Advancing Transportation Safety on a National Stage
The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) is pleased to announce that Lisa Staes, Associate Director of CUTR at the University of South Florida, has been elected Vice Chair of the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Safety Coordinating Council. This national leadership appointment recognizes Staes’ extensive contributions to public transportation safety, workforce development, and industry research.
About the APTA Safety Coordinating Council
The APTA Safety Coordinating Council serves as a key industry forum for addressing public transportation safety issues and advancing safety practices throughout the transit industry. The council brings together transit leaders, safety professionals, and subject matter experts to share best practices, address emerging challenges, and support initiatives that strengthen safety culture across public transportation systems nationwide.
As Vice Chair, Staes will help guide the council’s efforts to foster collaboration among transit agencies, industry partners, and safety professionals while supporting initiatives that improve safety outcomes for transit workers, passengers, and communities.
A Career Dedicated to Transit Safety
Staes currently serves as Associate Director of CUTR and Program Director of CUTR’s Transit Safety and Workforce Development Program. Her expertise spans public transportation safety and security, transit worker and rider safety, transit standards, fatigue and fitness-for-duty programs, workforce development, and training.
Over nearly three decades at CUTR, Staes has led and contributed to nationally significant research, training, and technical assistance initiatives that have helped transit agencies improve safety performance, implement safety management systems, enhance workforce readiness, and address emerging transportation challenges.
National Leadership and Industry Service
Staes is widely recognized as a leader in the transportation safety field. Her professional service includes serving as former Chair of the Transportation Research Board’s Standing Committee on Transit Safety and Security and as a past appointee to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS). She is also a member of APTA’s Safety Coordinating Council, Bus Safety Committee, and Rail Safety Committee.
Her leadership extends throughout the transportation research and professional communities, where she has contributed to national initiatives focused on safety management, transit worker protection, security, risk management, and industry standards development.
Research Impact Across the Industry
Throughout her career, Staes has authored and led research addressing some of the public transportation industry’s most pressing safety issues, including transit worker and rider assaults, fatigue risk management, human trafficking awareness and response, accident investigation practices, safety reporting systems, rail safety, and emerging technologies. Her work has helped shape industry practices and support safer transportation systems nationwide.
Recent research projects have examined transit assaults and mitigation strategies, fatigue in rail operations, mental and behavioral health factors associated with transit victimization, and innovative safety approaches for transit agencies across the United States.
Strengthening CUTR’s National Presence
Staes’ election as Vice Chair further highlights CUTR’s longstanding leadership in transportation safety research, education, workforce development, and technical assistance. Her appointment provides an additional opportunity for CUTR to contribute to national conversations that shape the future of public transportation safety.
Please join us in congratulating Lisa Staes on this well-deserved achievement and her continued service to the public transportation industry.
