Resource Center

The Transit Workforce Center is pleased to host a curated collection of publications and other materials to assist stakeholders engaged in transit workforce development. The Resource Center includes case studies, training materials, research reports, and other materials of interest, including publications produced by federal government agencies, transit organizations, and independent research entities. Resources may be filtered by topic, resource type, and transit mode. This TWC blog post explains how to use the Resource Center.

We are continuing to update the Resource Center regularly. Please contact us via the Request Help menu option if you would like assistance using the Resource Center or are looking for resources on a particular topic. We also welcome suggestions of topics or specific resources to add.

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Mentoring: A Tool for Employee Engagement & Retention

APTA’s podcast, The Transit Authority, presents a two-part series on mentoring. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) will discuss their partnerships with ATU to build and manage successful mentoring programs and how mentoring is a critical tool for knowledge transfer, positive work culture, and diverse perspectives.

American Public Transportation Association

January 2024

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Talking Bus Operator Mentorship – Unlocking the Potential of New Bus Operators through Mentoring

Bus Operator Mentors from WMATA (Washington, D.C./ATU Local 689) and IndyGo (Indianapolis, IN/ATU Local 1070) speak about the benefits of mentorship programs. IndyGo’s President and CEO Inez Evans and ATU’s Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development Jamaine Gibson also share their thoughts on the importance of establishing these programs.

International Transportation Learning Center

November 2023

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Peer Mentoring Program Increases Retention and Decreases Absences of New Drivers

This case study from APTA’s Passenger Transport presents findings from the mentorship program at Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA). GCRTA and ATU local 268 launched their Positive Impact Program, a peer mentoring program that has seen impacts on retention and absenteeism within its first nine months.

American Public Transportation Association

October 2023

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ATTAIN Rail and Facilities Apprenticeship Meeting

This recorded meeting of the ATTAIN Rail and Facilities Committee serves as a resource for transit industry stakeholders and includes presentations on apprenticeship and case studies of successful programs across the country.

Transit Workforce Center

September 2023

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To learn more, please visit our dedicated ATTAIN and apprenticeship page.

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Apprentice Trailblazer Initiative

The Apprentice Trailblazer Initiative is designed to create a national network of diverse apprentices and apprenticeship graduates of all ages and backgrounds to feature their stories and hear their perspectives, show how Registered Apprenticeships increase opportunities for underserved populations, and bring awareness to other career seekers who may be interested in becoming apprentices. 

Department of Labor; ApprenticeshipUSA

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Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner’s Guide

This report is a practitioner’s guide that provides recommendations and resources enabling transit agencies to better assess, plan, and implement their operator workforce management programs. A link to a related TRB webinar is also included.

Transit Cooperative Research Program

August 2023

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Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research BoardTransit Cooperative Research Program; Robert Puentes; Philip Plotch; Brianne Eby; Paul Lewis; Karitsa Holdzkom; Xinge Wang; Douglas Nevins; Kenyon Corbett; Melissa Huber

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Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship On-the-Job Learning Task Book

The Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship On-the-Job Learning (OJL) Task Book allows mentors and apprentices to track competency. The Task Book contains individual job tasks in 10 job functions (e.g., Electrical & Electronic, Steering & Suspension, etc.).

International Transportation Learning Center

July 2023

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The Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship On-the-Job Learning (OJL) Task Book allows mentors and apprentices to track competency. The Task Book contains individual job tasks in 10 job functions (e.g., Electrical & Electronic, Steering & Suspension, etc.). Once the mentor and apprentice both agree that the apprentice is competent in a specific task (e.g., can test, adjust or replace a voltage regulator), each signs-off on that task.

Like the Apprenticeship Framework, the Task Book is aligned with the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) task list and APTA training standards. Under the Contract/Agreement established by each agency’s Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC), however, each agency is free to add, delete or modify tasks to suit their unique operating conditions and bus equipment. The Task Book serves as a useful checklist to make certain that mentors have provided adequate OJL for each job task, and apprentices can demonstrate they are capable of performing those tasks safely and effectively on their own. The use and preservation of the Job Book are the responsibility of both parties.

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Driver Recruitment and Retention Strategies

This blog post from the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center discusses recruitment and retention strategies for transit agencies, particularly in regard to older and disabled workers in the face of industry-wide labor shortages. It includes examples of successful partnerships and effective mentoring programs.

National Aging and Disability Transportation Center

July 2023

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