Advancing public transport knowledge globally; opening first regional training centre in North America

UITP opened its first North American Regional Training Centre in New Jersey today. By partnering with NJ TRANSIT and Rutgers CAIT the association brings world class public transport education to a region where public transport and sustainable urban mobility are also on the rise. The first four training programmes are already scheduled, with topics ranging from electric buses to fare management.

A ceremony hosted by NJ TRANSIT, brought UITP Secretary General, Mohamed Mezghani* and UITP Board Member and NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett alongside Rutgers Director Dr. Ali Maher to sign the agreement and formalise the partnership at Rutgers CAIT.

The New Jersey Regional Training Centre (RTC) brings UITP’s tally of international Regional Training Centres to nine alongside others in Europe (Germany, France, Spain), Asia Pacific and Eurasia (China, Turkey), South America (Chile), and South Africa. The purpose of the RTCs is to offer first-class transportation training through uniform standards and best practices for all areas of sustainable public transportation.

“Throughout its long history as an association, UITP has worked to advance sustainable urban mobility by collaborating alongside our members and external partners,” says UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani*. “Collaboration is key – and we strive to do this across the globe to best reflect our international membership. I am delighted that UITP will partner with NJ TRANSIT and Rutgers CAIT to establish the first UITP Regional Training Centre in North America. This is an important time for our sector, and this new partnership will provide an excellent opportunity for industry leaders to bring their expertise to a whole new audience in North America.”

UITP is the only worldwide network that brings together all public transportation stakeholders from all forms of sustainable transportation and to advance the quality of life in our cities for everyone.

Dedicated to advancing sustainable urban mobility in the public transport sector, UITP’s Regional Training Centers worldwide provide high level training programmes on the fundamentals of public transport, bus planning, rail operations and maintenance, fare management and more.  They offer public transport professionals such as rail managers, bus operators and others the education needed to enhance their skills and improve sustainable mobility in this critical field.

By gathering international experts and industry leaders, the training sessions provide first-class transportation education to advance the skills of, and share best practices with public transport professionals nationally and from abroad.

The Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers will also act as a key partner by coordinating with UITP and NJ TRANSIT to provide necessary logistics and administrative support. They will also assist in the marketing of training courses, and by hosting the training sessions.

Dr. Ali Maher, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rutgers University and Director of Rutgers CAIT: “Healthy infrastructure and transit systems serve as the backbone of the US economy, and require a skilled workforce to maintain, operate, and improve them.  The current and future transit workforce will be tasked with addressing climate change impacts, building with resilience, and improving the equity of our transportation systems.”

“This North American Regional Training Center serves as an opportunity to share industry knowledge on a national scale and develop the next generation of transit leaders. Rutgers CAIT is excited to leverage its extensive workforce development and technology transfer programs in support of this Regional Training Center and in partnership with NJ TRANSIT and UITP.”

2023 already sees four training programmes scheduled at the new training centre:

• Public Transport Fundamentals for North America – July 2023
• Electric Buses: Fleet & Infrastructure Planning, Operations and Maintenance for North America – September 2023
• Rail Operations and Maintenance for North America – October 2023
• Ticketing and Fare Management for North America – November 2023

Additionally, the training sessions will provide a worldwide network of data and catalogues of programmes driving innovation within rail, bus and much more.

While unable to attend New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said:

“NJ TRANSIT is proud to be a part of establishing UITP’s first Regional Training Center in North America. The training sessions to be held at the Rutgers CAIT will offer valuable information to help drive innovation in our industry. This partnership affirms both NJ TRANSIT – and the state of New Jersey – as worldwide leaders in public transportation services.”

The current and future public transport workforce will be faced with new challenges addressing rapid technological shifts, climate change impacts and improving the resilience of our systems. They require smart data-driven solutions and forward-thinking collaborations.

It is a critical time for the public transport take a leading role in the future of our world. But in order to do so, the entire sector needs to upskill, learn continuously and innovate together. Training programmes prepare and inspire the next generation of leaders, while enabling them to tackle the issues of today.

*Acting on behalf of Mohamed Mezghani SARL