I'm J.J. Ramberg, and this is Local to Global, the Power of Small Business, a podcast from GZero Media's Blue Circle Studios, produced in partnership with MasterCard.

So far in this series, we've covered the outsized role small businesses play in fueling economies. We've

talked about how the global middle class is set to grow dramatically in the coming decades,

and how their increased spending power is driving major shifts that ripple through economies.

In our last episode, we looked at one of those shifts, the rise of the circular economy,

and how consumers are rethinking what

they buy. Today, we're going to do a deep dive into the massive transformations happening in how

we move through our cities and towns. As populations grow and new communities emerge, transportation

systems and urban infrastructure are being pushed to keep up. And that's where the story gets really interesting for small businesses.

Because transportation and mobility touch every aspect of our lives.

And improving them even incrementally can have huge impacts on individuals, on businesses,

and the economy as a whole.

In the United States, there are so-called transit deserts,

areas with little or no access to public transportation. Many of the lowest income households

across the country spend nearly 20% of their income on automotive fuel alone. But better access

to transit could shift some of that spending, back to Main Street and back into local economies.

Joining us, we have two experts who spend a lot of time crafting solutions to create ease for both commuters and entrepreneurs through cost savings, speed, rider experience, and more.

Let's welcome Chapin, Senior Vice President of Transit and Urban Mobility at MasterCard.

Chapin, thanks so much for being here.

Thanks for having me, JJ.

And Mark Langmead, Director of Revenue and Compass Operations at TransLink, Vancouver's Transportation Authority.

Hey there, Mark.

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