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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.
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Making Connections 2024 – Mental Health, Well-Being, and Resilience for Transit Workers: Current Research, Practical Applications, and Best Practice Guidelines for Workforce Development
This session about the importance of mental health resources for transit workers was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2024 transit workforce conference in November, 2024.
Transit Workforce Center
November 2024
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Session Description: This session explored mental health and wellness among frontline transit workers, offering actionable insights from the latest research, practical applications, and best practices. Presenters also highlighted the role and importance of workforce development strategies in promoting a healthier, more productive workforce, and its potential organizational impacts, such as reduced turnover and absenteeism.
Moderator:
- Karen Philbrick: Executive Director/CEO – Mineta Transportation Institute
Speakers:
- Janie Berry: Deputy Director of Human Resources –Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
- Sandy Brennan: Vice President and Project Manager – Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning
- Michael Coplen: President & Founder – TrueSafety Evaluation, LLC
- John Courtney: Amalgamated Transportation Union Representative – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265
- Ed Watt: Principal – WattADR
Making Connections 2024 – Zero In and Power Up: Resources for a Smooth Workforce Transition to New Fuel Technologies
This full-day intensive session about transitions the transit workforce to low-no vehicles was presented as part of TWC’s Making Connections 2024 transit workforce conference in November, 2024.
Transit Workforce Center
November 2024
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Session Description: Currently managing or expecting to begin the process of transitioning part of your fleet towards electrification? Transitioning from work with the 12- and 24-volts electrical systems in traditional diesel and CNG buses to Low-No buses, with upwards of 800 volts, requires a significant commitment to additional skills training and development for new and incumbent transit technicians. As a central component of a nationally-coordinated effort to help prepare frontline technicians with the training needed to meet the challenges and demands of this new technology, TWC has developed a Low-No familiarization course, currently delivered in partnership with National Transit Institute. This full-day session combined an in-depth introduction to key elements of the course resources, freely available to all, followed by an afternoon technical tour of a nearby low-no maintenance facility.
Moderator:
- Jason Macumber: Senior Advisor of Workforce Development and Technology – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center
Speakers:
- Brandon Liu: Instructional Designer – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center
- Brian Markey: Chief Executive Officer – Custom Training Aids Inc.
FTA Safety Training Resources
This landing page features FTA safety training resources, including the 2024–2025 Virtual Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance Workshop and De-Escalation Training Resource Directory, as well as FTA sponsored resources, such as the USDOT Transportation Safety Institute (TSI).
Federal Transit Administration
September 2024
TOPICS: Safety and Health, Training
Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) Technical Assistance Center (TAC)
The Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) Technical Assistance Center (TAC) provides comprehensive technical assistance to help the transit industry meet PTASP regulation requirement.
Federal Transit Administration
August 2024
TOPICS: Policy and Planning, Safety and Health
The Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) Technical Assistance Center (TAC) provides comprehensive technical assistance to help the transit industry meet PTASP regulation requirements, as outlined in 49 CFR part 673.
The TAC:
- Provides one-on-one technical assistance
- Facilitates training and peer-sharing via live webinars and roundtables
- Conducts voluntary technical reviews of draft Agency Safety Plans
- Maintains a resource library with technical assistance tools.
Bus Operator Barrier Design: Guidelines and Considerations
TCRP Research Report 249: Bus Operator Barrier Design: Guidelines and Considerations provides information and guidance for North American public transportation agencies, standards committees, and government and non-government policymaking organizations on designing, procuring, and installing bus operator barriers.
Transit Cooperative Research Program
July 2024
TOPICS: Policy and Planning, Procurement, Safety and Health
The importance of security barriers for transit bus operators became even clearer after the fatal attack on a Tampa, Florida, bus operator in 2019. The need for security barriers was reinforced by a serious attack on another operator for that same system later that year. While these are two extreme examples, they are likely not unique, as many assaults against transit workers have been underreported in the past. Another important but more pernicious risk to bus operator health is viral and bacterial infection.
TCRP Research Report 249: Bus Operator Barrier Design: Guidelines and Considerations provides information and guidance for North American public transportation agencies, standards committees, and government and non-government policymaking organizations on designing, procuring, and installing bus operator barriers to prioritize the health and safety of essential operators and the public they serve.
Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; STYL&TECH; International Transportation Learning Center; Transportation Research Board; Transit Cooperative Research Program; Andrew Krum; Scott Tidwell; Joshua Skole; Erin Mabry; Aditi Manke; Tarah Crowder; Christy Campoll
Assessing Lifecycle and Human Costs of Bus Operator Workstation Design and Components
TCRP Research Report 247: Assessing Lifecycle and Human Costs of Bus Operator Workstation Design and Components, from TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program, creates an easy-to-use toolkit for predicting the long-term safety of and promoting a healthy environment in bus operator workstations.
Transit Cooperative Research Board
June 2024
TOPICS: Policy and Planning, Retention, Safety and Health
Driving trucks and buses is a physically demanding occupation that carries one of the highest injury rates of major occupational categories in the United States. Drivers often work in postures that increase risk of low back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders, slow their response time, and put them at increased risk for acute injuries due to crashes.
TCRP Research Report 247: Assessing Lifecycle and Human Costs of Bus Operator Workstation Design and Components, from TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program, creates an easy-to-use toolkit for predicting the long-term safety of and promoting a healthy environment in bus operator workstations.
Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research Board; Transit Cooperative Research Program; Songlin Wu; Eunsik Kim; Andris Freivalds; Yiqi Zhang; Matthew Parkinson
Workplace Mental Health Toolkit
The Workplace Mental Health Toolkit assists employers’ efforts to support the mental health and well-being of all workers, including people with mental health conditions. Through this toolkit, organizations can learn how to create a mental health-friendly workplace and help their employees access resources that will lead to improved well-being.
Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability
TOPICS: Policy and Planning, Retention, Safety and Health
Fatigue Resources for Transit Operations
To support the transit industry, FTA has compiled resources that can be used to better understand fatigue and fatigue-related issues in the workplace. The site includes resources about understanding sleep, causes of fatigue, symptoms and warning signs, effects, relevance to transit workers and agencies, and fatigue risk management systems.
Federal Transit Administration
TOPICS: Policy and Planning, Safety and Health, Training