APTA Government Affairs and Advocacy (GAA) is hosting an Advocacy Afternoon for APTA members to visit with their Member of Congress on May 20, 2025, on the last day of the APTA Legislative Conference. A week before the Advocacy Afternoon, APTA GAA will host a webinar to discuss the Soapbox platform, review schedules, and advocacy tools.

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
• Matt Dickens, Senior Director, Policy Development and Research, Government Affairs and Advocacy, APTA
• Kevin Schultze, President, Soapbox Consulting, LLC

Join this session to discuss transit's concrete economic impact around the country through project development, service implementation, and community development. Investments in transit bring significant economic benefits to cities and regions and for transit riders and non-riders alike. Learn how economic value is being quantified and communicated through measures such as job access, competitiveness, and economic growth.

Thank you and Closing remarks: Leanne Redden, Vice Chair, APTA; Executive Director, RTA, Chicago

Preview of Salt Lake City and the 2026 APTA Mobility Conference & International Bus Roadeo, with Jay Fox, Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority.\

Moderator:

• Collie Greenwood, General Manager and CEO, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

Panelists:

• The Honorable Vanessa Fuentes, Vice Chair for Advocacy, National League of Cities; and Mayor Pro Tempore, City of Austin
• Jay Fox, JD, Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority
• Leanne Redden, Vice Chair, APTA; Executive Director, Regional Transportation Authority
• Leann Caver, CEO, C-TRAN

Steady progress on vehicle automation over the past decade has taken us to a landmark in 2025. The opening this year of the initial phase of Jacksonville’s Ultimate Urban Circulator, the application of advanced automation on the CTfastrak Busway in Hartford, the collective experiences of the many automated shuttle systems across the country, and advancements in research and demonstration provide a strong foundation to build on going forward. Panelists will discuss how these lessons can be helpful to other transit agencies looking to apply automation in ways that will enhance the customer experience.

Moderator:

• MJ Maynard-Carey, Chair, APTA; and Chief Executive Officer, RTC of Southern Nevada

Panelist:

• Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation
• Nathaniel Ford, Chief Executive Officer, Jacksonville Transportation Authority
• Gregory Winfree, Director, Texas A&M Transportation Institute

Celebrate the nation's top bus operators, mechanics, and safety/security professionals at this awards ceremony. These dedicated individuals keep our communities moving forward with precision, professionalism, and pride.

Awards MC:

• Bryan Mays, Anchor, KVUE

Big things are happening in Texas! Join leaders from across the Lone Star State for insights on challenges, successes, and the future of public transportation. Discover how various communities are addressing growth, technology, and accessibility, shaping the evolving landscape of mobility.

Remarks:

• Matthew Welbes, Executive Director, Federal Transit Administration

Moderator:

• Dottie Watkins, CEO, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Panelists:

• Richard Andreski, President & CEO, Trinity Metro
• Chris Mandrell, General Manager, Citibus – City of Lubbock
• Eduardo Miranda Jr., Executive Vice President, Government & Public Affairs, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston Metro)

Join your industry peers as we kick-off the mobility conference in Austin. Hear from APTA leadership and our host, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro), as they share all the exciting and relevant information you will learn and see over the next three days. As we prepare for an exciting two and half days, hear an important and thought provoking message from our Keynote, Amy Jo Martin.

Amy Jo Martin is a Renegade known for humanizing brands and reinvention, She is the author of the New York Times best-seller Renegades Write the Rules, Founder & CEO of multiple companies, a keynote speaker, storyteller, host of the top-ranked Why Not Now? Podcast, an educator, investor and board member with an online following of over 1 million people.

Guiding audiences to take action is the career love of Amy Jo’s life and her zest for doing so is contagious.

