comto and president-elect barack obama’s dot agency ...€¦ · ‘wiifm’ promise. we make sure...

T h e b i - m o n t h l y i n f o r m a t i o n s o u r c e f o r t h e C o n f e r e n c e O f M i n o r i t y T r a n s p o r t a t i o n O f f i c i a l s

January/February 2009

Hampton Roads HUB Conference Soars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2TransTech Academy Opening Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Saving Money by Hiring Drivers?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Cleveland’s RTA and Maryland’s MTA Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5COMTO USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Members on the Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

NATIONAL NEWS

COMTO and President-Elect Barack Obama’s DOT Agency Working Group

A t the invitation ofPresident-ElectBarack Obama’sTransition Team,COMTO National

Chair Shirley A. DeLiberoand COMTO Board MemberRobert Prince, Jr. met onNovember 25, 2008, with theAgency Working Groupassigned to the Departmentof Transportation (DOT).Discussion topics rangedfrom economic stimulus andthe role of public transit, toregulatory issues, the needfor greater collaboration withthe transit industry, and theneed to simplify the currentfederal grant process.

During the meeting, theCOMTO representatives hadthe opportunity to presentthe organization’s positionon three main initiatives:Workforce Diversity inTransportation, HistoricallyUnderutilized Businesses(HUBs) and EmergencyPreparedness for VulnerablePopulations.

“I found the WorkingGroup very receptive to theCOMTO initiatives,” saidPrince. “They were extremelyinterested in our database,which is a cornerstone forhiring minority employees inthis industry. In my 33 yearsin this business, I’ve never

Shirley A. DeLibero,National Chair, and RobertPrince, Jr., At-Large BoardMember, leaving the DOT

experienced this kind ofexposure for our cause. Theywere really listening to whatwe had to say about movingthis industry forward.”

DeLibero wasn’t surprisedby the experience. “Based onwhat I saw during the cam-paign, I was expecting a pro-fessional, well-oiled machineto be driving this transition.That’s precisely what we gotwith the Working Group.Everyone was candid, every-thing was transparent. Itwas so refreshing. And, asfar as COMTO’s stature, thefact that we were asked toparticipate speaks volumes.Our members should be

proud.”By now, many COMTO

members are aware that JulieA. Cunningham, COMTOPresident and CEO, was on aleave of absence from theorganization. She wasnamed to President-ElectObama’s Transition Team/Agency Working Groupassigned to the DOT, andworked with 15 other teammembers to perform a thor-ough agency review in order to facilitate a smoothassumption of control by the new administration. The Team was led by MortDowney, consultant withParsons Brinckerhoff andformer U.S. Deputy Secretaryof Transportation.

National Chair DeLiberosaid, “All of us at COMTO are excited about Julie’sopportunity to have servedPresident-Elect Obama at thevery early stage. To have ourPresident/CEO appointed tothe Transition Team is cer-tainly indicative of the workthat we have done and aredoing nationally to level theplaying field for minoritiesin the transportationindustry. We know that Julieserved our country well inthis capacity.” ■

COMTO’s Problem Statement on Vulnerable Populations Funded by TOPS for $350,000

One of COMTO’s priority national initia-tives is that of Emer-gency Preparedness forVulnerable Populations.Recently, the organiza-tion submitted a ProblemStatement on VulnerablePopulations to the TCRP

Oversight and ProjectSelection (TOPS) meeting.After reviewing all of thestatements presented,TOPS chose the COMTOstatement as one that willreceive support in theamount of $350,000. ■

2 COMTO ... Moving the Nation

HUB Conference continued on 3

HUB CONNECTION

An Event to Remember: Hampton Roads HUB Conference SoarsBy Sheila JohnsonHampton Roads Chapter Secretary & Marketing Committee Member

Recently, theHampton RoadsChapter hosted a HistoricallyUnderutilized

Business (HUB) Conference in Hampton Roads, Virginia.With forthcoming multi-billion-dollar major transpor-tation projects across theCommonwealth of Virginia,it was an opportunity forCOMTO Hampton Roads to support not only these ini-tiatives but to become a vehi-cle for fostering partnershipsamong large and small busi-nesses based both in and out-side of Virginia. With thetheme, “Building Capacityfrom the Outside In,” and ledby Chapter President PrescottSherrod and ProgramCommittee Chair DelcenoMiles, this two-day eventaccomplished this objective.

and nationally. The eveningincluded live jazz, an array ofdelicacies, and a multitude ofspecial guests and dignitaries.

