Climate change poses a fundamental threat to human health, affecting the physical environment and threatening global economic stability, according to the World Health Organization. Laura Schewel is looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions, leading her to green transportation advocacy work both professionally and in the community.

“There is no solution to climate change without a radical reduction in transportation emissions,” Schewel said.

Cars and vans accounted for 48% of global transport carbon dioxide emissions in 2022, according to an analysis by Statista based on International Energy Agency (IEA) data.

Schewel encourages everyone to be more intentional about their transportation choices, sharing that she limits her car use to just twice a week.

“Going car-free is hard,” she said. “But you can start by using the bus a few times a week.”

Her passion for saving the environment and green transportation began with an elective undergraduate class in environmental science. Her graduate work led her to found StreetLight Data, a transportation analytics tech company focused on reducing the climate impact of transportation. She discovered the transportation industry lagged behind other industries in data availability. A lack of transportation data can significantly impede informed decision-making about critical issues such as public transit improvements and environmental impact mitigation.

Streetlight was acquired by Jacobs, an engineering and consulting firm, in 2022. She now leads StreetLight as a division within Jacobs, focusing on advancing transportation initiatives across the broader organization.

Schewel believes there’s no better way to work on making transit better in Richmond than working with RVA Rapid Transit, the nonprofit organization that advocates for the Richmond area’s public transportation.

“It’s special that we have such a well-organized transportation advocacy organization,” Schewel said. “Most small to medium cities don’t have that.”

With a 2-year-old son, Schewel doesn’t get much downtime. She and her son, Zeke, do a lot of things together.

They like to cook, walk along the Capital Trail, go to the playground, or visit the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Grown-up time for Schewel means catching up with friends over dinner. Her top two cuisines are Mediterranean and Mexican.

She spends time volunteering for causes she cares about.

Meet the transportation advocate who encourages mass transit use, and this week’s Personality, Laura Schewel:

Volunteer position: Board president, RVA Rapid Transit.

Occupation: Senior vice president of transportation, digital solutions at Jacobs.

Date and place of birth: Oct. 8 in Richmond. 

Where I live now: Richmond.

Education: Bachelor’s in literature from Yale University, a master’s and Ph.D. in energy and resources from UC Berkeley. Environmental Engineering double major.

Family: Son.

RVA Rapid Transit is: The leading advocacy and organizing body focused on improving transit in the Richmond Region.

Mission: Advocacy for frequent and far-reaching transit in the Richmond region.

When and why founded: RVA Rapid Transit began in 2014 as a grassroots movement calling for regional public transit. At the time, Richmond ranked 92 out of the top 100 cities in terms of access to jobs by public transportation. RVA Rapid Transit became a 501(c) (3) nonprofit in the fall of 2016 dedicated to connecting all people of the Richmond region as we educate, organize and advocate for the design, construction and operation of a first-class metro-wide rapid transit system.

Founders: The Rev. Benjamin P. Campbell, Dr. Nelson Revely and Sheryl A. M. Johnson.

How RVA Rapid Transit makes a difference: RVA Rapid Transit’s work champions equitable, accessible and reliable public transit that connects communities and transforms lives in the Richmond region.

By advocating for zero-fare transit, improved bus infrastructure, and expanded routes, RVA Rapid Transit ensures that everyone—regardless of income, race or ability—has the freedom to access opportunities, health care, education, and community spaces. Their efforts address the immediate transportation needs and tackle systemic barriers, fostering a more just and sustainable future for all.

Regional public transportation is important for Richmond because: Public transportation is key to creating a thriving and interconnected region where citizens can access greater opportunities like employment, workforce development, commerce, higher education, nutritious food, routine health care, and much more. And it reduces carbon emissions from transportation.

A high-quality regional transit system is not only crucial to increasing human capital; it is key to attracting economic development and investment opportunities, a talented workforce, and is associated with increased property values.

Funding: Most of our funding comes from grants from organizations that fund missions aligned with social equity and access, transit, reducing carbon emissions and improving economic opportunity. We have a steady stream of individual donations also.

Our partnerships: GRTC, Virginia Conservation Network, Virginia Transit Association, Virginia New Majority, Partnership for Smart Growth, Bon Secours and Sheltering Arms.

I initially got involved with RVA Rapid Transit: Transit is an issue that unites most of the things I care about – climate, equity and community.

Why RVA Rapid Transit is meaningful to me: They excel at organizing and collecting community feedback and concerns and getting them in front of the people in power.

I’ve never seen a nonprofit more effective at this kind of organizing.

When elected board president: 2023.

Goal and strategy as board president: My goal is to help build the financial capacity of the organization so that the staff can push our mission even further.

Biggest challenge: Financing.

Free fares and public transportation: Free fares make the bus more accessible and more pleasant and efficient to ride the bus now because there isn’t a lag to deal with fare collection at each stop. Many people don’t realize what a hassle it is for GRTC to deal with collection and accounting – it costs a lot of money to collect the money.

Positive impact I have witnessed through working with RVA Rapid Transit: Big salary increases for bus drivers, alleviating the bus driver shortage, and letting GRTC expand coverage. A bill in Virginia Congress to make building bus shelters easier.

Watching elected and appointed officials listen to recorded comments collected from bus riders who would never be able to come in person to a GRTC board meeting or legislative session.

If I have to give a grade to Richmond public transportation: B- 

A breakdown of the reason for the grade: Compared to other cities our size, a B. We have free fares, a great BRT (the Pulse) and are improving route coverage and frequency. That’s all good! However, compared to what transit could and should be, I give us a C-. Transit doesn’t connect enough neighborhoods to jobs and services, some routes only come once an hour, which is frustrating. I also find a lot of people who have cars don’t know that transit is free, or how much things have improved the last few years so don’t consider taking transit as an alternative to driving.

Biggest gripes from Richmond public transit riders: Riders often express frustration over long wait times and a lack of reliability, especially during peak hours. Many are also concerned about limited route coverage in underserved neighborhoods, which makes accessing jobs, schools, and healthcare challenging. Poorbus stop infrastructure—such as a lack of shelters, benches, and lighting—further adds to discomfort and safety concerns.

These issues highlight the urgent need for more investment in public transit to create a more efficient, equitable, and rider-centered system.

Ways RVA Rapid Transit hopes to continue to impact positive change for Richmonders: Advocating for permanent zero-fare transit, enhancing bus stop infrastructure, and expanding routes to underserved areas. By collaborating with community partners and amplifying riders’ voices, we strive to ensure public transit remains a cornerstone of equity, sustainability, and opportunity in Richmond.

How readers can get involved or help impact change through RVA Rapid Transit: Donate, ride the bus, adopt-a-stop or join our email list.

Upcoming events and details: Dec. 3, Cooling the Commute Launch and Fundraiser at 6 p.m. at Triple Crossing Brewing, Fulton location. Register through Eventbrite.

How I start the day: Usually earlier than I would like, with a 2-year-old who immediately wants to play, look outside and ask questions.

Three words that best describe me: Focused, bookworm, curious.

Best late-night snack: Popcorn with parmesan cheese.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: Ride escalators.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: Going for a walk makes it all seem more manageable.

Person who influenced me the most: My grandma, Rosel Schewel. She had an extraordinary capacity to support nonprofits in her community. Seeing the impact she had over a lifetime doing that is inspiring.

Most influential book: “The Banality of Evil” by Hannah Arendt.

Next goal: Figure out how to spend the second half of my career having a more positive impact on climate than the first half.