Program Overview
CUTR’s Transit Safety and Workforce Development (TSWD) Program has demonstrated a consistent level of excellence in its wide ranging and far reaching projects and program areas. In the area of transit safety, the TSWD program has played a valuable role in transit safety-related research, industry network management, and training. This experience is vast and includes: research to examine the overall safety of the nation’s public transportation industry; topical research in areas such as bus operator assaults and collisions; synthesis reports that examine successful practices undertaken by public transportation agencies to reduce transit safety-related risks; the development of tools to improve the manner in which transit agencies report, track, and analyze transit data; and training curriculum development established to address issues, not only within the area of transit safety, but other transit disciplines as well. Research and other activities have been performed for the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration; the Transportation Research Board; state Departments of Transportation; University Transportation Centers; and local government entities. The team manages FTA’s Standards Development Program which delivers timely and relevant information to the transit industry that is used to improve operational efficiencies and safety, promote and support training and professional development, and demonstrate and evaluate transit innovations and technologies.
In the area of Workforce Development, the TSWD team manages a number of state certificate programs, provides extensive public transportation training opportunities, and coordinates an annual Professional Development Workshop. In its capacity, the program serves as a training clearinghouse for public transportation professionals throughout Florida. Members of the team have extensive expertise in the development and delivery of training on topics such as transit planning, operations, safety, security, emergency management, and transit vehicle maintenance. The program delivers training curriculum through strategic, multi-media approaches. In addition to traditional classroom training, the team develops and manages e-learning solutions such as self-paced computer based training (CBT), videos, as well as interactive webinars, net casts, and online courses in a wide range of disciplines and topics. Through these workforce development initiatives, the program offers distinctive, innovative training and networking opportunities that provide participants with the tools to help them succeed and advance in their fields. The program continuously assesses the training programs to monitor progress of participants and their effectiveness, a critical program process.
The certificate programs managed by the TSWD team are its central areas of focus and are those that have bought national recognition. These include the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Management Certification Program, the Florida Transit Operator Trainer Training Program, the Certified Transit Technician Program, the Airport Leadership Program, and the Florida Transit Safety and Operations Network. The success of these programs is primarily due to the partnerships we have developed and nurtured with Florida’s transit agencies, and the relationships we have built with federal and state government organizations, associations, and consultants. These groups have played a pivotal role in the development of our certificate programs, the quality and relevance of our training curriculum, and the TSWD Program’s overall success.
Our Clients
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- Transportation Research Board (TRB)
- Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
- Florida Airports Council (FAC)
- Palm Tran
- Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
- Senior Resource Association, Inc.
- Washington State Transit Insurance Pool (WSTIP)
- Easter Seals Project Action Consulting (ESPAC)
- Alabama Rural Transit Assistance Program
- Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority
- LYNX
- New Mexico Transit Association