Buses, Trains and the Media

APTA webinar gives new meaning to fare collection

I got a phone call from a staff member at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) a few weeks ago reminding me that the association was going to be holding a webinar on Nov. 10 called "Investing in the Future of Public Transportation: New Workers - New Perspectives."

I welcomed the reminder because, as the operator of a job board for folks in public transportation, I'm very interested in how the transit industry is going to attract the next generation of professionals, especially with so many current employees approaching retirement age.

So I fired up my computer and went to the APTA website to register for the event. The ubiquitous Bill Millar was slated to provide the opening remarks and the line-up of scheduled speakers, nearly a dozen, was certainly impressive. I was looking forward to sitting in on this webinar.

There was only one problem: APTA was charging a $195 fee to attend (for members and non-members). I had to read it twice to make sure that it wasn't a mistake. As far as I know, APTA has not charged members to attend webinars in the past. Yes, I understand that producing a webinar can be expensive. That's why you sign up sponsors like AECOM and Bombardier Transportation, as APTA did.

At the end of the day, however, your goal should be to attract as wide an audience as you can, especially for such an important topic. By charging $195 per connection (APTA encouraged agencies to gather folks in a conference room to watch on a single connection), APTA ensured that the dissemination of information and live interactivity would be limited.

I'm hoping that APTA will archive the webinar and make it freely available to all members and non-members. Although experts say that the recession ended earlier this year, I suspect that many people in the transit industry probably disagree, based on the hardships they are facing. Charging nearly $200 to attend an industry webinar is a poorly timed decision.  

OK. Now that I've vented about this, I can get back to work.

Thanks for your time.

Steve

Top Transit Tweets - Nov. 6, 2009

quesoqueen: and another thing...dont judge me because i refuse to take public transit

northoaklandnow: Transit riders wooed by Bay Bridge closure are not back in their cars: http://bit.ly/1yqgML

musicgeoff: I love to drive but am thinking of getting a Metro Transit pass

shmooth2: some transit takers are monsters, too! http://j.mp/qZW5G

ohaijoe: RT @Innocentamanda: gold line is awesome, reasonably clean, fast, comfortable.Everything public transit should be (agree, best in LA prolly)

heanster: Haha. 2 for 2. same angry dude on both bus rides getting into squabbles. so tame compared to chitown transit!

apocalypsepony: Note to self: trying to explain transit subsidies and farebox recovery in line draws blank stares.

_nicolemurray_: Waiting for the bus and I feel a lot safer being that there is a transit person parked right in front of me!

kaitlinwithak: nj transit should probably get a website that doesn't go down every other day. just sayin.

bw_punk: Noticed a guy had fallen asleep on the bus. Can't help but wonder how many times he's circled this town so far, courtesy of Pullman Transit

jotulloch: Transit journey begins... CalTrain to Muni to BART. 10 minutes longer, but $0.60 cheaper than BART alone... More types of transit = more fun

Atrios: if nothing else people are getting a taste of what this city (And driving in it) would be like without public transit

Great reasons to work in pupil transportation

In an earlier post, I published a list of Top-10 list of reasons why public transit is a great career. To balance the books, I'm now presenting a list of reasons why working in pupil transportation is a great career. With the help of some of my school bus friends, here are many great reasons to be involved in transporting students to and from school (and extracurricular events):

Working with dedicated and caring staff. Working with very supportive vendors who are informative and helpful. Opportunities for training. Available time over the summer and on holidays to spend with family. Flexible schedule. Great support from our district leadership team.
Sam Davila
Director of Transportation
Conroe Independent School District, Texas

The people. I've been fortunate to travel in many States and conduct worshops and presentations for drivers, transportation directors, and school officials. A common demoninator is the willingness of the people, no matter whether they are a beginner or veteran in their duties, is to share their information and knowledge with each other. This collegiality is the silent power in the school transportation.
Pete Baxter
Director, Pupil Transportation
Indiana Department of Education

