International Transit Studies Program

The spring 2010 mission will focus on Funding for Infrastructure Maintenance--Achieving and Sustaining a State of Good Repair. Team members will investigate how bus and rail agencies and operators in Europe develop community support for public transportation and how those communities implement innovative, sustainable funding strategies for transit assets, operations, and maintenance. The mission will be led by Jeff Hamm, Executive Director/CEO of C-Tran, Vancouver, Washington.

The fall 2010 mission will focus on Public Transportation Systems as the Foundation for Economic Growth. Participants will investigate how transit investments are linked to economic development in several cities in South Africa and Egypt. Steve Bland, CEO of the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will serve as the team leader.

A call for nominations for team members will be issued for each mission. If you would like to be added to the email notification list, please contact Kathryn Harrington-Hughes.

posted 1/29/2010

Team Members Selected for Fall 2009 Mission

"Managing Increasing Ridership Demand" is the theme of the fall 2009 mission, which will include meetings with public transport agencies in Guayaquil, Ecuador; Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The team will be led by David Armijo, Chief Executive Officer, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (Tampa, FL). Team members were selected from among nominations received from agencies across the U.S. The team members are

Virginia T. Barry, Director, Service Analysis and Scheduling, Central Ohio Transit Authority (Columbus, OH);

Ronald Downing, Principal Planner, Service Development, Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District (San Rafael, CA);

Joe Escobedo, Chief of Operations, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (Tampa, FL );

Grace Gallucci, Deputy Executive Director for Research Analysis and Policy, Regional Transportation Authority (Chicago, IL);

Jesus M. Gomez, Transit Director, Regional Transit System—City of Gainesville (Gainesville, FL);

Elsa Gutierrez, General Manager, Service Planning, Chicago Transit Authority (Chicago, IL);

Michael Ledesma, Manager of Bus Service Transportation, VIA Metropolitan Transit (San Antonio, TX);

Marian Lee, Executive Officer, Planning & Development, San Mateo County Transit District (San Carlos, CA);

Maureen McCarthy, Community Relations and Marketing Manager, Whatcom Transportation Authority (Bellingham, WA);

Jeffrey Parker, Deputy Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation (Newington, CT);

Mark D. Wells, Assistant General Manager Transit, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (Las Vegas, NV); and

Natalie Wilkins, Marketing Associate, Greater Lynchburg Transit Company (Lynchburg, VA).

Gail Lyssy, Director of Program Management and Oversight, Federal Transit Administration (Ft. Worth, TX), will represent FTA on the study.

Kathryn Harrington-Hughes is serving as the mission coordinator.

Posted October 9, 2009

Call for Applications for Team Leaders for 2010

The International Transit Studies Program is currently seeking two general managers/CEOs from U.S. transit agencies to serve as team leaders for the two study missions to be conducted in 2010.

“Sustainable Public Transportation Funding—Innovative Planning and Financing Strategies” will be the theme of the spring 2010 mission. At transit systems across the country, investments in infrastructure maintenance have lagged far behind what is needed to achieve and sustain a state of good repair. Systems are forced to keep worn-out equipment in service, skimp on preventive maintenance, and delay upgrading, rehabilitating, and replacing infrastructure. Participants in this study mission will investigate how bus and rail agencies and operators in Europe develop community support for public transportation and how those communities implement innovative, sustainable funding strategies for transit assets, operations, and maintenance.

“Public Transportation Systems as the Foundation for Economic Growth” will be the focus of the fall 2010 mission. Public transportation systems can be highly effective drivers of economic growth. Investments that improve and enhance public transportation systems are considered essential to the economy, culture, and quality of life in many cities throughout the world. Participants in this study mission will investigate how transit investments are linked to economic development in several cities in South Africa and Egypt.

The team leader has three key roles:

To serve as the official spokesperson for the team and the U.S. transit industry during the mission;
To serve as a mentor to the team members, helping them understand what they see and hear and how it relates to, or might have application to, U.S. practice; and
To assign report topics to the team members and serve as a resource during the preparation of the reports.

