ITDP at transforming transportation 2026

When the world’s leading urban planners, policymakers, and climate champions gathered at the World Bank and WRI Ross Center’s annual Transforming Transportation conference in Washington, DC this March, the underlying mission was clear: transport isn’t just about moving people it’s about moving economies, creating equity, and cooling a warming planet.

At the heart of these critical conversations was the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), bringing scalable blueprints and hard data to the global stage.

Celebrating the Trailblazers: The 2026 Sustainable Transport Award

The definitive highlight of the week belonged to Salvador, Brazil, which proudly took home the prestigious 2026 Sustainable Transport Award (STA).

Salvador’s ambitious strides in high-quality transit and urban inclusion set a benchmark for rapidly developing cities. The global celebration also honored two remarkable runners-up:

• Kochi, India, for its groundbreaking integration of water transport and last-mile connectivity.

• Santiago, Chile, which continues to lead the Americas in building a seamless, high-capacity electric bus network.

          [2026 Sustainable Transport Award Winners]
          
      WINNER: Salvador, Brazil (Urban Inclusion & Transit)
      HONORABLE MENTION: Kochi, India (Water Transit Integration)
      HONORABLE MENTION: Santiago, Chile (E-Bus Network Expansion)

Winning Innovation on the Ground

ITDP’s leadership wasn’t just talking about the future; they were pitching actionable financing for it. During the high-stakes E-Mobility Day, the Brazil E-Bus Credit Fund a collaborative initiative backed by ITDP and its partners—clinched first place in a competitive pitch innovation showcase. The fund offers a practical template for how cities can bridge the notorious funding gap to replace diesel fleets with clean, electric buses.

Meanwhile, ITDP CEO Heather Thompson joined high-level panels to connect the dots between transport innovation, job creation, and economic resilience. On the grass-roots side, ITDP Brazil Director Clarisse Cunha Linke took the stage during the 4th Annual Popular Transport Day to shed light on the complex reality of moto-taxis, advocating for how informal transit can be safely woven into a city’s broader mobility fabric.

By the Numbers: Tracking a Decade of Progress

Good policy requires great data. As Chair of the Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) Data Tracking Initiative, ITDP Senior Director Jacob Mason unveiled a major milestone: the Sustainable Transport by the Numbers: Tracking Global Progress report.

“Data isn’t just a record of where we’ve been; it’s the roadmap for where we need to go.”

Mason presented the co-authored report at both the SUM4All Consortium and a specialized UN-DESA session. The framework was highly praised by international delegates and will now serve as the data backbone for the official UN Decade of Sustainable Transport, ensuring global climate and transit goals are met with measurable accountability.

Unlocking the Capital to Scale Up

To close out an intense week of advocacy, ITDP joined forces with the World Bank to host an exclusive masterclass workshop: Beyond Bankable E-Bus Programs: Creating Enabling Conditions to Mobilize Private Capital.

Using fresh insights from Salvador’s STA-winning strategies, the workshop brought heavy-hitters from the IFC, C40, AfD, and the World Bank together under one roof. The goal? To dissect the exact business models and financial safety nets required to make private investors confident enough to fund multi-million dollar electric bus transitions worldwide.

By blending high-level finance with community-first transit strategies, ITDP wrapped up Transforming Transportation 2026 not just with accolades, but with the momentum needed to build cleaner, fairer cities.

source:
https://mailchi.mp/itdp/itdp-april-2026-bulletin?mc_cid=a7975b734e&mc_eid=9b2659749a