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Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL)

The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL) provides a viable methodology and platform for access and findability of rural and tribal transit coordination resources across a broad range of transportation technical assistance centers and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

The FTA-funded Technical Assistance (TA) Centers participating in this ongoing work are:

• National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)
• National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT)
• National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)
• National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP)
• Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC)
• Transit Workforce Center (TWC)

The TACL Task Force uses a systematic review process for resources included in the database. New resources will be added on a quarterly basis. Let us know if you would like to serve as a peer reviewer for our resources.

Why was TACL created?

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) published Public Transportation: Enhanced Federal Information Sharing on Coordination Could Improve Rural Transit Services in January 2020. GAO recommended that FTA “develop a communication plan that will effectively share information with state and local stakeholders on coordination opportunities in an accessible and informative way.” This effort was created to improve interagency resource coordination between FTA and its five TA Centers.

How can TACL be used?

TACL resources can be used to identify high quality technical assistance on transportation coordination. The resources can be used for research, training, practice, operations, planning, and other purposes. We encourage authors to cite TACL resources.

Ready to get started?

Visit http://transportation-tacl.org. Click on the Training tab at the top for instructions.

If you have a question about TACL, or if you would like to be considered to become a TACL peer reviewer, please contact info@nationalrtap.org

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FTA’s Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. § 5314) and the Public Transportation Innovation Program (49 U.S.C. § 5312) fund technical assistance centers through national nonprofit organizations across a number of areas to improve public transportation. These nonprofit partners and the work they do play a critical role in supporting public transit agencies. Their services help to:

• Improve transportation for older adults and people with disabilities
• Drive the adoption of mobility management and related promising practices
• Accelerate innovative mobility practices and strategies
• Support rural communities
• Leverage new transit technologies
• Train the public transit workforce
• Provide workforce development technical assistance
• Support research projects selected by the transit industry that address day to day issues
• Support the transit industry meet safety regulations

National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT)

The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) delivers expert, focused technical assistance to transit agencies and organizations in rural areas and small cities to use or develop transit technologies and innovations that make services more cost-effective and efficient. N-CATT’s work supports FTA’s mission and focus on innovation by developing and supporting transit programs and services in rural and small-city America.

National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) is a national technical assistance center funded by FTA with guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living to promote the availability of transportation options that serve the needs of people with disabilities, seniors and caregivers with a focus on the Section 5310 program and other transit investments. NADTC supports the delivery of more effective, efficient, high-quality and coordinated specialized transportation services that maximize federal investments. NADTC provides technical assistance, information and referral; develops field training; implements interactive communication and outreach strategies; and supports communities in assessing their needs and developing innovative transportation solutions.

National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP)

The National Rural Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) was established by FTA in 1987 to provide a wide range of professional services and products. National RTAP addresses the training and technical assistance needs of rural and tribal transit programs across the nation and supports state RTAP programs. National RTAP provides comprehensive free technical assistance programs and resources including training materials, webinars, newsletters and technical briefs, peer resources, research, and innovative technology initiatives. The National RTAP also manages the Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL), which provides a sustainable methodology and platform to access resources across a diverse range of transportation technical assistance centers and FTA.

Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC)

The Shared-Use Mobility Center is a public-interest organization dedicated to achieving equitable, affordable, and environmentally sound mobility across the US through the efficient sharing of transportation assets. By connecting the public and private sectors, piloting programs, conducting new research, and providing policy and technical expertise to cities and regions, SUMC seeks to extend the benefits of shared mobility for all. The Shared Mobility 2030 Action agenda includes improving access to public transit, on-demand shuttles or buses, ride-on-demand services, carpooling and vanpooling, and carsharing, bikesharing and scooter-sharing.

Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM)

The strategic goal of CCAM, operated but the Community Transportation Association of America, is to support federal agencies, their grantees, partners, and stakeholders in improving transportation access for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals of low income. CCAM promotes and facilitates human services transportation, public transit, and non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) coordination that advances people’s access to everyday destinations.

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Transit agencies will necessarily incur expenses in efforts to improve the recruitment, retention, and morale of employees, but will struggle to solicit adequate funding unless they are able to demonstrate the value of such efforts to a broader audience. Thus, developing and implementing ROI assessments is critical. The literature review, survey, and follow-up interviews conducted by the MTI research team found that program outcome measures and programmatic expense data required for ROI is similar across employee development programs but is not currently being uniformly collected across agencies. The research findings demonstrate the need for technical assistance to combat data collection challenges such as staff capacity and know-how.

Link to Full Report Link to Abstract

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It is increasingly difficult to recruit and retain rural and tribal transit drivers. This National RTAP Best Practices Spotlight Article provides practical and easy-to-implement strategies from transit leaders that agencies can use to create a workplace that drivers will want to remain in and thrive in. This article includes advice from Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA), Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA), Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA), and Big Woods Transit (BWT).

Link to Full Article

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Session Description: Strong partnerships between transit and local colleges across the country currently support recruitment, retention, apprenticeships and other career advancement initiatives developed by agencies and their workforce partners. Presenters in this session reviewed and discussed several different models of industry-education partnerships, focusing on how to establish productive working relationships with local colleges to advance workforce development goals.

Moderator:

• Patricia Greenfield: Senior Director, Workforce Education – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Jamaine “G” Gibson: Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development – Amalgamated Transit Union
• Jason Abbott: Executive Director, Workforce Operations – Cuyahoga Community College
• Celeste Chavis: Interim Chair and Professor, Transportation & Urban Infrastructure Studies – Morgan State University (Baltimore)
• Rich Diaz: Workforce Development Coordinator – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575
• Rob Gamble: Sr Workforce and Academic Strategist – California Transit Works!

