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.
10 Steps to Starting a Travel Training Program (webinar)
Date: March 20, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Central
Presenter: Kristi McLaughlin, Easterseals Project Action
Description:
This webinar is designed to help organizations develop and implement successful travel training programs. This session outlines key steps, from identifying community needs and securing funding to recruiting travel trainers and marketing the program. It provides valuable insights into best practices, stakeholder engagement, and program administration to ensure individuals, including people with disabilities and older adults, gain the skills needed for independent travel on public transportation.
Navigating Accessibility: Understanding Fixed-Route and Paratransit ADA Requirements (remote workshop/webinar)
Date: March 27, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central
Presenter: Kristi McLaughlin, Easterseals Project Action
Description:
Join us for this session on ensuring compliance with accessibility standards in public transportation. This session will provide an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its non-discrimination mandates. We'll delve into the specifics of fixed-route transit systems, covering essential aspects such as wheelchair securement, bus stop accessibility, and wheelchair boarding procedures to ensure an inclusive experience for all passengers. Additionally, we'll explore paratransit services, focusing on age limits, personal care assistants (PCAs), no-show policies, service beyond the curb and other accessibility considerations for both modes including reasonable modifications to enhance accessibility and meet the needs of all riders. This session is designed for transit operators, accessibility coordinators, and anyone involved in ensuring transportation services meet ADA requirements.
The Power of Your Attitude in Determining Your Success (webinar)
Date: April 1, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Central
Presenter: Carol Kenderdine, Carol Wright Consulting
Description:
What is success to you? Every individual defines success for themselves in their own way. For some of us, our success is easy to define, and for others it is elusive and hard to pin down. As much as you try, sometimes it is very hard to change your life or work circumstances. But, you do have the power to choose how you look at your situation and the attitude you bring to your work, your home, and your ability to control your own environment.
All of us, at one time or another, express different kinds of attitudes: positive, negative, and neutral. Where we choose to spend our energy defines who we are. In the “game of life,” the positive people are the players; the negative people are the critics; and the neutral ones are the observers. We each tend to have leanings as to which of these dominates our personality. You aren’t, however, stuck with staying in one particular attitude role. A positive attitude doesn’t just happen. It is something that you have to work at all the time. When you do that, success tends to follow!
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
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.
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.