PMF is a great example of what happens when labor and management come together with a shared vision. Through frontline leadership, mentorship, and a commitment to workforce development, PMF is helping to create lasting career pathways and a culture of growth and collaboration. ​It’s a model worth celebrating!

RAMP 22—a powerful partnership between RTA and ATU Local 1277—is proud to share reflections from this year’s Mentors in Motion Conference, hosted by California Transit Works. Mentors returned inspired, energized, and unified, having connected with peers across the state and beyond who share similar triumphs and challenges in supporting frontline transit workers. From calls for stronger mentor networks and mental health support, to strategies for deeper conversations with mentees, the RAMP 22 team is bringing home new ideas grounded in honesty, unity, and compassion. As one attendee put it, “There’s no ‘I’ in team. But united... we move this city!”

Earlier this month, Rolling With Knowledge made waves at the Mentors in Motion 2025 conference in Monterey, hosted at the stunning Hyatt Regency!
The CTW annual conference brought together ATU members, transit agencies, colleges, and key industry partners to champion the power of worker voice and collaboration!
Rolling With Knowledge proudly joined the CTW network in March 2024, and their impact has already been felt! Their commitment to workforce development and mentorship is shaping the future of transit—one connection at a time.
Congratulations to Rolling With Knowledge for their leadership and dedication to moving transit forward! #MentorsInMotion #CTW2025
Rolling With Knowledge (RWK) is a partnership between Omnitrans and Local 1704.
To learn more, visit their page here: https://www.catransitworks.org/omnitrans---atu-1704.html

San Joaquin Driving Force brought their energy and passion to Mentors in Motion 2025, embracing the power of networking, learning, and collaboration. From sharing strategies to strengthen mentorship programs to celebrating the impact of workforce development, their voices highlight the dedication to growth and unity. Together, they are helping to shape the future—one connection at a time!
San Joaquin Driving Force is a partnership between San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) ​and the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 256. To learn more, visit their page: https://www.catransitworks.org/san-joaquin-driving-force...

High energy and inspiring stories highlighted Day 1 of our “Mentors In Motion 2025: Inspiring Each Other and Building Community” annual conference  in Monterey, CA! 
We were honored to have ATU International President John Costa deliver a stirring opening speech and spend the entire day attending sessions with 300+ conference attendees. 
Here are some highlights from some of today’s activities, featuring people from seven states, 15 ATU locals and 19 transit agencies representing their labor/management training partnerships, along with 10 educational institutions, and special guests. Stay tuned for much more to come!

On Thursday February 13th, CTW met with the Pomona Technician Apprenticeship Program (PTAP) team for a milestone discussion on their journey forward. Much was covered during their meeting, including:

* Strengthening the Foundation: PTAP presented their comprehensive mechanic apprenticeship curriculum—an impressive step toward shaping the next generation of skilled technicians. CTW’s Rob Gamble, an expert in workforce engagement at the college level, confirmed their readiness to collaborate with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) and provided strategic insights on partnering with local colleges. With three promising options, PTAP is poised to make a strong choice.
* Empowering Mentors: Recognizing the vital role of mentorship, the team explored mentor selection and standards. Eliseo Acosta (ATU International Workforce Development Coordinator) offered to lead mentor training, aiming for a March launch after the CTW Annual Conference.
* Clarifying Processes: To streamline operations, the team discussed invoicing procedures.
* Gearing up for the CTW Conference: Excitement grew as PTAP prepared to showcase their work at the High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) table. Rich Diaz (ATU International Workforce Development Coordinator), praised their work, affirming that they are well ahead in developing their program and on a strong path forward. His insights and support are helping to guide their next steps and adding momentum to their efforts. The upcoming conference promises to be a powerful opportunity to connect, learn, and inspire.

For next steps, CTW will work with PTAP to:

* Finalize mentor standards and selection.
* Schedule mentor training.
* Meet with a DAS representative.
* Clarify invoicing.

Participants included Carey Ellis, Vincent Millan, Ray Olivas, Santiago Gomez, Steve Peoples, Jose Garcia, Gavino Romero, and Ashley Collins. Rich Diaz and Eliseo Acosta of ATU International provided guidance and CTW was represented by Robert Hannibal and Rob Gamble.

