ITLC Delivers Train-the-Trainer Level 1 at King County Metro
Last month, Training Specialist Frank Burnett and Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard facilitated a Train-the-Trainer Level 1 course at King County Metro in Seattle. The week-long training covered practical methods and tools for enhancing classroom instruction and engagement. Participants included seven bus trainers and one instructional designer, working to build their skills through hands-on activities, lesson planning, collaborative discussions, assessments, and evaluation practices.
The International Transportation Learning Center’s (ITLC) Train-the-Trainer Level 1 establishes a foundation in adult learning theory and principles and equips participants with strategies to enhance their effectiveness as instructors. Explore the Train-the-Trainer page on ITLC’s website or contact Kristen Ribaudo at kribaudo@transportcenter.org.
| | Train-the-Trainer Level 1 course participants and facilitators at King County Metro | | Building the Future Transit Workforce With TC3 at SWTA | |
In late March, Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard and Program Manager of Instructional Design Kristen Ribaudo attended the 2026 Southwest Transit Association (SWTA) & New Mexico Joint Annual Conference & Expo in Albuquerque. Representing the Transit Workforce Center (TWC), they presented on TWC’s recently updated Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3), which begins rolling out in June. They explained how TC3 can help agencies build and sustain a skilled frontline workforce prepared for both today’s operational demands and tomorrow’s emerging technologies.
TC3 is a free, modular, and ready-to-use curriculum designed to help agencies attract, prepare, and grow transit talent. Session attendees learned how the program supports workforce development through two complementary pathways — industry introduction and career awareness — and technical skills development in mechanical, electrical, computer, and math.
Maurice and Kristen also had the opportunity to connect with transit leaders and workforce development professionals at the TWC exhibitor table, where they shared TWC resources that agencies can use to strengthen workforce development efforts at home.
Stay up to date on TC3 announcements and the upcoming June 2 webinar by subscribing to TWC’s email list. For more information, contact Kristen Ribaudo at kribaudo@transportcenter.org.
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ATTAIN Webinar Recap on Bus Maintenance Apprenticeships
On March 26, TWC held its latest installment of the American Transit Training and Apprenticeship Innovators Network (ATTAIN) webinar series. This session focused on bus maintenance apprenticeships and featured Transport Workers Union Local 291 President Joseph D’Elia, Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works' Special Projects Administrator Renita Revere, and High Valley Transit's Executive Director Caroline Rodriguez and Transit Human Resources Director Allie Shorkey highlighting their recently registered apprenticeship programs.
Senior Workforce Development Advisor Maurice Beard and Senior Policy Analyst Karitsa Holdzkom described apprenticeship requirements and the process for development and registration, with additional guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor's Utah Office of Apprenticeship’s State Director David Kuehl. Over 100 attendees then engaged in an interactive Q&A session. Topic areas and related questions covered included apprenticeship competencies, trainers and training capacity, restarting previously existing programs, community college partnerships, and funding opportunities. ATTAIN is a peer network created for transit agencies and workforce partners interested in starting new apprenticeship programs or enhancing existing programs for their frontline workforce.
To review the live event and the noted resources, check out the webinar recording and presentation slides. For more information about apprenticeships, mentorships, or future ATTAIN meetings, contact Karitsa Holdzkom at kholdzkom@transportcenter.org.
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Webinar presenters: Top row—Maurice Beard, Joseph D’Elia, and Karitsa Holdzkom
Middle row—Renita Revere, Dr. David Kuehl, and Caroline Rodriguez
Bottom row— Allie Shorkey
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Advancing Transit Workforce Development at Transit Retreat
In early March, Senior Director for Workforce Education Pat Greenfield and Program Manager for Instructional Design Kristen Ribaudo traveled to Mobile, Alabama, to participate in the 2026 Transit Retreat. Each year, TWC partners with Tim Geibel, Transit Retreat’s founder and coordinator and Crawford Area Transportation Authority (Erie, PA) Executive Director, along with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) technical assistance centers, to present sessions for attendees from rural, small urban, and demand response providers.