School bus drivers and bus attendants (aides, monitors, etc.) are in the unique position to reflect a caring attitude by adults toward children -- a quality that often is missing in the lives of the children we serve. From my standpoint as trainer, presenter and consultant, sharing this message with drivers and attendants and focusing on their roles in the lives of their passengers has been especially rewarding. We all can help prepare our youth for their future as adults. As stated by IBM, “Children are a message we send to a time we shall not see.” We have the privilege of helping to shape the future through our youth. How much better does it get?!
George Horne
President
Horne Enterprises

It's the people! There is no other organization that networks like we do. Going to a conference is like going to a family reunion! Ask any vendor who is fairly new to our industry and you will see the sheer wonder of it -- and they love it! Look around at conferences and you will see true friendships that have formed through mutual respect and core values, from the same basic mission of learning all we can from each other in order to provide the best service we can to children we transport. And if we do not know the answer, there is always someone at a neighboring district or in a neighboring state that is willing to help out and share. It's the bus drivers who cannot wait to compete in the school bus safety roadeos and the special-needs drivers and attendants who deeply love their special riders. Mechanics drive routes and know that it is just one more part of the job, one that makes them appreciate that safety depends on them. It's the people!
Marisa Weisinger
Technical Specialist
Region 4 Education Service Center, Texas

We face so many challenges, and they are so diverse, that it makes each day exciting. Pupil management situations, fleet logistical issues and direct communication with the public mean no two days are the same. Because it is so difficult, it's especially satisfying when it runs smoothly.
Cliff Berchtold
Director of Transportation
Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, New York

See that kid getting off the bus at his or her school? Yeah, that one, the one that arrived safe and sound, with a smile on their face and a bright future ahead of them. What better reason to be in school transportation than knowing that I helped do this!
Max Christensen
State Director of School Transportation
Iowa Department of Education

Beyond the obvious safe transportation of children to and from school, a school bus driver can establish a unique and positive relationship with all the students that ride his or her school bus. The school bus environment affords driver and passenger and opportunity to establish a one-of-a-kind adult to young person connection. This allows the school bus driver a rare entre into the lives of young people. The impact of this special relationship is life long and life changing. How many jobs offer that kind of benefit?
Mac Dashney
Pupil Transportation Consultant
Self-employed

Working with the students can be delightful. You see and hear the funniest things from them.
Valerie Meyer
Transportation Coordinator
Texas School for the Deaf

As anyone in public pupil transportation will attest, if you had to document precisely how to accomplish the task -- you couldn't do it! So, one great reason is: accomplishing the safe, efficient transportation of students that, on paper, is impossible!
Rich Hansen
Owner
TyBEG, LLC

A new challenge every day!
L. Karen Gullett
Director of Transportation
Montgomery County Board of Education, Kentucky

Watching kids grow and learn is awesome.
Ralph Knight
Director of Transportation
Napa Valley Unified School District, California

It is the people. I have never worked with a group of people who are as kind and caring as bus drivers and other transportation service providers. Rarely, if ever, do you find someone who is just working “for the money.” These people love kids and have a great time teaching, encouraging, leading and supporting the educational and athletic efforts of children. Besides all that, they love their “big yellow bus.” I thank each and every one of these special people for what they do every day for our kids.
Maxine Mougeot
State Director for Pupil Transportation
State of Montana

Working with special-needs children. The feeling of getting them to school, so that they are able to enjoy feeling part of the education system. No matter what their handicap is. It has its daily rewards in some shape or form.
Yolanda Suarez
Contract Manager
First Student

As bus drivers we are part of the educational process and therefore are a part of the students' daily routine. The age differences of the students also makes for great conversation as we communicate with the students about their daily routines at school and sometimes home. The bus driver is the first connection for the students each day in the educational process and the last one to see them as they are delivered to their homes each afternoon. The driver sometimes must be parent and teacher combined. There is a great deal of satisfaction knowing that school bus drivers are a contributing factor in helping students get through the educational process.
Ron Chew
President
Indiana State School Bus Drivers Association

I would add that our job is truly historic in nature because somewhere along some route, standing on a sidewalk, at the end of a driveway in the heat of a blistering day or under a rain soaked hoodie is a future leader of our country, a doctor or a scientist who will find that elusive cure. You never know, there may stand a future President of the United States.
Lionel Pinn
Transportation Director
Centralia/Chehalis Pupil Transportation Co-op, Washington

If you'd like to add your comments to this list, just e-mail them to steve.hirano@TransitTalent.com or post them as a comment below.

