[inaudible conversations] moi

>> host: professor will come. i am looking forward to what the listening audience to get through the pages to follow the story line. but you start in the preface to talk about leadership. were you thinking about a book of leadership when you started? >> guest: leadership is one of my preoccupations. that is what i was going to do but i was struck that not only with the facts and figures with the sad state of infrastructure but i was

also of a tripping on potholes' and stories of inner-city people who could not get to the jobs or wed take two or three buses and subway to get to school so but first raise subway connections we went to another city in 20 minutes so all of those things together made me feel this is an important issue. you were a help with the whole project talk about the need for a new america at the end of the clinton administration we have

defense spending and preoccupation we haven't made those investments were i am part of the u.s. competitiveness project that we care about america is strong and also that would be once again leaders of the world. so i conclude it is about leadership with that collaboration in big vision

and we have the technical skills that we don't always apply my own strength. to save us are restated the infrastructure there are many reasons for hope so with enough public agitation to be so active and involved but that is why i stepped up to read a book to not suggest it is only about transportation researcher one we have to get moving. >> host: and we half to lead again and this subtitle

talks about putting a -- putting america's infrastructure back in the lead" you have a lot to say about that and you do something very interesting about transportation as concrete and steel but as a family concern or business concern what about allison and natalie and jacob how you dedicate the book to them then tell us to think about it from their perspective with infrastructure investment. >> guest: they are three children but also for the

children who are growing up i was reading books to those children including some of their favorites and some of my favorites that her great metaphors for what we need to do. i want to do a signal this is the family friendly issue 20% of house could budgets what they spend contras rotation is a big deal. of the places she will go from dr. suze and in the middle of that book i was startled to see the characters walking around

then get to a place in the middle called the weighty in place waiting for the trade or the place nor the bus the book says get out of the way in place with but we have to do that for them now. it truly is the metaphor for america i cannot imagine that book although they have day generosity of spirit but that little attention that carries the tories for the kids when all the big engines were too busy or too important the establishment was not listening. so we have to count on those

little inches the entreprenuers of the communities to push congress to do some of the work. but it did is their future that we talk about. >> host: but now we can get into the policy you were in the part of a kickoff of infrastructure week with the vice president but as we get to the end of the month as congress extends the transportation bill for the 32nd time it is now 33 times the extended one month or six months or whatever. the clarion call was renamed a long-term plan. day think that is important?

>> definitely. the small engines because of many innovations as several help and we do need long term funding then nobody can plan. review can patch some of the policy goals but not to be reinvented. that is for the long term but is also a short-term pain because of his time we are stuck in traffic jam up frustration and because they cannot move on the road so

long term funding would reduce the political uncertainty to attract more investors and would be helpful because if we have more private sector investors they would not all have to come out of public money. and there will necessarily invest if the public side runs out they'll look for long-term commitments with u.s. private equity from the sovereign will fund and there is money out there to invest. but it the uncertainty with the short-term fix. i feel the same way about air traffic control with that subject with the

congressional budget cycle to make investments long term even intellectual investments are those new technologies because then is caught off. >> you mentioned the issue of cost i thought of how you start the book but the first paragraph better worth reading the average american computer - - commuter wastes 38 hours of time in traffic. this amounts 5.5 billion hours of lost productivity in newly. those are staggering figures and you say we all pay a

cost when it is not working effectively. >> we do. what about those with health care appointments or trying to row get to use school? school buses get stuck and traffic but with high school students they use the public system often. this is a huge cost with health care because stuck in traffic means cars are burning fuel and necessarily in and pollution from the idling cars that 45 percent is cost by the idle cars. so we have adjusted to some of that but there is a way

that human mind lot realize that if we call that normalizing. to build the next hour into the commute so if all we did was repair the roads because we are growing in population >> justin never dared refuse said we lose $121 billion of cost for fuel and to lost

time that is 70 billion for people stuck in traffic what about the person who says let's listen to a book on tape? >> guest: we are very good to make sense of something. but you could listen to the book on tape in the office or at home with the kids we were not meant to live in their cars but even if we were, auto companies might like fact stimulate he helped to build the middle-class. >> that cupholder that they have become dining rooms for many people but we don't want them to become living rooms.