Some of those in atten-dance were Shirley DeLibero,National Chair, COMTO Board

of Directors; JulieCunningham, COMTOnational President & CEO; Al Brunson, Chair, COMTONational HUB AdvisoryCouncil; Senator Yvonne B.Miller, Chair, Virginia SenateTransportation Committee;Florida State SenatorKenneth Hill; Virginia Beach City Councilman RonVillanueva; Suffolk CityCouncilman Charles Brown;Norfolk City CouncilmanRandy Wright; Jim Ricketts,Director of Virginia BeachConventions Bureau; WilliamJones, Director of Finance,Norfolk International Airport;and Eldridge Coles, GRTCChief Operating Officer.

The second day’s agendaincluded a series of work-shops and a power luncheondesigned to assist more than120 attendees representing adiverse mode of transporta-

A welcome reception spon-sored by the Virginia BeachConvention Center & VisitorsBureau, provided a greatopportunity to network andsocialize with leaders anddecision makers both locally

Pierce Homer, Secretary of Virginia DOT; Louisa Strayhorn,Consultant; Shirley A. DeLibero, National Chair; GrinleyJohnson, Director Office of Civil Rights, VDOT; Julie A.Cunningham, President & CEO; Prescott Sherrod, HRChapter President

Hampton Roads Chapter Goes Multi-Modal

It’s common — andeven understandable— that COMTO chap-ters concentrate theirrecruiting efforts and

their program agendasaround urban commutersystems. But, in thischanging economic cli-mate, chapters need tobroaden their focus.That’s what the HamptonRoads Chapter has done,and they aren’t lookingback.

“Maritime, aviation,highway, rail — we’re look-ing to include everyone in our chapter,” saysChapter President PrescottSherrod. “It’s a sensible

way to stimulate widerengagement within ourchapter and our community.”

Sherrod believes indus-trial diversification is criticalto the success of the chapterand COMTO as a whole. In fact, he took his lead ingoing multi-modal from thenational organization, whichlists multi-modal transporta-tion diversification as one ofits top strategic strategies.

Of course, going multi-modal presents some problems, but they are chal-lenges that can be overcome.“One challenge,” notesSherrod, “is managingdiverse industry personal-ities. But, through solid com-

munication initiativeswithin the chapter, we’remaking real headway. Atthe center of that communi-cation initiative is our‘WIIFM’ promise. We makesure each chapter memberunderstands What’s In ITFor Me! whenever we intro-duce a program or service.”

Hampton Roads encour-ages every COMTO chapterto consider diversification.The incoming ObamaAdministration has made it clear that its focus on the national infrastructurewill impact every mode oftransportation. COMTOchapters need to stay aheadof the curve. ■

COMTO to Host Its FirstTransportation Summit

COMTO will be host-ing a TransportationSummit in March. TheSummit will provide anarena to rejuvenate themission and to celebratethe recent rebranding —showcasing one voice,one message, one look,one feel. The Summitwill take place inWashington, DC. Moreinformation will follow,so watch your mailboxesand inboxes forannouncements. ■

ACCELERATE January/February 2009 3

TransTech Academy & Industry Partners Opening Doors

Recently, the TransTechAcademy announcedthe official formationof the Cardozo HighSchool TransTech

Academy Industry PartnersConsortium (TAIPC). To cele-brate the development of theconsortium, a networkingevent and ribbon cutting ceremony was held.

More than 75 peopleattended, including pastCardozo High School gradu-ates and representatives fromacross the industry. Julie A.Cunningham, COMTOPresident & CEO, offered briefremarks. Ramonica D.M.Moore, COMTO Marketingand Communications, servedas mistress of ceremonies.

