Who we are
Common Sense Mobility (CSM) is a civic initiative that supports state and local campaigns to win transportation pricing reforms that reduce congestion, generate new revenue, and improve how people get around.
Where efforts are nascent, we help launch them, convening partners, securing early resources, and shaping strategy.
Where work is already underway, we reinforce it through narrative development, reinvestment design, and cross-regional learning.
We are pragmatic, bipartisan, and results-driven, turning political momentum into lasting reforms that improve daily life and keep communities moving.
Vision
We envision a nation where modern, reliable transportation systems move people and goods safely and efficiently. These systems power cities and regions that attract top talent, foster innovation, and drive long-term economic growth.
Mission
Common Sense Mobility partners with advocates and local governments to strengthen the civic and political foundation for modern, reliable, and financially sustainable transportation systems.
Interventions we support
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Developing practical approaches such as congestion and corridor pricing, distance based fees, tolling, and modern parking management that reduce waste, manage demand, and create stable local revenue for reinvestment in transportation infrastructure.
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Designing investment frameworks that improve reliability, maintenance, and customer service so that public transportation and emerging mobility options become competitive, efficient, and financially sustainable.
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Supporting local governments as they upgrade and maintain critical infrastructure, improve safety, and adopt technologies that increase performance, reliability, and value for taxpayers.
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Aligning goods movement and street use to reduce congestion, improve delivery efficiency, and support thriving business districts and supply chains.
Why now?
A generational window is open. Cities across the country have the political will and the urgency to transform how transportation is funded and managed. Communities that move now can lock in lasting change. Those that wait will face deeper congestion, shrinking transit, and growing fiscal strain.
Common Sense Mobility exists for this moment. We help local leaders build the strategy, coordination, and public confidence to turn political will into durable wins.
Our Approach
Strategic Policy and Implementation Support
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We partner with local leaders to plan, fund, and execute initiatives that modernize how transportation is managed and financed. This includes coalition strategy, capital and maintenance plan design, legislative pathways, and guidance on program delivery.
Public Narrative and Communications
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We develop and test messages that connect transportation reform to everyday experience. Our communications frameworks, polling analysis, and storytelling tools help build understanding, trust, and broad-based support.
Civic Capacity and Field Building
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We equip local coalitions with the tools, resources, and peer networks they need to act decisively and sustain focus over time. We train leaders, share proven practices, and strengthen civic institutions for the long term.
National Coordination and Knowledge Sharing
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We serve as a national hub that connects regions and cities, translating lessons into actionable models and coordinating a growing field of practitioners working on transportation funding and reform.
Board of Directors
Marla Westervelt Berg
Marla Westervelt is a principal at Cityfi and a nationally recognized expert in regulatory strategy and urban mobility. She advises cities and startups on the political and institutional complexity of deploying transportation technologies in public space.
Her background spans data policy at Bird during its hypergrowth, mobility research and pilots at LA Metro's Office of Extraordinary Innovation, policy leadership at the Coalition for Reimagined Mobility, and research at the Eno Center for Transportation.
She is co-author of New Tricks for Old Bureaucracies, a guide to driving change inside complex institutions.
President
John Lankford
John Lankford is a industry leading public affairs strategist and safe streets advocate, who has spent his career turning transportation politics into lasting policy. He leads government relations at Bird, developing state and local strategies for micromobility adoption and regulatory innovation.
His advocacy roots go back to 2009, when he co-founded the Chicago-based political action committee Walk Bike Transit and later led community engagement at the Active Transportation Alliance. He also serves on the board of the North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association.
Treasurer
SecretaryGabe Klein
Gabe Klein is a nationally respected voice in urban innovation and public-sector leadership. As transportation commissioner in both Chicago and Washington D.C., he championed people-first street design and launched Divvy and Capital Bikeshare. He later served as Executive Director of the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, leading federal efforts to accelerate zero-emission infrastructure.
He is the author of Start-Up City and has advised public, private, and nonprofit organizations on mobility and sustainability.
Contact us
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