Albeit an off-year for transit ballot measures and for elections generally, 2023 has none-the-less featured numerous actions in state legislatures and at the ballot box that will support the ongoing vitality of public transportation.   Speakers will provide updates on several of the significant actions, review factors that have helped lead to success, and identify tools and resources that available to communicate transit’s message in the years ahead.  

Moderator:

• Paul Skoutelas, President & CEO, APTA

Remarks:

• Michele Wong Krause, Chair APTA; Past Chair, DART Board of Directors, 2021-2023

Presentations:

• Kansas City Transit Ballot Measure:   Frank White III, President & CEO, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
• Minnesota 2023 Legislative Session:  Steps toward stable and dedicated funding for transit – Ryan Daniel, Chief Executive Officer, St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission; President, Minnesota Public Transit Association
• APTA’s Center for Transportation Excellence:   Updates & Resources for the Months and Years Ahead:  Jessica Grennan & Ian Moor

Facilitated Q&A / Audience Q&A

Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, the transit industry is faced with the uncertainty of financial models that no longer work.  Gone are the days of peak commuting hours and reliably predictable ridership.  In its place, we’re left with workforces that are increasingly working from home and utilizing transit on a much more casual basis.

While this all seems new, financial cliffs are old hat for the transit industry, and some agencies have been successful in figuring out how to stave off these rough times in innovative ways.  This capstone project will provide an in-depth exploration of transit agencies that have found innovative ways to fund their operations while continuing to maintain a high level of service for their communities.  This study will result in a toolkit of opportunities for transit agencies of various sizes to think outside the box and address their own financial shortfalls proactively and with solutions that will set them up for sustainable operations.

Project Team:

• Anna Harvey (co-coordinator) - Transbay Joint Powers Authority
• Greg Nordin (co-coordinator) - Nelson\Nygaard
• Jeff Arbuckle (King County Metro)
• Julie Owen (LA Metro)
• Angela Schwarz (WSP)
• Chris Valentin (SEPTA)

Gentrification is occurring in cities throughout the United States as cities continue to develop and change. As a result of the changing landscape, in many cases, people of lower socio-economic status are forced out of the downtown core because they can no longer afford to live there. Our team will examine where displaced populations relocate, and the role of transportation infrastructure investment in gentrification and displacement. The goal is to find out how transit responds to the geographically changing needs of the community and what options are made available to them. We will identify effective policies and strategies that transit agencies can implement to mitigate or address these effects and support the needs of those being displaced.

Project Team:

• Dyanne Sampson (Co-coordinator) VIA Metropolitan Transit
• Nicole McCleary (Co-coordinator) TransPro Consulting
• Shannon Lee Bailey(Miovision)
• Alvin Burns (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority)

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the Transportation Industry's labor market, which was already facing significant challenges. With over 430,000 individuals employed in the transit sector, the task of retaining, attracting, and nurturing the transit workforce remains a formidable challenge.  As we mitigate the immediate effects of the current labor shortage, the transportation industry must simultaneously plan for long-term strategies to attract new talent in the years to come. 

The encouraging news is that opportunity is upon us!  Generation Alpha (born 2010-2024) is reshaping the future workforce landscape, and it’s essential that we engage them now.

This capstone project explores ways that transit organizations can influence the candidate pipeline of tomorrow, today.  This can be achieved through the implementation of collaborative and developmentally suitable early education programs that:

• Spark the imaginations of young individuals when they envision careers in transit.
• Engage today's youth in environments they currently inhabit—schools, communities, gaming platforms, and social media.
• Transform your agency to align with the diversity and equity standards of this emerging generation.

Project Team:

• Tiffani Jenkins (Coordinator) WMATA
• Amy Barry (Coordinator) MV Transportation, Inc.
• Khisha Dukes JTA;
• Neil Nance, HNTB

Although the existence of crime and violence on public transit are not new phenomena, recent increases in crime, violence and anti-social behavior (real or perceived) is causing concern for transit agencies and the customers they serve. Our transit agencies have not only experienced an increase in violence but have also seen growing numbers of the unhoused population take refuge within them. In addition, incidents and interactions with those suffering from mental health and/or substance abuse issues now occur with greater frequency. This has led to the perception that transit is no longer a safe and secure option, resulting in fear of taking the system, loss of existing transit riders and increased difficulty in attracting new ones.

Our capstone project explores the concept of employing a collaborative systems approach to enhancing customer safety. Through interviews, survey data and research, this capstone project incorporates insight and feedback from leaders in both the transit and safety and security industries. While acknowledging traditional strategies and best practices, our project explores real-life examples and innovative approaches that highlight methods to increasing safety and security on public transit that can be applied to any transit agency, regardless of location, size and maturity.

