Lessons from Asia: APTA Releases Asia Study Mission Report

8/12/2026

A unique benefit to being an APTA member is the association’s ability to bring valuable lessons from around the world to America’s transit agencies. The latest body of knowledge comes from the public transport systems of Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo.

A 25-member delegation of APTA members traveled to Asia from November 5–15, 2025, to explore the leading practices in public transit and passenger rail. Led by APTA Chair Leanne Redden and President and CEO Paul Skoutelas, the group included transit CEOs, board members, and private-sector leaders, representing the breadth of the U.S. public transportation industry.

The metropolitan areas of Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo are characterized by their major investments in transit infrastructure and commitment to improving service and enhancing the customer experience. Among the findings of the 10-day trip were:

  1. Transit is considered a core public infrastructure.
  2. Integrated, unified governance enables transit systems to achieve their optimal results.
  3. Aligning land use with transit helps increase ridership and economic development.
  4. Advanced technology serves as a strategic enabler.
  5. Data integration, centralized visibility, and real-time operations are foundational.
  6. Investing in the transit workforce is a strategic priority.
  7. Customer experience is a core performance metric.
  8. Transit agencies emphasize a culture of continuous improvement and operational discipline.

In considering how these findings are relevant for the future of America’s public transportation, the APTA delegation recommended adopting the following principles:

  • Strengthen long-term funding and policy alignment
  • Advance regional integration and multimodal coordination
  • Leverage land use to support transit and vice versa
  • Invest strategically in technology and data systems
  • Prioritize workforce development and the customer experience

To help disseminate the lessons learned, Redden moderated panel discussions with select participants at two major APTA conferences. The first was APTA’s 2026 Mobility Conference on May 18 with the following panelists: Stephanie Wiggins, CEO, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; Jannet Walker-Ford, APTA Secretary-Treasurer and U.S. Advisory and Planning Business Line Executive, WSP; Buddy Coleman, Chief Customer Officer, Clever Devices; Monica Tellez-Fowler, President and CEO, Central Ohio Transit Authority; and Ryan Snow, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Pursuits, Stacey Whitbeck.

The second discussion took place at APTA’s 2026 Rail Conference on June 29 with the following panelists: Diane Cowin, SVP Interim Global Transit Director, AECOM; Carolyn Gonot, CEO/General Manager, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority; Raymond Melleady, Chair, APTA Business Members Board of Governors and President, STER North America LLC; Kimberly Slaughter, SVP, Transportation Leader for North America, TYLIN; and Joel Young, Vice-Chair, APTA and Board Member, AC Transit (Alameda Contra-Costa Transit District).

Read the full report of the 2025 APTA Executive Study Mission to Asia.