Professor Jeff Casello’s interests lie in urban transportation systems and their impacts on healthy and economically viable urban areas. As such, he conducts research on the design and operation of public transportation systems, urban roadway systems, and facilities for non-motorized modes. His research aims to promote efficient, balanced transportation that enhances regional economic competitiveness and supports social mobility.
He is an expert in the planning, design and operation of sustainable transportation systems. He has written more than 50 articles and reports for both scholarly and professional audiences. In 2015, Casello authored the chapter "Urban Regions" in Natural Resources Canada’s forthcoming book on climate change adaptation and resiliency.
Casello has a specific interest in public transportation systems. He is the lead author (with Vukan R. Vuchic) of Transit Planning for the Institute of Transportation Engineer’s (ITE) third edition of the Transportation Planning Handbook. In 2009, he co-authored a report for the Canadian Urban Transportation Association (CUTA) assessing the economic benefits of transit for Canada. He is an acknowledged contributor to three seminal texts in the field of urban transportation: "Urban Transit Systems and Technology" and "Urban Transit Planning, Operations and Economics", and "Transportation for Livable Cities" all by Professor Vuchic.
Casello has been asked to provide advice to governments throughout Canada. In 2014, he was invited to speak to members of Canadian Parliament on the future of public transportation. In 2016, he helped develop regional transportation policy for the Mayors of Southwestern Ontario. In total, he has made more than 15 presentations to municipal councils in Ontario.
Professionally, Casello has worked as a consultant, instructor and researcher with many transit agencies and cities in the U.S., Canada and abroad. These include Singapore (Land Transport Authority), Washington D.C. (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority), Houston (Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County), Philadelphia (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority), the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Grand River Transit), the City of Kingston (Kingston Transit), the City of London (London Transit Commission) and Mexico City. Casello has also worked in the public sector for the New York State Department of Transportation.
Casello came to the University of Waterloo from the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed his PhD and served as a postdoctoral researcher. He also did his undergraduate work in Philadelphia, as well as a master's degree. He also completed a second master's degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York, where his research involved traveler behaviour in the presence of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). He is a professional engineer in New York and Pennsylvania.