This fall the Missouri Public Transit Association, in partnership with the Iowa Public Transit Association and Kansas Public Transit Association, will be hosting a 2 ½ day Midwest Transit Conference in St. Louis. Both in-person and virtual options will be available for attendees. The conference will provide transit providers, stakeholders, elected officials, and others the opportunity to interact and learn from each other as well as nationally known presenters.
The conference kicks off on Tuesday, September 7th with an intensive learning session on Problem Passengers and De-Escalation, presented by Ray Hassett. Hassett has over 25 years of law enforcement experience and has trained as an FBI-trained Hostage Negotiator. Hassett developed the training to teach specific skills to use with any emotionally driven situation.
On Wednesday, the conference has secured two nationally recognized presenters. The morning Keynote presentation will be Scott Bogren, Executive Director of the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA). Bogren has more than 30 years of experience in transit and is a daily transit user. He will be speaking on the future of Transit Funding. The afternoon keynote will be presented by Jeff Nelson, Chair of the American Public Transportation Association. Nelson will be presenting What Does the Future of Transit Look Like? The Vision, The Plan, The Cost. Nelson is a seasoned public transportation leader who specializes in urban design, land use planning, and economic development with more than 35 years’ experience in mass transit. Wednesday culminates with a reception under the St. Louis Gateway Arch.
Throughout the 2 ½ days there will be a variety of breakout sessions and panel discussions as well as mobile workshops which will allow participants to get out of the classroom and into the community. Presentation topics will be focused on micro-transit, electric fleets, transit equity, and vehicle maintenance programs, just to name a few.
The 2021 Conference will provide plenty of opportunities to network with fellow transit providers as well as vendors and exhibitors focused on the transit industry.
Learn more about the conference as well as sponsorship opportunities here: 2021 Midwest Transit Conference