Operator schedules play a critical role in either supporting or hindering your organization's ability to attract and retain frontline staff. By leveraging innovative labor agreements and scheduling strategies, you can create solutions that promote work-life balance for your workforce and drive better outcomes for organizations. To support this effort, the APTA Labor and Employee Relations Subcommittee is presenting data, insights, and real-world experiences from experts nationwide to help agencies assess if alternative scheduling is a good fit.

Panelists:

• TRISH COLLINS, APTA Labor and Employee Relations Subcommittee, Chair; Human Resources Director, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, St. Petersburg, FL
• GEORGE FIELDS - APTA Labor and Employee Relations Subcommittee, 1st Vice Chair; Human Resources Deputy General Manager, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Cleveland, OH
• KELLI COUGHLIN, APTA Labor and Employee Relations Subcommittee, 2nd Vice Chair; Senior Deputy Chief, MTA Long Island Railroad & Metro North Railroad, New York, NY
• KURT LUHRSEN, Interim Chief Operating Officer, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, TX
• REINALDO GERMANO, Planner, Foursquare ITP, Washington, DC
• Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Team: NICK BIGGAR, LISA TOWNES, JOHN PALAGYI, AND SHAWNEE HUBBARD

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, addressed conference attendees.

Featured Speaker:

• Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, (D-RI), U.S. Senate

Introducer:

• Christopher Durand, Chief Executive Officer, Rhode Island Public Transit Authori

Representative Sam Graves (R-MO), Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure addressed conference attendees.

Featured Speaker:

• Representative Sam Graves, (R-MO), U.S. House of Representatives

Introduction:

• Frank White, President & CEO, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority

Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development addressed conference attendees.

Featured Speaker:

• Senator Tina Smith, (D-MN), U.S. Senate

Introducer:

• Luther Wynder, Chief Executive Officer, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA)

Legislative Conference 2025Closing Session Featuring FTA Acting Administrator Tariq Bokhari

Speaker(s):

• Tariq Bokhari, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration
• MJ Maynard-Carey, Chair, APTA; Chief Executive Officer, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
• Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association

The United States will serve as the host for several global spotlight sporting events over the next decade, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup in 11 U.S. cities; the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles, CA; and the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Salt Lake City, UT. Public transportation plays a critical role in moving millions of spectators during mega sporting events.

This session dives into how public transit leaders in host cities, such as Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, and Los Angeles can translate field-level operational needs into compelling Federal policy and investment requests. Panelists will discuss the full scope of requirements tied to mega events, including increased operating costs, temporary and permanent fleet expansion, workforce training, safety and security enhancements, and accessible infrastructure.

Moderator:

• Beth Holbrook, Chair, APTA Legislative Committee; and Board Trustee, Utah Transit Authority

Panelists:

• Phillip Eng, General Manager/CEO, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
• Nadine Lee, President & CEO, Dallas Area Rapid Transit
•  Frank White, President & CEO, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
• Stephanie Wiggins, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Sponsor Remarks:

• Jannet Walker-Ford, Business Line Executive, Advisory and Planning, WSP

Public transportation is more than just a way to get around – it's a vital driver of economic growth, job creation, and community prosperity. In this session, you'll get an overview of APTA's advocacy initiatives focused on highlighting this economic impact. Then, we'll have an interactive discussion where attendees from agencies and businesses share their successful strategies for making the economic case for public transportation investment. Come prepared to share and learn!

Speakers:

• Will Taliaferro, Partner, GMMB 
• Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association

Investing in transit is investing in American jobs. 77 percent of Federal funding for public transit flows to America’s businesses – supporting local economies and a wide range of jobs. Join a distinguished group of panelists to learn effective ways to communicate transit’s economic returns to your Members of Congress. 

Panelists:

• Lucy Andre, General Counsel, Chief of Staff, and Corporate Secretary, Stadler US Inc.
• John Cohen, Vice President, Public Affairs, Alstom
• Caroline Decker, Senior Vice President and National Rail Business Director, WSP
• John Hroncich, Director, North America Transit Sales, BAE SYSTEMS
• Jennifer McNeill, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, New Flyer and MCI (NFI Group)

Moderator:

• Leanne Redden, Vice Chair, APTA; Executive Director, Regional Transportation Authority 

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed conference attendees.

Featured Speaker:

• Sean Duffy, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation

Introduction:

• MJ Maynard-Carey, Chair, APTA; Chief Executive Officer, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs addressed conference attendees.

Featured Speaker:

• Senator Elizabeth Warren, (D-MA), U.S. Senate

Introducer:

• Phillip Eng, General Manager/CEO, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority