Resource Center

Session Description: This session explored mental health and wellness among frontline transit workers, offering actionable insights from the latest research, practical applications, and best practices. Presenters also highlighted the role and importance of workforce development strategies in promoting a healthier, more productive workforce, and its potential organizational impacts, such as reduced turnover and absenteeism.

Moderator: 

• Karen Philbrick: Executive Director/CEO – Mineta Transportation Institute

Speakers:

• Janie Berry: Deputy Director of Human Resources –Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
• Sandy Brennan: Vice President and Project Manager – Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning
• Michael Coplen: President & Founder – TrueSafety Evaluation, LLC
• John Courtney: Amalgamated Transportation Union Representative – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265
• Ed Watt: Principal – WattADR

MC24 Transit Worker Mental Health slides

Session Description: Apprenticeship programs are rapidly expanding at transit locations across the country. With quality training tied to clearly-identified career ladders and advancement, these programs are commonly regarded as the “gold standard” of workforce development. Documented benefits include increased retention, reductions in absenteeism, and the creation of a sustainable talent pipeline. These programs also result in better employee morale and a more engaged workforce. In this session, presenters walked through the essential steps to developing, registering, and implementing an apprenticeship program. Attendees heard from and engaged with transit labor and management about their joint programs including bus maintenance, traction power, HVAC/facilities, and signals/communications—and explore how to locate and access resources to support new and existing programs.

Moderator: 

• Brian J. Turner: Founding Director – International Transportation Learning Center

Speakers:

• Michelle Allison: General Manager – King County Metro (WA)
• Maurice Beard: Senior Workforce Development Advisor –
• Norman Blessant: Financial Secretary/Treasurer – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 381 (UT)
• Rod Dunn: President – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 382 (UT)
• Brandee Gross: Program Manager, Workforce Development – Maryland Department of Transportation
• Dimas Koral-Arocho: Program Manager – King County Metro (WA)
• Stephanie Lewis: Workforce Development Project Manager – Center for Urban Transportation Research
• Kylee Parker: Shop Steward/Joint Apprenticeship Committee Chairman – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1300 (MD)
• Jeff Stambaugh: Vice President – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 (WA)
• Greg Woodfill: President – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 (WA)

MC24 Apprenticeship 101 slides

Session Description: Transit workers operate in a challenging environment in close contact with the public. Recent years have seen an increase in assaults on transit vehicles and in transit facilities, making the protection of transit workers and riders a crucial goal for the industry. This presentation will feature perspectives from research, transit agency labor and management, and the federal government. Panelists shared updates on transit assault trends, examples of mitigation strategies identified through engagement with agency leaders and frontline workers, innovations in operator workspace design, and models of successful joint labor-management safety planning through FTA’s updated PTASP rule.

Moderator:

• Lisa Staes: Associate Director – Center for Urban Transportation Research

Speakers:

• Lisa Staes: Associate Director – Center for Urban Transportation Research
• Russell Bateman: Training and Education Administrator – Amalgamated Transit Union
• Andrew Falotico: Health and Safety Director – Amalgamated Transit Union
• Alexander Houck: Deputy Chief Safety Officer – Maryland Transit Administration
• Stewart Mader: Senior Program Analyst for Safety Policy – Federal Transit Administration
• Michael McMillan: President and Business Agent – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1300 (MD)

MC24 Transit Worker Safety slides

Session Description: This session explored ways to increase the number of women in careers in the transit trades through initiatives and partnerships that provide support and opportunities for advancement and training. Panelists addressed the barriers to employment women face in entering frontline transit careers, the types of outreach and support that can increase employment, and described the programs and services that help women thrive in frontline transit careers. Transit agencies and union representatives outlined initiatives designed to increase the representation of women in the transit trades, and women in the industry spoke about their first-hand experiences, the opportunities they have been afforded, and the critical role that workplace culture, programs, and policies played in their success. Attendees also heard about opportunities to engage with federal partners, such as the USDOL Women’s Bureau program and the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) program.

