SURTC to Hold Courses on Principles of Transit Management and Fiscal Management

SURTC trainer Carol Wright will be conducting a Principles of Transit Management course January 11-13 in Alexandria, Minnesota. Principles of Transit Management is an intensive three-day course that covers virtually all aspects of transit and paratransit management for rural and small urban operators across America.

To address concerns of transit managers trying to balance their financial operations while meeting the transit needs of the communities they serve, SURTC is holding a training course called Transit Dollars and Sense: Sound Fiscal Management Using Performance Measures February 7-8 in Houston, Texas. This class will provide transit agencies with easy to understand tools, strategies, and suggestions and will help participants so that they can accurately know their fully allocated costs, prepare accurate budgets, evaluate their transit system's performance, improve decision making, and develop tracking mechanisms that can provide important information for managing transit operations.

For more information about these courses, including registration information, visit the SURTC Training and Outreach page.

SURTC Now Scheduling 2011 Training Dates

SURTC is already looking forward to the coming year with regard to its successful training programs. Many of you have asked for 2011 dates, so the calendar is now "open" and ready for booking. The dates fill quickly, so we would encourage you to plan ahead. If you are interested in having SURTC provide training, please contact Carol Wright, Associate Director for Training and Outreach, at (701)231-8231. Popular training programs range from multiple day classes such as Principles of Transit Management and Business Plan Development to individual offerings such as the Implementing Rural Transit Technology class developed by David Ripplinger in partnership with the National Transit Institute. Other topics include diversity, ethics, cost allocation, financial management, working with local governments, performance measures, human resources, tribal transit, and motivational leadership. A complete list of training topics and brief descriptions can be found by clicking on the SURTC Training and Outreach page.

Principles of Transit Management Course to be Held in Texas

The Small Urban and Rural Transit Center will be holding its Principles of Transit Management course in Mesquite, TX on September 21-23.

Principles of Transit Management is an intensive three-day course developed by SURTC that covers virtually all aspects of transit and paratransit management for rural and small urban operators across America. The course has eight core modules covering the key principles of transit management: Human Resource Management; Financial Management; Administration; Operations & Service Design; Procurement; Vehicle and Facility Maintenance; Safety, Security and Emergency Management; and Drug and Alcohol Program Compliance. It is an excellent course for both experienced managers and those who are relatively new to their positions.

SURTC to Host Bus Safety and Security Training

The Small Urban and Rural Transit Center is sponsoring a one day seminar, FTA Transit Bus Safety and Security Program Overview, on Tuesday, August 17 from 8-4pm. The seminar will be held on the campus of North Dakota State University in Research Building I located at 1735 Research Park Drive in Fargo. This national seminar is being facilitated by Ream Lazaro, a well-recognized transit management consultant. The focus of the workshop will be to assist participants in understanding the new FTA Transit Bus Safety and Security Program as well as to identify "best practices." There is no cost for the seminar, but participants are required to register online.

Rural Transit Technology Course to be Held in Conjunction with NRITS Conference

Implementing Rural Transit Technology, a joint course of the Small Urban and Rural Transit Center and the National Transit Institute (NTI), will be held August 1-2 in Huntington, West Virginia, in conjunction with the National Rural ITS (NRITS) Conference. The course is geared toward transit professionals, state DOT office staff, and regional planners involved in planning and implementing technology-based systems for rural transit operations.

A specialized transit track that includes transit-specific sessions, a human services transportation workshop, in addition to the Implementing Rural Transit Technology course will be part of this year's NRITS Conference. Registration for participation in the transit track can be made online.

More information on the Implementing Rural Transit Technology course is available on the NTI website.

Rural Transit Technology Course to be Held in Alaska and Virginia

The Small Urban & Rural Transit Center in partnership with the National Transit Institute is presenting the course Implementing Rural Transit Technology May 10-11 in Anchorage, AK, and June 9-10 in Charlottesville, VA.

The course presents a structured approach for planning, implementing, and evaluating rural transit projects to help ensure that agency needs and expectations are met.

Rural Transit Technology Course to be Held in Alaska and Virginia

Implementing Rural Transit Technology, a joint course of the Small Urban and Rural Transit Center and the National Transit Institute (NTI), will be held May 10-11 in Anchorage, Alaska, and June 9-10 in Charlottesville, Virginia. The course is geared toward transit professionals, state DOT office staff, and regional planners involved in planning and implementing technology-based systems for rural transit operations.

More information on the course and online registration is available on the NTI website.

SURTC Updates and Adds New Training Topics

SURTC has updated its list of training topics and added a few new topics.

New training topics include:

• Giving Effective Presentations
• How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Writing
• Planning for Technology in Small Urban & Rural Areas
• The Changing Face of America:  Diversity and Its Implications for Transit
• Transit and Elected Officials

The complete list of training topics with updated descriptions is available on the SURTC website.

SURTC develops and provides training for transit operators as needs are identified. If you would like to host a training session, please email ndsu.ugpti@ndsu.edu.

Transportation Seminar: Developing a Long-Range Transportation Plan

A Transportation Seminar on developing long-range transportation plans will be held Oct. 20, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. in Room 422 of the IACC building on the North Dakota State University campus.  The seminar will discuss the role of long-range transportation plans, the planning process, and their role in ensuring the efficient and effective expenditure of public dollars.

Rural Transit Technology Course to be Presented in Wisconsin and New York

SURTC in partnership with the National Transit Institute is presenting the course Implementing Rural Transit Technology October 28-29 in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and December 1-2 in Schenectady, NY.

The course presents a structured approach for planning, implementing, and evaluating rural transit projects to help ensure that agency needs and expectations are met.