• Keynote Speaker:  Amy Jo Martin, Founder and CEO, Renegade Global
• President's Welcome:  Paul Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association
• Chair's Welcome: MJ Maynard-Carey, Chair, APTA; and Chief Executive Officer, RTC of Southern Nevada
• Introduction: Raymond Melleady, President, STER North America LLC
• Host Remarks: Dottie Watkins, CEO, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Host Remarks: Andy Brown, Travis County Judge, CapMetro
• Host Remarks: Jeffrey Travillion, Chair, Board of Directors, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Sponsor Remarks: Andrew Brennan, Vice President/National Transit & Rail Practice, HNTB Corporation

Explore how AI is revolutionizing public transit through strategic adoption, system integration, and cybersecurity. This webinar addresses key readiness factors, including data infrastructure and workforce training, while distinguishing between traditional and agentic AI. Learn to harness AI for efficiency, predictive maintenance, and fleet optimization, while managing risks and aligning technology with your business goals.

Speakers:

• Laiq Ahmad, SVP, Pathward
• Sanaz Yashar, CEO/Founder, Zafran

Moderators:

• Tas Jalali, CISO, AC Transit; Chair, AI Subcommittee, APTA
• Shannon Bailey, Director, Miovision; Vice Chair, AI Subcommittee, APTA; NYPTA Board

Since January 20, President Trump has issued almost 100 Executive Orders, Memoranda, and Proclamations to carry out his Administration’s policy goals and agenda. Many of these directives, together with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) actions, directly impact the public transportation industry.

These Executive Orders and other directives pause some transportation funding; terminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; impose new tariffs; and establish priorities for DOT competitive grants.

This webinar will provide an overview of these Executive Orders and Actions and discuss the impacts of Executive actions on public transportation agencies, funding, current projects, and more.

Panelists:

• Paul Skoutelas, President and CEO, APTA
• Ward McCarragher, Vice President - Government Affairs and Advocacy, APTA
• Taria Barron, General Counsel, APTA
• Stacie Tiongson, Senior Director - Government Affairs and Advocacy, APTA

What's next for workforce in the transportation industry? Join the APTA Workforce Development and Educational Services Team for a virtual workforce summit with resources to support your organization's success. The APTA Workforce Summit was an excellent resource for the industry come together and share solutions, lessons learned, and best practices. The 2025 Virtual APTA Workforce Summit will take the next step by providing access to industry experts who will share solutions for recruitment, retention, and reskilling staff.

Panelists:

• Rosa Medina-Cristobal, SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Dallas, TX
• LaShanda R. Dawkins, Chair, APTA Workforce Development Committee, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Atlanta GA
• Keith Parker, APTF Board Member, President, Goodwill North Georgia, Decatur, GA
• Michael Flocchini, Training and Education Manager, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), Oakland, CA
• Jenny Taylor, Vice President of Career Services and Chief Mission Officer, Goodwill of North Georgia, Decatur, GA
  

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) expanded tax credits for various renewable and clean energy initiatives such as investments into electric vehicles (EV's), EV charging stations, alternative fuels, and renewable technologies like solar, wind, geothermal, and battery storage. While transit agencies were often already engaged in various energy projects, most were not eligible for tax credit monetization until the IRA's adoption of a payment mechanism for non-taxpaying entities to realize the benefit of such tax credits.

During this live webinar, APTA partners with tax professionals from Plante Moran to outline the most applicable available credits, how to qualify for each credit, and the process for claiming each tax credit. This live webinar also provides a companion Energy Credit Guidebook, as well as an on-demand webinar series that dives more in-depth into each tax credit topic.

Panelists:

• Stephen Eckert, Partner – National Tax Office, Plante Moran
• Keith Szymanski, Audit Principal - Transportation Industry, Plante Moran
• Ashley Frase, Audit Senior Manager – Transportation Industry, Plante Moran
• Josh Bemis, Manager – National Tax Office, Plante Moran
• Megan Baumhardt, Staff – National Tax Office, Plante Moran
• John Koenig, Staff – National Tax Office, Plante Moran