b'Every other year, the event brings together industryThe conference always provides opportunities to net-experts, manufacturers, suppliers, researchers, con- work with worldwide leaders in the field, exchange sultants and public authorities to share their vision,experience and showcase newly completed APM experiences and system technology updates.projects, and this year was no exception. SCOA, MHI The pandemic had a major impact on travel andand CMSI also hosted a networking event during the transit, and while airports may be full again, manysecond night of the conference where the team invit-downtown workers have not returned to the office,ed industry experts, partners and customers to SPIN noted Martin Green, Director of TransportationSeattle, a table tennis social club, for food, drinks, and Systems at SCOA. As a result, public transit ridershipa little competitive ping pong. The event gave attend-is still depressed and the future is uncertain. On theees the opportunity to meet in an informal setting other hand, the bipartisan infrastructure law promisesand have some fun away from the white papers and large infusions of new money into transportation andtechnical discussions of the day. infrastructure. How these two forces play out remains to be seen. Sumitomo Corporation of Americas 15'