Mobilizing Regions: Workforce Rideshare and Regional Transit

An Innovative Cities Lecture

Columbus and Milwaukee are illustrating how innovative transit solutions can strengthen regional connectivity, expand access to opportunity, and serve as models for communities nationwide. 

Since 1992, MobiliSE has championed innovative ways to connect Southeast Wisconsin through a range of transportation alternatives. Learn about their regional strategies and how these efforts led to FlexRide Milwaukee, a groundbreaking on-demand workforce transportation service that has already helped nearly 5,000 people reach jobs in nearby suburbs. 

In Columbus, Ohio, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is reshaping regional mobility with initiatives like bus rapid transit expansion, first/last mile connections, and partnerships with community organizations. These efforts are improving access to employment centers, food markets, and essential services—demonstrating how coordinated transportation planning can drive both economic growth and equity. 

Biographies

Dave Steele serves as the Executive Director of MobiliSE. Under Dave’s leadership, MobiliSE has grown its impact as a convener and advocate, spearheading the development and launch of FlexRide Milwaukee, an on demand workforce transportation service that has helped 5,000 Milwaukeeans access jobs since its launch in 2022. 

Prior to leading MobiliSE, Dave worked in K-12 education reform, serving as President & CEO of PAVE, a school support organization in Milwaukee. He holds a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Bachelors in Political Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also holds a certificate from Harvard Business School’s Social Enterprise Insitute, a global network of public and non profit leaders working toward systems change.  

Dave is a Milwaukee native, a regular transit rider, and resides on the West Side of Milwaukee with his wife and three kids. 

Devayani Puranik is the Director Development Programs at the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), where she leads high-impact initiatives that shape the planning, developing, and delivery of innovative mobility solutions- such as COTA’s on-demand service, COTA//Plus. Her work focuses on strategic coordination and change management to improve customer experience and advance transit accessibility through major regional efforts like LinkUS. 

Prior to joining COTA, Puranik served as a Senior Planner for the City of Dublin, where she spearheaded key efforts including the Legacy Office Revitalization Plan, Mobility Study, and the Dublin 2035 Framework. She was also a core member of the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force and led numerous cross-functional innovation and process improvement projects. Her earlier work with the City of Columbus involved directing long-range land use planning initiatives to support inclusive, sustainable growth. 

Puranik holds dual master’s degrees in City and Regional Planning and Environmental Science from The Ohio State University and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. She brings a systems-thinking approach to her leadership, rooted in equity, efficiency, and public service. 

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