Practices to Expand the Transit Workforce through Program Evaluation

Transit agencies have implemented a variety of recruitment and retention strategies to address the challenges associated with the shrinking workforce. While existing studies emphasize the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of workforce planning and development programs, there is no comprehensive source that documents how transit agencies evaluate their recruitment and retention programs, the outcomes of those evaluations, or the challenges associated with evaluating these programs. This project addresses that gap by exploring how fixed-route transit agencies evaluate their recruitment and retention programs.

To accomplish the objectives of this research, we will conduct a literature review, scanning survey, and expert panel discussions to explore recruitment and retention program evaluation processes. Our findings will be synthesized into a final report and used to create a framework for selecting effective approaches to evaluate transit recruitment and retention programs. The findings can be used to understand how fixed-route transit agencies evaluate these programs and the challenges they face during implementation and monitoring. The value of this research is extended through the framework, which can be used by agencies as they apply new or improved approaches to monitor and benchmark their workforce recruitment and retention programs.

USDOT Priorities:

This project directly supports the U.S. DOT's priorities for Job Creation and Fiscal Health and Organizational Excellence; as well as the U.S. DOT Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) strategic goals for Economic Strength and Global Competitiveness. Evaluation is a fundamental step in ensuring that implemented programs are effective. The process of evaluating programs allows agencies to identify what is working well and where modifications are needed for the agency to meet its goals. This research is specifically concerned with recruitment and retention program evaluation processes used by fixed-route transit agencies. Upon completion of this research, we will have a better understanding of how transit agencies are measuring success as they work to expand their workforce. The research results in the final report will include notable, effective, or unique practices for evaluating recruitment and retention programs. The framework will enable practitioners to understand how they can improve their processes and more effectively quantify the outcomes of their programs.

Principal Investigator:

Tia Boyd

PI Contact Information:

tiaboyd@usf.edu

University of South Florida

Funding Source(s) and Amounts Provided (by each agency or organization):

Federal - $100,000; Non-Federal - $50,000

Total Project Cost:

$150,000

Agency ID or Contract Number:

69A3552348328

Dates:

February 2025 to April 2026

Implementation of Research Outcomes:

This research will produce a final report and a recruitment and retention program evaluation framework. The final report will describe the research methodology, key findings from the literature review, scanning survey, and expert panel discussions, and will include recommendations for improving recruitment and retention program evaluation practices. The recruitment and retention program evaluation framework will be provided as a supplemental appendix, designed to help agencies select appropriate evaluation methods based on their specific needs.

The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) is an external advisor, and Trinity Metro is a key stakeholder in this project. Throughout the project, the research team will also engage with select individuals from transit agencies recognized for their exemplary workforce development practices through an expert panel. These experts, selected for their practical experience and innovative approaches to workforce development, will provide feedback on the strengths and limitations of current evaluation methods and offer input on refining the recruitment and retention program evaluation framework during its development.

Impacts/Benefits of Implementation:

This research will culminate in a final report that documents practices for recruitment and retention program evaluation and a framework for evaluating recruitment and retention programs across different contexts. By providing this information in a single source, this research will enable fixed-route transit agencies to understand how their peers are evaluating workforce development programs. This approach will result in shared knowledge of notable practices for recruitment and retention program evaluation, the outcomes and implications of these evaluation processes, and the challenges faced when evaluating programs. The framework will enable agencies without an evaluation approach to select appropriate evaluation methods based on their agency’s unique needs. Agencies with existing evaluation approaches can use the framework to assess and appropriately modify their evaluation processes to align more closely with notable practices. The broader impact in this context will be improved recruitment and retention program evaluation processes and better outcomes for transit workforce development initiatives. Using the products of this research, fixed-route transit agencies can take the necessary steps to advance program evaluation processes that support a strong transit workforce resulting in enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in the transit industry.

Project Number:

2508

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Practices to Expand the Transit Workforce through Program Evaluation

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