Expired CANCELED — Transit 101 for Managers (Introduction to Community Transportation Management) — Instruction by CTAA: Chris Zeilinger, Instructor

This one-day course is designed to help new transit managers, whether new to the field or simply new to their present position, better understand the major topics and issues that will shape their job and the direction of their transit organization. The topics and presentation speak to a variety of transit organizations and operating environments, including urban/suburban/rural, public sector/private nonprofit, general public transit/paratransit/social services transportation, fixed-route/demand-response, etc. Although geared largely to managers in smaller organizations that are subrecipients in state-managed transit programs, the topics addressed in this course are presented in ways that are relevant to new managers in any transit organization.

Topics addressed in this course will include:

Service Design and System Planning

• The nature of transit organizations
• Key federal and state agencies, and why they’re important to you
• Why transit operations exist and how they relate to community priorities
• The variety of transit demand and modalities, and how we match these up
• Some basic service design parameters
• Goals, priorities and performance metrics

Transit Finance and Budgeting

• The major sources of transit funding
• The whys and wherefores of matching funds
• Fares and fare policies
• Why we love to talk about “coordination” and what this might really mean

Transit Operations

• The importance of policies and procedures
• Routine operations: how’s your system supposed to work?
• What do we mean by “accessibility”?
• Customer service
• Safety planning and preparedness
• Maintenance and asset management
• Data collection and reporting

Human Resource Management

• Once again, the importance of policies and procedures
• The importance of complying with laws
• Key elements in effective staff supervision
• Training and professional development
• Responding to challenges that arise

Summing it up: leading the transit organization

• Your role as a transit manager
• Setting and achieving your organization’s goals
• Working with the state and other external partners
• Responding to Adversity
• Measuring and celebrating success
• Looking to your organization’s future

In an overview class such as this, the above topics are addressed quickly and in very broad terms. Throughout the course, participants will be guided to the information and resources that will help them explore key topics in greater and ongoing detail.