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twc@transportcenter.orgResource Center
The Transit Workforce Center is pleased to host a curated collection of publications and other materials to assist stakeholders engaged in transit workforce development. The Resource Center includes case studies, training materials, research reports, and other materials of interest, including publications produced by federal government agencies, transit organizations, and independent research entities. Resources may be filtered by topic, resource type, and transit mode. This TWC blog post explains how to use the Resource Center.
We are continuing to update the Resource Center regularly. Please contact us via the Request Help menu option if you would like assistance using the Resource Center or are looking for resources on a particular topic. We also welcome suggestions of topics or specific resources to add.
Content in external resources linked from the Resource Center is solely the responsibility of the resource authors and does not necessarily reflect the perspectives of or endorsement by the Transit Workforce Center.
CLEAR
College Partnerships in Public Transportation Workforce Development
Community colleges and other postsecondary institutions are leading providers of workforce education in the United States. Increasingly, transit agencies are partnering with local colleges to recruit and train new frontline workers and to upskill existing workers. Transit agencies and colleges, along with labor and community partners, have collaborated in unique ways based on their specific circumstances and needs. Developed through original research, this set of TWC mini case studies features summaries of those efforts, documenting three distinct approaches to partnering with local colleges.
Transit Workforce Center
September 2025
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ATTAIN Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Webinar
This ATTAIN webinar focused on bus maintenance apprenticeship programs and featured Milwaukee County Transit System/Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 and Jacksonville Transit Authority/International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge 759. Panelists from these transit agencies and labor unions outlined the development process and the final structure of their apprenticeship programs while highlighting how this strategy was implemented and why it works, offering benefits for both the agency and the workforce.
Transit Workforce Center
May 2025
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This ATTAIN webinar focused on bus maintenance apprenticeship programs and featured Milwaukee County Transit System/Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 and Jacksonville Transit Authority/International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge 759. Panelists from these transit agencies and labor unions outlined the development process and the final structure of their apprenticeship programs while highlighting how this strategy was implemented and why it works, offering benefits for both the agency and the workforce.
The Indirect Benefits of a Transit Apprenticeship and its Potential Value as a Flexible Postsecondary Pathway
As apprenticeships become more prevalent in the transit industry, they can also emphasize both technical and soft skills to invest in career advancement. This can attract young people to transit careers, which helps address challenges with recruitment and an aging workforce. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s Joint Workforce Initiative (JWI) employs this model by formally recognizing skills acquisition with accredited certificates. This study explores the JWI’s strengths within the revival of non-degree credentials fueled by efforts like the California Guided Pathways Program. Drawing on guidelines for connecting job training with degree programs, the study details the importance of affordability, portability, and articulation and outlines how these features could be further developed in the JWI.
Mineta Transportation Institute
December 2024
TOPICS: Apprenticeship, Career Pathways, Community Engagement, Hiring and Recruitment, Workforce Shortage
Making Connections 2024 – Apprenticeship 101 – How Transit Apprenticeship Operates
This session about transit apprenticeships was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2024 transit workforce conference in November, 2024.
Transit Workforce Center
November 2024
TOPICS: Apprenticeship, Career Pathways, Hiring and Recruitment, Making Connections Conference, Policy and Planning, Retention
Session Description: Apprenticeship programs are rapidly expanding at transit locations across the country. With quality training tied to clearly-identified career ladders and advancement, these programs are commonly regarded as the “gold standard” of workforce development. Documented benefits include increased retention, reductions in absenteeism, and the creation of a sustainable talent pipeline. These programs also result in better employee morale and a more engaged workforce. In this session, presenters walked through the essential steps to developing, registering, and implementing an apprenticeship program. Attendees heard from and engaged with transit labor and management about their joint programs including bus maintenance, traction power, HVAC/facilities, and signals/communications—and explore how to locate and access resources to support new and existing programs.
Moderator:
- Brian J. Turner: Founding Director – International Transportation Learning Center
Speakers:
- Michelle Allison: General Manager – King County Metro (WA)
- Maurice Beard: Senior Workforce Development Advisor –
- Norman Blessant: Financial Secretary/Treasurer – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 381 (UT)
- Rod Dunn: President – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 382 (UT)
- Brandee Gross: Program Manager, Workforce Development – Maryland Department of Transportation
- Dimas Koral-Arocho: Program Manager – King County Metro (WA)
- Stephanie Lewis: Workforce Development Project Manager – Center for Urban Transportation Research
- Kylee Parker: Shop Steward/Joint Apprenticeship Committee Chairman – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1300 (MD)
- Jeff Stambaugh: Vice President – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 (WA)
- Greg Woodfill: President – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 (WA)
ATTAIN Bus Operator Apprenticeship Meeting
TWC’s American Transit Training and Apprenticeship Innovators Network (ATTAIN) met on May 17, 2024 to discuss bus operator apprenticeship. Check out the recording for short presentations from transit peers across the country and an engaging and interactive discussion about the development of bus operator mentorship and apprenticeship programs, how they work, and the benefits they offer.
Transit Workforce Center
May 2024
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Case Study: Golden Gate Transit & Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575
Marin County, California-based Golden Gate Transit (GGT) operates commuter bus lines in four Bay Area counties, including San Francisco. Like many agencies, GGT has struggled with operator recruitment and retention. To address these challenges, the agency and the union representing operators, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575, formed a labor-management partnership, the Workforce Investment Network (WIN). The WIN partnership has implemented bus operator mentorship, apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship programs; formed partnerships with educational institutions and community groups; and identified opportunities to remove particular barriers to entry for job seekers.
Transit Workforce Center
February 2024
TOPICS: Apprenticeship, Career Pathways, Community Engagement, Hiring and Recruitment, Labor-Management Partnerships, Mentorship, Policy and Planning, Trainer and Mentor Development, Training, Workforce Shortage
Read Rich Diaz’s Transit Career Story on the TWC Blog to learn more.
View the full case study below:
ATTAIN Rail and Facilities Apprenticeship Meeting
This recorded meeting of the ATTAIN Rail and Facilities Committee serves as a resource for transit industry stakeholders and includes presentations on apprenticeship and case studies of successful programs across the country.
Transit Workforce Center
September 2023
TOPICS: Apprenticeship, Career Pathways, Community Engagement, Funding Opportunities, Labor-Management Partnerships, Mentorship
Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship On-the-Job Learning Task Book
The Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship On-the-Job Learning (OJL) Task Book allows mentors and apprentices to track competency. The Task Book contains individual job tasks in 10 job functions (e.g., Electrical & Electronic, Steering & Suspension, etc.).
International Transportation Learning Center
July 2023
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The Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship On-the-Job Learning (OJL) Task Book allows mentors and apprentices to track competency. The Task Book contains individual job tasks in 10 job functions (e.g., Electrical & Electronic, Steering & Suspension, etc.). Once the mentor and apprentice both agree that the apprentice is competent in a specific task (e.g., can test, adjust or replace a voltage regulator), each signs-off on that task.
Like the Apprenticeship Framework, the Task Book is aligned with the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) task list and APTA training standards. Under the Contract/Agreement established by each agency’s Joint Apprenticeship Committee (JAC), however, each agency is free to add, delete or modify tasks to suit their unique operating conditions and bus equipment. The Task Book serves as a useful checklist to make certain that mentors have provided adequate OJL for each job task, and apprentices can demonstrate they are capable of performing those tasks safely and effectively on their own. The use and preservation of the Job Book are the responsibility of both parties.