TAIPC’s ExecutiveCommittee consists of:Freddie C. Fuller, II, DDOT -Chair; Gregory Murrill,FHWA – Vice Chair andPublic Sector Representative;Evelina Félicité-Maurice,NASA/ AbNet – Secretary andChair, Industry EducationCommittee; Bill Carr,DDOT – Treasurer and Chair,Resources and Scholarship

Committee; Oakley Brooks,Bombardier/Aero Club –Private Sector Representative;Sarah Brown, NASA/AbNet –Chair, Public RelationsCommittee ; Lauren Scott,WMATA – Chair, CurriculumDevelopment Committee; and Ramonica D.M. Moore,COMTO National - PostSecondary AcademicRepresentative.

TransTech Academy wasestablished in 1991 as the firsttransportation studiesacademy in the Washington,DC metropolitan area. Sincethat time, TransTech has grad-uated more than 400 students.Over 85% have been admittedto post-secondary institutionsand matriculated at two- andfour-year colleges.

In 2005, the Academy wasexpanded to include an Elec-tro-Mechanical TechnologyTraining Program in collabo-ration with the District

Department of Transportation(DDOT) and the WashingtonMetropolitan Area TransitAuthority (WMATA) to meetthe growing demand forentry-level technical profes-sionals. Students receive tech-nical skills training for

TransTech Academy students study and train for successfultransportation careers.

Metrorail, Metrobus and ele-vator/escalator maintenancejobs while attending school.To date, 21 students have com-pleted the program and thereare currently 28 studentsenrolled. ■

National Office Contact Information

Marketing andCommunications –

(202) 530-0551 ext. 309

National Meeting & Training Conference – (202) 530-0551 ext. 303

Membership – (202) 530-0551 ext. 305

Accounting & Chapter Financials –

(202) 530-0551 ext. 304

National Calendar (202) 530-0551 ext. 306

HUB Conference will helpidentify transportation-related and interested agen-cies, organizations, and largeand small businesses that arevery serious about engagingHUBs,” notes ChapterPresident Sherrod. “They areout there! This will broadenthe chapter’s reach through-out the transportationindustry and thereby exposeHUBs to greater contractopportunities.”

Virginia Secretary ofTransportation PierceHomer’s keynote presenta-tion was another highlight ofthe conference. The presenta-tion included a valuable ques-tion and answer period. Thesession evoked surprisinglycandid responses regardingthe agency’s reputation in dif-ferent regions of the state, aswell as the importance ofglobal thinking, especially forsmall businesses.

This HUB conference

tion industries fromPhiladelphia, St. Louis,Washington D.C., Maryland,Boston, Florida, Denver,South Carolina, NorthCarolina, and Illinois inobtaining access to oppor-tunities, as well as gainingthose skills necessary to bemore competitive in the con-tract arena. The intimate setting not only created anenvironment for in-depthpanel discussions, it was the catalyst for a healthyexchange of information andideas needed to move HUBsforward.

In Virginia opportunitiesfor HUBs are extensive, andCOMTO is quickly posi-tioning itself to serve as aconduit to connect thoseopportunities to qualifiedHUBs.

“Fostering HUB connec-tions through events like our

HUB Conference, from p. 2 provided access and forwardthinking information thatflushed out growth strategiesand opportunities now andfor the future for HUB firmsin what promises to be atough but dynamic environ-ment. The added value of thisconference was the level ofthe presenters and the local,regional and national mix ofmulti-modal transportationparticipants.

Conference Chair Mileshas already suggestedupgrades that might makefuture conferences even morevaluable. “I’d consider addingat least another day to theprogram to allow more net-working, and I would like tosee more testimonials fromsuccessful HUBs as part ofthe agenda. And, I’d defi-nitely include an actual bidboard where attendees couldreview real contract opportu-nities.” ■


operator wages and benefits,we looked for ways to lowerthose costs without cuttingeither. One such opportunity,and one that might haveimplications for othertransit operators around the country, was to reduce overtime.

HART began by exam-ining the reasons for, andcosts of, employee overtime.We were looking for how tomanage costs while main-taining as much service aspossible. One such factorwas high turnover, whichhad caused the averagenumber of operators to fallbelow optimum levels.

That resulted in higherlevels of scheduled – oftenmandatory – overtime, whichnext led to increased absen-teeism, which in turnresulted in greater use of“extra board” operators –which again increased over-time payments. Being under-staffed was leading HARTinto a vicious cycle in whichtrying to save money hadjust the opposite result.