MC24 College Connection slides

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Session Description: In this engaging session attendees explored strategies for bridging the skills gaps of new hires and heard from presenters as they shared how they identified critical needs and implemented solutions. Participants took part in a working group to provide feedback on national resources being developed in key areas such as mechanical, electrical, computer skills, shop math, and technical writing.

Moderator: 

• Kristen Ribaudo: Senior Instructional Designer – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Michael Hanssen: Supervisor of Technical Skills Training Washington – Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
• Ona Veda: Manager, Rail Training and Development – Metro Transit (MN)

MC24 Successful Career Pathways slides

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Session Description: Employment in public transportation is affected by broad economic and demographic dynamics, but honing in on transit workforce trends can be challenging. The Transit Workforce Center created the Transit Workforce Data Dashboard to distill relevant data points from national datasets. In this session, TWC highlighted specific employment patterns and challenges in transit-related occupations and panelists covered research and trends in national and agency-level datasets.

Moderator: 

• Michaela Boneva: Research Associate – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Nick Biggar: District Director – Greater Cleveland RTA
• Valerie Campo: Mentor Program Coordinator – Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit
• Douglas Nevins: Senior Researcher – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center
• Darnell Morris: Vice President – ATU Local 268, Greater Cleveland RTA
• Dr. Shanta Hejmadi: Senior Data Scientist– Metro Transit (MN)

MC24 Tracking Your Impact GCRTA Positive Impact Program MC24 Tracking Your Impact MTD mentoring metrics MC24 Tracking Your Impact Metro Transit data tracking

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Session Description: As the transit industry works to reach out to the communities it serves to establish strong and effective career pipelines, agencies and their partners often explore how to best attract young people into the industry. In this session, attendees heard from and engaged with young people themselves, along with national and local experts who have conducted research and worked directly with youth. Topics covered include the most effective approaches to connecting with young people and creating awareness and excitement about career opportunities in public transportation.

Moderator:

• Dr. Beverly Scott: Founder and CEO – Introducing Youth to American Infrastructure

Speakers:

• Justin Augustine: Project Manager II – Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
• Kayla Cooper-Redd: 12th Grade Student – TransSTEM Academy, Cardozo High School (DC)
• Sean Holley: Bus Transportation Instructor – Maryland Transit Administration
• Cheryl Rodgers: Director – TransSTEM Academy, Cardozo Education Academy (DC)
• Edwin Rodriguez: Director – Office of Research Management, Innovation, and Outreach – Federal Transit Administration
• Jamaal Schoby: Transportation Planner – Transportation Research Board

MC24 Youth in Transit slides

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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)

MC24 Apprenticeship 101 slides

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Session Description: Are you looking to establish a program that increases retention, provides an edge in recruitment, and advances a positive and collaborative organizational culture? Well-organized mentorship programs with carefully-selected and trained mentors provide documented benefits for frontline workers and the organization as a whole. Check out this intensive full-day workshop to explore how to:

• Initiative, develop, manage, and maintain a strong mentorship program
• Establish a collaborative structure and culture that runs and maintains that program
• Select and train effective mentors
• Explore occupation-specific approaches, challenges, and systems
• Track metrics that measure progress and success

Throughout this full-day intensive, attendees engaged with experienced instructors, facilitators, and peers to:

• Review the foundational elements of transit-based mentorship programs
• Experience TWC’s mentor training program, including: a review of mentor roles; an introduction to varied learning styles; and an examination of communications and problem-solving skills

Moderators: 

• Maurice Beard: Senior Workforce Development Advisor – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center
• Karitsa Holdzkom: Senior Policy Analyst – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Stu Bass: Principal – Progress Worx; Founding Director – Keystone Development Partnership
• Nick Biggar: District Director – Greater Cleveland RTA
• Valerie Campo: Mentor Program Coordinator – Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit
• Lee Estis: Mentor Program Coordinator – Metropolitan Council-Metro Transit (MN)
• Jamaine “G” Gibson: Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development – Amalgamated Transit Union
• Steve Jovel: Operations Manager, Workforce Development – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
• Vanessa L’Esperance: Apprenticeship Program Coordinator – Metro Transit/ATU Local 1005 (MN)
• Dionna McCane: ATU Mentorship and Apprenticeship Coordinator – IndyGo
• Darnell Morris: Vice President – ATU Local 268, Greater Cleveland RTA
• Harpreet Singh: JWI Co-Director – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

MC24 Making Mentoring Matter slides

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Session Description: Check out this immersive half-day session designed to provide information, tools, and strategies that build a foundation for career pathways for community members into good jobs and great transit careers. Participants engaged in dialogue with transit professionals on the opportunities in the industry, gain insight into communicating about these opportunities, and explore approaches to establishing working partnerships with transit agencies and their labor and workforce partners.

Attendees dove into strategies and principles for impactful engagement, hearing firsthand accounts of successful collaborative initiatives and messaging strategies that emphasize the impact and value of working in an industry providing a vital public good. Participants gained invaluable insights into building sustainable workforce solutions that mutually benefit the industry and the community.