Until next time,

Steve

10 Great Reasons to Work in Public Transit

In the June 17 issue of the Transit Intelligence newsletter, I asked readers to share the positives of working for a transit property. I received several thoughtful answers, which I'll share here. But I'd like to hear more, if you'd care to share them as a comment to this blog. Or if you wish to e-mail them to contact@TransitTalent.com.

1. We bring people of all different ages, backgrounds, religions, nationalities, political views, interests, and income levels together.

2. We help those who are unable to get around otherwise or cannot afford cars.

3. Job security. We have lost very few jobs here at my agency, and in my 23 years, all my paychecks have been on time and have never bounced. Also, we still have a retirement package, slowly becoming a thing of the past in other industries.

4. Variety. No two days are ever the same!

5. Free transit pass. Which, in turn, encourages you to reduce your carbon footprint, potentially saves you money and allows you to observe or be in touch with your customers and familiarizes you with your community's transit system so you can do your job better.

6. We work in an industry that values modern technology, e.g., GPS, intelligent transportation systems, the Internet, mobile phones and telecommunications to inform riders and communicate with them and serve them better.

7. I enjoyed working in transit as I am a people person. Yes, there are stinkers out there, but the vast majority of employees, passengers and governing body members are good people.  Many evenings I'd
arrive home, knowing that I made a positive impact on people's lives.

8. You learn to live with things taking WAY longer than you think they should.

9. We work in an industry that does not poison, pollute, exploit, or rely on manipulation and deception to sell product.

10. In public transit, we're part of a positive trend and a revolution in America.

Special thanks to the following people for their input: Cindy Dahlgren of the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority in Concord, Calif.; Kerry Doane of the Utah Transit Authority in Salt Lake City; Denis Meyers of Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority in Allentown, Pa.; Ed Park of the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County in Reno, Nev.; Herb Pence; and Dennis Siewerd of Orange County Transportation Authority in Orange, Calif.

You don't like boxes!

Had a really horrible job interview lately? It probably didn't go as badly as the one in this video!
Hope you enjoy. Thanks to Eric Shannon at JustJobs.com.

Teaching teens to behave on the bus

LexTran, the transit property in Lexington, Ky., recently canceled a free weekend ride program for students (grades 1-12)  because rowdy kids were jamming the bus to congregate at a local mall, according to an article in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

This is a sad and ironic development because the point of the program, called LexTran Launch, was to educate young people about the benefits of using public transportation.

It’s certainly not uncommon for transit systems to field complaints about teenagers who treat the inside of a bus like it’s their back yard. Their misbehavior, often punctuated with obscenities, rough-housing and vandalism, annoys and frightens many passengers. Those who can avoid using the bus probably find less-traumatic modes of transportation.

Victoria Wake, marketing and communications manager at AC Transit in Oakland, Calif., is hoping to find some ideas from other transit systems on how to address this problem.

"We're looking to develop materials, presentations, signs, and other campaign elements to address some of the problems we have with youth -- including vandalism, loud music, rowdiness, violence, etc. We'd be interested in anything other transit agencies have done and how successful you've been."

If you have anything you could share with Victoria, please e-mail her at VWake@actransit.org.

If you'd like to share your campaign ideas with a wider audience, you can post them here as a response to this entry.

Thanks!

