The New York Public Transit Association (NYPTA) Public Transit Leadership Institute (PTLI) is for graduates of NYPTA’s Public Transit Leadership Introductory Program (PTLIP). This six-part, year-long series is an in-depth professional development opportunity for mid- to senior-level managers aspiring to advance their careers as senior and executive level public transit professionals.
The curriculum, under the instruction and mentoring of experienced transit industry executives and other leaders, provides training in core areas of transit and leadership for professional development and career expansion.
Goals
- Develop the awareness, skills and insight necessary to excel as a leader in the public transit industry.
- Gain first-hand knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing transit systems of all sizes.
- Grow a network of industry leaders poised to support one another in reaching professional goals.
- Challenge traditional ways of thinking and engage participants in broader conversations about public transportation, mobility and community revitalization.
- Participate in projects and group discussions that foster a broader understanding of diverse perspectives and attitudes.
- Personal identification of skills and areas of targeted professional growth.
- Connect participants with transit executives and leaders in the public transportation industry and build mentor relationships.
- Engage participants’ active involvement in the New York Public Transit Association to foster learning, the ongoing exchange of information and innovation, and the introduction to pathways to leadership.
Program Highlights
Opening Intensive
Participants will attend a half-day intensive session preceding the NYPTA Fall Conference, October 25-27 in Albany, NY. Prior to the conference, participants will complete an assessment to measure leadership style and strengths. During the session, participants will engage in exercises focused on teambuilding, goal-setting and communication, as well as roundtable sessions addressing transit industry challenges.
Core Areas of Emphasis
PTLI will focus on the following core areas of the transit industry:
- The Business of Transit Leadership
- Making the Leap from Tactical to Strategic
- The Human Side of Transit
- Strategic Asset Management
- The Connection Between Funding and Relationship Building
- Beyond the Executive Role
Leadership Project
The PTLI class will complete a project which will demonstrate leadership skills, address issues in the field, and contribute to the transit industry. Projects guidelines are as follows:
- Identification of an opportunity or issue within public transit and acquisition of NYPTA approval to pursue the project
- Development of a strategy to define and analyze the opportunity or issue
- Engagement of internal and external resources to develop potential tactics
- Selection of a preferred course of action and submission to NYPTA
- Presentation of the project at the 2022 NYPTA Conference
Anticipated Outcomes
PTLI participants will gain the following outcomes:
- An inside look at five diverse transit authorities around New York State
- Self-awareness in terms of leadership strengths, weaknesses and capacity
- A greater network of transit professionals throughout New York State and beyond
- A deeper understanding of the business of transit, its future, strategic planning and
asset management
Graduation
Graduates will be recognized during the 2022 NYPTA Fall Conference for their completion of PTLI. They will be presented a plaque noting their commitment to the transit industry and their professional development. All graduates will be listed on the New York Public Transit Association website.