Moderator: 

• Karitsa Holdzkom: Senior Policy Analyst – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Annmarie Carmody: Senior Communications Associate – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center
• Shannon Arms: Operations Manager – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
• Laila Bofia: Utility Mechanic – Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA)
• Tisha Carroll: Workforce Development Program Manager – Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA)
• Lee Gibson, DBA: Talent Acquision Manager – Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA)
• Charles Jenkins: Director – Transport Workers Union Local 100, New York City Transit Training & Upgrading Fund
• Celeste Kirkland: Power Division Vice Chair/Safety Inspector – Transport Workers Union Local 100 (NYC)
• Nicole Neri: Regional Administrator – U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau
• Yvette Trujillo: International Executive Vice President – Amalgamated Transit Union

MC24 Women in Transit Trades slides

Session Description: This dynamic workshop focused on the empowerment and upskilling of frontline transit workers in the face of rapidly evolving technologies of AI and automated vehicles (AV). The session explored innovative projects with industry and academic experts on co-designing and co-implementing AV technologies with deep involvement of transit frontline workers and discussed the importance of equipping workers with essential digital skills and knowledge in AI and AV. We examined strategies for the government, employers, and labor collaboration to ensure these emerging technologies serve as tool for worker empowerment and for improving worker safety and health, rather than causing displacement.

Moderator:

• Brooke DeRenzis: Chief Strategy Officer – National Skills Coalition

Speakers:

• Kimberly Cosby: Strategic Policy Advisor – Technology Institute, AFL-CIO
• Sarah Fox: Assistant Professor – Carnegie Mellon University
• John Lyons: Director of Collective Bargaining – Amalgamated Transit Union
• Arjan Van Andel: Strategy and Innovation Director – GIRO
• Michael Walk: Research Scientist and Program Manager – Transit Mobility Program, Texas A&M Transportation Institute

MC24 AI and Automation Workshop slides Co-Designing the Future of Transit Work CMU

Session Description: Employment in public transportation is affected by broad economic and demographic dynamics, but honing in on transit workforce trends can be challenging. The Transit Workforce Center created the Transit Workforce Data Dashboard to distill relevant data points from national datasets. In this session, TWC highlighted specific employment patterns and challenges in transit-related occupations and panelists covered research and trends in national and agency-level datasets.

Moderator: 

• Michaela Boneva: Research Associate – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Nick Biggar: District Director – Greater Cleveland RTA
• Valerie Campo: Mentor Program Coordinator – Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit
• Douglas Nevins: Senior Researcher – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center
• Darnell Morris: Vice President – ATU Local 268, Greater Cleveland RTA
• Dr. Shanta Hejmadi: Senior Data Scientist– Metro Transit (MN)

MC24 Tracking Your Impact slides

Session Description: Consistent with FTA’s strategic goal of driving workforce recruitment, this session explored successful models and strategies for increasing awareness of transit careers among potential workers. Presenters also focused on approaches to recruiting and retaining individuals from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing engagement with the communities transit serves. Through discussions of hands-on initiatives, mentoring and training programs, and partnerships between transit agencies and community organizations, this session explored various ways transit systems can create sustainable pipelines to attract and retain talent from communities of different sizes and demographics.

Moderator: 

• David Stephen: Senior Communications Specialist – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Scott Joiner: Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition – Bi-State Development/Metro Transit (St. Louis)
• Adam Parast: Enterprise and Strategic Initiatives Lead – King County Metro (WA)
• Antonio Pollard: Organizer – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 (DC)
• Dan Stoffer: Manager, Bus Instruction – Metro Transit (MN)
• Jaymi Swarbrick: Director of Human Resources – Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa – MA)
• Trenise Winters: Assistant Executive Director – Bi-State Development/Metro Transit (St. Louis)

MC24 Successful Models for Career Awareness slides

Session Description: As the transit industry accelerates toward zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption, a comprehensive workforce strategy is essential for a successful transition. This session focused on creating effective plans for workforce development, implementing targeted training programs with an emphasis on safety, and ensuring long-term success in transitioning to ZEVs. Attendees learned about applied research, innovative training solutions, and technical assistance designed to help transit agencies develop a skilled workforce equipped to support zero-emission technologies.

Moderator:

• Jason Macumber: Senior Advisor of Workforce Development and Technology – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Eliseo Acosta Jr: Workforce Development Coordinator – Amalgamated Transit Union
• Mark Finnicum: Chief Operation Officer – Stark Area Regional Transit Authority
• Molly King: Deputy Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration, and Innovation – Federal Transit Administration
• Jennifer Sweten: Director of Operations – Missoula Urban Transportation District
• Billy Terry: Director – National Transit Institute (NTI)

MC24 ZEV Transition Strategy Workshop slides