APTA Committee Profile: Rail Transit

RAIL TRANSIT COMMITTEE  |  1,090 Members

CAROLYN GONOT, Chair
General Manager and CEOSanta Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)San Jose, CA

APTA Staff Advisor: Bryan Sooter, Director–Standards, Technical Services & Innovation Dept.

What is the role of APTA’s Rail Transit Committee?

The committee shares ideas and best practices from among various APTA member agencies and experts to improve approaches to move the rail industry forward. We set standards and guidelines for the industry and provide APTA with tools and resources to advocate for funding and regulations.

What are the committee’s top priorities for the year?

The top priorities are to establish a task force to develop best practices for the commercial terms of procurement of rail vehicles. The recent work of APTA’s Bus Manufacturing Task Force has demonstrated the possibilities and value of bringing all stakeholders together to make the industry better overall. While the issues and challenges are different for rail and bus procurements, there are many similarities, specifically when it comes to the commercial terms of a rail vehicle procurement.

How does the committee engage its members in these priorities?

On a regular basis, I talk to people I know in the industry, make sure they know about the committee and are aware of the resources it has to offer and what kind of work it does. I also try to emphasize the importance of other agencies in sharing their ideas and resources with each other through the work of the committee’s subcommittees.

How does the historic funding for public transportation affect the work of the committee?

It’s critical for transportation projects and services to get public visibility, and that’s one of the things this historic funding does. It highlights the many good projects and services being built and offered in public transit. It allows us to focus on rail fleets and fleet technology. It bolsters the work of the committee to know resources are being provided. Procurement practices, supply chain issues, and capital issues…labor market…all these issues get highlighted with the funding.

What attracted you to the industry and to your agency?

There was a streetcar line right behind my house where I grew up in Pittsburgh and I took it to the library, to work, and just about anywhere else I went. Because of that, I had a strong understanding of the role transit played in people’s lives and the opportunities it provided. I’ve always wanted to do something with transit for my career; that’s what drew me to major in Civil Engineering and Transportation Planning in college.

I spent the bulk of my career at VTA in various leadership roles until I left for a couple of years to take over at the helm of the Utah Transit Authority. I returned to VTA in 2021 as general manager and CEO and “coming home” to VTA has been very rewarding.

Please describe your role at VTA.

In my capacity, I manage the multi-billion-dollar Silicon Valley BART Extension, in addition to leading all day-to-day operations of the agency, which, in addition to transit service, builds transportation infrastructure as Santa Clara County’s Congestion Management Agency. I also oversee our agency’s responsibility to deliver funding from voter-approved ballot measures supporting transportation initiatives.

How is the work of the Rail Transit Committee reflected in your own agency?

VTA looks to APTA committees for guidance regarding best practices and standards to guide us on how we carry out our responsibilities to serve our community. The many subcommittees overseen by the Rail Transit Committee provide valuable information we use in day-to-day operations.

Can you describe some practices adopted by the industry that are a result of the work of the committee?

Several of our large subcommittees are influential in the rail transit industry, including the Light Rail Technical Forum, Capital Projects Subcommittee, Streetcar Subcommittee, and related standards working groups such as the Operating Practices Working Group (OPWG). APTA’s OPWG has developed a standard for Roadway Worker Protection Program Requirements and a recommended practice for Roadway Worker Near-Miss Reporting Requirements and many aspects of both of those were incorporated into the FTA proposed rule to establish minimum safety standards for rail transit roadway worker -protection.

What is the main priority facing public transit over the next few years?

All roads point to funding. Getting the federal government to deliver on historic funding promises must be our greatest focus.

APTA’s committees play an important role in fulfilling the association’s commitment to developing industry leaders, especially young professionals. Please share how your committee encourages them to participate in its work.

We all need to ask experts at the agency and business level to join the subcommittees and participate. The subcommittees are tasked with solving a specific problem or developing specific sets of industry guidelines or standards. That experience is key for young professionals to build their career, and it’s fulfilling professionally.

How can an individual’s service on this committee add value to their career?

Participating in establishing the guidelines and standards of the -public transportation industry creates and hones skills on multiple levels. Working with others, networking to come up with good ideas, feedback on best practices, and building advocacy skills all add tremendous value to one’s career.