New Tech, New Skills, New Jobs

Automation J-11 gave us information on how the automation of transit vehicles would impact the transit industry workforce. Other technological advances in the transit industry have the potential to impact the workforce as well and require the transit workforce to take on new skills. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has dramatically increased funding for low- and no-emission buses. Communication technologies like 5G will enable vehicle communication, more information for transit customers, and improved data availability. Fare technology will continue to advance and incorporate elements of mobile technology. Public transit agencies will need a future-ready workforce to make the most of these technological advances. The objective of this research is to identify new and changing skill sets and jobs in the transit industry that will be arriving in the coming decade. The study should address the following: (1) Technological advancements happening in the transit industry in the coming years; (2) New skillsets that will be required of existing jobs due to new technologies; (3) New job types that may emerge; (4) What investments will be needed in training to adapt to changing job requirements; (5) What sources of funding are available for industry training programs; (6) Ways in which the industry can partner with non-transit organizations to reach workers with the required skills; and (7) Apprenticeships, school programs, or other programs that could be used to train potential workers.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5446
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $100000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project J-11, Task 46

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Transit Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001

  Federal Transit Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Schwager, Dianne

• Start Date: 20221213
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automation; Jobs; Public transit; Technological innovations; Training
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01866942
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project J-11, Task 46
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 13 2022 9:13AM