Steve

Transit Tweets - May 12, 2009

Combing the Twitterverse for enlightening or otherwise entertaining comments about transit. . .

transit_tales: Transit Haiku: My biggest pet peeve. While riding public transit. FINGERNAIL CLIPPING!!!!!!!

legalgeekery: I've almost got the transit system down well enough to read cases instead of paying attention. Almost.

snieuw: on nj transit. On time - always a pleasant surprise.

tadawes: NJ Transit needs MUCH better communication methods. Passengers need more than the driver shouting from the bus that Dinky isn't running ...

njudah: RT @meganallison: Not down w/ nat ford snarking; he's smart guy who knows transit systems wish he would stand up for riders over cars/mayor.

velodude: http://twitpic.com/52n20 - Jimmy Fallon rides Amtrak? My first mass transit celebrity sighting!

cmeister: You know, just flashin' the BP (bus pass) like a BA (bad ass). I'm kind of the king of all things public transit.

cmcanoy: I miss the 25 cent dash buses in LA, Toronto needs to get its transit issues sorted. Great but so much room for improvement

linds_b: Go transit is so helpful sometimes... And incredibly annoying others. Mostly during rush hour.

RORWessels: I know that the enviro peeps love mass transit. But I wonder how many of them use it on a daily basis.

SeriousJobSeekR: Rode Regional Transit today...first time! Everyone was nice and helped me get where I had to go! Don't know when again, but wont hesitate!

SecondAveSagas: Do transit innovations in NYC suffer from a lack of will, a lack of imagination, a lack of political strength or some combo of all three?

chloeeloise: The guy behind me on the bus is rolling a joint. I hate Mississauga transit!

eastmanwolf: The people behind me are annoying but I'm playing eye tag with this cute guy. I can't decide if it's a good day for public transit or not.

omnivore: Los Angeles has the most confusing public transit system in the known universe.

elledeesee: Um the wierdest things on the public transit. This man in a trench coat. With a stuffed bear pokin out his pocket. No child in site. ahhh

lovingeyesbleed: First time taking public transit alone to get downtown Montreal I am scared

megashaun: People who read full-size newspapers on crowded public transit need a poke with a sharp stick.

Let me know if you find this interesting.

Steve

Should buses really compete against automobiles?

I received an e-mail recently from a public transit professional who is questioning the emphasis the industry puts on attracting choice riders. In light of funding shortfalls that have led to fare hikes and service cuts at many systems, wouldn't it make more sense for transit properties to focus their increasingly limited resources on serving the transit dependent?

Here's how this concerned transit professional framed his argument:

Promoting transit for discretionary riders seems to be a no-brainer, whether for commuting or environmental reasons. In fact, what is the point of promoting transit to the choir, the transit dependent? However, every additional rider is an additional expense. We are not a for-profit industry. We would basically save the community money by closing shop, but of course, we have a political mandate to provide transit to those who cannot drive. So putting more discretionary riders on transit does two things. First, it adds cost. With a 20% farebox recovery ratio, that means for every 1 discretionary ride, the rider pays 20% and the community must come up with 80% of the cost.  Second, discretionary riders have a higher standard of comfort and convenience. They demand cleaner buses and amenities. They want more amenities at bus stops and bus stations. They want more security. Basically, in order to get discretionary riders out of their cars, it means we have to provide competitive comfort and convenience with private cars, and in some cases those private cars are luxury BMWs and Cadillacs. Now, some may argue, improving comfort and convenience for all is not a bad idea, but would transit dependent riders truly pay higher fares for a spanking clean bus shelter versus one that is a bit dingy? When I’ve traveled the developing world, transit may not be the cleanest and most comfortable, but it’s affordable and plentiful. 

In America, a certain percentage of our population simply cannot drive. They are too young, too old, disabled, or simply too poor to afford a car. Imagine if a certain percentage of our population simply could not afford to eat. Certainly, we would subsidize their meals, let’s imagine by setting up cafeteria’s to feed them all. Would we then try to get everyone else to eat at these cafeterias? If the cost of each meal was subsidized 80%, that means for every meal, the community would have to come up with 80% of the cost. But in order to attract everyone to eat at these cafeteria’s, we would have to make them as competitive as private restaurants, add table clothes, improve the menu, use china instead of paper plates, add dishwashers, etc. Now imagine tax revenue falls, and not only would we have to increase the price of the meals, but we would start cutting back meals to the entire population. In other words, those who cannot afford to eat, eat less while those who can afford to eat, continue to get their meals subsidized. Does this make any sense?

