Rephonic
Artwork for Active Towns

Active Towns

John Simmerman
Urban Planning
Community Engagement
Active Transportation
Public Health
Cycling
Public Transit
Biking
Active Mobility
Walkability
Climate Change
Urbanism
Cycling Infrastructure
E-Bikes
Active Towns
Urban Mobility
Urban Design
Infrastructure
Los Angeles
Youth Transit Usage
Renewable Mobility Vision Plan

Conversations about Creating a Culture of Activity: Profiling the people, places, programs, and policies that help to promote a culture of activity within our communities.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes345Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Active Towns

Latest Episodes

New York City is on the cutting edge of many amazing "Streets Are For People" initiatives, and Open Plans is increasingly front and center in this movement with campaigns such as School Streets, Low Traffic Neighborhoods (LTNs), Public Space Manageme... more

In this episode, I connect with Ashton Rohmer, a doctoral candidate in Peace and Conflict Resolution studies, who is examining Car Supremacy and our societal acceptance of vehicular violence through her research on the ideology of car supremacy and o... more

In this episode, I connect with Professor Michael Pollack for a deep dive into his fabulous new book Sidewalk Nation: The Life and Law of America’s Most Overlooked Resource.

Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me suppo... more

In this episode, I welcome back my good friend and colleague, Chris Bruntlett, International Relations Manager with the Dutch Cycling Embassy, for a follow-up discussion about the resurgence of everyday cycling culture and cycling infrastructure as a... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Ashton Rohmer
PhD candidate in Peace and Conflict Resolution
George Mason University
Episode: Peace and Conflict Resolution meets Car Supremacy w/ Ashton Rohmer
Michael Pollack
Professor of Law, Cardozo School of Law
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Episode: Sidewalk Nation with Prof. Michael Pollack
Chris Bruntlett
International Relations Manager for the Dutch Cycling Embassy; co-author of multiple books
Dutch Cycling Embassy
Episode: Dutch Cycling in China 2.0 with Chris Bruntlett
Doorae Shin
Youth climate and transportation activist, part of Hawaii Youth Transportation Council
Hawaii Youth Transportation Council / Our Children's Trust / Earthjustice
Episode: Why Did These Kids Sue the State DOT?
Luca Cuniberti
Youth council member and transit advocate in Hawaii
Hawaii Youth Transportation Council
Episode: Why Did These Kids Sue the State DOT?
Sam Johnson
Sustainable transport specialist at the World Bank
World Bank
Episode: Livable Communities Require Livable Streets w/ Sam Johnson
Ben Wolfe
New York City-based filmmaker and director of Changing Lanes
Director of Changing Lanes
Episode: Changing Lanes: A safer street transformation documentary
Alice Ferguson
Founder of Playing Out, UK-based grassroots campaigning organization
Playing Out
Episode: Streets for Play, Streets for Freedom with Alice Ferguson & Tim Gill
Tim Gill
Independent scholar, consultant, writer focusing on children's outdoor play and mobility
Independent
Episode: Streets for Play, Streets for Freedom with Alice Ferguson & Tim Gill

Host

John Simmerman
Host of the Active Towns content channel and podcast, focused on urbanism and active transportation.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 104 ratings
  • Speakerphone audio bites

    I really want to listen to the show, but I can’t stand the low quality audio. Please have your guests pick up the phone and talk on it, not on the speakerphone. Better still, have them use an actual microphone instead of a cell phone. Isn’t your content worth a little effort?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    SuperGlideFX-E
    United Statesa year ago
  • Original, in depth, diverse discussions on Urbanism

    This podcast adds a lot to the urban issues space. These are conversations with a lot of figures which don’t necessary always receive the internet spotlight and it’s great to hear from them.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    joshlemer
    Canada2 years ago
  • Good motives, but some dangerous misconceptions.

