OCTA, King County Metro Introduce Youth to Transit Careers

As National Transit Career Day on November 12 nears, two APTA members share how they are giving young people a firsthand look at public transportation—and a voice in its future.

In California, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) recently welcomed 30 students from high schools across the county to its 2026-27 Teen Council. Formed in 2015, the council gives Orange County youth ages 13 to 18 the opportunity to learn about transportation programs and projects while building leadership, teamwork, communication, and critical-thinking skills.

Over the school year, members will take part in six meetings covering transportation planning, funding, legislation, marketing, environmental impacts, ridesharing, and transit, as well as professional development workshops and community service opportunities. Past members have contributed ideas to marketing campaigns and initiatives such as the Youth Ride Free pass.

“The OCTA Teen Council gives young people an opportunity to learn how transportation decisions are made while sharing perspectives that are important to the future of Orange County,” said OCTA Chair Jamey M. Federico. At the end of their term, members will be invited to an OCTA Board of Directors meeting for recognition.

In Washington State, King County Metro recently wrapped up its fourth annual Youth Transit Summer Internship. For three weeks over the summer, 14 teenagers from around King County learned about transit, engaged with frontline staff and the local community, explored careers, and developed social media content. The interns also offered Metro input on how to improve its transit messaging for young people.

A key piece of the program was building understanding between teens and bus drivers. Interns held one-on-one conversations with drivers to learn what it is like to drive a bus every day, while drivers learned about life as a teenager in King County.

“This internship has taught me a lot about the different careers Metro has to offer,” said Eldana, a 10th grader at Mount Rainier High School. Another student said the internship helped him narrow down his career options. “Because of the time I spent talking to professionals in the field, I now plan on majoring in civil engineering and minoring in urban planning,” said Ian, a 12th grader at Foster High School.   

APTA members looking to spark similar interest in their communities are encouraged to access APTA’s resources and sign up for National Transit Career Day.