APTA Government Affairs and Advocacy (GAA) is hosting an Advocacy Afternoon for APTA members to visit with their Member of Congress on April 14, 2026, on the last day of the APTA Legislative Conference. To prepare for Advocacy Afternoon, APTA GAA will host a webinar to prepare registrants with pertinent information and answer any questions. APTA Leadership will discuss their advocacy experiences, best tips and tricks, and the important APTA messages our members will carry to Capitol Hill. APTA staff will review the various advocacy materials we have available to our members and best social media practices for their time in Washington, D.C. Finally, APTA's contractor, Advocacy Associates, will be on hand to give a brief overview of the schedule application.

Panelists:

• Jillian Kinder, Legislative Representative, Government Affairs and Advocacy, APTA (Moderator)
• Beth Holbrook, Chair, APTA Legislative Committee
• Raymond Melleady, Chair, APTA Business Member Board of Governors
• Caroline Decker, Chair, APTA Business Member Legislative Subcommittee
• Stephen Kendrick, Senior Program Manager, Communications and Marketing, APTA
• Jared Bonina, Policy Analyst, Policy Development and Research, Government Affairs and Advocacy, APTA
• Paige Love, Account Executive, Advocacy Associates

This capstone project endeavored to develop a comprehensive toolkit to enable agencies to navigate operational fiscal challenges, while examining lessons learned from their peers. The research consisted of analyzing the financial health of transit agencies nationwide by examining operations funding shortfalls, policy impacts on funding decisions, and effective balances between capital and operations expenditures in maintaining service quality while also supporting system growth. As part of this effort, over 60 completed surveys from across the country were collected anonymously, accompanied by follow-up interviews with select agencies to gather in-depth insights. The results include actionable strategies to optimize operational funding and support the sustainable development of transit systems nationwide.

Group 7 members:

• Sina Anasteh
• Alexis Carter
• Ricky Cervantes
• Alexa Kolosky
• Erik Mumm

On-demand microtransit usage rose in recent years among public transit agencies across the country, occasionally being used as a replacement for fixed route bus services. On the other hand, microtransit programs have been used as a tool to refine existing fixed route services. This project looks at mid-size transit agencies (serving populations under 700,000) that have leveraged various use cases to best select their mode of transportation, specifically between fixed-route buses and microtransit services. The project considers population density of the service area, geographical restrictions, cost of operation, and ridership/accessibility that will provide an in-depth look at how transit mode selection can differ from one region to another. The project also includes interviews with 17 transit agencies who shared their experiences and lessons learned.

Group 6 members:

• Alex Cruz
• Steven Newton
• Mimi Pinna
• Bruce Thompson
• Rachel Yoo

Childcare is often one of the highest costs for families after housing and can often be prohibitive for employees who work shifts outside of business hours. In the transit industry, general workforce shortages and lower percentages of young parents, particularly women, in the frontline workforce continue to be a challenge. Many organizations are looking for innovative methods including on-site childcare centers and monthly subsidies to stand out from other employers and provide more incentive for parents to work in transit. The goal of our project is to share best practices and considerations for providing a childcare benefit to transit employees, as well as spotlight three transit agencies using different models to address the childcare needs of their employees to increase employee retention, morale and satisfaction. 

Group 5 members:

• Cindy Chen
• Charlie Clark
• Kaden Killpack
• Bryan Mulrooney
• Emily Watts

Transit agencies nationwide are undergoing rebrands of their services to meet the evolving needs of riders and communities in a continued reexamining and reimaging of the mission of public transportation in the post-pandemic era. A transit system rebrand is the comprehensive process of updating and transforming the visual and strategic identity of a public transportation organization. In this project we learn from over 25 different transit agencies and industry leaders about what makes rebrands successful and what common pitfalls there are.

