The Transit Authority

APTA’s National Mentoring Month podcast series features leaders, mentors, and mentees across the nation and in Canada. This episode’s podcast guests all agree that mentors help to open doors and assist mentees in navigating the changing expectations and skills required to succeed in the industry. Organizations can retain staff by investing in workforce programs like mentoring. If your organization is ready to launch a program, Latinos In Transit (LIT) has a guide available for you to take the first steps (Mentor Program Guide), the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) has a proven model you can follow, and APTA provides the path for the next generation of leaders to gain access to national mentors in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP). Part I of this podcast series has information that can help your organization tap into a mentoring as a workforce strategy. 

In providing multimodal services throughout America's most densely-populated state, NJ TRANSIT has made it a mission to address vital economic, social, and environmental goals through the public transportation it operates.  In this episode of APTA's THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY podcast, NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin Corbett offers insight into evolving travel patterns, the large and nationally significant capital program NJ TRANSIT is implementing, providing mobility for the 2026 World Cup finals, and keeping a large transit system resilient in an era of extreme weather. 

Join our guests to Learn about workforce funding opportunities. Experts from the U.S. Department of Transportation share how to obtain funding for workforce initiatives.   

Speakers:

• Mark Patterson, Associate Administrator for Research, Data, and Innovation, Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
• John Bodnar, Director, Office of Transit Programs, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
• Paige Shevlin, Strategic Advisor for Infrastructure Workforce Development, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation

This podcast explores the transformative influence of women in executive leadership. Hear about the multifaceted ways in which female leaders are shaping the landscape of transit and fostering positive change within their organizations and communities.

Host:

• Dawn Distler, Chief Executive Officer, METRO Regional Transit Authority

Guests:

• Nadine Lee, President & CEO, Dallas Area Rapid Transit
• Erin Rogers, CEO and General Manager, Omnitrans
• MJ Maynard, Vice Chair, APTA Board of Directors; and Chief Executive Officer, RTC Southern Nevada
• Charlotte Shaw, Executive Director/CEO, Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (MAX)

APTA interviews Christof Spieler on his book “Trains / Buses / People:   An Opinionated Atlas of US and Canadian Transit – Second Edition.”    The discussion goes into depth on the attributes of good public transportation, taking a close look at systems across North America.  Factors such as frequency, reliability, access, and legibility are considered, identifying ways transit service is doing well, along with ways it sometimes comes up short.

The Transit Authority is proud to present part-two of series with tools to help you retain and engage staff.

In this episode you’ll hear from Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority General Manager and CEO, India Birdsong-Terry and her team about their peer-to-peer mentoring program. Tune in to learn more about how their team partners with ATU to build and manage the program. 

Part II – Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA)

 NOTE:  Listen to Part I with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

The Transit Authority is proud to present a 2-part series with tools to help you retain and engage staff.

You’ll hear from Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority COO, Derik Calhoun and Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority General Manager and CEO, India Birdsong-Terry. Tune in to learn more about how their team’s partner with ATU to build and manage successful mentoring programs. 

Part I – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)

 NOTE:  Listen to Part II with Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA).

APTA's Transit Authority is proud to present a special 2023 year-end podcast with host Paul Comfort and our friends at Transit Unplugged, with guests Paul P. Skoutelas, President & CEO of APTA, and Petra Mollet, VP of Strategic International Programs. The lively conversation focused on the year that was and what we should be looking forward to in 2024.

The boost in infrastructure funding was, of course, the big news of the year, but it’s somewhat overshadowed by ongoing funding issues at many agencies across North America.

But it’s not all bad, because Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour introduced a whole new audience to transit this year. In city after city, the Eras Tour triggered massive transit use to get to the concerts.

Heading into 2024, everyone is optimistic that we’re finally shaking off the focus on ridership numbers and moving towards what is the service we’re offering, and are we serving everyone we should.

The Vancouver, Canada region stands out as a model for transit supportive land use, transit ridership per-capita, and in its exemplary commitment to sustainability practices.  TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn outlines the ways public transportation is the backbone of mobility in the Vancouver region, and how transit has a central role in fulfilling broader region goals and priorities. 

Recorded on the trade show floor at APTA’s EXPO 2023 in Orlando, Florida, our special guest Stephen Gardener, CEO of Amtrak, discusses a wide range of topics including Amtrak’s role in linking cities, regions and rural America, how intercity passenger rail travel options can be made more attractive, recent and upcoming Amtrak system improvements, career advice for students, and more.