Key topics included:

• Exploring transit career opportunities
• Messaging and framing
• Building collaborative partnerships
• Real-world success stories

Moderator:

• David Stephen: Senior Communications Specialist – International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Speakers:

• Rich Diaz: Workforce Development Coordinator – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1575
• Theus Jones: Recording Secretary – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 (DC)
• Antonio Pollard: Organizer – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 (DC)
• Vanessa Sparks: Committee Member – Community Board 12-Queens Transportation Committee
• Carlene Thorbs: Chairperson – Community Board 12-Queens Transportation Committee

MC24 Community Partnerships slides

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The purpose of this Directory is to connect transit managers looking to contract with grant writing consultants available for hire. Agencies can contact grant writers using their information provided by clicking the link below.

Link to Directory

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Along with the Framework, the ETA released additional resources including:

• Implementation Guide and Self-Assessment and Action Planning Tool: Resources to help practitioners implement the Framework and assess and strengthen existing sector strategies efforts.
• ETA Blog Post: “Demand-driven training: Reimagining sector partnerships to build career pathways”
• Training and Employment Notice No. 08-24: Release and Availability of Updated 2024 U.S. Department of Labor’s Sector Strategies Framework
• Virtual Training Series: Learn more about the Framework and strategies to implement and scale sector strategies by viewing each session in this three-part series.

Sector Strategies Framework

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MODERATOR(S)

• Tim Theberge, Division Director, Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance

PRESENTER(S)

• Adam Wagoner, Deputy Director, South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
• Chris Mills, Program Coordinator, MassHire Department of Career Services

Link to Webinar Recording and Supplemental Documents

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The goal of this research is to provide transit industry executives and transportation professionals with awareness of the many tools that are available to help attract more qualified candidates to the transit industry, as well as ways to advance the development
of the transit workforce. This research highlights social media recruiting; online hiring platform improvements; and partnerships with career centers, universities, and recruitment centers to attract new employees to the transit workforce. In addition, increases in pay, benefits, bonuses, providing flexible schedule options, and some other atypical ideas have successfully been used to retain workers in the transit workforce. This research focuses on ways in which all transit stakeholders can invest in all aspects of industry workforce development to ensure qualified employees choose the transit industry and that they are subsequently trained to be the most beneficial assets to the organization and remain there via effective retention strategies.

Link to Full Report

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Shifting demographics in the U.S. workforce indicate that businesses are probably going to need to recruit, train, and retain older workers to ensure their companies remain competitive. However, workplace surveys indicate that most firms are currently not prepared to find and welcome workers who are 50 years of age or older.

Fortunately, a broad array of evidence-based hiring and talent development strategies are at the ready for U.S. employers. These strategies draw from a recent and comprehensive review of employer practices and their influence on economic security and mobility for U.S. workers.

Three key connected takeaways for employers to consider as they plan for ways to leverage this segment of the workforce are as follows:

• Engage directly with older employees in developing their digital skills.

• Seek out the social networks in which older workers operate to find the best recruiting matches.

• Lean into current or former employees and their online connections to identify these social networks.

Recruiting and Retaining Older Workers

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The Project on Workforce released new recommendations for educators, employers, and policymakers on how to improve college-to-jobs connections. With these webinars and stakeholder briefs, they aim to increase attention and investment in college-to-career transitions and show how colleges can better deliver on economic prosperity.

College-to-Jobs Initiative page

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Read Rich Diaz’s Transit Career Story on the TWC Blog to learn more.

View the full case study below:

GGT and ATU Local 1575 Case Study

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Contributors: Dr. Jamaal Schoby, Dr. Beverly Scott

The Barr Foundation provided support for the research element of this important youth empowerment and “people-readiness” initiative.

Critical Conversations

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Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research Board; Transit Cooperative Research Program; Robert Puentes; Philip Plotch; Brianne Eby; Paul Lewis; Karitsa Holdzkom; Xinge Wang; Douglas Nevins; Kenyon Corbett; Melissa Huber

Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner’s Guide Related TRB Webinar

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In the transportation industry, individuals with disabilities should be included in recruitment and retention initiatives. “Opening Doors: Including People with Disabilities in the Transit Workforce” offers an overview of strategies and is one of the feature articles in the July-August 2023 edition (Issue 346) of TR News, TRB’s magazine.

Authors: Judy Shanley (National Center for Mobility Management), Shayna Gleason (International Transportation Learning Center), and Patricia Greenfield (International Transportation Learning Center)

TR News 346: Opening Doors: Including People with Disabilities in the Transit Workforce

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In 2020-2022, LADOT collaborated with LA Walks, community members, transportation and planning practitioners, advocates and others to develop LADOT’s first Spanish glossary. The  project includes over 100 transportation planning and community engagement terms to improve and standardize LADOT’s Spanish language communication, as well as empower Spanish speaking communities to advocate for transportation improvements.

LADOT Bilingual Glossary of Transportation Terms

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An October 2022 survey conducted by APTA revealed that 96 percent of transit agencies of all sizes are experiencing workforce challenges, and 84 percent said these shortages are impacting their ability to provide service. APTA developed these mini-guides building on their 2021 Transit Workforce Readiness Guide and combining industry insights and stories, case studies, lessons learned, and best practices.

Workforce Mini-Guides

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Webinar agenda and presenters

1. Bus operator training and retention – Xinge Wang, International Transportation Learning Center
2. Lessons from Florida – Trish Collins, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
3. Lessons from the Midwest – George F. Fields, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
4. Question and answer session moderated by Robert Puentes, Eno Center for Transportation

Bus Operators—New Strategies for Maintaining the Workforce

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APTA’s Transit Workforce Shortage Study combines information from a survey of public transit workers and interviews with public transportation agencies to provide insight into ways to address the national shortage of transit workers. The report provides information on actions agencies have taken to address the workforce shortage, and the toolkit provides step-by-step answers to workforce shortage scenarios agencies are facing every day.