HART determined thatstaffing at the full 100 per-cent level might actually savemoney, a conclusion thatwould seem to fly in the faceof conventional wisdom. Sowhat did we do to fix it? Anddid we actually save moneyby hiring more people?

Two years ago, we heldour first on-site job fair, a big change for HART. Wereceived a significant num-ber of applicants, screenedthem all on the spot, andoffered them jobs if theyqualified. That was Step One.

David Armijo then insti-tuted Step Two, which wassimply the commitment thatHART would hire a sufficientnumber of operators to cover

all shifts, vacations, antici-pated illnesses, and sched-uling variations.

Full staffing has allowedus to reduce split shifts, vir-tually eliminate forced over-time, and reduce the numberof chargeable incidents.Further, because our busoperators are less stressed,we have received fewer cus-tomer complaints.

Did we save money? Yes.Even taking into accountadditional salaries and benefits, HART projects asavings of approximately$750,000 in the first year.

As a transit agency boardmember, what did I learnfrom this? If you interactwith the rank and file of youragency (and I encourage youto do so), you may find thatthe folks behind the wheel of the bus can often identifyproblems quite clearly.

Several of our operatorshad come to me concernedabout being forced to workovertime. It was makingthem unhappy and affectinghow they performed theirjobs.

Because unhappyemployees begat unhappycustomers, my role as aboard member was to workwith agency managementand come up with a solutionto the problem.

An engaged board ofdirectors, working with asolutions-oriented agencyleader, can arrive at innova-tive approaches to fixingsome of the agencies’ prob-lems. Even if it means doingthings that may seem con-trary – like hiring people tosave money. ■

It seems that at everyrecent transit industrygathering, a majortopic of conversationrevolves around the

question of how to meet rapidly rising demand with

shrinkingrevenues.The goodnews ofincreasedridershipcomesdirectlywith the difficult

news of the impact of suchdemand on existing capacity.And the bottom line in all ofthis is, literally, our bottomline — many of us are look-ing for ways to cut costs.

Given that context, itmight seem like an odd timeto ask: “Is your agency fullystaffed with drivers?”Before I elaborate, let meprovide some background. In Florida, an initiativepassed last year dictated rollbacks in the basic prop-erty tax rate and a doublingof the homestead exemption.

For an agency that has historically received two-thirds of its operating budgetfrom the property tax, this presented a serious problem.Meanwhile, ridership –growing at seven percent ayear for the past four years –turned upward even moresharply in the past sixmonths. Something had togive.

Under the leadership of CEO David Armijo, theboard of the HillsboroughArea Regional TransitAuthority (HART) took an aggressive cost-cuttingapproach rather than cuttingneeded service. Since thelargest slice of our budget is

MEMBER CONTRIBUTION

Saving Money by Hiring Drivers? By Allison Hewitt, Interim Vice-Chair, HART

Allison Hewitt

COMTO ChaptersSelected to HostInterns for CITYInternship Program

COMTO Nationalalong with theFederal TransitAdministration(FTA) is pleased

to announce that chap-ters have been selected to host the 2009 CareersIn Transportation forYouth (CITY) internshipprogram.

The chapters wereselected by a panel ofindustry representativesfrom APTA, COMTO,FTA and TransTechAcademy of CardozoHigh School inWashington, DC.

This year, ten (10)COMTO chapters submit-ted outstanding bids. Allchapter bids displayedteam dedication to en-suring that the selectedinterns would have a pro-fessional experience, aswell as meaningful expo-sure to the dynamics ofthe transportation indus-try. However, COMTOonly receives funding tosupport three (3) chap-ters.

The selected chapterswill host interns for ten(10) weeks (June 1, 2009to August 7, 2009).During this time, internswill also travel to Dallas,TX for the 39th NationalMeeting and TrainingConference. The fol-lowing chapters will hostthe 2009 lot of CITYinterns: Chicago,Jacksonville andPhiladelphia! ■


Cleveland are verysimilar to those ofthe MTA, and I fig-ured many of theinitiatives thatCleveland hadintroduced couldalso be successfulin Baltimore.”

