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TWC’s Transit Workforce Data Dashboard
Launched in March, 2023, the Transit Workforce Data Dashboard presents quantitative, descriptive data about the composition of the transit workforce and trends in transit employment using a series of charts and graphics. This information is relevant for industry discussions in a range of contexts, including: strategic workforce planning in recruitment, retention, and other areas; examining and addressing opportunities and challenges related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access; and identifying training and funding needs.
Transit Workforce Center
March 2023
Making Connections 2022 – Program Overview
The Transit Workforce Center hosted Making Connections 2022: The National Transit Workforce Conference in Washington, D.C. on December 13-14, 2022. This conference brought together participants from urban, suburban, rural, and tribal public transportation and industry stakeholders in plenaries, workshops, networking, and ongoing dialogue. Discussions and sessions featured topics including recruitment and retention, training, mentoring and apprenticeships, new technologies, preparing today’s and tomorrow’s workforce, and advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
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.
Transit Workforce Center
December 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Career Pathways , Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion , Hiring and Recruitment , Labor-Management Partnerships , Making Connections 2022 , Program Evaluation and ROI , Retention , Safety and Health , Trainer and Mentor Development , Training and Development , Zero Emission Buses
Making Connections 2022 – Meeting Industry Needs: Feedback Session on FTA’s Draft Strategic Workforce Development Plan
This handout was shared with participants in a feedback session held during TWC’s Making Connections 2022 transit workforce conference in December, 2022.
Transit Workforce Center & Federal Transit Administration
December 2022
Session Summary: The Federal Transit Administration, assisted by the Transit Workforce Center, is developing a strategic plan to support, strengthen and advance the transit industry’s workforce development programs. In this working session, participants heard about the current draft version of the plan and provided feedback and input that will shape the final document and direction.
Speakers
Mary Leary: Acting Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration and Innovation – Federal Transit Administration
Expanding Apprenticeship: Return on Investment (ROI)
This is the landing page for Apprenticeship ROI resources on the WorkforceGPS website (sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration of the US Department of Labor). It is updated periodically and includes recent publications released as part of the evaluation of the American Apprenticeship Initiative. These resources attest to the value of apprenticeship programs for organizations and for workers.
WorkforceGPS
November 2022
TOPICS: Apprenticeship , Program Evaluation and ROI
FTA Annual Report on Technical Assistance and Workforce Development for FY 2020 (Report 0180)
This statutorily required annual report provides information on FTA’s Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. § 5314). It provides information on technical assistance, workforce development, standards, human resources, and training projects active in FY 2020. The report also includes information on FTA’s process for making upcoming allocations for FY 2021.
Federal Transit Administration
May 2021
FTA Annual Report on Technical Assistance and Workforce Development for FY 2019 (Report 0168)
This statutorily required annual report provides information on FTA’s Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program (49 U.S.C. § 5314). This annual report provides information on any technical assistance, workforce development, standards, human resources, and training projects active in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.
Federal Transit Administration
July 2020
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Projects of 2015: Summative Evaluation (Report-0153)
This report provides the results of an evaluation of Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program projects awarded in Fiscal Year 2015. Based on a competitive application process, FTA awarded 16 workforce development projects to transit authorities, higher education institutions, Native American tribes, and nonprofit organizations individually or as a consortium.
Federal Transit Administration
February 2020
Apprenticeship is a Win-Win for Workers and Employers
Two case studies of apprenticeship programs highlight different approaches to this tried and true workforce model.
National Fund for Workforce Solutions
December 2019
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program: Key Lessons Learned (Report 0139)
This report summarizes the impacts and lessons learned of individual project models, identifies transit workforce needs, and develops recommendations for the continuation or improvement of FTA’s workforce development efforts and investments.
Federal Transit Administration
September 2019
Tool for Measuring the Cost of Turnover
This Cost of Turnover Tool is a simple, “back of the envelope” calculator to help estimate how much it costs to replace staff. The tool can be useful for transit agencies looking to understand the costs of a low retention rate, or those looking to calculate the return-on-investment of mentoring or apprenticeship programs.
Aspen Institute
March 2019
TOPICS: Program Evaluation and ROI , Retention
FTA Annual Report on Technical Assistance and Workforce Development for FY 2018 (Report 0132)
This annual report to Congress provides information on Fiscal Year 2018 technical assistance, standards, human resources and training projects to improve public transportation as authorized by federal public transportation law (49 U.S.C. § 5314). The report also includes information on FTA’s process for making allocations for FY 2019.
