Meet DJ Simmons, the Charlotte Observer’s new transportation reporter

Hi Charlotte, my name is DJ Simmons, and I’ll be your new transportation reporter.

I’ll be tackling everything related to trains, planes, automobiles and more, with a focus on how residents are being directly impacted by officials’ decisions.

I grew up in Columbia, S.C., but I got my first taste of journalism at Southern Connecticut State University. It’s there in New Haven, Connecticut where I learned how impactful reporting can be. Following graduation, I joined Hearst Connecticut Media where I covered a variety of towns including Darien, New Canaan and Westport. During that time, I learned how to be nimble as a reporter by covering everything from education to zoning.

But more importantly, I learned how much I loved local reporting and being accessible and responsible to the places I cover. Too often issues are nationalized where people begin to argue with strangers, which can lead people using caricatures to oversimplify complex problems. It can also do the reverse and lead to common-sense approaches being abandoned as people talk past one another. That strays away from a solutions-oriented approach to tackling the challenges of today.

However, at the local level, you can see the direct impact of policies enacted by officials. Things feel tangible. And more importantly, the people making these actions often feel more accessible. At this level you can also see more fruitful debates between neighbors on the direction they would like to see their city go. It’s why I’ve always enjoyed being a local reporter and reporting on the community I live in.

After leaving Connecticut I would go on to report in Athens, Georgia, and then in Charlotte as the race and equity reporter for the Observer. I most recently covered local government and housing for 88.5 WFDD radio in Winston-Salem.

I’m excited to return to Charlotte at a time when transportation is as big a priority as ever. From the recently established Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority, to the airport to the debates on solving traffic on I-77 tolls, there is a lot to tackle.

In my first few weeks, I’ve covered the Charlotte airport readying for Memorial Day as fuel prices rise, a historic vote by the Charlotte region’s transportation board and the turbulent history of the I-77 South toll project.

There’s more to cover, and I’m excited to learn about how people are moving around in this growing city. Feel free to send me suggestions, tips, questions or ideas at my email: lynandro.simmons@charlotteobserver.com.