Engaging the Next Generation of Transit Workers

It’s no secret that the transit workforce is aging. As of 2023, almost 38% of all transit workers were over the age of 55, including 52.7% of transit and intercity bus drivers who were 55 or older. Meanwhile, the transit industry continues to grow: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects openings in key transportation occupations will exceed current employment over the next decade (247,000 openings), through a combination of growth and separations. While recruitment and retention of older workers can and will be part of the solution, many of these openings may remain unfilled unless transit agencies make a concerted effort to attract the next generation of workers. This blog post will explore research on what today’s young workers want in a career, as well as transit industry examples and strategies for recruiting the next generation. 

What Young Jobseekers Are Looking For

In November 2023, Iyai+ released a report detailing the results of a survey, primarily of young people, about their attitudes towards careers in transit. The survey revealed a general lack of awareness about transit careers: close to half of respondents were unfamiliar with the requirements to become a bus / train operator or an entry-level transit mechanic, despite the fact that the survey was fielded largely through transportation industry channels. Among unemployed respondents, nearly half said they would themselves be willing to apply for a frontline transit position. But young people also cited factors that discourage them from entering the transit industry, including perceptions that they could find more competitive pay and benefits elsewhere, wanting more flexible schedules than some transit positions allow, and needing a better sense generally of what the career entails. 

For those who had previously applied to frontline positions, the top challenges respondents cited were commercial driver’s license (CDL) testing or qualification requirements, existing health issues, drug and alcohol testing requirements, and childcare or other family care responsibilities. Respondents also largely expected to receive a hiring decision within one week of an interview, a timeline that is often much longer for transit agencies. This delay can put the industry at a competitive disadvantage with younger job seekers applying to other types of positions (though some agencies are working to expedite the process). Young people listed as their most important life priorities the ability to: be successful at work, maintain a good family life, and keep up their physical and mental health. These priorities suggest a preference for jobs that provide work-life balance and that set them up for success. These data can help transit agencies understand the nature of positions that may appeal most to youth, as well as how to design outreach and hiring approaches to connect with young people in the communities transit serves.  

Successful Strategies

Intentional Recruitment

As the survey results and agency experiences have indicated, reaching youth can require a deliberate outreach and connection strategy. In one example, Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) developed a Youth Career Awareness and Outreach Training Program, starting with a study of workforce vacancies and youth attitudes toward transit. The study’s results pointed Denver RTD toward the development of a career awareness and training program that provided 2-3 weeks of immersion in the transit environment, informational interviews, mentorship opportunities, and career coaching. Though the program is no longer running, several of its graduates are now full-time employees with RTD, and its Talent Acquisition team continues to attend hiring events and career fairs at local schools, universities, and community organizations to promote career awareness in the transit industry among young people. The agency also “significantly expanded” its partnerships with organizations that have direct relationships with young jobseekers (e.g., local nonprofits, colleges) to develop solid recruitment pipelines, according to Iyai+’s report. 

Young people also want their work to be meaningful, and some transit agencies are strategically emphasizing the community service aspect of transit. The industry plays a vital role in the functioning of many American communities, efficiently getting people to work and doctor’s appointments and social engagements. For example, recruitment videos from AppalCART and AC Transit linked younger generations’ desire to do good in their communities with the essential and life-saving work transit is already doing. 

Early Exposure

Many young people are unaware of the opportunities available in the transit industry, from technicians and engine specialists, to drivers, dispatchers, and supervisors. Early exposure helps students discover roles that align with their skills and interests, providing them with a clearer sense of purpose as they proceed through their educational journey. For example, San Bernadino’s  Omnitrans partnered with a local Girl Scout troop to bring 60 junior high school students on site for a Classroom to Career Day designed to expose participants to careers in transit. Augusta Transit (Augusta, GA) has connected with elementary schools to showcase a transit bus that students can walk through, giving them an opportunity to talk with agency staff about public transportation. (Check out the kid-friendly flyer Augusta Transit made to introduce children to the roles of bus operators and mechanics). Other agencies have hosted similar events in celebration of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) National Public Transportation Career Day. The Mineta Transportation Institute offers lesson plans on transportation for elementary-school-aged students, showing that it’s never too early to get kids thinking about how people move from place to place. And for older students, schools like Transit Tech High School in New York City and TransSTEM Academy in Washington D.C. equip students with technical skills to be ready for varied careers in the transit workforce. Short-term programs and courses like the Mineta Summer Transportation Academy (MiSTA) and the Rail Academy of Central California (TRACC) also provide opportunities for high school students to explore transportation careers while attending traditional high schools. These efforts to get kids thinking about transit pay off—in an interview with WESA, Pittsburgh’s oldest bus driver shared that his interest in public transportation started with exposure as a young child riding the bus. 

Pre-Apprenticeships and Internships

Pre-apprenticeships and internships are great ways to expose people to transit careers at a young age. For young adults looking to test out the waters of the transit industry before diving in fully, these programs can provide a holistic introduction. Pre-apprentices and interns gain work experience and build skills that aid their transition into the transit workforce, as well as a real-world understanding of what transit jobs entail.  

To develop a pipeline of emerging vehicle maintenance technicians, Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) partnered with Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 208 and Columbus City Schools to provide a Vehicle Maintenance Internship Program, helping students already enrolled in an automotive program develop additional technology competencies and prepare them for entry-level positions. The COTA program provides high school students who have completed their junior year in a participating career-technical program the opportunity to work as paid interns in the Vehicle Maintenance Department at COTA. Students receive classroom training, hands-on training, laboratory experiences, and are partnered with mentors in preparation to enter the workforce as entry level automotive/collision technologies service technicians. COTA is not alone in pursuing this strategy: Chicago Transit Authority, Jacksonville Transit Authority, Los Angeles Metro, and Golden Gate Transit are among a number of agencies that offer internships or pre-apprenticeship programs as well. For additional examples, APTA has compiled a list of some youth and student training programs. 

Storytelling

When young adults are considering a career pathway, it helps to hear from other young adults already traveling the same road. TWC has been telling the stories of young adults already in transit, like IndyGo mechanic apprentice Kyisha Bond, who has thrived across several frontline transit jobs and has aspirations of climbing the career ladder. People further along in their transit career journeys can also provide examples of the career pathways available and share advice on how to identify mentors, as illustrated and discussed in a 2023 Iyai+ webinar for and about youth. 

Conclusions

Many transit agencies are aware that young people today are motivated to make a positive contribution to their communities through their work, and have used that knowledge in their advertising and outreach. Are you doing something innovative to recruit youth to the transit industry? If so, we’d love to hear about it! Email us at twc@transportcenter.org to share your organization’s story. 

Contributing Authors: Shayna Gleason, Lauren Smith, Patricia Greenfield