A site visit wasset up and Wellsled an MTA team to Cleveland to seeTransitStat inaction. MTA wasduly impressed and plans to movequickly on a sim-ilar program inBaltimore.

“We intend todevelop a similar operationsstatistics program to aid usin performance improve- ments within the operations

department,” Wells noted.“Another initiative we’re considering is a revision ofour organizational model,similar to that in Cleveland.This model would put oursupervision and quality con-trol functions for all of ourmodes of transportationunder one umbrella. Thiswill mean greater efficiencyand improved overall serviceto our customers. It waswonderful to see a successfulworking model in Cleveland.”

Wells is quick to recognizeCleveland RTA and COMTOfor their contributions to theMTA plan. “This partnershipdeveloped because ofCOMTO and has clearly puttwo agencies on track tobetter serve riders. Theability of both agencies toshare failures and successeswill only lead to betterservice for all of ourpatrons.” ■

CHAPTER FEATURE

COMTO National Meeting Presentation Spawns Partnership Between Cleveland RTA and Maryland MTA

COMTO’s 37thNational Meeting inIndianapolis fea-tured a presentationby the Cleveland

RTA about their TransitStatprogram, which uses data as

a means toimprovecustomersatisfactionand toachieveoperationalexcellence.The confer-ence presen-

tation shared, through a casestudy format, Cleveland’sexperience in developingTransitStat, the program’ssuccesses and some real-world implementation tips.

Cleveland presenters

Floun’say R. Caver, PhD,Loretta Kirk and RichardNewell explained howTransitStat saved the RTAmore than $2.3-million in2008 and ushered in arenewed culture of excel-lence within the transitsystem. The culmination ofthe presentation was a com-mitment to share their per-formance management tech-niques with other profes-sionals.

That’s where Ralign T.Wells, Deputy Administratorof the Transit OperationsDivision for the MarylandTransit Administration(MTA) entered the picture.

“I was enthralled by theCleveland presentation,”Wells said. “ Interestinglyenough, the demographics in

Tampa Bay Area Transportation Officials Meet to Form New COMTO Chapter; Armijo Coordinates Effort

D avid J. Armijo,COMTO BoardMember and CEOof HART (Hills-borough Area

Regional Transit), whichserves the greater Tampaarea, has spearheaded theformation of COMTO’snewest addition — theCOMTO Tampa BayChapter. More than 40 peo-ple attended the recentchapter formation lunch-eon, sponsored by ButchSibley of the GilligCorporation.

HART board memberAllison Hewitt andMelissa Rolle-Scott,

COMTO Miami Chapter, alsocontributed to the program.

During her presentation,Hewitt said there was anincredible opportunity forgrowth in transit in theTampa area and that many citizens were discovering thebenefits, especially in today’seconomy. She also said therewas considerable opportunityfor minority businesses toprofit as the need for transitservice continues to grow.

Rolle-Scott mentioned theimportance of bringing alongthe next generation of trans-portation leaders, of transi-tioning leadership in theindustry and of teaching

everyone the value of trans-portation.

Every local governmentagency was represented,along with representativesfrom CongresswomanKaster’s office. Theluncheon reached its goal of generating the minimum10 commitments required to form a local COMTOchapter. A local chapter formation committee wasformed and will meet to formalize the local chapter,subject to approval andacceptance by the nationalCOMTO organization. ■

Ralign T. Wells

TransitStat Presenters: Dr. Floun’sayCaver, Richard Newell, Loretta Kirk


find he’s a very convincingsalesman for something else,too: the transportation indus-try.

“The transportationindustry has allowed me togrow tremendously. Becauseof my sports background, Iunderstand the importance ofhard work and being a teamplayer. And I’ve dedicatedplenty of effort to relation-ship building since I took thisposition in 2003. But thepeople in this industry havebeen particularly gracious inhelping me reach a level of

success that’s surprisingafter just five years on thejob.”

TransMark, headquarteredin Boulder, Colorado, sellsand services everything fromdestination signs and seatingto fire detection/suppressionsystems and video surveil-lance equipment. In his position with the company,Barnes has traveled exten-sively and met hundreds oftransportation industry professionals.

