ThinkTransit, the Trapeze Group and Vontas user conference, is around the corner. The conference will take place at the Omni Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas, from March 20-23, 2022, with host agency Trinity Metro.
ThinkTransit brings together hundreds of transit industry experts from across North America and provides agencies the opportunity to learn, connect and discuss the future of transit with their colleagues. This year, ThinkTransit also includes the Executive Summit sessions, which provide an exclusive opportunity for C-level executives to participate in panel discussions among their peers.
The opportunities at ThinkTransit create an industry-wide ripple effect, says Trapeze Group. This year the theme of ThinkTransit is “The Ripple Effect: Learning Today to Empower Communities Tomorrow,” highlighting everything transit agencies do to make their communities better and stronger. From mobile vaccine clinics to delivering food via paratransit and helping build more sustainable transit networks, together the transit industry has done incredible things.
The agenda: tracks and sessions
There are 90 sessions spread across six unique, theme-based tracks over the three-day conference. The tracks are:
- ITS and On-Board Technology
- Mobility Planning and Scheduling
- Workforce Management, Operations, and Real-Time Integration
- Asset, Maintenance, and Yard Management
- Mobility on Demand—From Paratransit to Microtransit
- Innovating and Reimagining Future Mobility
Sessions will cover everything from electric vehicles and system integration to moving systems to the cloud, opportunities from the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and more. View the current agenda online.
Keynote addresses
ThinkTransit holds three keynote sessions at the start of each day of the conference. The keynote speakers bring unique perspectives and insight into today’s public transit challenges and successes. Here is what to expect at each of the three keynotes.
Day 1: Terry White, General Manager, King County Metro
Trapeze General Manager Teresa Domingo and Vontas General Manager Peter Aczel will begin the conference and introduce the industry keynote speaker, Terry White.
White began his Metro career in 1987 and has served as a transportation planner, customer service administrator, communications superintendent and managing director of bus operations. White was previously deputy general manager, overseeing all Metro operations across bus, rail and marine service; facilities; and vehicle maintenance.
In his keynote address, White will reflect on public transit’s role in the community, his life and his career.
Day 2: Product Showcase and Transit Unplugged Live
Trapeze Vice President of Product Management Erin Skimson and Vontas Vice President of Product Management Sebastian Vaitus will discuss the solutions-focused product lines that Trapeze and Vontas are building, which are designed to solve some of the industry’s most pressing challenges.
In the afternoon, Trapeze and Vontas Senior Vice President and CCO Paul Comfort hosts a live session of Transit Unplugged with a CEO roundtable featuring:
- Holly Arnold, CEO MTA Baltimore
- Tom Egan, CEO MV Transportation
- Clinton Forbes, CEO PalmTran
- MJ Maynard, CEO RTC Las Vegas
Day 3: The ThinkTransit Awards of Excellence
The final conference keynote will be given by host agency Trinity Metro, and will lead into the ThinkTransit Awards of Excellence, which highlight some of the best and most innovative people, teams and agencies in North America.
Six awards will be given to agencies, people or organizations to represent those who are pushing the industry forward. The awards are: Advancement, Alliance, Innovation, Community Building, Best Live Session and ThinkTransit Employee Award.
Nominations for the Awards of Excellence are open until Feb. 28, 2022. Learn more about the ThinkTransit Awards of Excellence online.
ThinkTransit Executive Summit
The ThinkTransit Executive Summit is curated by and for C-suite executives in the transit industry, with sessions taught by industry experts. This year, Mass Transit's Executive Editor Mischa Wanek-Libman will be moderating a session. She will be joined by more than 20 executive panelists and transit leaders to immerse themselves in focused discussions on current trends, perspectives, opportunities and challenges facing public transit in North America today.
“We might discuss how to handle homelessness and mental illness in public transit, or moving to free fares,” said Paul Comfort, Executive Summit host. “I'm going to encourage people who fit into that category, who are senior executives in a transit agency to attend. It's going to be one of the best experiences you will have at a conference.”
The ThinkTransit Executive Summit page includes the program and list of featured speakers.
