Durham Hires Technology Director to Lead Digital Services
The City of Durham has appointed Richard Barbee as its Technology Solutions director, tasked with strengthening the city’s enterprise IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital modernization. Barbee arrives from Durham Tech Community College, where he led core system upgrades and AI initiatives. He previously oversaw a $110 million budget at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, delivering a $70 million electronic health‑records program and migrating critical systems to the cloud. He will begin his new role at the end of April, reporting to city leadership on technology strategy and service delivery.
Report Highlights Shift to Micromobility for Daily Travel
Veo’s 2025 Rider Report, based on more than 15,000 respondents in 60 U.S. markets, shows shared micromobility moving from a niche service to a core daily‑travel option. About one‑third of riders have postponed buying a car, and 73% say they...
Small Cells Offer New Visibility Into City Flows
Bath has launched a city‑wide small‑cell rollout, partnering with Virgin Media O2, Ontix and the local council to bolster 5G capacity on busy shopping streets and tourist hotspots. The cells, mounted on existing lampposts, aim to alleviate network strain during...
AI Scheduling Tools Tackle Transit Driver Shortages
Transit agencies are turning to AI‑driven scheduling platforms to combat a global shortfall of roughly 2.4 million bus drivers. The tools let operators model alternative roster scenarios, communicate schedules in real time, and curb unscheduled overtime that fuels fatigue and turnover....
Baltimore Names TJ Mayotte as New CIO
Baltimore announced TJ Mayotte as its new Chief Information Officer, taking charge of the city’s Information Technology Office. Mayotte arrives with more than two decades of government technology and cybersecurity leadership, most recently serving as CIO for Howard County with...
Long Beach Tech Leader Eriksen Joins Culver City
Lea Eriksen, Long Beach’s technology director since 2014, will depart next month to become Senior Assistant City Manager in Culver City. During her tenure, the Department of Technology and Innovation grew to nearly 200 staff, managed a $90 million annual budget,...
Port Authority Deploys ASL and Navigation Tools Across Transit System
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is rolling out 24/7 American Sign Language interpretation services and indoor navigation tools across its transit network after successful pilots. Convo Communications will provide live video interpreters via QR‑code access points...
Subscription Model Targets Cheaper E-Bike Trips
Lime has introduced LimePrime, a subscription service for its shared e‑bikes in London, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Manchester (Salford) and Nottingham. For a monthly fee ranging from £1.99 to £6.99, members receive flat‑rate rides up to 20 minutes, with per‑ride costs...
Cities Look to Boost Stadium WiFi as Fan Demand Surges
Cities hosting major sporting and entertainment events are under pressure to upgrade stadium Wi‑Fi as fan demand for real‑time sharing surges. Conventional antenna arrays often cause interference and require dozens of units to handle thousands of simultaneous connections. MatSing’s Wi‑Fi 6E...
Seattle CTO Rob Lloyd to Step Down for New Role
Rob Lloyd, Seattle's chief technology officer, will step down on March 27 to join the Center for Digital Government after nearly two years leading the city's tech agenda. During his tenure he stabilized major programs, delivering Workday, unified communications, and...
Eindhoven Launches Single-App Shared Mobility System
Eindhoven awarded a long‑term concession to booking platform umob, creating a single‑app system for shared bikes, e‑bikes, cargo bikes and e‑scooters. The rollout began on 5 March, with umob coordinating operators Dott, felyx and Cargoroo, and pricing set at €1.50 for...
Nashville Appoints Shawn Smith as CIO
Metro Nashville has named Shawn Smith as its new Chief Information Officer, overseeing the Department of Information Technology Services that serves more than 50 agencies with a $64.5 million budget. Smith replaces retiring CIO Keith Durbin and brings over 30 years...
Boston Launches Curb Lab to Digitise and Coordinate Kerb Space
Boston’s Office of Emerging Technology has launched the Curb Lab, a cross‑department effort that uses artificial intelligence and open‑data assets to produce a live, citywide digital map of curb‑side parking rules. The initiative builds on a three‑year asset‑management platform and...
UK Councils Prioritise Connectivity but Lack Impact Data
Four‑in‑five UK councils now list digital connectivity as a top local priority, with gigabit broadband and rural inclusion driving the agenda. Yet nine‑in‑ten admit they cannot quantify the economic or social returns of improved connectivity, and 70% would like formal...
Mamdani Appoints Lisa Gelobter as NYC CTO
Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed Lisa Gelobter as New York City’s Chief Technology Officer and Commissioner of the Office of Technology and Innovation. Gelobter, a veteran technologist who helped create the GIF and launch Hulu, will oversee digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and...