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MTI Staff & Partner Spotlights
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WTS Recognizes Dr. Nixon's
Award Winning Leadership
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 Heartfelt congratulations to MTI’s very own Deputy Executive Director Dr. Hilary Nixon for being awarded the WTS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter’s Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award! Every year, the WTS honors exceptional individuals and organizations who have played a crucial role in championing the advancement of women and historically underrepresented minorities within the transportation industry, paving the way for a more inclusive and diverse future. Dr. Nixon has served as Deputy Executive Director for MTI since 2018. Prior to joining MTI full-time in 2018, Dr. Nixon spent 12 years as faculty in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning at San José State University. An advocate for women and industry diversity, she served as Vice President of the Faculty Women’s Interest Group (FWIG) of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning from 2013-2015 and currently serves as chair of the Transportation Research Board AME20 Standing Committee on Women and Gender in Transportation. We are grateful for everything Hilary does for MTI and our industry and congratulate her again on this well-deserved award!
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MTI & SABA Partner to Bring Bikes, Safety, and Smiles to 50 Students
Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA) are bringing sustainable, safe mobility to everyone—and a recent collaboration with MTI enabled them to bring 50 bikes to 50 kids! MTI recently provided a $1,000 scholarship to SABA’s Ride Ready Repair Program, in which SABA collaborates with local partners and elected officials to identify and reach the most marginalized and underserved communities. Last year, 110 Ride-Ready events distributed over 150 upcycled bikes and serviced 2,000 more. The funding from MTI helped SABA bring helmets, locks, and upcycled bikes to 50 students of Katherine Johnson Middle School. The event was so successful that San Juan Unified School District named SABA a most valued partner to the school district!
“Every child should have access to a safe and reliable bicycle. A bicycle can bring together a diverse group of people through various activities, whether it’s a group social ride, participating in one of SABA's safe riding classes, commuting to and from school, or enjoying weekend adventures with friends. Riding a bicycle benefits the environment, fosters social connections, and enhances a child's mental and physical well-being,” SABA told MTI. SABA is currently working to secure additional funding to replicate this program in seven more schools in the coming year. MTI is grateful for the partnership with SABA and all they do to make cycling accessible and safe for California communities!
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Does the Transit Industry Understand the Risks of Cybersecurity and are the Risks Being Appropriately Prioritized?
The purpose of this study is to assess the readiness, resourcing, and capabilities of public transit agencies to detect, identify, protect against, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats. It updates the 2020 Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) study, “ Is the Transit Industry Prepared for the Cyber Revolution? Policy Recommendations to Enhance Surface Transit Cyber Preparedness,” which found the transit industry to be ill-prepared for cybersecurity attacks. Unfortunately, despite the passage of four years and the development of new—often free—resources, the situation has not significantly improved.
The updated research reveals that smaller, rural agencies, in particular, continue to lag behind, even as the industry becomes increasingly reliant on technology and cyberattacks grow more sophisticated. The study reviews current best practices, evaluates cybersecurity policies and capabilities across the sector, and provides actionable policy recommendations for transit agencies, federal agencies, and policymakers. The findings highlight a growing gap between the cybersecurity protections transit systems require and the escalating threats they face today.
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Fuel Cell System Development for Heavy Duty Vehicles
As California accelerates efforts to decarbonize transportation, hydrogen fuel cells—particularly proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs)—are emerging as a promising solution for powering heavy-duty vehicles. Offering low emissions and efficient operation, PEMFCs have distinct advantages over lithium-ion batteries. However, challenges remain in optimizing their performance and ensuring safe operation.
This MTI study explores how data-driven modeling, specifically a method called closed-loop system identification, can improve control of key PEMFC subsystems like humidifiers, cooling units, and oxygen suppliers. By applying this approach, researchers demonstrated improved power, water, and heat management without disrupting operations. The findings underscore the importance of precise modeling in advancing hydrogen fuel cell technologies and supporting California’s clean energy goals.
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MTI’s Dr. Philbrick on Prioritizing
Mental Health for Transit Operators
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Transit operators are the backbone of our public transportation systems—navigating unpredictable traffic, packed schedules, and high-pressure environments to keep communities moving safely every day. But while they carry this immense responsibility, their mental health is often overlooked.
In a new blog post for Trapeze, Dr. Karen Philbrick, MTI's Executive Director, underscores the urgent need to prioritize operator well-being. Drawing on recent MTI research, Dr. Philbrick highlights the mental and emotional toll of frontline transit work—exacerbated by chronic stress, disrupted sleep, and the growing threat of physical assault. These pressures not only affect individual health but also lead to burnout, absenteeism, and workforce shortages that threaten service reliability.
