No One at the Wheel: Samuel Schwartz with Iris Weinshall

In a moment when the world faces a seismic change—eliminating the need for drivers to get behind the wheel—leading transportation expert Sam Schwartz takes stock of where we’re headed and how best to get there. Schwartz, who served as New York City’s traffic commissioner and the Department of Transportation’s chief engineer, cautions that if we let civic leaders sit back and wait to see what happens, rather than setting policy ahead of the game, corporations will control the narrative. Humanity could find itself  in “global gridlock” by 2050 if we continue on the path we’re on—a continued emphasis on individual car ownership, technology that outdates existing models at an ever-increasing pace, and figures like Elon Musk denigrating public transit.

Schwartz will be joined in conversation by Iris Weinshall who served as commissioner of New York City’s Department of Transportation from 2000 to 2007, and is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer of The New York Public Library.











When: Mon., Mar. 18, 2019 at 6:30 pm
Where: New York Public Library—Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library
476 Fifth Ave. (42nd St. Entrance)
212-340-0863
Price: Free
Buy tickets/get more info now
See other events in these categories:

In a moment when the world faces a seismic change—eliminating the need for drivers to get behind the wheel—leading transportation expert Sam Schwartz takes stock of where we’re headed and how best to get there. Schwartz, who served as New York City’s traffic commissioner and the Department of Transportation’s chief engineer, cautions that if we let civic leaders sit back and wait to see what happens, rather than setting policy ahead of the game, corporations will control the narrative. Humanity could find itself  in “global gridlock” by 2050 if we continue on the path we’re on—a continued emphasis on individual car ownership, technology that outdates existing models at an ever-increasing pace, and figures like Elon Musk denigrating public transit.

Schwartz will be joined in conversation by Iris Weinshall who served as commissioner of New York City’s Department of Transportation from 2000 to 2007, and is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer of The New York Public Library.

Buy tickets/get more info now