Announcing Five New Resources for Efficient Bus Operator Hiring | | |
TWC is pleased to announce the creation of five new resources this month that share results from the Streamlining Operator Hiring Practices research project. These webpages include briefs, diagrams, and fact sheets that feature best practices collected through a national-level research effort on topics like operator job interviews, tests and assessments, job descriptions, and designing an efficient process from beginning to end.
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More research products will become available over the summer, so stay tuned! For more information or to request technical assistance on this topic, email Shayna Gleason at sgleason@transportcenter.org.
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New TWC Report on Attracting Frontline Transit Workers
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TWC has released a new report, “Recruitment Messaging That Resonates: Insights into Attracting Frontline Transit Workers.” For agencies looking to strengthen their recruitment efforts, the report offers practical, research-based guidance on how transit organizations can more effectively connect with potential applicants for frontline transit roles on digital platforms.
Findings from the report identify audiences most receptive to frontline transit careers, including gig drivers, veterans, and certain groups of working professionals. It also highlights messaging that was most effective in encouraging interest, based on sample testing through a series of digital advertisements on websites and social media. The test campaign featured bus operators and mechanics alongside the message, “Be a Driving Force in Your Community,” a tagline selected for its strong appeal across multiple audience segments.
Among other key findings, the report underscores the impact of how transit work is portrayed. Images that show workers taking pride in and actively engaged in their work help strengthen favorable perceptions of industry occupations. Varied, visually engaging images can help capture attention, especially when they reinforce positive messages and perceptions about working in transit. The report also points to the value of frequently featuring human-interest stories on social media that show frontline workers making meaningful contributions to their communities.
Read the full report on TWC’s National Frontline Transit Worker Recruitment Campaign webpage.
| | The TWC website offers resources through its National Frontline Transit Worker Recruitment Campaign to assist transit agencies in the ongoing challenge of meeting the industry’s frontline workforce hiring needs. One of the campaign’s key components, Transit Career Stories, features interviews with individuals from across the country sharing their unique career journeys and insights. to help shape the future of our workforce and encourage others to take their first steps in transit. | | TWC's newest addition, Hooked on Maintenance: Ryan Reynolds’ Career Catch, features a Senior Systems Maintenance Technician from Sound Transit (Seattle-Tacoma), who shares what ten years in the industry has meant to him, from the colleagues he works with to the community he serves. | Ryan Reynolds describes the workplace culture at Sound Transit. | | TWC recently began accepting articles about transit worker careers and created a new Stories From Our Transit Peers section on the Transit Career Stories webpage. To suggest an article, please send submissions to abryant@transportcenter.org. | | Upcoming Webinar: TWC’s Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3) | | |
Join TWC virtually on Tuesday, June 2, at 1 pm EST to learn about the Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3), a new program featuring nationally developed course materials designed to build foundational skills for transit maintenance and operations professionals.
In this session, developers and content experts will provide an overview of the full TC3 program, including its structure, key topic areas, and how agencies can use the materials for onboarding, upskilling, and career pathway development. In addition, the session will take an in-depth look at the recently revised Electrical Foundations course, sharing insights from the most recent program delivery and how the course supports new and developing technicians in building essential electrical knowledge.
If your agency is interested in a program that strengthens your workforce's technical and professional competencies while also helping advance a significant national initiative, please contact Kristen Ribaudo at kribaudo@transportcenter.org for more information.
| | Upcoming Transit Events With TWC Presentations | | |
FPTA/FDOT/CUTR Professional Development Workshop & Transit Safety and Operations Summit—June 8-10 in Tampa, FL: TWC will present on apprenticeship, mentorship, and the newly updated TWC Transit Core Competencies Curriculum.
IPTA Annual Meeting/ROADEO—June 17-20 in Altoona, IA: TWC will lead a workshop on bus operator mentorship and mentor training.
MPTA 2026 Transit Vehicle Maintenance Seminar (TVMS)—June 23-25 in Roscommon, MI: TWC will engage with maintenance supervisors on developing maintenance skills through skills assessment surveys and associated training programs.
2026 Michigan Public Transportation Conference—August 17-19 in Thompsonville, MI: TWC presenters will lead two sessions, one on "Building Strong Frontline Workforce Pipelines: Effective Outreach, Recruitment, and Hiring," and another on "Bus Operator Mentorship Programs: Implementation, Management, and Benefits."
Missouri Transit Conference 2026—September 2-3 in Columbia, MO: TWC will present on "Effective Messaging for Recruiting and Retaining a Strong Frontline Transit Workforce.”
