REGISTRATION OPENS FOR FIRST COURSES AT UITP’S NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER HOSTED BY NJ TRANSIT AND RUTGERS CAIT
Innovative Public Transportation Training Kicks Off With First Of Four Courses Scheduled For July 10-12
May 15, 2023
NEWARK, NJ – Registration is now open for the first ever courses to be held at the International Association of Public Transport’s (UITP) newly created North American Regional Training Center, supported by a partnership with NJ TRANSIT and Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT). The training courses assemble public transportation professionals from across North America and internationally to hear and share best practices, and learn new strategies and tactics on topics ranging from electric buses to fare management, rail operations and public transportation fundamentals. Courses will be offered in July, September, October and November of this year at Rutgers CAIT in Piscataway, NJ.
In March of this year, the three organizations announced their partnership to establish UITP’s first Regional Training Center in North America on the campus of Rutgers University.
“This is an exciting time for everyone involved in public transportation, not only in New Jersey, but across our country,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “The training sessions will bring together some of the leading worldwide voices across all facets of our industry. NJ TRANSIT is proud to be a partner in this landmark program.”
"NJ TRANSIT marks the beginning of a new era in public transit training in the United States, with the opening of registration for four new courses this year,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “We’re proud to partner with UITP and Rutgers CAIT to establish UITP’s first Regional Training Center in North America, providing a unique opportunity to access the expertise and insights of UITP’s network of trainers from the top transit agencies around the world.”
“UITP is delighted to open registration to all our 2023 North American training, together with our partners NJ TRANSIT and Rutgers CAIT,” said UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani. “This range of training has been developed to bring comprehensive topics and insights to a wide audience of professionals working in, or interested in, the public transit sector. All program information and registrations are easily accessible on the UITP website, with all courses open to participants across the globe.”
"Rutgers CAIT is excited to welcome the inaugural cohort of transit professionals to campus this summer as part of the UITP North American Regional Training Center," said CAIT Director Dr. Ali Maher. "From the fundamentals of public transport to managing and maintaining fleets of electric buses, these courses will connect practitioners in North America to an international network of data, best practices, and expertise. Education is a critical first step in building a sustainable transportation system and developing a skilled workforce to address the pressing climate, economic and equity challenges of the 21st century."
The four training programs for 2023 are:
- Public Transport Fundamentals for North America – July 10-12, 2023 Click HERE to register.
- Electric Buses: Fleet & Infrastructure Planning, Operations and Maintenance for North America – September 27-29, 2023 Click HERE to register.
- Rail Operations and Maintenance for North America – October 2-4, 2023 Click HERE to register.
- Ticketing and Fare Management for North America – November 6-8, 2023 Click HERE to register.
For more information on this groundbreaking initiative, and links to the scheduled programs visit njtransit.com/uitp.
UITP is the only worldwide network dedicated to bringing together all public transportation stakeholders – from all forms of sustainable transportation – to advance the quality of life in our cities for everyone. UITP currently has Regional Training Centers in Europe (France, Germany, and Spain), Asia-Pacific and Eurasia (China and Turkey), South America (Chile), and South Africa, and now in North America in Piscataway, NJ.
The RTCs offer first-class transportation training through the establishment of uniform standards and best practices for all areas of sustainable transportation. Additionally, the training sessions will provide a worldwide network of data and catalogs of programs driving innovation within rail, bus and much more.
NJ TRANSIT will lead the regional partnership by committing to sponsoring four training programs annually, providing guest speakers for programs when possible, and leveraging its experience as a leader in the delivery of public transportation throughout the area.
The Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers will act as a key partner in this endeavor by coordinating with UITP and NJ TRANSIT to provide necessary logistics and administrative support. They will also assist in the marketing of training courses, and by hosting the training sessions.
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 253 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
About Rutgers CAIT
Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) tackles some of the country’s most pressing infrastructure challenges, especially those that are endemic in high-volume multimodal corridors like the Northeast. The bulk of our efforts fall within several broad areas: assessing and monitoring the health of bridges, roads, and pipelines; creating and implementing revolutionary technologies, materials, and tools; formulating strategies to prolong the service life of infrastructure; and training the current and future workforce. Since 1998, CAIT has been a University Transportation Center (UTC)—a group of academic research institutions sanctioned and supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. It was named one of only ten Regional UTCs in 2018 and joined the National Center for Infrastructure Transformation in 2023.
About UITP
The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) works to enhance quality of life and economic well-being by supporting and promoting sustainable transport in urban areas worldwide. As a passionate champion of sustainable urban mobility, UITP is internationally recognized for its work to advance the development of this critical policy agenda. With more than 1,900 members in 100 countries, UITP has a long history to its name, and is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all sustainable transport modes. Visit the website and follow us on Twitter.
This document and others are available for translation on njtransit.com.