With strong momentum and a clear path forward, PTAP is ready to elevate their program, forge meaningful partnerships, and make an impact at the CTW Conference. The future of apprenticeship is bright!
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PTAP is a partnership between Foothill Transit and ATU 1756. To learn more, visit their page

On Tuesday, February 11, the morning started for CTW at 9am at the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) with a dynamic partnership check-in. Our discussion centered on the upcoming CTW Conference, ensuring all questions were addressed. A key highlight was welcoming Seannice into her new role as the RAMP22 Program Coordinator, where we explored her upcoming responsibilities, including the VTT presentation and innovative approaches to delivering impactful presentations. Following this, we dedicated time—amidst other meetings—to guide Seannice through Coordinator Training. These insightful discussions covered essential aspects of the role, such as:

* Building trust and meaningful connections with mentors, mentees, ATU, and management
* Work-life balance and role sustainability
* Providing support and serving as a role model among peers
* Effective communication and leadership strategies

On September 26, the Riverside Transit Agency(RTA) Board Presented an Award for heroism to RTA Coach Operator Felita Moore. Felita's heroic actions in the line of duty serve as an inspiring example of dedication and courage and her recognition showcases the exceptional contributions of our transit professionals.
The award presentation was followed up by a RAMP 22 Mentorship Program update that delved into how the partnership is fostering growth and leadership within the organization.
RAMP 22 is a partnership between Riverside Transit Agency ​and the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1277 (ATU)
Special thanks to the Riverside Transit Agency for providing the video!
#transitheroes #MentorsInMotion

On August 17, 2024, ATU International Workforce Development Coordinator Rich Diaz and California Transit Works! representative Robert Hannibal were in Riverside, CA, for the RAMP 22 operator mentor training. RAMP 22 is the High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) between Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) and ATU - Local 1277. The training session welcomed eight new mentors: Debora Walker, Daphanie Buffington, Felita Moore, Terrica Beattie, Camille Wilson, Seannice Archie, Romell Kidd, Ariana Berry, and the RAMP22 ATU Coordinator, Josie Garcia. The training was also attended by Kristin Warsinski, RTA CEO, and Laura Camacho, RTA Chief Administrative Services Officer.
The mentors were enthusiastic about joining the program and expressed their heartfelt desire to help new coworkers transition into a career in transit and see them succeed. We congratulate them for stepping into this new role. It was an honor to spend the day with the RAMP22 Mentors, who are truly a remarkable group doing great things!
#MentorsInMotion

On Sunday, August 11th, 2024, California Transit Works held its first-ever in-person Regional Coordinators Meeting at the San Joaquin Regional Transportation District (SJRTD). This historic event brought together ATU Peer Mentoring Coordinators, Maintenance Representatives, and ATU Workforce Development Coordinators from nine different ATU locals and ten different Labor-Management Partnerships (LMP) throughout California, including Locals 1575, 256, 192, 1574, 265, 1225, 1277, 1704, and 1756. This meeting continued the conversations and themes from the Annual Conference, “Mentors in Motion: Inspiring Each Other, Building Community,” held earlier this year in January.
Following in the CTW tradition of worker voice, the participants led the conversation and reinforced ATU’s support for Workforce Development. The meeting featured a series of workshops aimed at fostering discussions around the coordinators’ roles, their program responsibilities, and strategies for navigating their Labor-Management Partnerships (LMP), among other topics.
While the role of the coordinator may seem straightforward and simple, it is, in reality, more complex and involves many different layers with varying degrees of difficulty. The day's interactions and activities provided coordinators with new skill sets and insights essential for developing, implementing, and maintaining the various programs they lead, including mentorship, apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship programs. 
By the conclusion of the event, participants had cultivated a supportive network and a space for collaboration. Comments such as, “I have a newfound outlook for this position! When is our next meeting?” and “This meeting just rejuvenated me!” reflected the positive impact of the gathering on those who attended.
This meeting further opened the door for coordinators throughout the country to become part of a vast network, enabling them to share their experiences and insights from their journey.
A special thank you to SJRTD and ATU 256: “San Joaquin Driving Force” for hosting the event and giving our participants a tour of your facility!

CTW is honored to work with the ATU International and the UCLA Labor Center on its new grant project, the National Center for High Road Clean Transit Careers. ATU sets the national standard for public transit apprenticeships and peer mentoring programs centering frontline workers. 
CTW will work with the  UCLA Labor Center to research and develop new national infrastructure and evaluation guidelines for high road labor management partnerships centering frontline worker voice. This is the strong foundation needed for public transit employers and unions to build equitable, worker-centered apprenticeships and workforce development programs featuring frontline worker peer mentoring. CTW will also provide targeted HRTP technical assistance to the ATU at selected sites across the US, based on its successful work in California.

Check out RAMP 22's public presentation to Riverside Transit on the establishment, team building activities, and successful assignment of mentors. The presentation highlights new challenges and goals moving forward.

​For more about RAMP 22, visit: http://www.catransitworks.org/ramp-22-rtaatu-1277.html

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​“I have never attended anything like this!” was the day’s refrain, as 250 people from California and five other states attended Mentors In Motion: Inspiring Each Other and Building Community, the annual meeting of California Transit Works! (CTW) on January 27, 2024. This historic meeting was the largest gathering of public transit High Road Training Partnerships (HRTPs) in the country, featuring the leadership and voice of frontline workers themselves. The entire event was organized by current and former peer mentors/mentor coordinators and supported by CTW and its labor/management partnerships. 