He’s impressed with thewillingness of seasoned

As Western Region-al Manager forTransit MarketingGroup (TransMark),Rashidi Barnes

makes his living selling prod-ucts andservices totransit sys-tems. Butspend a fewminuteswith thistwenty-somethingformer pro-

fessional athlete and you’ll

MY STORY

For Rashidi Barnes, Getting into the Transportation Industry Was Like Putting on a Custom-Tailored Suit

industry veterans to helpmentor younger colleagues.“So many veterans in thisbusiness are progressivethinkers, and they under-stand the benefit of teachingthose of us coming up theladder. Dr. Beverly Scott(MARTA), Marilyn Shazor(SORTA), Larry Jackson(LBT), Gil Holmes (IndyGo)and Will Scott (Veolia) arejust a few of those mentorswho come to mind. I don’tthink this kind of support isas openly available in other

Barnes continued on 7

Rashidi Barnes


COMTO USACOMTO USAJacksonville Chapter

The Jacksonville Chapter(James Warren, President)held its 8th Annual Kids’ ToyDrive in December. SeveralToy Box Drop Off Locationsaround the city were set upto collect toys and cash dona-tions. On Friday, December19, Santa arrived at theBrentwood Lake Apartmentsto deliver gifts and spreadsome holiday cheer.

Recently, the chapter alsoheld its 1st Annual HolidayFood Drive to benefitHubbard House. Ready-made meals, canned fooditems, cereals and fruit juiceswere collected for donation.Chapter members reportedbetter-than-expected resultsfrom the drive.

New Jersey ChapterCOMTO’s New Jersey

Chapter (Lawrence Hamm,President) held and all-vol-unteer, nonpartisan voterregistration drive before theNovember elections. Thedrive was a huge success,with 44 volunteers regis-tering voters during lunchbreaks, after work hours andon Saturdays. Through theirefforts, 972 people were reg-

istered in just a few weeks.“This drive was not associ-

ated with any political [partyor candidate,” said OpheliaAdderley, the chapter’sSecond Vice President. “Weregistered anyone who waseligible to vote, regardless oftheir political affiliation.”

Chapter President Hammnoted, “We held this drive togive people an opportunity to register so that they couldparticipate in the presidentialelection and future electionsas well.”

New York ChapterRecently, the New York

Chapter (Dwayne Sampson,President) held its AnnualScholarship & AwardsBanquet at the Terrace in thePark in Flushing MeadowsPark. The event began with aWelcoming Reception hon-oring the recent appoint-ments of Joseph J. Smith asPresident of MTA Bus andLong Island Bus; ChristopherO. Ward as ExecutiveDirector of the Port Authorityof New York and New Jersey;and Tasha Norman asPresident of NAWBO-NYC.

Keynote addresses at theDinner were given byReverend A.R. Bernard,Founder and Pastor ofChristian Cultural Center,with a membership of 30,000;and Thomas P. DiNapoli,New York State Comptroller.

Northern CaliforniaChapter

In December, COMTO’sNorthern California Chapter(Lee Davis, President)awarded $30,000 in scholar-ship money to 23 undergrad-uate college students from a variety of traditionallyunderrepresented back-grounds at its 5th AnnualHoliday Dinner and Dance.The chapter saw a 70%increase in scholarship appli-cations in 2008. Awards arebased on a combination of academicachievement, financial needand perseverance.

The gala, held at theOakland Marriott, alsoserved as a backdrop for honoring Nathaniel P. Ford,Sr., Executive Director of theSan Francisco MunicipalTransportation Agency, witha Special Recognition Awardfor his outstanding careerservice, his achievementsand his commitment toCOMTO.

Washington, DCChapter

The Washington, DC,COMTO chapter (CarlBrown, President) recentlyheld a Chapter Meeting featuring an address byGerald Francis, WMATACOO. Francis discussed the state of the DC Metrosystem and the transitindustry at large. InDecember, the chapter joinedwith the Maryland Chapter(Gregory Brown, President)to host the 2008 HolidayDinner Dance at the BWIMarriott Hotel in Linthicum,Maryland. The gala beganwith cocktails and dinnerand concluded with dancinguntil midnight. ■

Barnes, from p. 6

industries. Each of thesementors has provided me with tools to help mesucceed — and I imaginesome of them don’t evenknow what kind of influ-ence they have had onme.”