This report builds on findings from the first interim report.

Transit Workforce Shortage: Synthesis Report and Toolkit

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Session materials from Making Connections 2022 are hosted on the TWC Resource Center. Please click here to view all related materials. A PDF copy of the conference schedule is linked below.

Opening Video: 

Recap Video: 

Making Connections Conference Schedule

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Session Summary: A headline issue confronting all transit systems today – how to attract and retain bus operators in a tight labor market. This lively session began with presentations from the TCRP F-28 research team and TransitCenter on their recently published national research findings on recruiting, developing and retaining transit bus operators.  Labor and management industry practitioners from multiple locations then shared their recruitment approaches and strategies that have been most effective on the ground, and TWC staff summarized the National Transit Frontline Worker Recruitment Campaign.

Moderator

• Rob Puentes: President and CEO – The Eno Center for Transportation

Speakers

• Julia Castillo: Executive Director – Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency
• James Duff: Assistant Vice President, Human Resources – Dallas Area Rapid Transit
• Jeff Hazen: Executive Director – Sunset Empire Transportation District
• Steve Jovel: Transportation Superintendent – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
• Robin Phillips: Executive Director – National Rural Transit Assistance Program
• Harpreet Singh: JWI Director – Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265
• David Stephen: Senior Communications Specialist – International Transportation Learning Center/Transit Workforce Center
• Chris Van Eyken: Program Manager – TransitCenter

Driving Bus Operator Recruitment and Retention Session Slides ISU Returning Citizens Presentation Slides

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This blog post considers steps taken by transit agencies in New York City and San Diego in order to bolster and maintain their frontline workforces in the aftermath of the pandemic and years of labor shortages in the transit industry. The post describes actions like increasing wages, easing CDL requirements, and increasing recruitment efforts.

How to Maintain a Frontline Workforce in 2022

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Public transit providers across North America face a shortage of operators and mechanics during a period of economic instability and reshuffling exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, agencies’ ability to respond to the worker shortage has been hampered by inadequate information about its causes and effects. The Transit Workforce Shortage Study builds a framework for APTA, its members, and its partner organizations to better understand the workforce shortage’s causes and provides best practices for recruiting, hiring, and retaining transit operations workers. The study is comprised of two phases. This document, the Interim Findings Report, synthesizes the findings from Phase 1, which included a survey of transit agencies and background research into the macro causes of the shortage.

This report was followed by a full synthesis report and toolkit.

Transit Workforce Shortage: Root Causes, Potential Solutions, and the Road Ahead

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The American Transit Training and Apprenticeship Innovators Network (ATTAIN), run by the Transit Workforce Center (TWC), is a peer network created for transit agencies and labor unions to explore new apprenticeship programs or enhance existing programs for their frontline workforce.

ATTAIN Rail/Signals/Traction Power and Facilities/Elevator-Escalator slides

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Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) in Massachusetts serves 15 towns within a 400 square miles area in an area where the population triples in the summer with seasonal residents. CCRTA runs seven year-round fixed route lines, several on-demand and hybrid on-demand services, and three summer shuttle services. In 2021, CCRTA served approximately 2.5 million people with 98 drivers.

Faced with driver shortages, CCRTA and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1548 worked together and negotiated driver raises and $1,000 bonuses paid after 90-days. In addition, a six-step salary scale to reach the top pay grade was reduced to two steps. Drivers can now reach the top pay level within two years.

Barnstable County’s older adult population is among the largest per capita in the country, and CCRTA has instituted hiring initiatives aimed toward the older worker and retiree population. In connecting with this population, CCRTA has taken a variety of actions, including:

• Reaching out through Cape Cod Elder Services to communicate CCRTA’s interest in hiring older workers. CCRTA’s Human Services Transportation Manager sits on this organization’s board, facilitating ongoing contact.
• Targeting recruitment of retiring teachers, firefighters, police, and school bus drivers. Cape Cod RTA staff visited schools, fire houses, police stations, and municipal offices to share recruitment information.
• Visited each town on Cape Cod, talked with local retirement agency officials, and posted and mailed banners and notices.
• Overall increase in the agency’s traditional and social media presence generally, including advertising explicitly aimed at older adults, including on social media. Developed advertising, messaging, and imagery to make older workers and retirees feel welcome. To see samples of advertising, visit Cape Cod RTA Jobs on Facebook, the ad on their website’s front page,  and see the video, featuring older drivers, on the CCRTA career page.
• Emphasizing the short time it takes to reach the highest salary level, a compelling message for older people and retirees, who often value salaries more than benefits, as well as the ability to reach the highest level within their time at the agency.
• Offering various employment options, including full-time and part-time, and seasonal. The agency has found that individual needs lead to varied choices; they estimate their older employees have split 50-50 in what scheduling option they choose.
• Providing full CDL training, testing and additional agency-specific training for all employees without CDLs. The agency pays for all training.
• Offering options for non-CDL drivers, who operate smaller vans. The agency encourages the CDL route because it gives drivers more flexibility in shifts and allows them to work and get paid at a higher rate.
• Currently exploring working with the Barnstable County Retirement Commission to arrange for a notice about CCRTA employment options to be part of the Commission’s information packet when an employee puts in for retirement.