Group 4 members:

• Maya Coleman
• Alexander Houck
• David Oppong
• Mitchell Stoops
• Eva Williams

In 2023 and 2024, Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ saw record breaking ticket sales and attendance in cities across North America. While other touring acts such as Coldplay, Beyonce, and Ed Sheeran have attracted similar or greater numbers of fans, ‘The Eras Tour’ has been noted in multiple publications for its outsized effect on public transit ridership levels.  This project aims to determine what lessons were learned by host city transit agencies while providing service during this mega-event. Based on these learnings, this project will serve as a playbook for future mega-events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Group 3 members:

• Benjamin Aitoumeziane
• Cindy LaBranche
• Kevin Liao
• Ashlee McLaughlin
• Tao Xue

The Transit Network as a Food Network Capstone investigates and explores ideas and actions that transit agencies can consider and implement to better support transit riders’ access to fresh food, including policy changes, partnerships and planning solutions. 25 agencies and organizations across the country were interviewed, including four transit agencies that are highlighted as the case study examples in this Project. The Project aims to facilitate further conversations on this important topic of food accessibility and transit to wider industry audiences including other APTA members.

Group 2 members:

• Jonathan Ahn
• Grace Almeida
• Rahmane Camara
• Theo Nkenfack
• Taskin Sehitoglu

Our project details how personal safety and the perception of safety has an impact on overall ridership. We explored different ways to enhance the personal safety of our customers in an effort to increase ridership and change the perception of public transportation based on interviews with Transit Police Personnel, Agency Customer Experience, and Transit Executives. We researched the public perception of safety and how that compares to available data, as well as if any alternative methods to current safety measures have yielded measurable results in agencies across the United States and Canada. Based on our findings, we found the factors that contribute most to riders’ perception of safety on public transit, and compiled recommendations and best practices for different agencies to incorporate successes in their own systems. Our research yielded a variety of solution types, including but not limited to new/updated technology, committee engagement and outreach programs, ambassador programs, infrastructure and cleaning upgrades, and improved marketing.

Group 1:

• Deepika Gangwani
• Lauren Garoppo
• Geo Joy
• Alex Kumnik
• Miles Varga

Join the American Public Transportation Association’s Center for Transportation Excellence (CFTE) for an engaging webinar on Wednesday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT, 1:00 p.m. CT). This session will explore the different pathways transit measures can take to reach the ballot—and what each approach means for timing, cost, risk, and political strategy.

Moderated by Art Guzzetti, APTA’s Vice President of Policy, the discussion will feature insights from leading practitioners who have successfully navigated these processes in multiple regions.

Jessica Grennan, Executive Director of the Center for Transportation Excellence, will share national perspectives on ballot access strategies and draw on her experience supporting successful citizen-led transit initiatives across the country.

Maggie Muir of KMM Strategies is the lead campaign consultant for Connect Bay Area, which is currently gathering signatures to qualify a measure for the November 2026 ballot that would generate roughly $1 billion annually to prevent major service cuts and improve transit service across the region.

Kirk Hovenkotter, Executive Director of the Transportation Choices Coalition, brings experience from several successful transit ballot efforts, including the Seattle Transportation Levy (which reached the ballot through referral), Yes on Ellensburg Transit (which reached the ballot through the city council), and the upcoming Pierce Transit campaign.

Together, they will walk through the practical realities of getting transit initiatives on the ballot—from signature gathering and referrals to coalition-building and campaign planning. The session will conclude with a live Q&A, giving attendees the chance to ask questions and learn directly from experts working in the field.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical insights, compare approaches, and better understand the routes that can lead to transit ballot success.

Join APTA and UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, for a webinar preparing the launch of World Public Transport Day on Friday, April 17, 2026. This annual event is a new global celebration of the critical role public transportation plays in our everyday lives, the success of our towns and cities and our economic prosperity. It’s one day and millions of journeys. A day to say – we love public transportation, it moves us all.

Panelists:

• Paul P. Skoutelas, APTA President and CEO
• TJ Doyle, APTA, VP of Communications and Marketing
• Matt Kirson, UITP North America
• Catherine Lennon, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, UITP