Training
Texas Transit Association Statewide Training Initiative
TTA is now expanding access to educational resources by launching a Statewide training initiative covering the many obstacles that transit staff face, including funding, procurement, and regulatory compliance. This training opportunity is made possible with a grant through TxDOT.
To administer this program, TTA will work closely with Easterseals, which has over 34 years of experience developing and implementing training programs and workshops for rural, suburban, and urban transit agencies. This training curriculum will be designed and delivered to be relevant to transit providers at various levels of management, accounting, and procurement professionals, front-line supervisors, dispatchers/ call center staff, and drivers. It will incorporate best practices from both the public and the private sector.
All courses, workshops, and webinars, in-person or virtual, are designed to be interactive and participatory. These courses will be offered to Transit agencies in Texas at no cost, but space is limited, so make sure that you and your staff don’t miss out on this great opportunity.
Upcoming Training
TTA’s Upcoming Courses
These courses are offered to transit agencies in Texas at no cost by grant funding through TxDOT.
Writing Successful Grant Proposals (remote workshop/webinar)
Date: April 15, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Central
Presenter: Judy Shanley, Easterseals Project Action
Description:
Join us as we discuss the basics of grant writing and how to craft compelling proposals. This webinar covers topics such as grant writing basics and terminology, steps to writing successful grant proposals, common grant proposal sections, what to know before writing a grant proposal. covers what to know when writing a grant proposal, submitting a proposal on a tight deadline, proposal decision process, grant writing tips, grant writing don’ts, common reasons grants are declined, other grant writing considerations, and what to know after submitting a grant proposal.
Sensitivity Training for Bus Operators (remote workshop/webinar)
Date: April 17, 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central
Presenter: Kristi Mclaughlin, Easterseals Project Action
Description:
This 4-hour virtual workshop aims to educate bus drivers on appropriate behavior and communication with people with disabilities. The workshop covers various topics including assisting difficult customers, driver assistance and the ADA, service animals, effective communication, and disability awareness and sensitivity. This workshop is appropriate both for fixed-route and demand responsive bus operators.
Sensitivity Training for Bus Operators (remote workshop/webinar)
Date: April 17, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Central
Presenter: Kristi Mclaughlin, Easterseals Project Action
Description:
This 4-hour virtual workshop aims to educate bus drivers on appropriate behavior and communication with people with disabilities. The workshop covers various topics including assisting difficult customers, driver assistance and the ADA, service animals, effective communication, and disability awareness and sensitivity. This workshop is appropriate both for fixed-route and demand responsive bus operators.
CARES Transit Management Certification (2-day, in-person workshop)
Date: April 24-25, 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Central
Location: Citibus, Lubbock, TX
Presenter: Carol Wright Kenderdine, Carol Wright Consulting
Description:
This 2-day certification workshop will provide the fundamental skills of transit management for new transit managers and experienced managers with the refresher they need to take a step back and review their overall program. The workshop has six modules which cover Human Resource Management; Financial Management; Operations and Service Design; Vehicle and Facilities Management; Title VI, Civil Rights, & ADA; and Customer Service. The workshop uses interactive techniques for involving all participants in the course, including scenarios, paired and large group discussions, Q and A for each module, and handout resources. There will be significant time allowed throughout for discussion of specific situations related to individual agency circumstances. A certification test is given at the end of the course. Participants must score 85% or better to receive their certification.
Determining ADA Complementary Paratransit Eligibility (remote workshop)
Date: May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central
Presenter: Kristi McLaughlin, Easterseals Project Action
Description:
This remote workshop provides transit professionals and managers with the information and tools to develop a comprehensive approach to conducting accurate paratransit eligibility determinations. This workshop will provide participants helpful tips and best practices in determining ADA complementary paratransit eligibility. Participants will also receive informational resources on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for eligibility determination processes.
**The workshop will be held on each Thursday of May.
Fuel Hedging for Transit: Controlling Costs, Reducing Risk (webinar)
Date: May 7, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Central
Presenter: Jeff LeMunyon, Linwood Capital
Description:
Join this webinar to learn how to gain the advantage of better fuel budgeting and lower fuel budget risk by hedging the cost of petroleum and natural gas for your public transit agency. In this webinar, you will learn:
• Why fuel hedging creates an advantage for public transit
• What other transit agencies are doing.
• How petroleum and natural gas markets work and how they affect your organization
• Fuel hedging strategies
• How to set up a fuel hedging program
Using Performance Measures to Monitor Your Program and Plan for Success (webinar)
Date: May 20, 2025
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Central
Presenter: Carol Wright Kenderdine, Carol Wright Consulting
Description:
You can’t know where you are going unless you know where you are and where you have been. Performance measures help an agency discover its current position and measure it against its previous performance. They also help set goals for improved performance. Topics that will be addressed in this workshop include: Monitoring Agency Achievement of Program Goals and Objectives; Evaluation of Current Services and Programs: Understanding Key Performance Measures Indicators; Tracking Customer Service through Customer Complaints, Compliments, and Ridership; Evaluating the Agency Safety Record; and Monitoring Agency Contracts to Provide Service to Others and Vendor Contracts for Services Provided to the Agency. You will learn to move your organization from its current state toward the desired future through the use of performance measures and strategic planning.
Agencies interested in hosting future training classes can contact Laura@TxTransit.org for details.
Host agencies are expected to provide the following:
Training Room with a projector that can accommodate up to 35 individuals classroom style.
Refreshments and coffee for morning and afternoon breaks.
Please note that the training location must be in close proximity to dining establishments to allow participants to leave and return within one hour.
Host agencies may also provide lunch if there are no dining establishments nearby.
The host agency is encouraged to offer tours of their facility.