Eligibility Criteria

An applicant for team leader

Must be a general manager at a U.S. transit agency;
Must be known, respected, and active in the transit industry;
Should have a background in, and extensive knowledge of, the mission theme;
Must be able to represent the mission and the U.S. transit industry to mission hosts;
Must be able to serve as a mentor to participants, helping them interpret what they see and hear and compare it with U.S. applications; and
Must be willing to provide mission participants with guidance on individual report-writing assignments.

More information about eligibility and the application process can be found in the call for applications, which was mailed to APTA and CTAA members in mid August (pdf file).

The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, September 25, 2009, at 5 pm (eastern time).

If you have any questions, please call Kathryn Harrington-Hughes at 410-770-9192.

Posted August 28, 2009

Call for Nominations for the Fall 2009 Study Mission

Managing Increasing Ridership Demand

Nominations are now being accepted for members of the study team for the fall 2009 mission, which will focus on managing increasing ridership demand. Fred Gilliam, president and CEO of Capital Metro, will lead the mission, which will take place October 30-November 14.

Rising fuel prices, a weakening economy, and growing concerns about global climate change have pushed transit ridership numbers to record levels in the United States. But this welcome increase in ridership arrived as transit operations and services were being severely strained by declining revenues and increasing costs.

Team members will meet with transit operators and agencies in several cities in South America that have successfully managed sudden and signficiant increases in ridership demand. Discussion topics will include incentives to encourage off-peak demand and distribute demand, coordination of services, route adjustments, communication with staff and with the public, marketing, workforce schedules, maintenance strategies, system efficiencies, and innovative services.

All travel costs for team members (airfare, ground transportation, hotels, and per diem expenses) will be paid by the International Transit Studies Program.

The deadline for nominations is Monday, August 3, 2009, at 5 pm (eastern time).

Please see the call for nominations for more information, including eligibility requirements and nomination instructions.

Posted June 15, 2009

Fred Gilliam Named Team Leader for Fall Mission

Fred Gilliam, president/CEO of Capital Metro (Austin, Texas), has been selected to lead the fall 2009 mission. The mission will focus on how public transport agencies in South America are focusing on managing increasing ridership demand.

A call for nominations for team members for the fall mission will be distributed in June. Please send us an email if you would like to be added to the notification list for the call for nominations.

Posted April 22, 2009

Public Transportation's Role in Addressing Global Climate Change

In spring 2008 members of an International Transit Studies Program study team met with governmental and nongovernmental organizations that play a role in encouraging and regulating environmentally sensitive transport and land use practices in five European cities. The cities were selected because they have successfully implemented "green" transit operations and project developments and integrated transit with land use planning.

The report from the study mission (TCRP Research Results Digest 89: Public Transportation's Role in Addressing Global Climate Change) is now available. The report summarizes the team members' findings from their study of public transport in Dublin, Ireland; Munich and Frieburg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Bilbao, Spain.

Posted April 22, 2009

Transit Members Named for Study Mission on Performance Measurement Systems in Southeast Asia

A team of transit professionals will head to Southeast Asia in March to study how public transport agencies in four cities have developed and implemented performance measurement systems that have resulted in more efficient operations, enhanced quality of service, increased customer satisfaction and community support, safer and more secure facilities, and improved fuel efficiency.

The team members were selected in late January from among nominations submitted by transit agencies throughout the U.S. The team members are:

Jerry Benson, Chief Operating Officer, Utah Transit Authority;

Steven Callas, Manager, Service and Performance Analysis, TriMet;

Patricia Hendren, Manager, Capital and Strategic Planning, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority;

Mark Johnson, Director of Transit Operations, Lane Transit District;

Lisa Koch, Public Transit Manager, Kansas Department of Transportation;

Nadine Lee, Engineering Project Manager, Regional Transportation District--FasTracks;

Kate Miller, Manager, Capital Development, Legislation, and Grants, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District;

Victor Obeso, Manager of Service Development, King County Metro Transit;

Alla Reddy, Senior Director, MTA New York City Transit;

Alma Scott-Buczak, Assistant Executive Director, Human Resources, New Jersey Transit;

Patricia Vidaurri, Manager of Performance Information, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority;and

Robert Yegidis, Administrative Officer, Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority.

