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Monday, June 8
 

8:00am EDT

2026 Florida Transit Safety and Operations Summit
Monday June 8, 2026 8:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Salons A - D
The 2026 Florida Transit Safety and Operations Summit, sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA) and hosted by Florida’s Transit Safety and Operations Network (FTSON), will once again bring a slate of expert speakers, opportunities for interaction and engagement with your peers, and enlightening conversation.
This year’s Safety and Operations Summit, which precedes the two-day Professional Development Workshop, brings together transit safety and operations professionals in a forum to discuss critical issues confronting Florida’s public transportation industry. Topics will include apprenticeships and mentorships; accident investigation; maintaining contract compliance; cybersecurity; and more!
We look forward to meeting you at the 2026 Florida Transit Safety and Operations Summit and urge you to register early.
Strengthening the Transit Workforce: The State of Apprenticeship and Mentorship in Florida
As transit agencies across Florida and the nation face growing workforce shortages and increasing skill demands, registered apprenticeships and structured mentorships are emerging as powerful, scalable strategies for attracting, developing, and retaining talent. This session provides a timely look at the state of public transit apprenticeship, highlighting both innovation and practical implementation tools for agencies of all sizes.
The Transit Workforce Center (TWC), the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) technical assistance center for workforce development, will open the session with an overview of national trends and a discussion on Florida’s progress in building apprenticeship pathways and supportive mentorship across critical frontline occupations. Miami-Dade County will share insights from launching its newly registered Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Program, including lessons learned in curriculum development, labor–management partnership, and creating sustainable advancement opportunities for technicians; and progress towards bus operator program.
To demonstrate the scalable nature of mentorship and apprenticeship programs, TWC will also present examples of various program models, with a particular focus on bus operator mentorship programs at smaller and rural agencies. Bus Operator Mentorship Programs are an approach designed to support new operators, reduce turnover, and improve service quality. Representatives from Star Transit in Terrell, Texas will attend and present to talk about how they have implemented mentorship across a large rural area.
Attendees will leave with concrete examples, implementation strategies, and adaptable tools to enhance their own apprenticeship and mentorship efforts, contributing to a stronger and more resilient transit workforce across Florida.
Moderators
avatar for Paul Goyette

Paul Goyette

Project Manager, CUTR
Paul Goyette served as the Deputy Director for Lee County Transit in Fort Myers, Florida for several years. With over 25 years of public transportation experience, Paul conveyed a cohesive leadership style to the employees at Lee Tran to support a cross-functional and efficient transit... Read More →
Speakers
avatar for Maurice Beard

Maurice Beard

Contractor, ITLC/TWC
Maurice Beard has more than three decades of experience in the transportation industry. He began his career as a bus operator with the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in San Jose, California. Throughout his career, Maurice advanced through several roles, including Line Instructor... Read More →
avatar for Karitsa Holdzkom

Karitsa Holdzkom

Senior Policy Analyst, International Transportation Learning Center / Transit Workforce Center

Karitsa Holdzkom’s work focuses primarily on providing technical assistance to agencies around key workforce development policies and funding sources available to support them. Ms. Holdzkom also leads work on the Transit Workforce Center’s national apprenticeship network, the... Read More →
avatar for Brianna Paauwe
avatar for Antonio Harris

Antonio Harris

Transportation Director, STAR Transit
Antonio Harris has more than 17 years of experience in public transportation and currently serves as Transportation Director for STAR Transit, the fourth-largest public transit agency in North Texas. He also serves as key staff for the agency’s Public Transportation Agency Safety... Read More →
RR
Monday June 8, 2026 8:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Salons A - D
  Meeting
 
Tuesday, June 9
 

8:00am EDT

FTMC/FAPT Maintenance Session
Tuesday June 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:45am EDT
Magnolia Room
This vehicle maintenance session will provide updates and technical insights from several key equipment and system manufacturers.
  1. Wabtec will present the latest developments in their Vapor door, ETO and CLASS systems.
  2. CarbonTek will address common issues found within both intake and after treatment systems offering guidance on identifying early warning signs and applying effective corrective measures. 
  3. Spheros will share information about new SC510 control system. 
  4. An overview of Braun’s new Dual Parallel Arm will also be presented.
Speakers
avatar for Chris Porter

Chris Porter

Service Manager, Spheros North America
I'm a seasoned field service and technical training professional with over 11 years of expertise at Spheros, specializing in installations, on-site technical support, and team leadership. Skilled in managing field technicians and streamlining service operations, with a proven track... Read More →
avatar for Richard Waddington

Richard Waddington

Owner, CarbonTek USA
Over the last 10 years we have developed a technology based on Hydrogen Gas to removing carbon deposits from engines and reduce aftertreatment issues. Our system is a preventative maintenance program which is very effective on short distance high idle vehicles.
TO
EP
avatar for Mike Shannon

Mike Shannon

Webtec
Meet Mike Shannon, part of our Sales & Service South Eastern Region team for the past five years. Mike enjoys boating and golfing outside of work and values the family-like atmosphere here at Wabtec Bus Solutions.
He's proud of the work he does with his Transit agencies, buildin... Read More →
Tuesday June 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:45am EDT
Magnolia Room
  Meeting

3:15pm EDT

Successfully Dealing with Annoying People
Tuesday June 9, 2026 3:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
Cypress Room
Have you ever said, “That person drives me crazy!”?  Has anyone ever said that about you?  We all have people in our lives who pose challenges.  However, people can’t drive you crazy if you don’t give them the keys. This training will give you ideas and concrete practices that you can implement immediately.  These proven techniques will assist you in getting along better in your professional and personal relationships.  There will always be difficult people, but this fresh perspective on dealing with them can change your life starting now!
Speakers
avatar for Carol Wright Kenderdine

Carol Wright Kenderdine

Carol Wright Consulting

Carol Wright Kenderdine is a consultant specializing in leadership development, strategic planning, transit management training, board of director training, business plan development, and transit assessments. She is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer on accessible transportation... Read More →
Tuesday June 9, 2026 3:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
Cypress Room
  Meeting
 
Wednesday, June 10
 

1:15pm EDT

Marketing Meeting
Wednesday June 10, 2026 1:15pm - 3:00pm EDT
Salons F & G
In this open forum discussion, we’ll discuss challenges and solutions affecting marketing, communications, and customer experience in transit agencies. Come prepared to share recent wins, ask questions of peers, and collaboratively workshop solutions for increasing ridership, improving passenger communication, maximizing public engagement, and enhancing the rider experience.
Speakers
avatar for Amanda Baird

Amanda Baird

Director of Communications and Marketing, PSTA
Amanda Baird is the Director of Communications and Marketing for PSTA, serving St. Petersburg and Clearwater in Tampa Bay. She joined the team in 2021, and immediately dove into the go-to-market strategy for SunRunner, the region’s first bus rapid transit offering. She’s so proud... Read More →
Wednesday June 10, 2026 1:15pm - 3:00pm EDT
Salons F & G
  Meeting

1:15pm EDT

Florida DOT Central and District Office (FDOT Staff Only)
Wednesday June 10, 2026 1:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
Magnolia Room

Wednesday June 10, 2026 1:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
Magnolia Room
  Meeting
 
2026 FPTA/FDOT/CUTR PDW & Transit Safety and Operations Summit

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Monday, June 8
Tuesday, June 9
Wednesday, June 10
Cypress Room
Magnolia Room
Salons A - C
Salons A - D
Salons D & E
Salons F & G
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