Annual Meeting Breakout Sessions

Recommended Session Tracks

  • Purple Track: Board Members and Upper Management
  • Green Track Management and Planners
  • Blue Track: Transit Senior Staff and Management
  • Yellow Track Management and Mobility Management staff

Session Descriptions

Best Practices: Avoiding Workplace Fraud

Thursday, Aug. 23 1:15 pm (Also available at 3:15 pm)

Purple Track Blue Track

All too often today it seems that we hear of a new case of internal workplace fraud. Even the best run organizations are susceptible. Is your agency prepared? What safeguards should you have in place? What happens if the fraud is committed at the highest management level? What role should the board play? What are the appropriate reporting processes and when should you call in investigators? This session will be presented by Stevens, Kirinovic & Tucker, PC, CPAs to many public transit agencies.

Best Practices: Legal Requirements of the Open Meetings Act and FOIA

Thursday, Aug. 23 2:15 pm

Purple Track

Every public transit agency should be operating in compliance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act, but are you? Do you really know all the “ins and outs” of these two important laws? Join transit legal consultant Mark Koerner of Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, PC, Attorneys-at-Law for this informative session.

Succession Planning and Knowledge Capture

Thursday, Aug. 23 3:15 pm (Also available at 2:15 pm)

Purple Track Yellow Track

Is your transit agency prepared for the future? Do you have a succession plan for top leadership? What happens if someone in a key position unexpectedly leaves, or worse yet, dies? Would you be able to continue operations without disruption? In this session, presented by EDSI: Educational Data Systems Incorporated, you’ll learn tips for being prepared for unforeseen circumstances. EDSI is a national consultant, based in Dearborn, with previous experiencing consulting with transit systems of all sizes. Presenter: Kevin Watson, EDSI Consulting

Procurement Case Studies

Thursday, Aug. 23 1:15 pm (Also available at 3:15 pm)

Green Track Yellow Track

This interactive session will review some actual procurements to help agencies identify pitfalls and best
practices. Presenter: Janet Geissler, Unit Supervisor, Transportation Services Section, MDOT OPT.

Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Redesign Process for Transit Agencies

Thursday, Aug. 23 2:15 pm

Green Track

Learn about the new expedited TIP amendment process that will encompass all transit agencies in Urbanized Zone Areas (UZAs). The amendment process has been revised to ensure that projects are approved more quickly and that transit agencies have a better understanding of the TIP process. This will ensure that your agency’s projects are funded in a timely manner, while also avoiding so many last-minute TIP amendments. Presenter: Valerie Shultz, Project Manager, MDOT OPT.

Safety & Security in the Transit Workplace

Thursday, Aug. 23 3:15 pm

Green Track

The world’s a dangerous place. Are you prepared for a worst-case scenario in your transit agency? Are your buses and drivers as safe as possible? How should you respond under certain circumstances? In this lively session, to be presented by Detroit Department of Transportation Transit Police staff, you’ll learn about actual situations that have occurred and how to prepare yourself and your agency. Presenter: DDOT Transit Police Chief and/or Deputy Police Chief.

Computer basics: PDFs, PTMS, social media and more

Thursday, Aug. 23 1:15 pm (Repeats on Friday, Aug. 24 11 am)

Blue Track:

This breakout will provide instruction on computer basics such as creating, modifying, and manipulating PDF files; protecting historical data for employee secession; managing files, folders and documents; utilizing PTMS reports and data; engaging your audience through social media and more. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive one-on-one instruction for specific problems or questions. After this class you should have a better understanding of how to properly organize files, name documents, use shared drives on a server or cloud-based storage system, create and modify reports in PTMS, and how to create social media campaigns that increase brand awareness through various platforms. Feel free to bring your laptop or portable device to use during the class. Presenter: Mallory Avis, Project Manager, MDOT OPT.

Legislative Relations and the Legislative Process

Thursday, Aug. 23 2:15 pm

Blue Track:

Like it or not, every public transit manager and board member, and even employees, have a role to play in legislative relations (or, as it is often called, Lobbying) and you should be familiar with the process, what you should and shouldn’t do, and how the Legislative process works. Presenter: MPTA’s legislative consultant Dusty Fancher of Midwest Strategy Group will lead this session.

Expanding Access to Our Communities: A Guide to Successful Mobility Management Practices in Small Urban and Rural Areas

Thursday, Aug. 23 1:15 pm (Repeats Friday, Aug. 24 11 am)

Yellow Track

This session will highlight a new guide that is the culmination of research conducted through the National Cooperative Research Program (NCHRP) Project 20-65 Task 68: “Successful Mobility Management Practices for Improving Transportation Services in Small Urban and Rural Areas”. The guide is designed to serve as a “one-stop” central point of information for improving or implementing mobility management and coordination strategies, providing resources developed through the research as well as those available through the National Center for Mobility Management and other federal initiatives. KFH Group was the facilitator of this research. Presenter: Dan Dalton, Senior Transportation Planner, KFH Group.