An Intern’s Perspective on APTA’s Rail Conference and the Dynamic Nature of Transit

MARC URBANAS
APTA Intern

APTA’s 2026 summer interns pose at a photo booth at APTA’s Rail Conference in Baltimore, MD. APTA joins others nationwide in celebrating National Intern Day on July 30 and will be hosting a webinar on August 4 to provide information about APTA intern programs and projects.

As I pushed open the door of the conference center, I didn’t know exactly what to expect at APTA’s 2026 Rail Conference. Like most people, I’d mainly seen the public-facing side of transit and had a lot to learn about the broader industry. I knew the conference would give me an unmatched view into parts of public transportation that often go unseen.

I quickly learned how exciting the industry can be as I walked into the busy hallways filled with lively conversation. Soon after, soccer star Joanna Lohman rushed into the opening ceremony, dribbling, to deliver an electric keynote address. She told powerful stories about teamwork, resilience, and the striking similarities between soccer and transit—emphasizing the dynamism of both. The energy of the rest of the conference proved how right she was.

The same morning, I attended a panel discussion about an APTA International Study Mission to learn from Asia’s best transit systems. Speakers emphasized how successful policies in Asia may not succeed in America’s more individualist culture. I left the session with the realization that transit both shapes and is shaped by culture, and cultural awareness is a key skill in a transit career.

In the afternoon at the Products and Services Showcase, I learned that transit is powered by a huge array of technologies. Advanced software, automated security systems, and control boards that could have been borrowed from NASA were on display. The wide range of private companies exhibiting reflects the industry’s reach, far beyond transit agencies themselves. In fact, more than three-quarters of federal funding for transit flows to the private sector.

Closing out the day, I attended a panel on the importance of stakeholder engagement in transit. Both panelists described innovative AI processes they’ve leveraged for more efficient stakeholder engagement. They also discussed how starting small and tracking results can build stakeholder buy-in for AI use. This session drove home that transit is constantly interacting with the cutting edge of technology, and a successful career in transit requires you to be forward-thinking and creative.

By the end of the day, I realized the world of transit is bigger than I would have imagined. I learned that transit is dynamic, built on innovation, and served by a passionate workforce. I also learned that working in transit requires a uniquely broad skillset and is a place where I could see myself building a career.