The Building Culture Podcast

#38 Jeral Poskey: Urban Transportation of the Future? Retrofitting Suburbia with Swyft Cities.

Apr 3, 2025

Jeral Poskey, Founder and CEO of Swyft Cities and former Google project executive, shares his vision for transforming urban transportation. He discusses an inventive cable-based mobility solution designed to tackle the last-mile challenge in suburban settings. Skepticism turns to excitement as Poskey reveals how Swyft aims to create walkable neighborhoods amid sprawling suburbs. With projects launching globally in 2026, he explores how adaptable infrastructure and AI can revolutionize city travel and make urban transit more efficient.

52:35

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Episode guests

Jeral Poskey

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Project Swyft, originating from Google's real estate division, aims to revolutionize urban transportation beyond conventional automobile models by enhancing walkability.

The innovative gondola-like system offers a customizable, on-demand transportation solution that prioritizes speed and user convenience while operating above ground.

Swyft Cities provides a cost-effective and adaptable infrastructure model that addresses urban congestion, promoting integrated communities and maximizing urban mobility.

Deep dives

Origins of Project Swift

Project Swift originated within Google's real estate division, aiming to innovate urban transportation and envision a future beyond the automobile-centric suburban model. The initial focus revolved around making Google's employee campuses more efficient, where a significant percentage of employees relied on driving. Innovative solutions, such as comprehensive shuttle services and cycling programs, successfully reduced car usage, allowing for campus expansion approval. This initiative prompted a broader vision for urban environments, incorporating pedestrian-friendly spaces, housing, and recreational areas, reflecting a shift towards integrated urban planning.

Intro

5min

Innovative Urban Mobility: Reimagining Suburban Transportation

2min

Reimagining Urban Transit: The Future of Cable-Based Transportation

3min

Reimagining Urban Transportation

8min

Innovative Solutions for Urban Transportation and Design

4min

Transforming Urban Transportation with AI

14min

Reimagining Urban Transportation

17min

In this episode, I talk with Jeral Poskey, former project executive at Google, and current Founder and CEO of Swyft Cities, about a radically different approach to urban transportation that’s fast, flexible, and surprisingly affordable. Spoiler: it's not autonomous or flying cars.

When I first heard about Swyft’s solution, I was skeptical. But I’m increasingly excited about the possibilities, and how it could unlock walkable districts and neighborhoods within the suburban sprawl context (so basically everywhere).

We get into how Jeral’s experience inside Google’s real estate division led to the birth of Project Swyft, why traditional mass-transit infrastructure isn’t feasible (at least on its own), and how Swyft’s solution solves for the last few miles, weaves between buildings, and adapts to cities as they grow.

If you're into urbanism, real estate, autonomous vehicles, or just want to understand what could actually make our cities function better (without waiting 20 years and wasting billions of dollars for a new train–looking at you, California), this one’s worth your time. And excitingly, Swyft has numerous projects underway around the world beginning in 2026.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to Project Switch and Urban Transportation

01:48 The Origins of Swyft Cities

05:08 Innovative Transportation Solutions

10:31 Skepticism to Curiosity

14:09 The Last Mile Connection and Urban Challenges

17:34 Economic Models and Urban Growth

19:23 Modularity and Network Effects in Urban Transit

21:16 AI and Efficiency in Transportation Systems

23:40 Cost Comparisons and Infrastructure Decisions

24:15 Understanding the Station Design and Functionality

26:22 Infrastructure Flexibility and Cost Efficiency