Topics

Engaging Frontline Employees in Adopting New Transit Technologies

The purpose of this guidebook, made in collaboration with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), is to help management staff in the US transit industry engage frontline employees as they transition into a new era of transit technologies. The guidebook considers broader issues such as workforce shortages, provides advice and information on training frontline employees on new transit technologies, and discusses the usefulness of apprenticeships.

National Center for Applied Transit Technology

April 2023

Making Connections 2022 – Conference Overview and Videos

The Transit Workforce Center hosted Making Connections 2022: The National Transit Workforce Conference in Washington, D.C. on December 13-14, 2022. This conference brought together participants from urban, suburban, rural, and tribal public transportation and industry stakeholders in plenaries, workshops, networking, and ongoing dialogue. Discussions and sessions featured topics including recruitment and retention, training, mentoring and apprenticeships, new technologies, and preparing today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.

Transit Workforce Center

December 2022

Making Connections 2022 – Engines to Inverters: Preparing Technicians for ZEB Deployment

This session about working with ZEB technologies was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.

Transit Workforce Center

December 2022

Making Connections 2022 – Driving Bus Operator Recruitment and Retention: Challenges, Opportunities and Innovation

This session about bus operator recruitment and retention was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.

Transit Workforce Center

December 2022

Making Connections 2022 – Drive to Revive: Preparing Operators for ZEB Deployment

This session about working with ZEB technologies was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.

Transit Workforce Center

December 2022

Electric Vehicle Maintenance Best Practices

This best practice spotlight article on electric vehicle maintenance provides recommended practices and case studies from transit agencies that have successfully implemented these vehicles into their fleets.

National RTAP, Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC), and Transit Workforce Center (TWC)

November 2022

Building Pathways to Infrastructure Careers: Framework for Preparing an Infrastructure Workforce

This resource provides a framework for all workforce stakeholders, including infrastructure project leads, to engage the public workforce system in implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with strong workforce commitments and proven strategies that produce high-quality education, training, and employment opportunities for all workers.

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration

October 2022

How to Improve EV Battery Performance in Cold Weather

This article provides advice and recommendations to transit agencies for maintaining electric vehicle battery performance in cold weather.

Government Fleet

July 2022

National Transit Frontline Worker Recruitment Campaign

Across the United States, whether large, small, urban, rural, or tribal, transit agencies are facing the challenge of recruiting and retaining drivers, mechanics, and technicians who can operate and maintain the buses of our public transit systems.  To help support local transit efforts, TWC is developing the #ConnectingMyCommunity national frontline worker recruitment campaign, coordinated with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and industry, labor, and community partners from around the country.

Transit Workforce Center

July 2022

Providing Training for Zero Emission Buses: Recommended Expanded RFP Language

This document includes recommended language for agencies to build robust training procurement into their ZEB Request for Proposals. It is intended to be used as a starting point for agencies to tailor their training procurement to suit their specific needs.

International Transportation Learning Center; Jobs to Move America

February 2022

Zero Emission Transit Bus Technology Analysis Volume 2

This report, Volume 2, is the second edition of the Zero Emission Transit Bus Technology Analysis (ZETBTA) which includes results from the fuel-cell electric bus (FCEB), battery electric bus (BEB), diesel hybrid bus, and conventional diesel bus technologies control fleet. It integrates lessons learned and best practices gleaned from AC Transit’s extensive experience in deploying ZEB technologies, including developing innovative workforce training programs, data integration and management, and transit deployment viability.

AC Transit

December 2021

Montgomery County Bus Fleet Management Plan

The Montgomery County Bus Fleet Management Plan features a particularly in-depth zero-emission fleet transition plan, including implementation challenges associated with zero-emission buses and recommendations for fleet transition. The plan also dives into maintenance facilities, energy costs, and future infrastructure needs.

Montgomery County Department of Transportation

June 2021

A Zero-Emission Transition for the U.S. Transit Fleet

This report offers a roadmap for federal lawmakers in support of making a complete transition to zero-emission vehicles in transit, including an accounting of estimated agency costs, key assumptions underpinning those figures, acknowledgement of limitations, and workforce development considerations.

Center for Transportation and the Environment

May 2021

Electrifying Transit: A Guidebook for Implementing Battery Electric Buses

This guidebook assists stakeholders with interest in deploying battery-electric buses by describing decisions and considerations required for successful BEB implementation. It includes information about the benefits and barriers of BEBs, BEB basics, charging infrastructure, operation and maintenance, and costs.

