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ITLC Welcomes Instructional Designer Marina Budeyeva
ITLC is excited to introduce the recent addition of Instructional Designer Marina Budeyeva to the team. Marina arrives with almost two decades of expertise in instructional design and is well-versed in the development and implementation of training across diverse national and international contexts.
Using her deep understanding of instructional design frameworks, Marina has collaborated with frontline Subject Matter Experts from various stakeholder backgrounds, contributing her skills to a multitude of complex and impactful projects, including developing and implementing training for international organizations and domestic projects on compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices regulations. Marina is looking forward to beginning this new chapter in her career and to bringing her skills and enthusiasm to the team, working together towards collective success.
Marina holds a Master’s Degree from Johns Hopkins University, where she studied Public Health and Human Resource Management. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, experimenting in the kitchen, and going for walks in her local park.
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Train-the-Trainer Level 2: “Creating Courseware That Works”
Last week, ITLC/TWC Instructors Frank Burnett and Grant Young traveled to Sacramento, California to deliver a Train-the-Trainer (TtT) Level 2 session, “Creating Courseware That Works,” for ten Sacramento Rapid Transit (SacRT) trainers and department managers. This training followed ITLC/TWC’s January delivery of a TtT Level 1 session, “Adult Learning Theory and Teaching Techniques.”
SacRT attendees responded positively to the training, with comments that echoed one participant’s observation: “We all came away from the course with new, usable tools for both the agency and for ourselves as professionals.” Similar sentiments were expressed by SacRT’s Manager of Training and Workforce Development Isis Humphrey, who oversaw the program. For more information on Train-the-Trainer classes or scheduling for future sessions at your agency, contact Kristen Ribaudo at kribaudo@transportcenter.org.
|  | SacRT's Train-the-Trainer Level 2 instructors and participants | |
Out of the Office: ITLC Visits Montgomery County's Microgrid Charging Facility at the Brookville Bus Depot
The ITLC team ventured out on an organizational field trip to Montgomery County's Microgrid Charging Facility at the Brookville Bus Depot in Silver Spring, Maryland. Shop Superintendent Phillip Martin and Program Manager for Training/Quality Assurance Michael Schloe led the tour.
Phillip and Michael provided extensive knowledge of the design, construction, and operation of the facility's cutting-edge zero-emission technologies, sharing anecdotes about the many challenges encountered along the journey to net zero emissions. ITLC Instructional Designer Brandon Liu, who works on ZEV-related training issues and who organized the trip noted, “The Brookville bus charging depot is an excellent and state-of-the-art facility in terms of zero-emission technology integration for its fleet. We are very excited to have Montgomery County nearby as it continues leading the charge to implement current and future zero-emission vehicles, technology, and infrastructure.”
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Brookville Bus Depot's Phil and Michael and the ITLC team | |
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Growing Mentorship and Apprenticeship in Texas
ITLC team members traveled to San Antonio, for the annual Texas Transit Association (TTA) Conference and Expo, where ITLC Executive Director Jack Clark facilitated a session titled “Growing Your Own Through Apprenticeship: A Joint Approach to Building Skills for the Frontline Workforce.” This session highlighted how transit agencies can use structured mentoring programs as the foundation for creating registered apprenticeship programs.
After Jack’s overview on the basics of apprenticeship and mentorship, the panel discussion featured Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 260’s Robert E. Garett, Houston METRO’s Maintenance Manager Ricky Mares, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1090’s President Brent Payne, and Austin CapMetro’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Skabowski. The group laid out the essential building blocks for creating and sustaining registered apprenticeship programs for bus technicians and bus operators, while discussing examples of challenges met and lessons learned as they designed and implemented their programs.