Federal Transit Administration
February 2019
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Projects of 2012: Summative Evaluation (Report 0128)
This report provides the results of the Innovative Transit Workforce Development Program Evaluation of projects awarded in Fiscal Year 2012. FTA awarded a total of $7,048,898 for 16 workforce development projects. Recipients included transit authorities, higher education institutions, Native American tribes, and nonprofit organizations.
Federal Transit Administration
February 2019
TCRP Research Report 194: Knowledge Management Resource to Support Strategic Workforce Development for Transit Agencies
TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Research Report 194: Knowledge Management Resource to Support Strategic Workforce Development for Transit Agencies explores the importance of knowledge management (KM), which is an organization’s process for collecting, storing, and sharing organizational information and knowledge, and provides guidance on implementing KM strategies in transit agencies. In addition, the guidance includes action plans for developing particular aspects of KM, analysis of KM strategies at several transit agencies, and a catalog of KM technology tools and resources.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
January 2018
TCRP Report 184: Maintenance Technician Staffing Levels for Modern Public Transit Fleets
This report identifies existing tools and practices used to determine optimum maintenance technician staffing levels. The report also provides an analysis of variables that influence maintenance technician staffing needs.
A Microsoft Excel calculator is also available, along with a user guide and case study.
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
August 2016
Innovative Transit Workforce Development Projects of 2011 Report (0094)
This report provides the results of the Innovative Transit Workforce Program Evaluation of projects awarded in fiscal year 2011. The evaluation was conducted via review of updates and final report submitted by grantees and telephone interviews with grantees.
Federal Transit Administration
April 2016
Method and Processes for Transit Training Metrics and Return on Investment
This guidebook was developed by the ITLC to help transit agencies determine benefits and return on investment (ROI) stemming from their training programs.
International Transportation Learning Center
September 2011
Quality Training Pays: Training Investment Pays for Itself Six Times Over
You never know how well you are doing until you find metrics with which you can measure outcomes. The Transportation Learning Center has capitalized on this insight through a series of in-depth research reports chronicling work by labor-management partnerships in Philadelphia, PA and Albany, NY. This fact sheet outlines these findings and shows a substantial return on training investment.
International Transportation Learning Center
June 2011
Rail Vehicles Maintenance Training Standards
In response to the transit industry’s need for rail vehicles maintenance training, the Transportation Learning Center partnered with APTA, transit agencies and unions representing transit workers to develop these joint labor-management training guidelines and recommended training practices.
The curriculum, courseware and training guidelines adopted by the group and contained in this Recommended Practice are designed to meet or exceed the licensing requirements of jurisdictions, which currently or in the future, may legislate professional licensure or certification for rail vehicle technicians.
American Public Transportation Association (APTA) & International Transportation Learning Center
June 2010
Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success
The Metrics of Success series chronicles measurable outcomes, in particular return on investment, of transit training partnerships in which the International Transportation Learning Center has had a substantial role. Each Metrics report focuses on quantitative data from a specific partnership, while Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success is an overview of key findings from all Metrics reports to date.
International Transportation Learning Center
February 2010
Building Capacity for Transit Training: International and Domestic Comparisons
This working paper provides an initial overview of the findings from ongoing research at the Transportation Learning Center regarding strong industry-wide workforce development systems in six other countries and in several US industries.
International Transportation Learning Center
December 2008
Metrics of Success Series
The Metrics of Success series chronicles measurable outcomes, in particular return on investment, of transit training partnerships in which the International Transportation Learning Center has had a substantial role. Each Metrics report focuses on quantitative data from a specific partnership, while Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success is an overview of key findings from all Metrics reports to date.
International Transportation Learning Center
May 2008
Transit Partnership Training: Metrics of Success – Expanded Edition
Smart Investment Partnership: New York State's Transit Workforce Training Proves its Worth
Measuring Up: Keystone Training Partnership – Vol. 1
Measuring Up: Keystone Training Partnership – Vol. 2
Keystone – Making a Difference in Pennsylvania Transit
Keystone – Pennsylvania Transit on the High Road
Pennsylvania Transit on the High Road
This report is part of a larger case study that chronicles the development of the Keystone Transit Career Ladder Partnership, including the process of job task/work task analysis, skills gap analysis, and data-driven training development.