United States Agency for International Development; National Renewable Energy Laboratory

April 2021

ASE Transit Bus Test Study Guide

The Official ASE Study Guide for Transit Bus Tests is designed to help technicians prepare for the ASE certification tests, which identify and recognize those Transit Bus Technicians who demonstrate knowledge of the skills necessary to diagnose, service, and repair various systems on transit buses.

Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)

January 2021

Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses

The TCRP Research Report 219: Guidebook for Deploying Zero-Emission Transit Buses is designed to provide transit agencies with information on current best practices for ZEB deployments and lessons learned from previous deployments, industry experts, and available industry resources.

Transportation Cooperative Research Program

January 2021

Mountain Line Zero-Emission Bus Implementation Plan

This is the Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) Implementation Plan prepared by the Northern Arizona intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (referred to as Mountain Line) in contract with the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) with the aim of identifying a zero-emission roadmap for full-scale deployment.

Center for Transportation and the Environment; AECOM

December 2020

MTS Zero-Emission Bus Fleet Transition Study

This study, performed by the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) for the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), creates a plan for a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2040 to be in compliance with the Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation enacted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The results of the study will be used to inform MTS Board members and educate MTS staff of estimated costs, benefits, constraints, and risks to guide future planning and decision making.

Center for Transportation and the Environment; AECOM; Fiedler Group

September 2020

Battery Electric Bus Familiarization Webinars

The International Transportation Learning Center presents three distance-based courses to help transit bus technicians gain fundamental understanding of battery electric bus (BEB) technology. These courses are recorded from live online sessions.

International Transportation Learning Center

June 2020

Bus Maintenance and Bus Testing Program Peer-to-Peer Exchange

This report presents a summary of the bus maintenance worker training peer exchange, hosted by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Significant shifts in the types of transit buses being procured (e.g., from traditional buses to alternative fuel/low- and no-emission buses) require new and different types of frontline worker training. Through the peer exchange, stakeholders, including industry representatives, shared knowledge about bus maintenance worker training and discussed best practices for developing the next generation of highly-skilled bus technicians.

Federal Transit Administration

May 2020

Battery Electric Buses—State of the Practice

This report documents current practices of transit systems in the planning, procurement, infrastructure installation, operation, and maintenance of battery electric buses (BEBs). The synthesis is intended for transit agencies that are interested in understanding the potential benefits and challenges associated with the introduction and operation of BEBs.

Transit Cooperative Research Program

March 2018

Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Framework

The Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Framework was developed by the National Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Committee and approved by the U.S. DOL. It is a competency based framework that includes all of the tasks an apprentice should be able to demonstrate as a result of the training. Tasks are based on the ASE task list and APTA training standards. It is only a guide, locations can add or remove tasks to suit their individual operations.

The framework spreadsheet was developed by ITLC as a more in-depth and customizable version of the Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Framework. Note the various tabs at the bottom for each Job Function.

International Transportation Learning Center; The Urban Institute

January 2018

Transit Coach Operator Competency-Based Framework

This is the full Competency-Based Occupational Framework for Registered Apprenticeship for transit coach operator/bus operators.

The Urban Institute & International Transportation Learning Center

August 2017

National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards for Bus Maintenance Technicians

​These National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) Apprenticeship Standards have as their objective the training of Bus Maintenance Technicians skilled in all phases of bus maintenance. The NJATC and its affiliated Local Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committees recognize that in order to accomplish this, there must be well-developed on-the-job learning combined with related instruction. This recognition has resulted in the development of these Apprenticeship Standards.

Developed by the Intl. Transportation Learning Center and National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship.

Approved and certified by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship on 8/25/2010.

International Transportation Learning Center & National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC)

August 2010

Digital Multimeter Reference Guide

This reference guide explains how to use a digital multimeter, including glossaries, safety precautions, and related resources.

International Transportation Learning Center

Electrified Transportation Pro+ Training and Certification Program

The objective of the Electrified Transportation Pro+ program is to ensure that all individuals across all transportation industries are trained in Electrified Vehicle Systems and Technologies consistently to one standard. The training is completed in preparation to perform the practical and written exams for earning the corresponding Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Certifications.

Electrified Transportation Pro+

Transit Bus Certification Tests

This Test Series identifies and recognizes Transit Bus Technicians who demonstrate knowledge of the skills necessary to diagnose, service, and repair various systems on transit buses. Technicians can use the Official ASE Study Guide for Transit Bus Tests to prepare.

Automotive Service Excellence

West Coast Center of Excellence in Zero Emission Technology

SunLine Transit Agency’s West Coast Center of Excellence in Zero Emission Technology (WCCOE) is a workforce development program focused on deploying and operating zero emission buses in public fleets. Funded by the FTA, this center provide training, best practice information and access to technology and software geared towards the planning, procurement and deployment of zero emission buses.

SunLine Transit Agency