​More than 70% of attendees were frontline transit workers – both current peer mentors, as well as frontline transportation and maintenance workers who were interested in peer mentoring, as well as issues such as conversion to zero emission buses (ZEB). They were joined by ATU and agency leaders of their agencies’ training partnerships, as well as ATU officers and agency managers at all levels. Special guest presenters included the US Department of Labor, the California Workforce Development Board, and community college deans. CTW was graciously hosted by the principal, counselor, and automotive instructor and students of Logan High School in Union City, CA. 

​ATU International Vice President Jim Lindsay, on behalf of International President John Costa, gave the official welcome, emphasizing the ATU’s commitment to promoting apprenticeships and workforce development for ATU members at every local in the US and Canada. Michael Hursh, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, and Jamaine Gibson, ATU Apprenticeship and Workforce Development Director, opened the plenary by speaking from the heart about why these public transit labor/management partnerships centering frontline workers are so meaningful and essential for the public transit industry.

​The morning’s highlight were presentations by each of the 16 labor/management partnerships from California, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Oregon, and Washington on their work and accomplishments to date. Participants included frontline workers and officers from ATU locals 192, 256, 265, 268, 757, 788, 1070, 1225, 1277, 1574, 1575, 1704, and 1756; as well as the ATU California Conference Board. Transit agency participants included GM/CEOs, managers, and supervisors from AC Transit, Sacramento RT, San Joaquin RTD, Santa Clara VTA, Cleveland RTA, TriMet, Eugene Transit, Metro St. Louis, IndyGo, Monterey-Salinas Transit, Riverside Transit, SunLine Transit, San Diego, SamTrans, Golden Gate Transit, OmniTrans, Foothill-Pomona, and King County Metro. 

The afternoon plenary kicked off with a peer mentor panel representing six US transit partnerships. Throughout the day, meeting attendees had multiple opportunities to network with their peers in productive small group workshops and caucuses on key issues and challenges facing transit labor/management partnerships and programs. The maintenance caucus had a special hands-on presentation by the James Logan High School automotive students and instructor, building the high school to career pathway in real life. The CTW Advisory Board also held a well-attended meeting, with both labor and management leaders committing to “be CTW” and assist their peers throughout the year as they work on their partnerships and programs. ​

The afternoon was devoted to each labor/management partnership working together to share what they learned and develop partnership “Commitment to Action” plans for 2024. As each partnership shared their Commitment to Action plans on stage to the rest of the meeting attendees, their enthusiasm was the perfect way to close out the day and carry us all forward into 2024!
For more information, please go to: www.catransitworks.org or [email protected]

The California Workforce Development Board has announced a substantial $5 million grant from the USDOL Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Program. The funding is a significant milestone in expanding workforce development programs for transit maintenance workers, preparing them for the future of transportation with Zero Emission Buses (ZEBs). The CWDB partnered with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), California Transit Works, Oregon AFL-CIO, various public transit agencies, and dedicated frontline transit workers, resulting in a grant that plays a pivotal role in aligning with the goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, specifically focusing on reducing emissions and addressing the climate crisis. California Transit Works is privileged to be part of this momentous venture, anticipating a positive impact on the state's workforce and the environment, and invites everyone to stay tuned for further updates as we collectively shape a cleaner and more sustainable future for all. #CleanTransportation #workforcedevelopment #ClimateAction

​CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Teamwork and commitment took center stage as Sacramento Regional Transit District and ATU 256 came together for their Labor Management Partnership meeting with California Transit Works. It was a day filled with innovation, collaboration, and unity, marking a significant step forward in our shared journey.

Please join California Transit Works as we honor the remarkable achievements of the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) and SunLine Transit Agency in public transportation! These two California transit agencies received highest honors from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) on October 10, 2023, acknowledging their unwavering commitment to enhancing public transit.
AC Transit and their frontline workers represented by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 192 have been honored with APTA’s 2023 Outstanding Public Transportation System Award for their exceptional service to communities, serving 15 million or fewer passengers annually. AC Transit and ATU Local 192’s high road training partnership, Partners In Action, is one of the founders of CTW. This award reflects their remarkable collaboration on the frontlines, emphasizing the pivotal role of strong partnerships in advancing the quality and accessibility of public transportation. AC Transit also received APTA’s AdWheel Grand Award for marketing and communication efforts with their workforce development video, ”Recruitment: Live Your Best Life”, highlighting the impact of AC Transit’s good union jobs and career opportunities on entry level frontline workers.

On Tuesday, May 16th, CTW members attended the successful and informative statewide “High Road Community Spring Gathering 2023” in Sacramento, organized by the California Workforce Development Board. 