so with that frustration we had some severe weather. where cars could not move. >> some 20 hours favor stock because that are the dire consequences but there are solutions. >> is interesting you said actually to except the normal and always thought

tomorrow could be better than today. >> you mentioned the interstate system but would he think of this moment now? the what are your thoughts? >> guest: in the history liggett the transcontinental railroad and many people point to that and why couldn't it be like that today? des even abraham lincoln would force that through.

there were a lot of compromises to be made the tracks started to be laid but they did not meet in the middle. there were tales of corruption with rockefeller who made their fortune in to start a monopoly but a could envision from coast to coast and how do use that territory? it will monday connected by stagecoach than farmers could ship the product east then coming back west and do know that well so every time he fled in a trance and stop

people built around that. but it did take a leader who managed to forge the coalition for the political will. like the transcontinental railroad 41,000 miles of highway as a huge price tag to have all types of opportunities to help the american economy because the suburbs were already there because of the green and suburbs. sydneys or abandoned but

that defense rationale including the space race are those investments because president eisenhower who wanted the interstate highway said we could evacuate but in new orleans in 2005 it was clear you could not evacuate by everybody piling in their cars to head to the interstate because it does not work. while i was a great rationale at the time we have not had big visions since the 1950's or '60's about the role that they play in our future. there is a gorgeous braved

that people admire. there are fantastic bridges like the golden gate. they are beautiful works of art but we need to help them move across beverages. we need time that takes into account the 21st century and that is why you were trying to do. >> host: yes. you mentioned that earlier but one thought before we leave here but really during the fdr administration came up with a national system of roads and it took a few years of gestation with the emphasis on defense during

the eisenhower years to move that for word is there a way with the issue of competitiveness might replace the driver of defense and security to some degree? >> that is search and they a rationale that resonates with the business community the people know that china is investing your japan is reeve printing bed to bed of

a does not translate or improve people's thoughts so what i say in this book is ideal and the fis could be leaders. i am trying to be a thought leader with the vision of mobility that is so in central to talked-about transportation as a circulatory system, you have to move and get to where we want to go. and choose talked-about to carry into is the lead to but the state that we have

to you get that back but read to sing in a quality because the plan for people cannot get the job said we have to make things affordable for people. so this mobility and competitiveness together we have a shot we should start a conversation to figure at a good way to talk about it. the interstate highway, looking at the history there were national called the defense highway act but that is how they were referred to. everybody knew sputnik was about beating russia but the space race by itself was inspiring to astronauts. >> all of those discoveries

of people landing on the moon. we don't arouse information about the future and this is such but is it is inspiring. >>

>> guest: we could learn from them although we're not always as good as that but i have ben in japan to ride those trains and i had a colleague who would escort me to osaka for cry was not sure exactly how we would get there but the walk to a few steps and then we were on the train faster from any capital in the united states

to downtown but only on average so tell that to anybody who takes amtrak in the northeast corridor. >> host: the president knows this and he tries to get it going again. and i know michael dukakis is very conscious. >> we all should be.