I am sure there are many transit agencies out there that have commuter routes, and at the same time, instead of eliminating these commuter routes when revenue falls, they simply cut back service on all the routes.  Instead of simply telling discretionary riders, sorry, you have to get back into your cars, they’re telling everyone, mostly transit-dependent riders, to pay more and get less service. Is this right?

Of course, in dense cities like New York and San Francisco, transit not only serves the purpose of transporting those who cannot drive, but it also serves the purpose of mitigating what would otherwise be impossible traffic and extraordinary parking fees and lost productivity. However, in most U.S. cities downtown parking is affordable and traffic is acceptable.

Perhaps we have to shift our thinking from competing with private cars to being primarily if not exclusively the service provider for the transit dependent, guaranteeing them affordable and plentiful transportation in an automobile-designed society.

Photo: Otterman56 via Flickr

Bus drivers gone wild

“It seemed like a good idea at the time.” That’s how I used to justify incredibly flawed behavior when I was in middle school. Actually, now that I think about it, many times I knew it was a bad idea at the time – and did it anyway. That’s sorta goes with the territory when you’re 13 or 14. 

But when you’re an adult, you should not still be clinging to your seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time mantra, especially when you’re a front-line employee for a public agency. Specifically, I’m referring to two bus operators who threw good judgment out the window while they were behind the wheel.

On Feb. 28, 38-year-old Shawn Brim, a bus operator for Metro in Washington, D.C., exited his bus and allegedly punched an off-duty police officer who was dressed in a McGruff the Crime Dog costume. Brim said he did it to be funny, but probably found it less funny when police officers stopped his bus and arrested him a few minutes later. And even less funny, if that’s possible, when his employer fired him.

Not to be outdone by the hilarious Brim, a 54-year-old bus operator in Halifax, Nova Scotia, jumped out of his bus last Saturday and clubbed a fake baby seal that was part of an anti-sealing demonstration. He was not charged by police, but could face disciplinary measures by his employer, Metro Transit. My prediction: He’ll meet the same unfunny fate as the McGruff basher.

I have to admit, there is a certain zaniness to the actions of these bus operators. If Brim’s antics were part of a “Saturday Night Live” skit, you might be tempted to laugh out loud or at least chuckle appreciatively. McGruff the Crime Dog being assaulted in the middle of a lecture to young people? It’s definitely ironic. Now, clubbing a baby seal is not ever funny, but it was a fake baby seal. OK, that’s still not funny.

In any case, these weren’t skits. The bus operators took these disrespectful actions while they were on the job in front of customers and the general public.Their impulsiveness damaged the reputation of their peers and the public transportation industry as a whole.

Until next time.

Steve

Update: On March 16, Metro Transit suspended the bus operator who allegedly clubbed the fake baby seal pending an investigation.

Where to draw the line on bad judgment

We all exercise poor judgment, some more often than others. But most of us are not in the public spotlight, where misbehavior and lawlessness have become fodder for the local newspaper, blogs and, most embarrassingly, YouTube.

If the average citizen has one too many beers after a round of golf and is later arrested for drunk driving, no one except friends and relatives would know or care about it. But what about, say, the general manager of a transit system? Or one of the department heads?

It's likely that the local newspaper and/or TV station would take notice if a public administrator showed up on the police blotter. The question is, where do you draw the line between personal and professional behavior?

You don't have to look very far for examples of public officials who've gotten whipsawed in the media for personal indiscretions. Consider Eliot Spitzer or, more distantly, Bill Clinton. Or how about Sam Adams, the mayor of Portland, Ore., who denied having a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old intern during his recent campaign, only to recant after winning the election.

Where do you think the line should be drawn? That is, at one point should a transit GM's off-work behavior become an issue of job performance and possible disciplinary action?    

Click here to provide your response. Or you can post your response here on this blog.

Thanks.

Steve