Name: Florida Small and Rural Transit Agency Roundtable Discussion – Rural Transit Fleet Mix and Vehicle Size Decision Tools
Start: 2026-06-09T15:15:00-0400
End: 2026-06-09T17:00:00-0400

Florida Small and Rural Transit Agency Roundtable Discussion – Rural Transit Fleet Mix and Vehicle Size Decision Tools

Tuesday June 9, 2026 3:15pm - 5:00pm EDT

Salons F & G

This session will feature a roundtable format to discuss a variety of challenges and successes encountered by small and rural transit agencies. This session includes a presentation on using a decision tool to support the selection of an appropriate vehicle fleet; further information is provided below. TRIPS staff will be available to discuss the importance of vehicle inspection during the vehicle acceptance process. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions and issues to share with the moderator, presenters, and their peers.

Rural Transit Fleet Mix and Vehicle Size Decision Tools
Rural public transportation providers face several challenges in determining the proper mix of vehicle types and sizes for their operations. They need to consider the demand for service, passenger characteristics, the types of trips they are providing, service area size and characteristics, trip pattern type, availability of drivers, vehicle cost, and other factors. This presentation will present results from a National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) project that developed guidance and tools to assist state DOTs and rural public transit providers in deciding what types of vehicles will best serve their communities. The presentation will discuss findings from surveys, interviews, and case studies conducted of rural and tribal transit agencies and state DOTs that explore the decision-making process for vehicle procurement; present an analysis of rural transit fleet data; and demonstrate tools that rural agencies can use to help with vehicle fleet mix decisions.

Moderators

Stephanie Lewis

Workforce Development Project Manager, USF/CUTR

Stephanie Lewis, M.Ed., is currently a Workforce Development Project Manager and Instructional Designer at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. She has a wide range of skills in online and instructor led course development, webinar coordination, video production... Read More →

Speakers

Lazara Stinnette

TRIPS Assistant Program Manager, University of South Florida CUTR

Lazara Stinnette is an Administrative Specialist for the Transit Safety and Workforce Development Programs at the Center for Urban Transportation Research working on the Transportation Research Inspection Procurement Services (TRIPS) program. Her primary responsibilities include the... Read More →

Carlton Allen

TRIPS Program Manager, CUTR

Carlton Allen is the TRIPS Program Manager and is assigned to the FDOT Springhill Inspection and research facility in Tallahassee. He has worked for the Center for Urban Transportation Research for 15 years. Carlton also interacts with engineering related to crashworthiness testing... Read More →

Jeremy Mattson

Jeremy Mattson is an associate professor of transportation and supply chain at North Dakota State University. Previously he spent 17 years conducting research on rural and small urban transit with the Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility, a program of the Upper Great Plains Transportation... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 3:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
Salons F & G

Roundtable

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2026 FPTA/FDOT/CUTR PDW & Transit Safety and Operations Summit

Stephanie Lewis

Lazara Stinnette

Carlton Allen

Jeremy Mattson

Attendees (43)

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