CCRTA values its older workforce and their commitment to the job; through its efforts, it has been able to hire a dozen older adults / retirees as drivers. The agency notes that with this population, it is reasonable to expect excellent attendance, while also allowing for the potential of more short-term disability and time for medical appointments. COVID-19 saw CCRTA lose about half of its older adult workforce, given that population’s sensitivity to exposure. However, CCRTA is renewing its recruitment efforts in this area through the various methods noted.

For more information, contact:

Penny Grossman, H.R. Manager – Pgrossman@capecodrta.org – 508-385-1430, ext. 106

CCRTA Website CCRTA Career Page

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Organizations

Akron METRO Regional Transit Authority (METRO): Transit agency serving Summit County, Ohio and the city of Akron, with a fleet totaling 231 vehicles: 140 large buses and 91 smaller paratransit vehicles. METRO employs 425 team members.

Stark State College:  Local event venue and partner in advertising campaign. METRO is currently in the final stages of an agreement with Stark State to supplement its CDL training program.

Program Summary

METRO’s “Come Drive with (B)us” event was a major initiative designed to recruit bus operators.  Held at Stark State College, the event featured on-site bus-related activities, interviews and job applications.  Extensive outreach activities before the event through multiple outlets, combined with the themed ad campaign, brought 99 interested participants and resulted in 71 contingent offers. The key “draw” to this event was the ability to test drive our vehicles on a closed course alongside our staff.  METRO’s idea was that if the thought of driving a bus was keeping people from applying, they could offer a nontraditional mechanism to overcome that hesitancy.  Once that challenge was overcome, the process could focus on the soft skills related to empathy and great customer service that are critical to success.

Key Program Elements

• Pre-event publicity
  • Pop Art themed ad campaign (viewable on Facebook; an example is attached below as a PDF)
  • Free and purchased advertising through social media, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter posts
  • Information on METRO’s website
  • Print ads in local daily and weekly publications
  • Two digital billboards, and flyers on buses and posters at METRO’s transit center
  • A radio ad on several local radio stations
  • Two days before to the event, Stark State College promoted the event on their digital sign, readable from the expressway
  • Four radio personalities from four different stations drove the bus two to three weeks prior to the event and promoted on the air, including one station that put together its own video.
  • Television interviews that resulted in a full story and a variety of mentions of the event on other stations
  • Creating two bus wraps with the pop art feel (see PDF below) on careers, though not event-specific
  • Outreach to past applicants
  • Videos of three in-house of staff driving for the first time, along with videos featuring County Executive and Representative Casey Weinstein, and an invite video from METRO’s CEO
• Event activities and design (see PDF of signage below)
  • Participants were told to bring a valid driver’s license
  • Four clearly-marked stations for applicants to go to where they had the opportunity to:
    • Apply
    • Interview
    • Secure a mobility device
    • Drive a bus
  • Every applicant moved through all four stations
  • At final stop, attendees received:
    • Bag of information
    • Swag
    • Digital and paper copies of the CDL training booklet for them to start studying
  • Event planning activities
    • Started six to eight weeks before event
    • Committee was made of HR, Marketing, Operations, Maintenance and Safety/Security
    • Eighteen staff members worked the day of the event – five working check-in/applications, five doing on-site interviews, two working the mobility station, five running the “test drive” station, and one runner to move between all stations to relieve backlog
    • Used seven 40 foot buses (2 spares) and 2 paratransit vehicles

Outcomes

• Ninety-nine event attendees interviewed and were able to test drive
• Twenty-five additional people applied who could not attend; follow up interviews were planned
• 71 of the 99 were moved through to a “contingent offer” pending background checks with a start date of September 26^th
• Twenty-three of the 99 had areas of their application that required reviewing before proceeding

For more information on this event, contact: Jarrod Hampshire – Chief Operations Officer, METRO RTA 330.808.0144

More recruitment advertising materials and resources can be found here.

Event Flyer 1 Event Flyer 2 Bus Wraparound Ad Design Come Drive With (B)us - Event Signage

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Basic descriptions of some current state and local programs can be found at the links below.

Chicago Second Chance Program Idaho Second Chance Program Indiana Second Chance Program Iowa and Oregon Second Chance Program

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IndyGo’s career page helps site visitors to understand what it’s like to work at the agency and how to apply.  The page also highlights key job benefits and emphasizes the opportunity to serve the community. Overall, the employment section of IndyGo’s website demonstrates a number of key communication elements that support effective outreach to potential applicants.  These elements include:

• An easily accessible and identifiable section on the website.  “Employment” has its own clickable category, not a subcategory that may be harder to locate.
• Clear statements about IndyGo’s mission, emphasizing community service, connection, and working together to make a difference in people’s lives.  These messages attract a range of potential target audiences, and they make clear the difference between a public service career, as opposed to other careers applicants may be considering.
• A detailed list of benefits, with additional specific benefits for drivers noted.  Among those benefits, the list includes unique aspects of the driver position that distinguishes it from other potentially competing careers (e.g., long-haul trucking), noting benefits such as “all local work.”
• Highlighted aspects of the driver position that emphasize the connection with and support provided to riders.
• A thoughtful list of questions for potential applicants to consider about themselves and the type of work they might want before they decide to move ahead with the application.
• Detailed information on how and where to apply, basics of how to prepare for and what to bring to an interview, and important specifics about the steps of the hiring process and initial orientation and training programs.
• IndyGo’s Why I Drive segment on their website includes a video featured in the National Frontline Workforce Recruitment Campaign Toolkit video library elsewhere on this website.  That link on IndyGo’s website also features brief worker profiles, another summary of benefits, and a note on IndyGo’s Second Chance Initiative.
• IndyGo’s website includes a prominent option to translate the site into Spanish.

