A First-Hand Account of TCRP's International Transit Studies Program

Brenda Schweitzer, Executive Director of Brookings Area Transit Authority in Brookings, SD, recently spent several days visiting transit systems around the world with a group of transit professionals from the United States. The trip was part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program’s (TCRP’s) International Transit Studies Program (ITSP).

Schweitzer was nominated and selected to participate in the fall 2010 Transportation Mission Study, “Public Transportation Systems as the Foundation for Economic Growth.” The trip took her and her group to Istanbul, Turkey; Cairo, Egypt; and Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. They toured the transit operations in these cities and studied how local investments are linked to economic growth.

The participants will now compile their notes in preparation of their mission report. Of her experience, Brenda wrote:

“Throughout the world, transportation is a major part of society, bringing social, economic and environmental values to light. I look forward to bringing this gained knowledge to my system and the rural areas we serve. We can appreciate the sparse populations we work with, as well as the cohesive working relationships we have with the federal, state and local funding sources.”

To learn more about the transit systems in these cities and Brenda's experiences, read the following article she wrote about her trip: Brenda Schweitzer's International Trip