>> guest: is about to be innovative for them and to be flexible and civil to raise 20 miles per hour but it was enough to make enough people to take the train instead it was just enough. we could start by doing those things.

who every time they needed repainting there would rather move. [laughter] a little bit that is the story of america you abandon us for the parks and the city's but now we should be highly desirable because people could ride bikes or what because they deteriorated so badly. >> host: it is interesting the way we sometimes as you noted, it turned from that which is not quite as spiffy as it used to be. you referred to some of the work we did a part of that was to introduce a high-speed rail but we have a significant increase in riders ship but we need to see that across the system.

both the president vice president were very interested in that. one reason may came forth with the changing face of transportation the years 2000 through 2025 with the legislation before us but the opening of the borders in the interface around the globe with peace and prosperity to be in storage we need to think boldly about the future and we attempted that. i am excited about secretary fox we make some reference to that and you don't say it

has to be accepted but you start to needless to bring everything into focus of what can be. you talk about the city's city's, go ahead you have a significant revelation about cities that are prospering in the presence of transit is. >> cry would love to but can i comment? that was a great thing and is very important to people in the northeast corridor. the right of way that was purchased 100 years ago that means they refurbished union

station just akin washington but when you do that it becomes a terminus for other things and the city center the neighborhood around it gets better from taxis or if you use uber there is better access. denver has done that and other cities see that have had plans with the consensus you can get collaboration and consensus a lot better at the regional level. people see the benefits to them and they only wanted to the fed is for their neighborhood but they all wanted to in their neighborhood if it is a disruptive but yet the

visionary leaders with a lot of different parts of the community at the table you can get support sometimes it is not officials or the business community they are against it for whatever but in houston this was striking. there was a vote several decades ago in favor of a light rail system and then a second vote was taken about specifics and it was shot down because the four committees were against it because they were left out of the discussion and they did not feel it would be good for them because of the parking places where in suburban areas.

so what to do about houston and it took 20 years that they finally got light rail. when i say it is all about leadership you could call it politics but leaders have to understand how many stakeholders they must bring to the table. then they do they will get real support the business community would like to see transportation and have often forced officials from chicago they push the former mayor to think about doing something with no hair airport and a new runway. if we can get that support regional economic doesn't mean to take away because we

need national standards and a national vision and a national strategy which does not pay for it all but it does jump-start it is the accelerator and the rationale. i do believe the long term funding and a federal rule but we can add the region's as the dreamers and employment jersey in the private sector as potential investors and add every mood after his frustration into the plan and no big part of your vision is the connections. >> most people don't care the road as long as they can get there. >> guest: if we did there regionally then there is room the of entreprenuers would get excited.

they already are but it is too limited so those that are doing great things or they try to fix the problem then with the administrationñi , in chicago there are three great things going on. one is the mirror and it is the untangling for everybody who is watching will identify because everybody has been stepped at the train crossing. there is a lot of unnecessary death in america. i just saw a startling new statistic because people in cars don't believe the gates to go round them thinking they can beat the train far

from suicide there are fatalities that our unnecessary but because the tracks cross the road because their old ally in chicago it is a particular problem because one-quarter of all rail track comes from chicago and it is an old system dating back to the time where if you have a system they have separate railroads wherever they wanted so they're crossing at ingles then the commuter trains have priorities for commuter and passenger and light rail and freight. but a long freight train could tie air-traffic 20 minutes.

>> host: i just have to ask you this but you have a segment called the slowest 6 miles under cow. this is lynn chicago? >> go on. >> guest: a free trade and to get from l.a. to chicago but to when there is a problem like bad weather but when there was a problem problem, with the delay of cargo affected the country for months. >> host: that is what we don't recognize are fully appreciate. >> and right now in los

angeles it is the same thing. to get our goods out or even from other places. >> host: in their changes that? >> but in the late 90's chicago started to create that starts -- stands for chicago. rail. blah, blah, blah. and it finally got federal funding for the first phase and to straighten this out. of lot has been completed and i was there watching and

they had done a lot of innovative things chicago was paul darr if they had not done that because that now because of untangling, we did this in massachusetts with instant bridges over 40 ricans 14 different bridges play into place over a weekend. note they are not mutually long but i some of there will be a park their real green space develop which is not on top of it but it is nearby to have a more

vibrant neighborhood. other factories for their besides the four jobs ended is an impressive project but it is taking time is running out of money. >> host: that is the big fear. >> guest: so that is one. that i believe we ought to do get rid where a train tracks cross streets. every place. >> host: that was of big issue with the federal highway administration and the railroad administration and my years at the department. >> click at instance we

could make that a gold the you will lose your fund

china has said the also other countries. new york city, is to look get the projects and to have thereunder tour revision. >> so that was very visionary of course, freeing his successes to new mayor of chicago that are happening now. said it makes a big to efficent?

