Data, Outcomes, and a Little Humor: Reflections from Atlanta

Walking through the halls of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta last week, it was impossible not to feel the energy of thousands of transportation leaders, innovators, and practitioners gathered for ITS World Congress. Every corner seemed to hum with conversation—about technology, policy, collaboration, and the future we’re all working toward. For me, it was equal parts inspiring, thought-provoking, and, thanks to more jokes than I was expecting, surprisingly entertaining.

The energy at the Rekor booth

Our team had an incredible week at the Rekor booth. The energy was constant, with back-to-back conversations with DOTs, partners, and peers who stopped by to connect. We had the opportunity to showcase our work with Lee Woodcock from AtkinsRéalis on the Central Texas Construction Partnership Program (CPP) and to highlight the Rekor / Drakewell partnership that is already reshaping how agencies approach traffic data collection with real-time traffic intelligence. It was energizing to hear firsthand how agencies are eager to accelerate their progress, and implement tangible solutions to some of their most pressing challenges, just like TxDOT Austin has. And of course, no conference is complete without a little fun. We wrapped up Tuesday with our Rekor Rush Hour event, a chance to unwind, laugh, and celebrate the great work being done across the industry.

Spotlight on Aviv Gruber’s session

Another highlight of the week was hearing my colleague, Aviv Gruber, present during his session. His perspective on the evolving role of AI, automation, and data-driven systems in transforming transportation underscored just how much progress is being made. Aviv shared examples that moved beyond concepts, showing how agencies are putting ideas into practice and proving outcomes in real-world environments. It was one of those sessions that left you not only better informed, but also genuinely motivated to keep moving the needle forward.

From concepts to outcomes

As I listened to many of the sessions, a few themes stood out. First, this conference reinforced just how powerful it is when we connect the physical world through data in ways that serve real people. That’s ultimately what all of this is about—delivering insights and outcomes that make travel safer, smarter, and more sustainable for everyone. Second, interoperability matters more than ever. Data that can’t be shared, exchanged, or applied beyond a silo doesn’t help us solve the challenges in front of us. And third, I noticed a shift compared to just a few years ago. Past conferences were full of big ideas and future-state visions. This year, the dialogue was about what’s real today—deployments, results, lessons learned.

What stood out to me most was how transportation leaders are embracing collaboration in new ways. I kept hearing about the “rip off and duplicate” approach—an R&D mindset where agencies borrow from each other’s pilots, proof points, and results to shorten the time from idea to deployment. Instead of reinventing the wheel, states are building on each other’s successes to accelerate progress. It’s a refreshing shift that speaks to the urgency of the moment and the collective commitment to moving innovation from the lab to the road.

And, on a lighter note, I learned transportation leaders know how to keep things lively. I found myself laughing at more than a few jokes during sessions (sure some of them were dad jokes, but who doesn’t love an eye-rolling dad joke!), but it’s a great reminder that while our work is serious, if you want people to hear and engage with the discussion, bringing curiosity, humor, and humanity to the table is a great engager.

As I left Atlanta, I felt both proud of the progress we’ve made as an industry and energized by the road ahead. At Rekor, we’re committed to continuing the conversations that started in Atlanta and working alongside our partners and customers to deliver outcomes that matter.

‍