The transportationindustry’s attention toenvironmental issues isalso impressive to Barnes.“This industry is ahead ofthe curve when it comes to the environment. If Iwere to say I had one pro-fessional goal, that goalwould be to become anintegral part of the effortto create a fundamentallysound relationshipbetween transportationand the environment.This industry can be partof the vanguard — we canhelp introduce “GoingGreen” into every facet of American life.”

Another goal is toencourage more youngminorities to become partof this business. “Whilethe looming mass retire-ment of Baby Boomersacross the country willpresent a challenge forevery industry, it will also present a wonderfulopportunity to youngpeople — especially youngminorities. The trans-portation industry offersan incredible array ofcareer opportunities, andour recent history withrespect to hiring and promoting minorities and women is an enviableone. My only caution isfor young people to becareful about limitingthemselves. They need to position themselves,through education andhard work, so that theywill become absolutelynecessary employees. Thesky’s the limit, that’s theway I see it.” ■

New JerseyChapter volun-

teers registervoters for thepresidential

election inNovember.


industry conversation, nomatter how long we speak, isto establish a comfortablegive-and-take dialogue. Inever fail to learn somethingimportant about the otherperson’s agency or area ofexpertise, and I never fail tomention my involvementwith TCRP and what the pro-gram means to our industry,”she says.

But why would you listento what Antoinette Poinsettehas to say about TCRP… whatmakes her an expert? “Firstof all,” she explains, “I’ve hadlots of previous experiencewith TCRP publications.Long before I became anAmbassador, I was aware of

the availability and the bene-fits of the information TCRPgenerates. I applied for theprogram because I wasalready sold on the power ofTCRP and I wanted to sharemy experiences with col-leagues in public transporta-tion who may not be aware ofthis incredible resource.”

“Yes, I actually use thereports,” she continues. “Theinformation is practical andthe solutions provided can beeasily implemented. I enjoyspeaking directly with trans-portation professionals fromother agencies and across various disciplines who areamazed to learn that solutionsto many of their problems are

AntoinettePoinsette, Directorof Contract Review& Special Projects,NYCT, is a people

person. You know the type,always atease in con-versationswith anyonethey meet.You feel asthough theyknow youthe very firsttime they

speak with you. It’s a gift thatmakes her uniquely qualifiedto serve as a TCRPAmbassador.

“My approach in every

An Easy Conversation with TCRP Ambassador Antoinette Poinsette

Antoinette Poinsette

readily available throughTCRP.”

Antoinette is quick to notethat the industry has barelytapped into the full potentialof TCRP. “This industry is sodynamic. We’re faced withnew and complex challengesevery day, and there’s neverbeen a greater need to main-tain a continuous flow ofinformation addressing thosechallenges. In the months andyears to come, TCRP can beour salvation… I’m convincedof that. I will continue tospread the word about TCRP,even after my ambassador-ship is completed. The pro-gram is that good and thatimportant.” ■


ArizonaMr. Patrick F. Leonardi

AtlantaMr. Albert EdwardsMs. Loretta Washington

BostonMr. Michael Mulhern

ChicagoMr. Edward BryantMr. Dorval Carter

ClevelandMiss Bobbie BarnettMs. Anita Lopes

Colorado StateMr. Ken Szeliga

DallasMs. Brenda BoatwrightMr. Herbert Miller, Jr.Ms. Evalynn WilliamsMr. Lucious Williams

DetroitMr. Kirk A. Branson, Sr.Mr. Byron BurbankMs. Alicia HatcherMs. Sharon Madison-PolkMr. Robert PolkMr. Horacio WilliamsMs. Lovevett Williams

Fort WorthMrs. Dezzie DicksonMr. Ken HuntMr. Inmon Wiley

Hampton RoadsMr. Jerry W. Clark, Sr.Ms. Sheila JohnsonMr. Stanford A. Moore

HoustonMs. Devin FloydMs. Gold OzuzuParalee ShiversMr. Samson ShiversMr. Jarrell SimpsonMr. Damon TinsleyMr. Garlin Wynn

MarylandMr. Brandon Allen BucknerMs. Sandra CliffordMr. Ferguise MayronneMs. Richelle Thomas

