Resource 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.

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Transit, Belabored: Issues and Futures for California’s Frontline Transit Workforce

This report focuses on frontline transit workforce issues, including employee pay, issues before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the workforce shortage. The report is mainly about transit operators, but also touches on mechanics. It draws on quantitative and qualitative data, including wage data by agency and sector, contracts and agency documents, and interviews with union leaders, agency managers, and operators themselves.

Institute of Transportation Studies
February 2024
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Clean Bus Planning Awards

The Clean Bus Planning Awards (CBPA) program reduces barriers to zero-emission bus deployment by providing school and transit bus fleets with free technical assistance to develop comprehensive and customized fleet electrification transition plans. Applications may be submitted on a rolling basis.

Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
February 2024
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CBPA is not an incentive program, and fleets do not receive direct funding—rather, selected applicants will be allocated technical assistance resources by NREL.

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De-Escalation Training Resource Directory

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has gathered these resources to support the transit industry in developing, implementing, and updating their training programs. The resources illustrate ways agencies throughout the transit industry are implementing de-escalation training.

Federal Transit Administration
February 2024
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How to train for the Bus – The Zero Emission Bus (ZEB)

In this video, James Hall, Principal & Founder of ZEB Tech, and Bekhi Spika, Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer of Spika Design & Manufacturing, have a conversation about transitioning and training the transit workforce for zero-emission buses.

Spika Design & Manufacturing
February 2024
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How to Deal with the Worker Shortage and Evolving Skill Requirements of the Public Transport Sector

This report provides a European counterpart to those produced within the United States on the transit workforce shortage. It gives an overview of the workforce shortage’s causes, as well as recommendations for addressing evolving skill requirements, diversifying the workforce, and more.

Expert Group on Urban Mobility, European Commission
February 2024
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Zeroing in on New Standards for the Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) Fleet

In this video, Bryan Sooter, P.E., Director of Standards at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), and Bekhi Spika, VP and CRO of Spika Design & Manufacturing, have a conversation about ZEB standards, including how standards are created in public transportation; the challenges faced by transit agencies in getting prepared for an entirely new way of operating with entirely new technology in existing, new or modified infrastructure; the kinds of areas that new standards on ZEB can be expected to encompass; and the guidance on resources available from APTA for transit agencies shifting to ZEB fleets.

Spika Design & Manufacturing
February 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; made policy changes to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion; and identified opportunities to remove particular barriers to entry for job seekers.

Transit Workforce Center
February 2024
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Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District’s Zero Emission Technology

Check out Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District’s (MTD) zero emission technology! In these videos, MTD unveils their zero-emission buses and their work to use fully solar-produced hydrogen.

Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District
February 2024
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