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ITLC's Jack Clark, Houston Metro's Rick Mares, TWU Local 260’s Robert Garett, ATU Local 1090’s Brent Payne, and CapMetro’s Andrew Skabowski | |
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Driving Force Behind Bus Operator Mentor Training
Seventeen mentors in CapMetro's (Austin TX) new program, “Driving Force,” engaged with ITLC’s Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard last month, as he led a mentor training program for bus operator mentors in the transit agency's paratransit arm, Demand Response. ATU’s Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development Jamaine Gibson also attended, providing a perspective from the international union. Demand Response Operations Manager Belinda Wilson spoke of seeing other programs succeed, observing "A mentor program would be beneficial for both the clients and the operators here at Metro.”
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The operators spoke passionately about the clients they serve, who regularly require special consideration and patience. Driving Force Program Coordinator Pam Moore said, “I enjoyed the discussions with the other operators. Most of us have been mentoring for quite a while before there was a program. I learned new things about people that I’d known for years. We have all been mentored in one way or another throughout our careers.” | |
ATU Local 1090's Brent Payne | |
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Driving Force is the second operator mentorship program at the agency, following a fixed-route operator mentor program that was established over a year ago by CapMetro and ATU Local 1091. Driving Force is a collaboration that brings together paratransit and fixed route operations of CapMetro to ensure that future operators have a greater opportunity to succeed. | |
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Moving Forward with Bus Operator Mentor Training
Over forty bus operator mentors were in attendance for mentor training at King County Metro in Seattle, where training was co-facilitated by TWC’s Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard and ATU’s International Director of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development Jamaine Gibson. This was the initial mentor training for the Mentors Moving Forward program, a peer-to-peer mentor program jointly run by King County Metro and ATU Local 587, which pairs newly hired bus operators with experienced drivers.
The four-hour mentor training took place at the ATU Local 587 union hall, beginning with opening remarks from King County Metro’s General Manager Michelle Allison and ATU Local 587’s President Kenneth Price. Both individuals expressed an optimistic outlook for the success of this program after nearly a year of planning. Several veteran operators spoke of the partnership between Local 587 and King County Metro working together to make improvements for the future of the agency and the frontline workforce.
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King County Metro Mentor Training trainers and participants | |
A Dive into the Zero-Emission Ferry Industry | |
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ITLC’s Instructional Designer Brandon Liu traveled to Arlington, Virginia for the Global Mass Transit Zero Emission Ferries - East Conference. The one-day event hosted multiple engaging sessions featuring panelists from electric ferry manufacturers and engineers, federal representatives touting policy and funding opportunities, and representatives from cities that have implemented electric ferry infrastructure.
Panelists spoke on current and emerging technology and opportunities for implementation, case studies, research and analytics of current case studies, and funding programs. “It was a great opportunity to get a look into the current state of the zero-emission ferry industry,” Brandon reflected. “Given ITLC’s current work within the zero-emissions field, we look forward to learning more to help agencies plan and transition to this form of zero-emission infrastructure.”
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Survey: Identifying Current and Future Priorities for New Transit Standards Development
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), partnering with the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), has developed and distributed a survey to gather input from a broad range of the industry including all transit workers, transit modes, transit industry associations, members of the academic community and other researchers, federal and state agency employees, consultants, industry vendors/business groups, and others.
The survey seeks your input to identify current and future priorities for new standards of development within the transit industry, and highlight several overarching transit topic areas that would benefit from the development of voluntary consensus standards, recommended practices, or guidance documents. All feedback is significant and much appreciated!
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TWC’s Event Calendar
Stay up-to-date on a range of upcoming transit-related events through the TWC Events Calendar on TWC’s website! Check out state, regional, and national events large and small, including some with only limited space remaining, like the Transit Retreat hosted in Erie, Pennsylvania on May 21-22, aimed at rural, small urban, and demand response providers.
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Overview for Electric School Bus Operators
Join the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, in conjunction with ITLC, on April 10 at 1 pm ET, for part one of a four-part series of webinars on the fundamental understanding of electric school bus technology. This webinar will feature multiple electric school bus (ESB) manufacturers covering a variety of topics that aim to promote fundamental knowledge regarding electric bus components, systems, safety, and charging.
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