 |
APTA MEMBER PROFILE |
|
|
| CLASSIFIEDS |
| » Triangle Transit, Durham, NC, is seeking a general manager/CEO. [More] |
| » The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority, Aspen, CO, has an opening for a chief operating officer. [More] |
| » The National Transit Institute requests proposals regarding the administration of its Managing the Environmental Review Process Seminar. [More] |
| View more Classified Ads » |
| TO PLACE AN AD: E-mail the requested date(s) of publication to: ptads@apta.com. Mailing address is: Passenger Transport, 1666 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006.
Ad copy is not accepted by phone. DEADLINE: 3 p.m. EST, Friday, one week prior to publication date. INFORMATION: Phone (202) 496-4877. |
Meet Marlene B. Connor!
Marlene B. Connor
Principal/Manager
Marlene Connor Associates, LLC
Holyoke, MA
Member, APTA Board of Directors; chair, Mobility Management Committee; chair, Intergovernmental Issues Subcommittee of the Legislative Committee; member, Business Member Board of Governors, Research and Technology and Mid-Sized Operations committees; member, Standards Development and Oversight Council
|
Please describe your business' scope.
 Actually, I just started my own company, Marlene Connor Associates, in January 2015, so I am pleased to talk about the work we are pursuing, especially given the changes represented by the advances in technology and the sharing economy.
Our work will continue to include public- and private-sector planning assignments in fixed route bus and paratransit services, in operations, finance, technology, management, regional and strategic planning and organization design. | A particular interest is integrated mobility, which includes my work as chair of APTA's Mobility Management Committee. We believe that mobility options at the community level can be enhanced by the shared use programs, transportation network companies, and start up and entrepreneurial public transit and technology services.
Although technology plays a key role in community mobility, we believe the real solutions rest with building partnerships between public and private entities that offer more mobility options for customers.
A recent assignment included completing a seven county Regional Transportation Study for the south central region of New York State around Ithaca. This provided an opportunity to design a regional plan that blended a number of modes and services operating throughout the region and to identify the potential for technology enhancements to create a virtual regional system.
How long have you worked in public transportation? What drew you to a career in our industry?
I started my career in the industry right after college as a transportation planner for the local MPO and quickly learned the importance of both providing effective and efficient services and also opening avenues for input and access from the community and from customers. I was convinced I could make a difference by improving processes and programs for mobility and access in our communities in western Massachusetts and I still appreciate the opportunity to be able to add value to communities and people's lives.
How long have you been an APTA member? Please describe your involvement with APTA and note what's rewarding about it.
I have been an active APTA member for my whole career in public transportation and participate in a number of committees and task forces that allow me the ability to stay fully informed in a variety of issues as well as to contribute my perspectives to the national dialogue on enhancing access and mobility.
What have you found to be the most valuable APTA benefit or resource? Which one helps you do your job?
It's all about the people and working with individuals who share the same interest in improving community mobility options in an effective and efficient manner with an ever-increasing number of new partners.
Those networking relationships then allow us to incorporate evolving new policies into the consulting work we do for public and private sector clients.
Please explain why or how this has helped.
APTA is a collaborative of many different agencies and individuals who understand that building consensus to create one voice provides the best opportunity for the industry to move forward.
In addition, partnering with other associations and agencies can provide the best potential to move the country forward and develop new solutions that are applicable in today's world.
What do you like most about your career?
I love that the things we do add value to communities and to the lives of people who we serve.
What is unique about your business? What would readers be surprised to learn?
My career in consulting has primarily been focused on working with small and mid-size public transit agencies including those in urban, suburban and rural communities.
We have had the opportunity in these assignments to have worked in more than 30 states over the last decade.
|
