As Director of Civic Innovation Policy at Chamber of Progress, Ruth Whittaker leads the organization’s policy efforts on workforce, delivery, autonomous vehicles, the sharing economy, and telemedicine issues.
Ruth’s expertise lies in competition policy and progressive politics at the local, state, and federal levels. Her previous roles at the Department of Justice, Illinois State Senate, and advocacy campaigns inform her current role at Chamber of Progress. Chamber of Progress is a new tech industry coalition devoted to a progressive society, economy, workforce, and consumer climate.
Chamber of Progress backs public policies that aim to build a fairer, more inclusive country in which all people benefit from technological leaps. In your role as Director of Civic Innovation Policy, how do you support that mission?
Ruth: Civic Innovation Policy is all about using technology to improve the way people go about their daily lives–how they make a living, how they feed their families, and how they move around. Whether it’s promoting the deployment of autonomous vehicles, protecting independent workers’ flexibility, or blocking taxes on delivery services, my role ensures that everyone can access tech products and services that help them in their daily life.
Autonomous vehicles, Delivery & Sharing, Housing, and Transportation fall under the Chamber’s umbrella of Civic Innovation Policy. What have you learned about the interconnectivity of these issues? Did anything surprise you?
Ruth: In policy conversations, the issues in the Civic Innovation portfolio are often treated separately, but they are definitely inter-related. Changes in the supply or density of housing in a certain area will change residents’ transportation needs; expansions in transportation access can promote housing growth in other areas. Autonomous vehicles are already being used to deliver food and other essential items, and the availability of delivery services help fill the gaps in existing transportation systems. While the particular policy questions at issue in each of those areas are nuanced, the transformative potential of each of the products and services can only be achieved if they are all adopted together.
Fourth Economy and Steer recently collaborated with the Chamber on two studies that shed light on the future of autonomous transportation and online delivery on our economy and environment. Once a report is released, what are the next steps to ensure changemakers move from understanding the research to policy change and realized impact?
Ruth: We were very excited about the results of both papers and definitely eager to put them in front of lawmakers to help inform policies. To do that, we use all the tools at our disposal to broadcast the results. Both studies were covered extensively in the press and we also submit op-eds in areas where we think lawmakers (and their constituents) would be particularly interested in the results. We also work behind the scenes with policymakers directly, holding private briefings to discuss the results of the studies and explain how they should inform future policy changes.
What were the valuable takeaways of these two projects?
Ruth: In the study of autonomous transportation, the most exciting takeaway that I hope lawmakers remember is the quality of jobs that could be created with the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles. The study found that 82% of AV jobs – including 59% of those that do not require a college degree – pay above the U.S. median wage. The study also found that, increasingly, AV jobs will be accessible to people without a degree so long as they receive some training. Those results suggest that investments in job training programs for AV-specific jobs would pay huge dividends for workers in the future and that AVs should be seen as drivers of economic growth.
In the analysis of carbon emissions from delivery services, the most exciting result was how much more efficient retail delivery services are compared to individual trips. We’ve been fighting taxes on delivery services in a number of states, and proponents of those taxes often argue that delivery trucks and vans create more environmental damage than personal vehicles. This study gives us great data to rebut that argument and gives policymakers updated, accurate information about how delivery services are changing to be even more efficient.
What question do you hear from lawmakers that you’d like to answer to inform more equitable policy?
Ruth: Lawmakers usually don’t ask this question outright, but it is usually the unspoken subtext behind the questions we get: “Why should I care about this right now?” It’s an important question, because there are a lot of important issues facing policymakers today. But most of the products and services covered by civic innovation policy are used by constituents every day or have the potential to have an immediate, positive impact on their lives. When it comes to delivery and sharing services, many constituents depend on them for income or access to daily necessities. Autonomous vehicles have already started making roads safer in cities across the country. The policy questions that affect these services may not be headline-grabbers, but they do make a big difference in their constituents’ lives.
What excites you about the future of civic innovation policy?
Ruth: The most exciting thing to me is how important all these issue areas are becoming in the national conversation. In this election year, voters and policymakers are more focused than ever on how to bring costs down for families, and the Biden Administration has been making huge, forward-thinking investments in housing and transportation systems to make them stronger and greener. Autonomous vehicles, delivery services, and the sharing economy are all pieces of the puzzle to achieve those goals. It’s exciting to see so many opportunities for progress and the embrace of these tech innovations as solutions to national problems.
Stay informed on all the issues Chamber of Progress aims to address here. Curious about Steer and Fourth Economy's transportation innovation work with the Chamber? Read this blog and reach out to learn how we combine commercial, economic, technical, and planning expertise to find powerful answers to our clients’ complex questions.