IndyGo's Employment Opportunities Page

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This resource also includes a link to a webinar hosted in July, 2022 presenting information from the report and slides from the webinar.

Bus Operators in Crisis Webinar Slides Webinar: Operators in Crisis: How Did We Get Here? Bus Operators in Crisis Report

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To meet its need for vehicle maintenance technicians, COTA leadership partnered with TWU Local 208 and Columbus City Schools to provide a Vehicle Maintenance Internship Program, helping students already enrolled in an automotive program to develop additional technology competencies and prepare them for entry level positions. The COTA Vehicle Maintenance Internship Program provides career technical center high school students who have completed their junior year in a participating career-technical program the opportunity to work as paid interns in the Vehicle Maintenance Department at COTA. Students receive classroom training, hands-on training, laboratory experiences, and are partnered with mentors in preparation to enter the workforce as entry level automotive/collision technologies service technicians. From this foundation, COTA has now established a state-registered pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship program to support vehicle technician hiring, retention, and workforce development.

TWC_June_7_Webinar_Slides_COTA_TWU 2025

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While the U.S. public transportation industry has long had a significant bus operator shortage, it has been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic.  COVID-19 has not only exacerbated existing trends, but also introduced new labor market dynamics.  This brief describes overall workforce trends for bus operators, obstacles to recruitment, and challenges for workforce retention, to help inform efforts to recruit more drivers nationwide.

Overall workforce trends

According to 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, there are 162,850 bus operators nationally.  Federal government projections indicate strong growth for bus operators; BLS estimates the occupation will grow “much faster than average (15 percent or higher).”[1]  To keep up with growth and make up for retirements and turnover, the industry will need to recruit scores of new workers.  BLS reported an annual average of 24,600 projected bus operator job openings for 2020 to 2030.[2]

According to BLS, annual wages for the occupation were $45,900 in 2020, which was higher than the national median of $41,950.[3]  Despite having a reputation for paying relatively well and providing robust benefits,[4]^{, [5]}  transit agencies have faced significant challenges to recruit workers in sufficient numbers to meet the growing demand.  The rise of COVID and the omicron variant have created a “labor crisis” in transit, leading Houston Metro to offer bonuses of $4,000 for new drivers, and NYC to try to lure workers out of retirement, for example.[6]

Demographic challenges

One major demographic challenge contributing to the current operator shortage is the disproportionately older bus operator workforce.  As Figure 1 on the next page shows, the median age of U.S. workers was 42.2 years in 2021, and 42.8 years in transportation and warehousing.  For the bus service and urban transit industry, it was 52.7, which is substantially higher than both the nationwide median age for workers and the median age for other subsectors within transportation and warehousing, such as air or rail transportation.[7] The higher median age of urban transit workers is largely attributable to the older age of bus drivers (median 53.3 years)[8], who constitute 60 percent of the workforce[9]. A large percentage of workers are expected to retire in the coming years.[10]^, [11]

COVID-related health and safety issues

Figure 1. 2021 Median Age of Workers for Selected Transportation Sectors

As frontline workers, bus operators risk exposure to COVID-19, and serious health consequences, even death.  For example, in New York City, 136 MTA operators died around the start of the pandemic.[12]  As of December 2021, more than 2,000 COVID cases have been reported among WMATA workers since the pandemic began; seven of the workers died.  According to CTAA, some member agencies have experienced as many as 40 percent of their operators absent from work due to sickness.[13]  COVID-related factors have resulted in bus operator shortages and service cuts,[14] a trend which has occurred in transit systems nationwide.  In addition, some drivers have quit due to fears about the virus or been terminated due to failure to comply with vaccination and testing policies.[15]

Pre-existing labor market dynamics

The pandemic has also exacerbated existing workforce challenges, such as competition for pay.  Stakeholders interviewed for a GAO study reported that other industries which hire workers with similar levels of education, including fast food, may attract workers instead of transit, especially in rural areas or areas with low unemployment.[16]  When the economy is strong, construction also tends to attract workers who might otherwise work in transit.  Furthermore, some workers leave the transit industry once they have earned their CDL.[17]

CDL and new requirements

Transit bus drivers are generally required to hold Class B Commercial Drivers’ Licenses and passenger (P) endorsements. Due to the high cost of self-funding CDL training, employer-sponsored training programs in which costs are covered, such as those run by transit agencies, are an attractive option for job seekers. However, the potential exists for trainees to pursue employment in commercial driving or another sector after completing a transit-oriented training program.[18]  This dynamic is particularly challenging given concurrent shortages of truck and school bus drivers.[19]

Individuals are required to hold a standard driver’s license to qualify for a commercial learners’ permit, which in turn is needed to pursue CDL training.[20] These requirements may impact recruitment of young people, as rates of driver’s license attainment for 18–24 year-olds have decreased slightly in recent decades and may be lower during recessionary periods and among residents of cities.[21]