Mark Aesch, Chief Executive Officer at Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority, will serve as team leader. Joining the team will be Sherry Riklin, Deputy Associate Administrator in the Federal Transit Administration's Office of Planning and Environment.

The study team will meet with agencies involved in planning, regulating, and operating public transport services in Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei. The mission will be conducted from March 20 to April 3. Upon conclusion of the mission, team members will summarize their findings in a report that will be published by the Transit Cooperative Research Program.

Posted February 20, 2009

Team Leader Sought for Fall 2009 Mission on Managing Increasing Ridership Demand

In fall 2009, the International Transit Studies Program will conduct a study mission to South America to study strategies for managing increasing ridership demand.

Rising fuel prices, a weakening economy, and growing concerns about global climate change have pushed transit ridership numbers to record levels in the United States. This welcome increase in ridership has, however, come when transit agencies are grappling with declining revenues and increasing fuel costs, which are severely straining system operations and services.

Participants in the fall 2009 study mission will meet with transit operators and agencies in several cities in South America that have successfully managed sudden and significant increases in ridership demand.

We are now accepting applications for the position of team leader for the fall 2009 mission. The team leader must be an experienced, highly motivated general manager at a U.S. transit agency and must be known, respected, and active in the transit industry. She or he must have a background in, and extensive knowledge of, the mission theme.

The role of the team leader is threefold:

To serve as the official spokesperson for the team and the U.S. transit industry during the two-week mission;
To serve as a mentor to the team members, helping them understand what they see and hear and how it relates to, or might have application to, U.S. practice; and
To assign report topics to the team members and serve as a resource during the preparation of the reports.

All travel expenses are paid by the International Transit Studies Program.

The deadline for receipt of applications for the position of team leader is Friday, January 23, 2009, at 5 pm EST.

If you have any questions, please contact Kathryn Harrington-Hughes at 1-410-770-9192 (email).

How to Apply for Team Leader (pdf file)

(Note: The call for nominations for team members for the fall 2009 mission will be announced in summer 2009; to be added to the e-mail notification list, send us your email address. Back to Top
Posted December 16, 2008

Call for Nominations for Spring Mission on Performance Measurement and Outcomes

Nominations are now being accepted for the spring 2009 TCRP International Transit Studies Program mission on Performance Measurement and Outcomes. The mission will focus on how quality control procedures are used to achieve organizational goals and enhance quality of service at public transport agencies in Southeast Asia.

The mission will take place March 19 to April 3, 2009, and the tentative itinerary includes Hong Kong; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Transit professionals in management-level positions at U.S. transit agencies, state departments of transportation, and other non-operating agencies that play a major role in planning or financing public transportation in the United States are eligible to apply.

The study mission will be led by Mark Aesch, chief executive officer of the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority. He will be joined by 12 transit professionals selected from among the nominations received.

The deadline for nominations for team members for the spring 2009 mission is Wednesday, January 7, 2009, at 5 pm (EST).

Nomination instructions (pdf file)

This will be the 30th study mission conducted since the program’s inception in 1994. More than 400 transit managers in urban and rural communities throughout the United States have participated to date.

The team members’ travel costs (airfare, ground transportation, hotels, and per diem) are paid by the International Transit Studies Program. Back to Top

Posted November 27, 2008

Harrington-Hughes & Associates Awarded ITSP Contract

The Transportation Research Board's Transit Cooperative Research Program has awarded Harrington-Hughes & Associates Inc. a 5-year contract to manage the International Transit Studies Program. The project involves researching, planning, and conducting two study missions each year, as well as administering the selection processes for team members and team leaders.