Kristen and Pat led the workshop, “Supporting and Strengthening a Skilled Frontline Workforce – How to Use the Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3),” featuring an engaging discussion of TC3’s practical applications. TC3 will be formally released by TWC in early June. Pat also paired with ITLC’s Board of Directors’ Senior Fellow and CEO and Founder of Introducing Youth to American Infrastructure Dr. Beverly Scott, to present “Driving Forward with a Next-Gen Workforce.” The session explored research, stories, and strategies connected to attracting and retaining young people in the transit workforce. Additionally, Pat and Kristen participated in a panel session introducing the audience to FTA’s technical assistance centers and staffed a table, offering resources and direct technical assistance to attendees.
| | Michael Cavitt (Iyai), Dr. Beverly Scott, Pat Greenfield, Tim Geibel, Alvaro Villagran (SUMC), and Kristen Ribaudo | |
ITLC Highlights Workforce Needs at 2026 National Safety Summit
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Executive Director Jack Clark and ITLC Board Member and President of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department Greg Regan participated in the 2026 National Safety Summit of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) University Transportation Centers hosted in Washington, D.C., on March 19.
The Summit focused heavily on highway safety and promoted the adoption of Autonomous Vehicle (AV) technology to reduce roadway deaths. U.S. House Member from Michigan, Debbie Dingell, gave a conference keynote address focusing on bipartisan legislation she has sponsored to create a national framework for AV regulation. Several representatives from DOT emphasized the administration’s goal of the U.S. leading AV and AI adoption.
The conference addressed various modes of transportation beyond highways. Jack’s and Greg’s panel presentations addressed the need for policies that support workers in any transition. Greg discussed his work with airline pilots who are eager to have more technology in the cockpit, as well as the experience of freight railroad workers who are witnessing technology displace safety-critical jobs.
Jack noted that in transit the prevailing consensus is that moving to AV should neither eliminate nor degrade jobs. A critical gap remains, as there is currently no specific planning or dedicated funding to ensure this goal is met as AV pilot programs roll out and begin to affect jobs. He called for greater industry transparency about the skills needed in the future and emphasized the central need for the existing workforce to be a full partner in planning any transition.
| Jack Clark speaking on a panel at the National Safety Summit | | Your Voice Matters – Help Shape the Future of Transit Safety | |
On behalf of the Federal Transit Administration, the Transportation Research Board’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) has launched a national study examining how transit agencies are implementing Safety Management Systems (SMS) across the transit industry.
This research examines how SMS is being applied in practice under 49 CFR Part 673 – identifying what is working well, where challenges persist, and which strategies and tools are most effective in supporting frontline safety, safety-critical decision-making, and safety culture. The study will also explore practical approaches to strengthening employee engagement and psychological safety as core components of successful SMS implementation.
As part of this effort, TCRP is inviting transit agency representatives across all sectors of the industry to participate in an online survey and follow-on confidential interviews or case study discussions.
They are seeking input from a broad cross-section of the transit workforce, including:
- Agency leadership, executives, managers, and supervisors
- Safety and operations professionals
- Frontline operators and maintenance personnel
- Union representatives
- Grant and program managers
Please take 15-20 minutes to participate and share the survey with your co-workers and colleagues to help reach others across the industry. Your perspective is essential to shaping the future of transit safety. The survey will be open until April 27.
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For questions or additional information, feel free to reach out to any member of TCRP's research team:
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Detroit Free Press – Apr. 3, 2026
Transport Workers Union Local 100 – Apr. 2, 2026
Lane Transit District – Mar. 25, 2026
Vanhollen – Mar. 24, 2026
Star Transit – Mar. 23, 2026
SMART Union – Mar. 13, 2026
Cherriots – Mar. 12, 2026
SMART Union – Mar. 11, 2026
U.S. Department of Labor – Mar. 9, 2026
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