LIT 2026 Leadership Summit—September 10-13 in Columbus, OH: TWC will lead two presentations on "Mentorship Matters" and "Workforce Development that Works."
| | Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3) Webinar—June 2, 1pm ET: Whether you’re looking to strengthen your training program, support new hires, or create more consistent skill development across your workforce, this webinar will provide practical insight into how TC3 can support your agency. | | If you would like TWC to host a workshop or give a presentation at your next conference or webinar, please send detailed inquiries to twc@transportcenter.org. | | Since TWC’s launch in Sept. 2021, there have been over 270,000 views of transitworkforce.org, with over 40,000 views of the Frontline Worker Recruitment Campaign and associated pages. The team has completed over 900 individual targeted technical assistance requests from transit agencies and partners, with an average response time of under 4 business hours. In addition, over 14,500 total participants have been served through TWC’s hosting of or participation in industry events, including the 2022 and 2024 Making Connections conferences. | | |
TWC team members frequently travel to industry events around the country to present, share resources, and engage with industry stakeholders. Here are some examples of where the TWC team has been and what they have been doing off-site and online:
February
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Michaela Boneva presented during the National RTAP’s Learn About TACL: The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library webinar. She shared how to use TACL and included a TWC Resource Feature on College Partnerships in Public Transportation Workforce Development.
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Annmarie Carmody spoke as a panelist during the Recruitment & Retention session at the American Public Transportation Association’s Marketing, Communications & Customer Experience Workshop in Savannah, GA. She presented findings from the TWC report, "Recruitment Messaging That Resonates: Insights into Attracting Frontline Transit Workers."
March
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Maurice Beard and Karitsa Holdzkom led a virtual ATTAIN Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship webinar focused on the value and impact of bus maintenance apprenticeships. Presenters in the panel discussion and the subsequent interactive Q&A emphasized the importance of strong collaboration between management and labor, with both committed to maintaining and growing the program.
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Pat Greenfield and Kristen Ribaudo delivered a workshop, “Supporting and Strengthening a Skilled Frontline Workforce – How to use the Transit Core Competencies Curriculum,” at the 2026 Transit Retreat in Mobile, AL. Pat also co-led a session on recruitment, “Driving Forward With a Next-Gen Workforce,” with Iyai+ Founder and CEO Dr. Beverly Scott.
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Maurice Beard and Kristen Ribaudo presented “Bridging the Gap: A Transit Core Competencies Program for Strengthening the Workforce” at the 2026 SWTA & New Mexico Conference & Expo in Albuquerque, NM.
April
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Maurice Beard, Michaela Boneva, and Julie Deibel-Pundt hosted a three-hour workshop titled "Workforce Development that Works: Strategies and Initiatives that Support Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement" at Arizona’s 39th Annual Statewide Transit Conference in Mesa, AZ. The team also led a transit mentorship workshop and made a plenary presentation on TWC services.
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Maurice Beard and Karitsa Holdzkom facilitated a session titled "Behind the Wheel & Back Tomorrow: Best Practices for Driver Recruitment & Retention" at the Pennsylvania Public Transit Association Conference and Expo in Lancaster, PA. Kristen Ribaudo presented on TWC's Transit Core Competencies Curriculum (TC3).
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Shayna Gleason and Sudan Smith traveled to Lubbock, TX, for the Texas Transit Association 2026 Conference. Shayna was joined by CapMetro, STAR Transit, and ATU for a session to share insights on recruitment, hiring practices, and work schedules.
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Jack Clark led a virtual Public Transportation and Infrastructure Careers webinar hosted by Iyai+. He was joined by Metro Transit (MN)/ATU Local 1005 mentor program coordinators to talk about their career journeys.
May
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Frank Burnett, Annmarie Carmody, and Kristen Ribaudo participated in the 2026 YouthBuild Partnership Networking Session in Arlington, VA, speaking with YouthBuild affiliates about the Transit Core Competencies Curriculum.
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Alashia Bryant and Shayna Gleason traveled to Omaha, NE, for the CTAA 2026 Expo. Shayna presented on TWC's research report, "Streamlining Operator Hiring Practices," and Alashia and Shayna provided technical assistance to exhibit table visitors.
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Maurice Beard and Karitsa Holdzkom attended the Apprenticeships for America Annual Summit in Washington, DC. Karitsa presented on "Building Statewide Apprenticeships Through Employer–College Partnerships: The PennTRAIN Model."
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Xinge Wang traveled to in Salt Lake City, Utah, for the APTA Mobility Conference and Workforce Summit. At the Workforce Summit session “FTA Updates: What’s Next for Workforce," Edwin Rodriguez, Director for FTA's Office of Research Management, Innovation, and Outreach, highlighted the workforce initiatives and resources supported by TWC. Xinge provided remarks on TWC’s two major upcoming webinars designed to support transit frontline workforce development efforts.
| | The Transit Workforce Center is FTA’s technical assistance center for frontline workforce development, operated by the International Transportation Learning Center. For any technical assistance requests, contact us at 1-855-888-NTWC or twc@transportcenter.org. | | See what's happening on our social sites: | | | | |
