As of June 2020, there are 850,000 podcasts out there with 30 million episodes of content. This growing market includes shows to help you learn more about pretty much everything under the sun, including our favorite topic: parking reform. Below is a list (in no particular order) of podcasts that tackle parking reform, highlight transportation initiatives, and discuss technical products and operations–all of which can be critical tools when understanding parking issues and making change to your community.

Reinventing Parking is probably the most directly relevant podcast to parking reform on our list. Host Paul Barter talks to industry experts from across the globe on policy changes, reports/documents, and implementation strategies dedicated solely to parking management and reform. There is an episode featuring Parking Reform Network (PRN) President Tony Jordan about Portland’s residential parking permit program; as well as an episode with PRN co-founders Lindsay Bayley and Jane Wilberding about the Parking Reform Network and social equity. 

As if it wasn’t enough to create one great podcast, Paul Barter also hosts the Reinventing Transport podcast that provides practical support and encouragement on urban mobility issues, outside of parking. 

Both podcasts are accessible to audiences in any country who are pushing for local changes to urban transport and public space. Especially if you want your city to be more socially just, sustainable, safe, and productive.

Strong Towns. The Strong Towns podcast and movement is “dedicated to making communities across the United States and Canada financially strong and resilient”. Founder and podcast host Chuck Marohn discusses the urban design features, transportation systems, and local food opportunities surrounding small to mid-size cities across the country. While some episodes include interviews with city staff, private developers, or other organizations, many episodes feature Chuck sharing his views and theories on urban planning, economic development, and general best practices in how to build Strong Towns. 

While the StrongTowns podcast does not have any episodes specifically dedicated to parking reform (…yet), they recently published an article about PRN and President Tony Jordan here: 

Parker-X. Each week hosts Brett Wood, Brett Galvin, and Lester Mascon dive into the nuts and bolts of parking management as they interview parking facility owners, operators, managers, vendors and service providers. And in doing so pull back the curtain to reveal the technical tricks and tips behind the parking industry. Parker-X highlights their interviewees products or perspectives with a focus on how it will affect the future industry as a whole. Episodes of note include #7 with PRN member Jonathon Wicks and #22 with PRN advisory board member Donald Shoup.

The Parking Podcast. Sponsored by the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), this podcast is about the “$100 billion parking industry and the people that make it go”. Each episode, host Isaiah Mouw interviews parking industry leaders and experts from across the country to discuss their personal journeys, day-to-day life in the field, and where they’d like to go in the future. Episode 33 is with PRN advisory board member Donald Shoup.

The War on Cars. There is no better podcast tackling America’s love affair with the automobile and other car culture perceptions and misconceptions than the War on Cars. Doug Gordon, Sarah Goodyear, and Aaron Naperstek highlight different ideas, books, policies, or programs to address “the worldwide fight to undo a century’s worth of damage wrought by the automobile”.  New shows come out every other week and include individual interviews with authors or city officials; while others feature the three hosts discussing a particular issue, commentary on current events or perceptions on car culture today. All episodes are relevant to parking reform and definitely worth a listen. One of the latest discusses Paris’ initiatives in eliminating traffic through a number of unified policies, including the elimination of 70,000 parking spaces!

Densely Speaking. If you want to be on the cutting edge of academic research and journal articles related to cities, economics, and law, then look no further than this podcast. Hosts Greg Shill (author of Should the Law Subsidize Driving) and Jeff Lin dedicate each episode to an article or project that has been, or is in the process of being published, interviewing the paper’s authors, as well as bringing in an additional expert co-host. While this podcast is still in it’s first season, it is packed full of the most up to date research related to urban planning, transportation, racial justice, and law. One episode of interest is Episode 8: People or Parking, in which the podcast hosts explore the nexus between parking and housing via Devin Michelle Bunten‘s and Lyndsey Rolheiser‘s newly published paper.

The APA Podcast. As the largest planning membership organization in the country, the American Planning Association has a multitude of resources, including… podcasts! While there are mini-series dedicated to resiliency and autonomous vehicles, the majority of podcast episodes feature “People Behind the Plans”. As the name implies, Courtney Kashima–planning powerhouse and founder of MUSE Community + Design–confers with iconic planners, academics, community organizers, and advocates throughout the country and across the planning profession to discuss their work, life, and passions. Guests share stories that range from their first time traveling abroad, to advice for engaging a skeptical public, and their ideas on where the industry is heading. If you want to get to know how some of the country’s leading planners got their start, stay motivated, and plan on shaping the field in the future, then look no further! Episode 24 features our advisory board member Donald Shoup.

Talking Headways. This Streetsblog podcast hosted by Jeff Wood and Tanya Snyder covers topics and current events at the intersection of transportation, urban planning and design. Episodes feature interviews with experts and practitioners on the many issues facing our transportation systems and mobility networks, with a focus on transit initiatives, policies, and programs. Well planned transit is intrinsically related to parking policies and strategies to reduce the parking footprint and creating more livable communities; making this show a great listen.  

If you want more content like this, you should also check out Mondays at the Overhead Wire which covers current events and trends in the transit and mobility world. Plus, Parking Reform Network member Chrissy Mancini Nichols frequently joins Jeff Wood on Monday’s at the Overhead Wire to share insights and interest on all things mobility. 

Technopolis. Hosted by urban innovation professor Molly Turner and startup advisor Jim Kapsis, Technopolis explores how technology is reshaping cities: both the good and bad. Each episode is dedicated to a particular theme or system that is being disrupted or undergoing major changes. The hosts discuss these changes with thought leaders in the tech and public policy world highlighting what needs to happen to get these technologies to solve more problems than they create. While there are no episodes specifically on parking reform, many of the ideas in each affect parking policy and design. Episodes of particular interest include the Open Streets City and the Delivery City.

The Urban Loop. Similar to Technopolis and Smarter Cars, host Rohan Dasika interviews professionals in the Smart City Field. Episodes focus on the interviewers career journey, perspective in their field, and general insights into developing more equitable and livable places. While topics vary, they all feature products or discussion related to technology, urban development, and public policy. Episode 25 features Parking Reform Network member Curtis Rogers, his company Parkade, and changes to the parking system as a whole.

Smarter Cars. As its name suggests, this podcast is about none other than mobility technology and the policies surrounding it. The host–and author of The Mobility Handbook–Michele Kyrouz spends each episode with a guest from a tech company or city department to discuss how their initiatives, ideas, or products are affecting mode split, travel preferences, and personal car ownership. Interviews specific to parking policy and reform efforts include: episode 27 with Hank Wilson; episode 25 with Laura Mattern; and episode 35 with Jeff Tumlin.  

While the above shows are what we believe are the most helpful for parking reformers, it is just the tip of the beginning: there are a myriad of podcasts that cover parking & mobility.

We hope you enjoyed these highlights. Got any favorites we missed? Share them in the comments below or on Slack!

Updated January 12, 2021 to include the APA podcast.

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