, but not walking-distance close, core neighborhoods and destinations.”