Dr. Philbrick calls on agencies to take meaningful action, recommending proven strategies like peer mentorship, accessible counseling, and open conversations that reduce stigma. Her message is clear: supporting transit operators is not just the right thing to do—it’s essential to building a resilient, reliable transportation system for all.
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Glydways Wants Your Input
on Tomorrow’s Transit
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Calling SJSU students! Want to help shape the future of public transportation—and get paid for it? Glydways is inviting you to test the interior of their new personal rapid transit vehicle, the Glydcar. Participants who spend two hours at their Richmond facility exploring a full-scale mockup, sharing feedback on comfort and design will receive a $100 Amazon gift card, plus free breakfast and lunch. No experience needed—just your perspective. This session especially needs a range of body types (hey, tall folks!) to ensure real-world rider comfort.
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To ensure the efficient movement of people and goods, we must prepare the next generation of skilled transportation professionals who can lead a thriving, forward-thinking transportation industry for a more connected world. To that end, MTI is proud to announce its 33rd Annual Banquet and Convocation Celebration at San José State University on June 21, 2025. We welcome our esteemed trustees, generous sponsors, local leaders, graduates, friends and family to gather and celebrate the advancements made in our industry.
Join our distinguished Board of Trustees as we celebrate our 2025 MSTM graduates, alumni of the year, the winners of the Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition, and much more.
*This event is presented by ACE and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission.
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Thank You for Supporting
Our Education Program!
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THANK YOU to ACE, AC Transit, AECOM, AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, Alstom, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ( AASHTO), American Public Transportation Association ( APTA), Allied Telesis, Association of American Railroads ( AAR), Bay Area Rapid Transit ( BART), California High-Speed Rail Authority ( CAHSRA), California Strategies, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials ( COMTO), Contra Costa Transportation Authority ( CCTA), Econolite, Glydways, HNTB, InfraStrategies, Latinos in Transit, Lea+Elliott, Mott MacDonald, SamTrans, San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, San Jose Department of Transportation, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority ( VTA), TYLin, Uber Transit, United Airlines, WMH Corporation, and WSP for supporting the MTI Student Fellowship Fund! Your generous contributions will support the next generation of transportation leaders.
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Allied Telesis congratulates the 2025 graduates of San Jose State University’s graduating class of Master of Science in Transportation Management program. Your dedication has equipped you with the essential knowledge, skills, and experiences to lead the future of transportation. We celebrate your achievements and look forward to your continued success.
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the industry’s largest and most influential trade association for all modes of public transit, leads the industry in a new mobility era, advocating to connect and build thriving communities. APTA delivers a wide array of products and services to support its members, including advocacy, networking, statical and policy information, and professional and career development. Learn more at www.apta.com.
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Reclaiming the Right to Walk: Learning from a Century of Pedestrian Advocacy
Over a century ago, the United States experienced a profound re-shaping of street space, from a place for pedestrians to a place for motorized vehicles. Historian Peter Norton and Vision Zero Network Executive Director Leah Shahum shared how the history of the movement for pedestrians rights can inform current policy and advocacy efforts to win back street space for safe and convenient walking.
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Energy Savings & Safety Concerns: The Evolution of Right Turn on Red Policies
This MTI Research Snaps webinar was co-sponsored by ITS California.
Right turn on red (RTOR) has been employed as an energy-saving measure around the country since the 1970s, but recent research puts the practice into question. MTI Research Associates Dr. Bruce Appleyard and Dr. Anurag Pande digged into the data and demonstrate why RTOR movements are actually unsafe—for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers—while only marginally useful in lowering emissions.
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16th Annual Mineta National Transportation Policy Summit
Beyond the Stadium: Keeping Cities Moving During Mega-Events
This webinar was presented by ACE and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission.
The next few years will be extraordinary for major sporting events in California with the Bay Area hosting both Super Bowl 60 and the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Los Angeles hosting the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2028. These events invite millions of local spectators and international visitors, with the city of Los Angeles expecting 5 million visitors alone for what the mayor hopes will be a transit-first Olympics. How can buses, trains, highways, and the people who keep them running safely facilitate the movement of these crowds while minimizing impact on the community and environment?
The 16th Annual Norman Y. Mineta National Transportation Policy Summit featured internationally renowned experts and special guests sharing best practices and insights from previous large-scale events, including Super Bowl 50 and the Paris Olympics, and how to apply global lessons—such as traffic management and communications planning—on a regional scale.
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2025 MSTM Capstone Showcase
Students from the Master of Science in Transportation Management program at San José State University presented their final capstone research projects. This interactive event provided opportunities to meet with the students and learn about their research on critical transportation management challenges.
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