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Artwork for Active Towns

Active Towns

John Simmerman
E-Bikes
Youth Transit Usage
Public Transit
Get On the Bus
Sustainability
Urban Planning
Climate Change
Walkability
Micro-Mobility
Bicycling Culture
Detroit
Bicycle City
Kingston, Ontario
Transportation Policy
Bikeability
Public Health
Carbon-Free Transportation
Joy and Meaning In Biking
Los Angeles
Biking Infrastructure

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes335Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Active Towns

Latest Episodes

In this episode, I connect with Jacob Davis, host of The Cities in Motion Podcast, for a discussion about what led him to want to host an urbanism and sustainable communities podcast that channels the tenets of the Strong Towns and Active Towns movem... more

This is the recording of my Live discussion with Charles “Chuck” Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns, about their Mission Accomplished: End Highway Expansions Now initiative, and what we as a nation and at the local level should be focusing... more

In this episode, I reconnect with a dear friend from my Boulder triathlon days, Dieter Bruhn, and his relatively new wife, Grace. We discuss the Hanoi dance scene and contrast the culture of activity in Vietnam with Boulder, Colorado.

Helpful Links ... more

This is the Livestream recording of my Follow-Up Conversation with Prof. Wes Marshall, about his impactful book Killed By A Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion that Science Underlies our Transportation System.

Helpful Links (note that some ma... more

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Recent Guests

Jacob Davis
Host of Cities in Motion Podcast
Cities in Motion Podcast
Episode: Cities In Motion with Jacob Davis
Le Thi Tan (Grace)
Miss Talent Vietnam 2024 and Miss Mighty Entrepreneur International 2025
Miss Talent Vietnam
Episode: Dancing Through Life in Hanoi with Grace & Dieter
Dieter Bruhn
Educational trainer with a focus on entrepreneurship and cross-cultural communication.
One World Training
Episode: Dancing Through Life in Hanoi with Grace & Dieter
Wes Marshall
Professor of civil engineering at the University of Colorado, Denver.
University of Colorado, Denver
Episode: Killed By Traffic Engineer Again with Wes Marshall
Esther Walker
Executive Director at Outride, a nonprofit focused on the benefits of cycling on mental well-being
Outride
Episode: What Will You Outride? Esther Walker, Outride Executive Director
Ryan Short
Founder of CivicBrand and author of "The Civic Brand, The Power and Responsibility of Place"
CivicBrand
Episode: The Civic Brand with Ryan Short
Jamie Sabbach
Consultant for public park and recreation systems across the United States
110 Percent
Episode: Parks and Fiscal Responsibility with Jamie Sabbach
Anna Zivarts
Author of the book When Driving Is Not an Option, Steering Away From Car Dependency
Episode: Week Without Driving Challenge Recap with Anna Zivarts
Zack DeClerk
Co-founder of CargoB, an on-demand electric cargo bike sharing service
CargoB
Episode: CARGOB: A Conversation with Co-Founders Dot and Zack

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 103 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 States2 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

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
A Bold Mobility Vision Plan for a Dutch Village w/ Christian Ratering
Q: What will success look like in the future for you?
Success means every child from the age of eight will have the right to cycle or walk independently to school, enhancing their cognitive potential and independence.

Audience Metrics

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

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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?

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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 Ezra Klein Show
2. 99% Invisible
3. Hidden Brain
4. Freakonomics Radio
5. Short Wave

How many episodes of Active Towns are there?

Active Towns launched 6 years ago and published 335 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.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Active Towns?

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What guests have appeared on Active Towns?

Recent guests on Active Towns include:

1. Jacob Davis
2. Le Thi Tan (Grace)
3. Dieter Bruhn
4. Wes Marshall
5. Esther Walker
6. Ryan Short
7. Jamie Sabbach
8. Anna Zivarts

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.

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