For the first time since the pandemic, High Road Training Partnerships from various industries such as health, education, public service, manufacturing, service sector, utilities, green transition and agriculture came together to map their progress and development.  Partnerships' development ranged from initial start-ups to those like CTW, now expanding their work to Central and Southern CA.  
​
Through roundtable discussions, resource breakouts and networking, with the help from the High Road Initiative Founders and the UC Labor Centers from Los Angeles, Berkeley and Merced, the gathering provided ways to learn from each other, find resources, share strategies, challenges, successes, and opportunities.

Pictured here with the nine happy graduates are members of Golden Gate Transit, Santa Rosa Junior College, California Transit Works!, ATU Local 1575, and mentors from the WIN program. 
They have completed 12 weeks of classroom work and three on-site shadow days at Golden Gate Transit.  On this final day of the program, the pre-apprentices completed their final shadow day which included learning about obtaining their commercial drivers leaner permit, tips for a successful job interview, and an introduction to the Golden Gate Transit Training Department and staff.
The next steps for this group will be to complete an interview, obtain their commercial drivers learner permits,  and complete their physical examinations and pre-employment drug tests.
Having completed this pre-apprenticeship has helped them take an important step towards securing their future career as a bus operator with Golden Gate Transit.
To learn more about the pre-apprentice program at Golden Gate Transit, or about California Transit Works!, visit our website at www.catransitworks.org

Pictured L-R: Jamaine Gibson, Brent Parton, Rob Gamble

This week’s spotlight is on the High Road Training Partnership (HRTP) between the San Joaquin Rapid Transit District (SJRTD) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) local 256. ​

This partnership is relatively new, however it has started off strong.  ​The partnership recently completed its first all day mentor meeting and mentor training meeting.  All eight of the mentors and the Transportation Superintendent attended the meeting which was a special day of learning and collaboration. In 2023, they will continue to push forward with the progress that they started last year, and work towards the goals set for this year.

​Additionally, in late 2022, CTW conducted a one-day basic electrical troubleshooting workshop at SJRTD for the maintenance technicians. The objective of the workshop was to share innovative basic electrical concepts and troubleshooting procedures, including hands-on practice. By the end of the workshop each student had to troubleshoot and diagnose 25 different electrical defects!  This type of training is necessary to prepare technicians for a future in bus maintenance as California moves closer to the implementation of its innovative clean transit initiative, which mandates zero emission bus transportation by year 2040.

​Union is industry-leader in developing innovative transit apprenticeship programs across North America
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Silver Spring, MD – As the transit industry leader in workforce development programs, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) has announced a partnership with California Transit Works (CTW) to administer nearly $10 million in grants for groundbreaking apprenticeship and peer mentorship programs across California.
A U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship Ambassador, the ATU (www.atu.org) is the largest transit union in North America, representing over 200,000 members. The CTW (www.catransitworks.org) is a statewide consortium of transit agencies, labor unions, and community colleges that promotes high road training partnerships that draw on the knowledge and skills of frontline workers to address critical issues in public transit.
"The work that the ATU and CTW are doing right now is so important in California," said ATU International President John Costa, a member of the CTW Advisory Board. "The work that is happening, the partnerships that are being built, the apprenticeship programs, and the career pathways we're creating have led to an innovative model that we're starting to spread across the country to get these programs to more of our members. These programs are critical to preparing our members for the changing technology in the transition to zero-emission vehicles. They have changed the lives of our members by advancing their careers. Becoming the fiscal agent for these impactful grants is a natural progression to our long and productive partnership with CTW. We look forward to continuing this incredible work in this new capacity."
CTW is a High Road Training Partnerships (HRTP) grant recipient, funded by the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), to further the mission of addressing income inequality, economic competitiveness, and climate change through regional skills strategies designed to support resilient communities across California. The $9,989,385 in grants will support current and future ATU labor-management High Road Training Partnerships and programs at 13 transit agencies in California, promoting good-paying jobs with benefits and career opportunities. 
"ATU International has a long history of supporting CTW in building labor-management partnerships in California," said Deb Moy, a nationally recognized organizational change expert and CTW Co-Founder and Organizational Strategist. "The ATU will bring its national experience with developing workforce development programs to its new role of fiscal agent for CTW grants from the CWDB to advance high road training partnerships in California, changing workers' lives. This partnership is exciting because of our commitment to frontline workers and the ripple effect it will have across the country." 
CTW grant activities include technical assistance and funding to the 13 HRTPs for operations and maintenance apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and peer mentoring programs for frontline workers. CTW also convenes statewide workgroups to address transit industry needs, focusing on frontline workers, including the conversion to zero-emission buses, the need for frontline worker safety and technical training, and the need for outreach, recruitment, and retention of new frontline workers, with special emphasis on underserved and priority population communities.
-ATU International Press Release