Hello everyone,

We have a flurry of activities coming up, and wanted to send out a special newsletter to give you a one-stop shop for signing up.

First: we are putting together two skill-building workshops in March for up to 20 participants each, at no cost to attendees. Registration is now open - make sure you sign up while there is space!

March 15 and 16, 1-4:30 p.m . Eastern Time

Data has been described as the oil of the 21st century. The insights and decisions we can draw from data are highly valuable, but figuring out how to tap into and manage the immense amounts of information we create can be intimidating.

Enterprise Knowledge (EK) is supporting N-CATT with upskilling Transit Agency Managers' data management practices through the facilitation of a Data Management Workshop for up to 20 participants. The workshop seeks to address common data management challenges and improve our members' data management capabilities through activities and conversations centered around best practices and techniques for data management.

EK will conduct a two-day workshop (3.5 hours each day) with transit agency managers and staff, including those who create and/or consume data. The workshop will directly address existing and improved data management practices through customized, hands-on activities, primers, and facilitation techniques to meet participants' specific needs.

Participants will be asked to complete a Data Maturity Survey in advance of the workshop but otherwise do not need to spend significant time preparing for the workshop - please keep an eye out for the survey link after registering, and remember to respond as soon as possible to enable the organizers to tailor the content.

March 24 and 25, 12-4 p.m. Eastern Time

Is your agency considering a system redesign, comprehensive operational analysis, or transit development plan? Or are you just thinking about whether it might be time to make changes to your system? If so, this workshop may be for you!

This workshop will bring together experts and participants to explore:

Each of these topics will be illustrated using case examples from around the country and engaging, hands-on activities that will allow participants to explore the concepts and tools they can apply to their home systems.

The workshop will include two virtual half-day sessions, each from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Eastern. The first session (March 24) is intended for public transit agency staff and decision-makers at all levels, focusing on formulating an approach for a redesign, while the second session (March 25) will be for more technical transit agency staff (service planners, GIS analysts, etc.), and will provide opportunities for hands-on exploration of tools that can support a redesign approach.

The registration form includes several survey questions. Your responses will give us valuable input to make the workshop as relevant as possible to you and your agency.

We are also in the process of putting together four guidebooks to bring you a deep dive into different transit tech concepts. As we finalize them, we are holding webinars with our authors to discuss overall trends and strategies that they picked out of the research for each guidebook. Register for each webinar below!

February 23, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

The COVID-19 pandemic forced transit agencies to pivot in a number of ways, including how they engage with the public. This forced innovation has a silver lining, though: it has led to tech-based engagement methods that can enable broader public input than traditional meetings.

N-CATT and Kearns & West discuss some promising strategies and trends that are beginning to emerge in virtual public engagement, and how other transit agencies can implement those plans.

March 9, 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Data is a vital ingredient to well-informed decisions, particularly in the transit sphere. But collecting and managing it, and then making decisions from a firehose of information, can be tough.

N-CATT and Foursquare ITP discuss the promises and challenges of data, and how transit agencies can harness it to serve their communities.

April 6, 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Green energy is becoming increasingly necessary for transit agencies to contribute to community climate goals. The good news is that it is becoming easier to achieve, too.

N-CATT and CTE discuss strategies and trends that can inform transit agencies seeking to convert to green energy.

April 14, 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time

The ever-growing set of options for transit software systems can be difficult to navigate. To bring some clarity to the process, N-CATT, DemandTrans, and Civic Sphere discuss strategies agencies can use while exploring new software, as well as other trends in transit software.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us!