    I like the show for advocating for better bike transportation infrastructure, but dislike some undercurrents that keep popping up. One is that you shouldn’t wear a helmet, because that makes people think cycling is dangerous and that you need protection from cars. Well, the helmet is to protect your head from hitting the road which can result from any number of incidents other than being struck by a car. Helmets are not terribly expensive or uncomfortable either. Maybe some day the fantasy ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    M@ttM
    United States3 years ago
  • Get inspired about ACTIVE transportation

    John Simmerman hosts some of the most engaging and inspiring people in the active transportation advocacy and leadership spaces. This sort of deep and substantive conversation is a bit unusual for the broader podcast world, but is such a resource for people new to biking, walking and livable communities(they are possible ! they exist !) I have no doubt that John is inspiring more transportation and mobility nerds, and I am here for it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BikingInSeattle
    United States3 years ago
  • It got me on my bike!

    Awesome interviews with active transportation movers and shakers. You’ll learn something new, be inspired to dig deeper, and have a good time! It’s inspired me and my family to get out and ride around our city!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cometpants
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some audio quality concerns from listeners, but strong content and advocacy shine through
High-quality guests and practical takeaways for community design
Diverse, in-depth discussions with a focus on urbanism and active transport
Positive feedback on inspiring and actionable conversations for biking and livable cities

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Radio Rental
Radio RentalTenderfoot TV & Audacy

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Did These Kids Sue the State DOT?
Q: What's the origins? How did this group of youth decide to come together to try to sue the state government?
Our Children's Trust uses a new legal theory that youth have rights to a healthy climate, which has allowed them to pursue cases across the country; Hawaii was a natural fit given its vulnerability to climate impacts and the communities' experiences.
Killed By Traffic Engineer Again with Wes Marshall
Q: What surprises me is that the DOTs are not held liable for the construction of dangerous roads, poor maintenance?
It depends on the state. Some have immunity from design stuff, and others allow lawsuits if there's a known safety issue.
If You Want to Win, You've Got to Fight with Carter Lavin
Q: Why would you give away your intellectual property for your consulting firm in the book form?
I want the world to be a drastically better place. If I know how to win changes to make it better, I would love nothing more than everyone else to be like, great, I read your book, I'll work on that.
If You Want to Win, You've Got to Fight with Carter Lavin
Q: How did you settle in on that title?
I settled on it because it's true.
Adapting Dutch Cycle Network Design Principles to the North American Context w/ Nick Falbo
Q: What was the origin story in terms of what got you interested in doing this type of work?
Living in Portland got me interested in doing planning, noticing the city's unique street design.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Active Towns

What is Active Towns about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A conversation-driven series focused on active transportation, urbanism, and community design. Episodes explore bikeable and walkable cities, street redesign, and the social impacts of mobility, often blending practical implementation tips with storytelling about real-world projects and advocacy. Notable throughlines include a commitment to people-first streets, grassroots urbanism, and the role of data, policy, and culture in creating healthier, more livable communities. The show often features practitioners, researchers, nonprofit leaders, and authors who champion walkability, safety, and inclusive urban spaces, making it useful for listeners interested in urban planning, transportation policy, and community engagement.

Where can I find podcast stats for Active Towns?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Active Towns. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Active Towns and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Active Towns get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Active Towns, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Active Towns?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Active Towns, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Active Towns have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Active Towns has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Active Towns?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Active Towns:

1. The Urbanist Agenda
2. The War on Cars
3. The Strong Towns Podcast
4. The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast
5. The Urbanist

How many episodes of Active Towns are there?

Active Towns launched 6 years ago and published 345 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Active Towns?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Active Towns?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Active Towns from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Active Towns?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Active Towns. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Active Towns?

Recent guests on Active Towns include:

1. Ashton Rohmer
2. Michael Pollack
3. Chris Bruntlett
4. Doorae Shin
5. Luca Cuniberti
6. Sam Johnson
7. Ben Wolfe
8. Alice Ferguson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days