Regulatory changes impacting entry level driver training (ELDT) may also affect agencies’ ability to fill positions. As of February 7, 2022, the FMCSA has started enforcing universal training standards for entry level driver training and maintaining a database of qualified providers (the Training Provider Registry).[22] Professional organizations representing transit agencies such as APTA and CTAA have expressed concern about these additional regulatory requirements. Agency contacts have also identified challenges related to requirements around license renewal, medical fitness testing, the availability of training during the pandemic and delays with local DMVs processing CDL application due to pandemic staff shortages. FMCSA has granted waivers around certain other CDL requirements during the pandemic, and recently announced a grant to support state capacity for CDL licensing, though the emphasis appears to be on commercial trucking. [23]^, [24]

Assaults against drivers

Driver safety has been a persistent problem.  Assaults against drivers and altercations with passengers have been well-publicized in communities that transit serves.[25]^, [26]A 2015 Monthly Labor Review article identified violence as a key challenge facing drivers, with examples including a 2012 attack with rocks in Washington, DC and a 2013 shooting in Seattle.[27] More recently, drivers have reported increased stress during the pandemic and face threats including violence related to passenger non-compliance with mask mandates, among other issues.  Such incidents have deterred potential applicants from considering a transit driving career and contributed to early retirements.[28]

Lack of interest from younger generations

Younger workers have different expectations about the workplace, which has made it challenging for agencies to recruit them.  Younger workers tend to value flexible schedules, yet operators must often work on holidays and weekends, especially when they first start in the field.  New hires in general may not find this attractive.[29]

Advances in technology­­­

Advances in technology present challenges to recruitment and retention.  ­­The rise of automation and apps requires drivers to possess technical knowledge to operate newer buses and assist customers; this means there is a relatively small pool of qualified workers.  Additional and new types of training are needed for both incumbent and new workers to adapt. Furthermore, drivers report feeling stress from being monitored more often by cameras and tracking technology.[30]^, [31]

Stress and burn-out

Finally, being a bus operator is a highly stressful occupation.  Drivers must operate large vehicles on congested city streets on tight time schedules.[32]  They work relatively long hours with infrequent breaks.[33]  As discussed earlier, technological advances have contributed to worker stress as well.  Operators also experience burn-out due to the stress of dealing with passengers, who may ignore COVID safety rules,[34] or be unruly or violent.

Conclusion

Bus operators have been in short supply for years, and this problem has been magnified by COVID-19.  An aging workforce and labor exits related to COVID have largely contributed to the shortage. Top obstacles to recruitment and retention include pandemic-related health and safety issues, pre-existing labor market dynamics including competition over pay, CDL requirements, assaults against drivers, and lack of interest from younger generations.  Other contributing factors include advances in technology, perceptions of inflexibility, and stress.  To address these workforce recruitment and retention issues for bus operators, key stakeholders from management and labor should keep these data and trends in mind.

Bus Operator Recruitment Campaign

The Transit Workforce Center (TWC) is currently developing a national campaign in coordination with the FTA, along with key labor and industry partners, to effectively address the national bus operator shortage. The TWC is preparing to create a toolkit of materials designed to be adapted by agencies and labor union locals that will consist of templates for commercial scripts, postcard mailers, exhibit banners, talking points for public meetings, social media postings, informational video scripts, and letters of introduction. If any organization has existing models that should be incorporated into these plans, please contact Senior Communications Specialist David Stephen at dstephen@transportcenter.org.

Contributing Authors: Benjamin Kreider (Consultant); Xinge Wang; Douglas Nevins

[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020.  53-3052 Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity.  https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes533052.htm

[2] Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table 1.7: Occupational projections, 2020–30, and worker characteristics, 2020.  https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm. 

[3] Summary Report for: 53-3052.00 – Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity.  O*Net Online.   https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/53-3052.00?redir=53-3021.00.

[4] Shared-Use Mobility Center. “Case Study: Managing the Labor Shortage at Transit Agencies.” November 5, 2021.  https://learn.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/casestudy/managing-the-labor-shortage-at-transit-agencies/.

[5] Laura Bliss. “There’s a Bus Driver Shortage. And No Wonder.” Bloomberg City Lab. June 28, 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-28/there-s-a-bus-driver-shortage-and-no-wonder.

[6] Eli Rosenberg.  “Labor shortages are hampering public transportation systems, challenging the recovery of city life.” Washington Post.  December 28, 2021.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/12/28/worker-shortages-public-transportation/.

[7]Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Table18b: Employed persons by detailed industry and age.  https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18b.htm.

[8] Bureau of Labor Statistics, Table 11b: Employed persons by detailed occupation and age, 2020.  https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11b.htm.

[9] Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix. https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=485100&ioType=i.

[10] Jack Clark.  Testimony before the House Transportation Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways.  March 13, 2019.  https://transportation.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Testimony-%20Clark.pdf.

[11] Robert Puentes et al. “Practitioner’s Guide to Bus Operator Workforce Management.”  Transportation Research Board of The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.  November, 2021. Unpublished interim report.

[12] Benito Perez.  “After COVID, who’s driving the bus?”  Transportation For America.  Nov 2, 2021.  https://t4america.org/2021/11/02/bus-operator-shortage/.

[13] Justin George.  “Omicron deepens bus driver shortage, frustrating passengers as transit agencies pare back service.”  Washington Post.  January 15, 2022.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/01/15/covid-omicron-bus-transit/

[14]  Justin George.  “Bus operator shortage due to covid prompts Metro to reduce bus service.”  Washington Post. December 23, 2021.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/12/23/dc-metro-bus-shortage-covid/.

