Public transportation agency chiefs and deputies gathered Feb. 8-11 to study management, policy, and funding issues at APTA’s Transit CEOs Seminar hosted by the Regional Transit Authority, New Orleans, LA.

The seminar began with an FTA workshop led by Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan, who spoke about developing a national transportation vision and plan for unified multimodal services, FTA’s safety oversight role, predictable federal funding, good stewardship of resources, and workforce development programs that offer ­“ladders for opportunity” for all.

Other FTA leaders participating were Matthew Welbes, executive director; Thomas Littleton, associate administrator for safety and oversight; Henrika Buchanan-Smith, associate administrator for program management; and Brian Farber, associate administrator for communications and congressional affairs. Allison Fultz of Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP fielded questions on anticipated FTA guidance on asset management systems, an $86 billion backlog on achieving state of good repair, upcoming guidance from the FTA and FHWA on performance ­metrics and management systems, and front-line workforce training.

APTA Chair Peter Varga, chief executive officer of the Interurban Transit Partnership (The Rapid) in Grand ­Rapids, MI, led a session on the millennial generation—individuals in their 20s and early 30s—and public transit. He summarized the findings from APTA’s ­October 2013 report, Millennials & Mobility: Understanding the Millennial Mindset, and moderated a panel of millennial professionals who offered several suggestions:

* Make reliability the top priority. Millennials tend to use mobile apps displaying real-time information. A panelist cited a study showing that passengers waiting for a bus overestimate the amount of time they are waiting by double compared with people who have an app;

* Make way finding signs visible throughout the community so riders understand how to get around;

* Discuss cost savings. A city dweller who grew up taking streetcars and buses said he married a suburbanite who had never used public transit. Their discussions about saving to start a family ­centered on the annual cost of ­owning a car;

* Offer new technology and open data for services, ­mapping, and information. Give it to the public and they can make the apps; and

* Educate younger people by seeking out a few who are familiar with urban planning and land use. They can put you in touch with their contacts. Engage them.

Other factors called important in determining millennials’ mobility choices were convenience, the length of and ­network for the complete trip, and the ability to multi-task when using public transit.

The seminar also featured a separate track of study for executive-level leaders and deputies who aspire to moving into a CEO position.

Attendees also participated in several other discussions. A summary follows:

Utah Transit Authority General Manager Michael Allegra, also a member of the APTA Board of Directors, led a session on funding and financing. ­Phillip Washington, APTA’s vice chair and general manager, Regional Transportation District, Denver, CO, facilitated a session on disadvantaged business enterprises. ­Randall Jamieson and Daniel Smilek, Atticus Consulting Group, discussed aspects of safety performance related to human attention deficiencies. ­Louwana Oliva, vice chair, APTA Human Resources Committee, and assistant general manager, Centre Area Transportation Authority, State College, PA, moderated a session on workforce development initiatives.

The 2015 Transit CEOs Seminar will be held Feb. 7-10 in Phoenix.

Panelists at the FTA session on MAP-21, from left: Tom Littleton, Matt Welbes, Therese McMillan, Henrika Buchanan-Smith, and Brian Farber. Photo by Chris Martinez, Chris Martinez Photography