ACT Book Club - Tech With Purpose: Rethinking Smart Cities for Better Mobility

Tech With Purpose: Rethinking Smart Cities for Better Mobility

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.

Meet the moderator

Lauren Mattern is the founder of Journey, a TDM-centric mobility planning firm that also has transit and engagement practices. She has been in the mobility planning industry for 17 years, and cut her teeth on parking policy as a core leader of the SFpark pilots in San Francisco, implementing Donald Shoup’s pricing ideas using new technologies.

She’s a longtime consultant leading cutting edge TDM work in the industry, including at the most recent Major League soccer stadium. She just returned from doing TDM work at Transport for London before starting Journey.

Meet the featured speaker

Ruth Miller is the Director of Product Partnerships at Jawnt, a transportation technology company that supports employers and other transit pass programs. She was previously the Head of Product at the MBTA, Boston’s transit agency, and has helped millions of people ride transit through the tools she developed at Apple, Lyft, the MBTA, and MIT.