Project Team:

• Lisa Santoro, HNTB (Co-Coordinator)
• Rina Camarda, Toronto Transit Commission (Co-Coordinator)
• Jim MacNeil, Pittsburgh Regional Transit
• Rosa Medina-Cristobal, Dallas Area Rapid Transit
• Cosette Rees, Lane Transit District
• Shanta Williams-Harvey, Metra

As more agencies within the transit industry look to adapt their performance measurements to today’s climate, there is an opportunity for the focus to shift from an emphasis on lagging indicators, such as total ridership, to leading indicators, like reliability or capacity, that can influence outcomes. Today, there is a renewed focus on transit as an essential service, which will allow the industry to consider a new KPI playbook. 

The value approach has gained traction as a way to recognize the importance of customer service-oriented metrics and the ability to enhance value within the community. The goal of this project is to provide constructive content surrounding the reframing of existing key leading indicators as a potential roadmap for future success. 

Project Team:

• Serena Stevenson- RATP Dev USA (coordinator)
• Jennifer Green (Transdev)
• Christopher Pieper (Foothill Transit)
• Lona Hankins (RTA)

This study will identify current problems and challenges facing mobility providers and explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to solve those problems, based on best practices from transit and non-transit industry applications. It will include a framework of industry challenges and comparative AI solutions (e.g., data analytics, state of good repair, asset management, customer service, customer experience, safety and security).

Key learnings in the study will also reflect AI applications in various industries outside of transit, including healthcare, retail, and airlines, to explore how these solutions can be applied to improve performance of transit operations and customer experience. The study will also examine the gains and risks associated with technological advancements and summarize unique challenges and common pain points as mobility providers embark on AI implementation.

Project Team:

• Jennifer Hass (Co-coordinator), Community Transit
• Brian Smart (Co-coordinator), AECOM
• Ryan Armstrong, OCTA
• Brett Rogers, TriMet
• Myat San, BART; Nauni Singh, VTA

As we are coming out of the pandemic that has ruled the better part of our lives for the past few years, the expectations employees have of their organizations have shifted in a way that has smart companies taking notice. Employee engagement is more important now than ever, and as organizations compete not only for hiring but also retaining talent, creating a positive employee experience is critical. However, retaining talent is not the only benefit an organization will see from a positive culture. Employees that buy into their company’s vision and mission and are truly engaged are more likely to be productive and creative in advancing that company’s goals.

 So, how do companies create that positive culture?  This capstone project will begin with the starting assumption that “culture is a verb” and explore a framework, strategy and tactics that influence the employee experience within the transportation industry.

Project Team:

• Celia Ann Pfleckl (coordinator, Amtrak)
• Cristina Barone (coordinator, Link Transit)
• Lucy Andre (Stadler US, Inc.)
• Trey Walker (DART)
• Jillian Linnell (MBTA)
• Lesley Kandaras (Metro Transit)

In July of 2023, new research was released on the necessity of robust and sophisticated internal agency departments, like Human Resources, to function less as “support departments” but instead as vital pieces necessary to solve the lingering transit workforce gap. In collaboration with WTS, this general session will feature transit executives, private sector thought leaders, and non-profit stakeholders, who will detail the opportunities and challenges in building and sustaining a diverse and dedicated transit workforce in a shifting labor market.

TCRP Report 148: Practical Resources for Recruiting Minorities for Chief Executive Officers at Public Transportation Agencies | The National Academies Press

TCRP Report 228: Resource Guide for Improving Diversity and Inclusion Programs for the Public Transportation Industry | The National Academies Press

• Sara M. Stickler, President & CEO, Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS)

• Jannet Walker-Ford, Senior Vice President & National Transit & Rail Business Line Leader, WSP USA  
• Tatia Harris, Chief Culture Officer, METRO Regional Transit Authority
• Nadine Lee, President & CEO, Dallas Area Rapid Transit
• Veronica Vanterpool, Deputy Administrator, Federal Transit Administration

• Michele Wong Krause, Chair, APTA; Chair, Board of Directors, Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Celebrate the achievements of the industry’s finest individuals and organizations!

Join us as we celebrate the achievements of the industry’s finest individuals and organizations. We will honor the “best of the best” of the public transportation industry during the awards. These winners are outstanding role models of excellence, leadership and innovation, whose accomplishments have greatly advanced public transportation.

Additionally, we will recognize this year’s APTF scholarship recipients, the graduating class of Leadership APTA, Sustainability Commitment Recognition recipients, and winners of the AdWheel Awards. Don’t miss out on this celebration of excellence!