Meet the APTA Staff: Tytus Suchotinunt

Program Manager – Standards
Technical Services & Innovation Department

Q: What are your primary responsibilities at APTA?

A: My primary responsibility is supporting the development and maintenance of the APTA Standards program of best practices and guidance for the public transportation industry. That mostly looks like coordinating standards working groups (facilitating collaboration among transit agencies, consultants, manufacturers, and other stakeholders) and helping move documents through the review and approval process.

Q: How do the initiatives you work on contribute to APTA’s strategic goals?

A: The Standards Program touches several of APTA’s strategic goals. Our initiatives create real opportunities for collaboration between agencies and private-sector partners, building the kind of industry relationships that extend APTA’s impact across North America. Our work also contributes to harnessing innovations in mobility and technology; as industry evolves, standards help agencies adapt to new technologies and operational challenges while maintaining consistency and accountability.

Procurement is another big area where standards make a real difference. APTA has developed both a light rail vehicle and a bus procurement RFP that our members can use as a foundation when sourcing new vehicles—resources that save agencies significant time and help standardize an otherwise complex process.

Q: Please describe the type of guidance that APTA members can turn to you for.

A: Members can come to me with questions about the standards development process and working group coordination. I can help people figure out how to get involved and identify the right working groups for their expertise. It’s worth knowing that some of our working groups meet in person once a year in addition to their regular virtual meetings; and for agency members who attend to help develop standards, APTA even reimburses travel. So, if you’ve been on the fence about participating, that’s a pretty good reason to jump in! I can also help organizations track down a specific standard from the 360+ we’ve published. I’m almost like a librarian of sorts.

Q: Are you involved with any APTA committees?

A: I support the Standards Development Oversight Council, which sets priorities for the program. Most of my work is with standards working groups, which are open to anyone with an interest in the subject, APTA member or not. I’m currently involved in working groups spanning APTA’s rail transit, bus transit, procurement, and sustainability programs—everything from bus procurement guidelines to rail transit operating practices to elevators and escalators.

Q: How did you come to be at APTA?

A: I joined APTA shortly after graduating from the University of Virginia, where I studied Global Studies with a focus on Environments and Sustainability. I became really interested in transportation during my time there. I even used APTA’s own publications in my research, so it’s a little surreal to now be on the other side of that! Before APTA, I worked at the Virginia Conservation Network, where I supported research on Hampton Roads Transit alongside their senior policy and campaigns manager for land use and transportation.

Most of my direct professional experience has been through APTA, but community advocacy has been part of my story for a while. In undergrad, I conducted extensive research on Community Development Block Grants with my local public housing association—work that eventually led to us presenting to city council about funds being used in ways that weren’t actually serving residents. That experience really shaped how I think about the relationship between policy, funding, and the people those decisions affect. Transportation is just another thread of that same story.

Q: What interests you most about public transportation?

A: At its core, transit is about access, whether people can get to jobs, education, healthcare, and each other. I saw that up close doing community advocacy work in undergrad, and it stuck with me. Strong transportation systems can genuinely change the trajectory of a community, and I find that really compelling. Studying abroad in Taiwan reinforced it from a different angle; exploring cities through their transit networks gave me a completely different perspective on how mobility shapes everyday life.

Q: Could you tell us something about yourself that might surprise us?

A: I am, without question, a food person. Trying local food is my number one priority when I travel, and I’ll plan an entire itinerary around a restaurant or a night market. I’ve taken several trips across Asia and eaten my way through as much of it as I can! I also have a serious sweet tooth, with sugary drinks and pastries being my weakness. To make sure I actually remember all of it, I document my trips by making vlogs for myself. It’s part travel diary, part food journal, and a very good excuse to keep exploring.