"The International Transit Studies Program is truly an exceptional professional development program, " says Kathryn Harrington-Hughes, who will serve as the ITSP program manager. "The program has a distinguished legacy, and we are thrilled to be part of its future."

The first 29 missions were conducted by the Eno Foundation, under a contract with TCRP. Harrington-Hughes had served as the ITSP program manager from 2000 to 2005, when she was on the Eno Transportation Foundation staff.

Assisting with the project are consultants Jill Hough, Stephen Kingsberry, Carole Verschoor, and Michele Waxman Johnson. Back to Top
Posted Sept. 29, 2008

Mark Aesch to Lead Spring 2009 Study Mission

The Project Oversight Panel has selected Mark Aesch, CEO of Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (Rochester NY), to lead the spring 2009 mission, which will focus on performance measurement and outcomes at public transportation agencies in Southeast Asia.

The call for nominations for team members will be distributed in December 2008.
Posted November 7, 2008

Study Mission Themes Selected for 2009

The themes for the 2009 International Transit Studies Program study missions have been identified by the project oversight panel.

Performance Measurement and Outcomes—spring 2009

Participants in the spring 2009 study mission will travel to Southeast Asia to study quality control procedures in place at public transport agencies, particularly as the procedures relate to management practices, operations, and maintenance.

A call for nominations for team members will be announced in November 2008; the information will be posted on this website and will also be sent directly to members of APTA, CTAA, and AASHTO. If you would like to be notified when the call for nominations is available, please send us your email address.

Managing Increasing Ridership Demand—fall 2009

Fall mission participants will meet with transit agencies in South American countries that have demonstrated the ability to manage increased ridership and high-quality services. The study mission team will investigate, among other things, how incentives can be used to spread ridership demand and make more effecicient use of the existing system. A call for nominations for team members will be announced in summer 2009; to be added to the notification list, send us an email request.
Posted Sept. 29, 2008

Team Members Named for Fall 2008 Mission

The International Transit Studies Program project oversight panel has selected the team members for the fall study mission. The mission, which will be conducted by the Eno Transportation Foundation, will explore how transit systems in Australia are balancing the need to increase capacity and expand service, while maintaining and upgrading their existing infrastructure (bus, tram, rail, ferry).

The team consists of :

Karen King, Team Leader, Chief Executive Officer, Golden Empire Transit District (Bakersfield, CA);
Roland Behee. Supervisor of Strategic Planning, Community Transit (Everett, WA);
Alix Bockelman, Director, Programming and Allocations, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (Oakland, CA);
Mary DeLoretto, Environmental Studies Manager, Utah Transit Authority (Salt Lake City, UT);
Toby L. Fauver, Deputy Secretary, Local & Area Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation ( Harrisburg, PA);
Virginia Harrington, Chief Financial Officer, San Mateo County Transit District (San Carlos, CA);
Michael C. Hubbell, Vice President, Maintenance, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (Dallas, TX);
William S. Hutto, Executive Director, TriCounty Link (Moncks Corner, SC);
LaShawn King Gillespie, Director of Planning, Foothill Transit (West Covina, CA);
Renee Matthews, Special Projects Director, South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (Pompano Beach, FL);
Diane H. Ratcliff, Director, Office of Planning, Maryland Transit Administration (Baltimore, MD);
Steven Santoro, Assistant Executive Director, New Jersey Transit Corporation (East Newark, NJ); and
Charles N. Switzer, Vice President of Transportation Services, Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (Rochester, NY).

The mission will take place October 17 to November 1. Team members will meet with public transit officials, government planners, and transit advocates in Sydney, New South Wales; Melbourne, Victoria; Perth, Western Australia; Adelaide, South Australia; and Brisbane, Queensland. Kathryn Harrington-Hughes will serve as the mission coordinator for the Eno Foundation.
Posted Sept. 29, 2008

International Transit Studies Program • Sponsored by the Transit Cooperative Research Program of the Transportation Research Board
Contractor: Harrington-Hughes & Associates Inc.
tel: 1-410-770-9192 • fax: 1-443-433-0854