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Transit CEOs Meet to Discuss Industry Issues and Opportunities
Chief executives and deputies from public transit agencies across North America gathered in San Diego at APTA’s Transit CEOs Seminar to discuss their systems’ most important challenges and opportunities. With 147 attendees, it was one of the largest seminars in recent history.
APTA Chair Doran J. Barnes thanked Paul Jablonski, CEO, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, for hosting the event. “As the head of one transit agency to another, it’s good to be among so many colleagues who share common goals, challenges and aspirations for their systems,” Barnes said.
After outlining his major goals as chair for the year, Barnes led discussions on proposed changes to APTA’s governance structure and engaged the audience in a dialogue about the desired attributes for APTA’s next CEO. APTA Vice Chair Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. and Art Guzzetti, APTA vice president-policy, also participated.
Acting President & CEO Richard White described how APTA is moving from “good to great” by redefining the association’s value proposition, managing resources strategically, investing in improved customer service initiatives and emphasizing safety and security.
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| Attending the Transit CEOs Seminar were, from left, David Stackrow, chair, Capital District Transportation Authority, Albany, NY; Jeff Wharton, president, IMPulse NC LLC, Mount Olive, NC; Acting President & CEO Richard White; APTA Vice Chair Nathaniel Ford Sr., CEO, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, FL; and Paul Jablonski, CEO, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, host agency. | White encouraged attendees to make greater use of APTA’s safety and security resources, forge new relationships with newly elected government officials and find ways to bring together public transit CEOs of every size system to ensure all voices are heard.
The session titled “Industry Perspectives” expanded on this last theme by generating what White called “a true integration of ideas” that cuts across the concerns of public transit CEOs, board members and business members.
“Generational Shifts in Transit Safety,” featuring leaders from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority, described examples of what every transit CEO can learn about improving safety. Barnes and White noted that APTA will conduct a study mission to Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore in April to learn about different types of safety cultures.
How changes in mobility management and autonomous technology are impacting public transportation was the topic of “Future Transit Challenges and Opportunities.” Robin Chase, co-founder of Zipcar, addressed the audience from London in an online interactive session. She told attendees that changes in business models coupled with innovation can benefit the public transportation industry.
Sheri Nasim, a leadership consultant and contributor to Forbes, challenged attendees to examine their agencies’ “return on purpose” or ROP. “Managers as well as front-line workers need to understand their organizations’ mission statement and how their jobs contribute to success,” she said.
This theme was reinforced during the “Reimagining Leadership for the 21st Century” session, in which CEOs considered ways to improve their effectiveness by embracing change.
The session titled “21st Century Policing and Special Event Planning” highlighted the difficult decisions often required to keep an agency safe and unite a public transportation community in times of crisis and loss. Special tribute was paid to two public transit safety officers at Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Denver Regional Transportation District who recently lost their lives in the line of duty.
J. Barry Barker, chair of APTA’s Legislative Committee and executive director, Transit Authority of River City, Louisville, KY, and Rob Healy, APTA vice president-government affairs, explained efforts to push for new infrastructure funding and reach out to the Trump administration and new Congress.
Other highlights included workforce development presentations focused on the challenges of filling front-line positions, using social media to improve the customer experience in good times and in bad and a primer on APTA’s membership services for new transit CEOs and deputy CEOs.
Cubic Transportation Systems Inc. and ELERTS sponsored the seminar.
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