in the face you folks the will not add it up but that doesn't count to head to the decision in the the first of all, people can wait on the platform to board at the level of the bus but the

bias as i am stuck in traffic in and a car. but to present the visionary but here is the other thing because they tried to say comprehensively that is a phrase used by other places. complete street but do dig up some and i know -- but it

was using some of those federal new jersey eight - - for the fiber-optic says. so by having a complete vision, you can do everything. so one of the other cool things, of bike sharing. it has his political moments but it is being used matisse

-- they're not getting a license is set this aerate to but i do not want to go on we know how to have the culture and the but those

that would knows us stop sometimes it is the bikers faults but they have to know they will not want to kit -- take off and wind amsterdam bellied sin by sharing the load get the book where it

hurt -- talks how the smirch a road is up against the sudden moment you start off a chapter to save transportation by road must get smarter. developments of the past decade with smart phones and sensors and gps, computing with big data analytics are canceled -- challenging old business models. that issue of putting on your leadership had and also your harvard business hacked let's but this is how we have to live going for word. talk about it more. >> even before the smart phone we were already

beginning to do sensors for traffic management. but that was not visible to the consumer yet but with a smart phone the apple iphone 2007. also of with full disclosure both love verizon so but as is but i remember having a very clunky car phone to say the auto industry missed that they jumped a bit with wireless emergency systems but not really.

and now they jump because everybody and the transportation business but they make the software but uber is colliding with every industry and also looking for collaboration. >> amazon and facebook. >> so we don't know and the roads are getting smarter because replevin sensors like electronic tolling. >> dynamic tolling as well. >> for you can change the price depending on the congestion is so people make a decision july pay more or

not? so the former deputy mayor of new york is now in indianapolis we cannot talk about congestion pricing inputs together to words that is congestion in and pricing. but it is very handy now we have transponders in cars but we don't have a national system but only the northeast dates have started to cooperate. this is all happening faster than we can catch up so there is a app us city created to work with entrepreneurs. in your car or you are

connected by your smart phone it can detect potholes' from the vibrations that cart -- it will report it for you provide health don't get smarter than we are. [laughter] but that is the future then we have the but they are working it out and they're all ted not -- technology able with with zero or uber to be on to rand.

>> the most important thing to happen during the clinton administration may not have then the passage of major legislation, of the really through the executive order that president clinton allowed for a commercial and civilian use of gps in the most sophisticated form to have it to read a certain

time because i know how much time it will take. i can read those congestion maps. all of that comes into play and with the technology to apply it to the business community. >> that is so right that it made a huge difference also the internet but to revision as members of congress there needs to be some regulation bayou left it open. it is striking to see the day that there are now experiments because of uber pizza hut says we will track your delivery and i think if

we don't spend on the same way i know how much to invest in the microwave oven is. >> but clearly these university is have given us the benefit of the intellectual with a greater fulfillment and

transparency. we have to continue to invest with research and development. [laughter] and i am finding this conversation and fascinating from the vantage points with the locations that that you mentioned google and others to have the location on automotive facilities. and they were all along that same track meaning they are moving from the midwest and from the south. is a technology apparatus to put it at the center of a lot of activity in the silicon valley area.

even the boston area as well. >> this is the big changes and one thing that killed kodak as the company was it stated in rochester york and it was a great technology company but all of the work was happening with digital in silicon valley. i mentioned mary berra but i should mention in a lawn that believes in connection. these executives get it there not in the metal bending business but now is the mobility business. . .