[15] “MARTA Making Temporary Service Modifications to Address Bus Operator Shortage.”  Metro Magazine. https://www.metro-magazine.com/10155945/marta-making-temporary-service-modifications-to-address-bus-operator-shortage.  November 12, 2021.

[16] US Government Accountability Office. “Transit Workforce Development – Improved Strategic Planning Practices Could Enhance FTA Efforts.” GAO-19-2090. March 2019. https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/697562.pdf.  P. 15.

[17] Puentes et al., 2021.

[18] Puentes et al., 2021.  P. 37.

[19] Bliss, 2021.

[20] FMCSA. “Commercial Driver’s License: States.” December, 2019. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/states

[21] Tefft, B. C. & Foss, R. D. “Prevalence and Timing of Driver Licensing Among Young Adults, United States, 2019.” October, 2019. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/19-0500_AAAFTS_Teen-Driver-Safety-Week-Brief_r1.pdf

[22] FMCSA. “Commercial Driver’s License: Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT). February, 2022. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/entry-level-driver-training-eldt

[23] FMCSA. “Waiver in Response to the COVID-19 National Emergency –For States, CDL Holders, CLP Holders, and Interstate Drivers.” December 15, 2020. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency/waiver-response-covid-19-national-emergency-states-cdl-holders-clp-holders-and-1

[24] U.S. DOT. “DOT, DOL Announce Expansion of Trucking Apprenticeships, New Truck Driver Boards and Studies to Improve the Working Conditions of Truck Drivers.” January 13, 2022. https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/dot-dol-announce-expansion-trucking-apprenticeships-new-truck-driver-boards-and

[25] Puentes et al., 2021.  P. 36.

[26] Luz Lazo.  “Citing attacks directed at buses, Metro weighs service cuts in Anacostia.” Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/citing-attacks-directed-at-buses-metro-weighs-service-cuts-in-anacostia/2012/10/28/3afd6fec-1d29-11e2-9cd5-b55c38388962_story.html.  October 28, 2012.

[27] Bureau of Labor Statistics. “When the wheels on the bus stop going round and round: occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in public transportation.” 2015. https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2015/article/when-the-wheels-on-the-bus-stop-going-round-and-round.htm#_edn1..

[28] Chris Teale. “Transit workers face growing rate of assaults: ‘There’s not much we can do.’” Smart Cities Dive. February 17, 2021. https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/transit-workers-face-growing-rate-of-assaults-theres-not-much-we-can-do/594959/

[29] Puentes et al., 2021.

[30] Puentes et al., 2021.

[31] GAO, p. 16.

[32] Bliss, 2018.

[33] GAO, 2019; Puentes et al., p. 14.

[34] Justin George.  “Omicron deepens bus driver shortage, frustrating passengers as transit agencies pare back service.”  Washington Post.  January 15, 2022.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/01/15/covid-omicron-bus-transit/.

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The Education/Career Readiness Continuum graphic on page 11 of the report might be useful to agencies considering comprehensive workforce development plans.

Workforce and Talent Management Study

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Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research Board; Transit Cooperative Research Program; ICF Allison Alexander

Attracting, Retaining, and Advancing Women in Transit

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This report is designed to assist transit agencies in managing their transit scheduling human capital. The report presents an overview of the practices and procedures transit agencies use to manage their scheduling workforce and will allow agencies to compare what they are currently doing with what others are doing in this area. The report also analyzes how transit systems are evolving their practices to adapt to industry and technological changes. It provides transit systems with new ideas and strategies to retain good schedulers.

Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research Board; Transit Cooperative Research Program; Transit Cooperative Research Program Synthesis Program; Michael J. Walk; James P. Cardenas; Kristi Miller; Jessica Alvarez; Sandy Davis; Peter Hadley

Synthesis 143: Managing the Transit Scheduling Workforce

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Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research Board; Transit Cooperative Research Program; Ken Mall; June Sekera; the Transportation Learning Center and Transit Resource Center

Maintenance Technician Staffing Levels for Modern Public Transit Fleets

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The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) and the Department of Transportation acknowledge the important contributions to this report made by the following people: Xinge Wang, Deputy Director, and Jack Clark, Executive Director, Transportation Learning Center; and Mary Clagett, Director for Workforce Policy, Lois Joy, Senior Program Manager, and Dudney Sylla, Program Manager, Jobs for the Future, for their analysis and writing.

Strengthening Skills Training and Career Pathways Across the Transportation Industry

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Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research Board; Transit Cooperative Research Program

Guidebook Report

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Contributor(s): National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Transportation Research Board; Committee on Future Surface Transportation Agency Human Resource Needs: Strategies for Recruiting, Training, and Retaining Personnel

The Workforce Challenge

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Description: ARISE is an ARC initiative that aims to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through multistate, collaborative projects across Appalachia.

With the additional funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, ARC launched ARISE to strengthen Appalachian business and industry, and to grow and support the development of new opportunities across multiple states.

Posted January 20, 2023 to TWC Resource Center. Please refer to the link below for the most up to date information from the funder.

Information page on arc.gov

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NCIL maintains a map of US CILs on their website. CILs can be a great partner in connecting people with disabilities to transit jobs. CILs are advocacy organizations run by and for people with disabilities in local communities. CILs provide peer support, independent living skills training, information and referral, individual and systems advocacy, and transition from institutions and secondary education. Use the link below to find the nearest your nearest CIL.

Link to Map