ACT Book Club
Connecting ACT's membership with great TDM reads
Welcome to ACT's book club featuring great reads about key transportation topics. Led by Lauren Mattern of Journey, each session dives into a new title. Sessions often feature insights directly from the authors themselves, which allows participants to engage in a Q+A-style discussion.
Whether you've read the book from cover to cover or you'd simply like to listen in, all are welcome and encouraged to attend. Check out the details below to learn about our previous reads and sign up for our next meeting to join the fun.
Book club meetings are free for all ACT members and $50 for non-members. Attending book club meetings or reviewing their recordings qualifies for 2 TDM-CP credits.
Next meeting
Tech With Purpose: Rethinking Smart Cities for Better Mobility
Wednesday, February 4 at 3 pm. ET.
Transportation systems are becoming more connected and data-driven than ever. But as cities adopt everything from mobility apps to automated enforcement and AI-powered planning tools, a core question remains: Are these solutions actually delivering better mobility outcomes for our communities?
Drawing on insights from The Smart Enough City, this Book Club session—led by guest speaker Ruth Miller from Jawnt—will explore how TDM professionals can thoughtfully navigate both the promises and the limitations of smart city technologies. Ben Green’s central argument is that cities don’t need to be the “smartest,” but rather “smart enough” to use technology responsibly, ethically, and in ways that strengthen public trust.
Together, we’ll dive into:
- The risks of over-relying on technology at the expense of proven TDM strategies
- How digital tools can support mode shift, reduce single-occupancy travel, and improve traveler experience—without compromising equity or privacy
- The role of TDM practitioners as advocates for human-centered mobility design
- Real-world case studies where well-intentioned smart mobility initiatives fell short—and what we can learn from them
- A framework for evaluating new technologies so they truly align with community goals
Whether you’re assessing a new mobility platform, crafting policy around emerging modes, or trying to balance innovation with accountability, this session will help you think more critically about technology’s role in shaping the cities—and transportation systems—we want.
Book is available to download for free from MIT!
And see Ruth’s book review of this book.
Previous meetings
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
December 2025
Looking to strengthen your communication and negotiation skills in the year ahead? Join ACT’s final Book Club of the year and get a head start on your New Year’s goals with Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (By: Roger Fisher and William L. Ury) — the timeless guide to achieving successful outcomes without sacrificing relationships.
While we won’t have the authors with us, we’re excited to welcome Meg Merritt, a dynamic mobility expert who has used the principles in Getting to Yes and other negotiation strategies to advance her career and lead complex projects with confidence. Meg will share real-world insights on applying these lessons in TDM and beyond — and how building your negotiation toolkit can help you reach your professional and personal goals. Whether you’ve read the whole book or just want to join the conversation, come ready for an engaging, practical, and inspiring discussion with your ACT peers.
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SupercommunicatorsWe're switching things up for our next ACT Book Club! Instead of diving into another TDM-focused read, we’re taking a step toward professional development with Charles Duhigg’s Supercommunicators — a timely and practical exploration of how we can all become better, more effective communicators in every area of our lives.
But here’s the real twist: while we won’t have the author with us this time, we’re thrilled to welcome Jeff Tumlin, a renowned voice in transportation and a master communicator in his own right. Jeff's deep understanding of human behavior and communication dynamics, especially in the context of city planning and transportation, will bring enormous value to our conversation. Honestly, who better to unpack the insights of this book than the best communicator in the TDM business?
Whether you're looking to sharpen your messaging, improve your collaboration skills, or simply better understand the science of meaningful connection, this book club will offer a fresh perspective that’s both personal and professionally relevant.
Join us for a thoughtful discussion and a refreshing change of pace. Let’s talk about how we talk — and how we can do it better!
ACT Book Club: Killed by a Traffic Engineer
July 2025
Join us as we dive into Wes Marshall’s Killed by a Traffic Engineer, a provocative and deeply researched exploration of how decades of traffic engineering decisions have prioritized speed and vehicle throughout—often at the expense of safety, community, and human life.
With sharp insight and clear-eyed analysis, Marshall reveals how technical standards became moral hazards and how even well-intentioned designs have produced deadly consequences. This book challenges us to rethink the status quo and imagine streets that serve people first—not just cars. This discussion will spark fresh ideas on how TDM can help reshape our public spaces into places of connection, safety, and equity.
ACT Book Club - Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World
May 2025
The third pick for ACT's book club is Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar.
Parking policies play a crucial role in the success of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies. They can either hinder progress or drive meaningful shifts in how people move. Paved Paradise explores the complex world of parking management, tracing how we arrived at our current state and where we’re headed next. Join us for an insightful discussion featuring author Henry Grabar, who will share his perspective on how the relentless pursuit of parking reshaped our cities and the key figures behind these decisions. Don’t miss this thought-provoking conversation!
ACT Book Club - Trains, Buses, People
April 2025
Transit is the most effective TDM measure and, along with parking managers, the most important partner to a TDM project. Let’s sharpen our transit chops by getting a compelling “Transit 101” through reading and discussing Christof’s book. This will be a tactical discussion of how TDM and transit can work better together and what TDM professionals should know about being a strong transit ally in 2025 and beyond.
Christof was appointed to the Houston Metro transit board during a time of immense reimagining of the system, so he brings an implementer’s gritty lens to transit planning. His book covers transit planning principles but also an overview of 57 US & Canadian metro area’s transit systems – so you are likely to find a sharp critique of your own transit system or those in the cities in which you work to guide your next transit coordination meetings.
TDM professionals have a lot to offer transit planners and our tools directly build ridership – let’s sharpen our transit connections!
ACT Book Club - Key to the City
February 2025
The first meeting, led and moderated by Lauren Mattern of Journey, will take place on Thursday, February 13 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Special guest and author Sara Bronin will join the discussion, which will be a tactical discussion of what TDM leaders need to know. From parking policy to TDM ordinances and more, you'll learn about the many ways our field interacts with zoning.
All members are invited to attend, and even if you have not read the book, you'll walk away with valuable insights about how to wield zoning's power. Pick up your copy of the book, check out podcasts or videos featuring Sara Bronin, or simply come ready to listen. See you there!
Interested in submitting your book for consideration? Contact Casey Murphy, ACT's Senior Director of Events.