MiamiMs. Ruth A. Ellis Myers

New YorkMr. Ephraim AlexanderMs. Alexis CaceresMs. Courtney GreyMs. Makeda Marshall

Ms. Shanti McGheeMs. Elizabeth PaulMs. Cristal PerezMr. Dickson PolancoMs. Ranelle RobertsMs. Jamelle Smith

Northern CaliforniaMr. John Burns

PhiladelphiaMs. Jerica GerenaMs. Amber Rowell

UtahMr. Steve GoodrichMr. Tony Taylor

Washington, DCMs. Frances HooperMrs. Linda Washington

Historically UnderutilizedBusiness MembersGrant Capital Management, Inc.Mr. J.P. GrantPresident & CEOColumbia, MD

Hands On LLCMr. Patrick WashingtonCEO/PresidentMontgomery Village, MD ■

Welcome New MembersWelcome New Members

• The UndergroundRailroad was at its heightbetween 1810 and 1850,with over 30,000 peopleescaping enslavement(mainly to Canada) viathe network, though USCensus figures onlyaccount for 6,000

• The system grew, andaround 1831 it wasdubbed "The Under-ground Railroad," afterthe then emerging steamrailroads

• Members of TheUnderground Railroadoften used specificjargon, based on themetaphor of the railway.For example:

– People who helpedslaves find the rail-road were “agents”(or “shepherds”)

– Guides were known as “conductors”

– Hiding places were “stations”

– Abolitionists would fix the “tracks”

– “Stationmasters” hidslaves in their homes

Did You Know?– Escaped slaves were

referred to as “passen-gers” or “cargo”

– Slaves would obtain a“ticket”

– Financial benefactorsof the Railroad wereknown as “stock-holders”

• “Conductors” and“Passengers”/”Cargo”generally of theUnderground Railroadtypically traveledbetween 10 and 20 milesto the next “station”

• The most well-known“conductor”, HarrietTubman, made 19 tripsinto the South andescorted over 300 slavesto freedom

• Many people associatedwith the UndergroundRailroad only knew theirpart of the operation andnot of the whole scheme

• Although the escapeessometimes traveled onreal railways, the primarymeans of transportationwere on foot or bywagon. ■

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Worth Repeating


January 2009Monday, January 19, 2009National Office ClosedMartin Luther King Day

February 2009Wednesday, February 4,2009Downstate Technical

ConferenceNY State Department of

Transportation; EmpireState Development; ThePort Authority of NY/NJ

New York, NYJacob Javits Convention

Center

Monday, February 10,2009

Small Business ForumBoston Dept. of

TransportationBoston, MA


Historically UnderutilizedBusiness Conference

Raleigh, NC


National Office ClosedPresidents’ Day

March 2009Wednesday, March 4 –

Friday, March 6, 2009 COMTO Leadership Team

Meetings &Transportation Summit

Wednesday, March 12,2009

Salute to Women inTransportation Luncheon

DC Chapter EventJW MarriottWashington, DC

May 2009Monday, May 25, 2009National Office ClosedMemorial Day

COMTO 2009 Calendar of EventsJuly 2009Friday, July 10 - Wednesday, July 15, 200938th National Meeting &

Training ConferenceDallas, TX

September 2009Monday, September 7,

2009National Office ClosedLabor Day

38th National Meeting & Training Conference

July 10–15, 2009 • Sheraton Dallas • Dallas, TX

Conference Host:

• COMTO Dallas Chapter• Dallas Area Rapid Transit

See you there!


input on concepts and pro-grams. Senior staff is thengiven the latitude and auton-omy to prioritize and executethe programs.

Does this approach work?Recently, Laketran was recog-nized at the annual APEXAwards sponsored by LakeCommunicators. The agency’s“Go Green. Get on Board.”campaign won Best in Show,in addition to gold awards formixed media and print cam-paigns. The campaign was anoutcome of the communica-tions workgroup to targetyounger riders and brand

Laketran with a more contem-porary image.

Laketran’s “Go Green. Geton Board.” Campaign includeswindow sign on buses, inte-rior bus signs, print ads,GreenPerks (transit benefits)brochures, a high school newrider promotion and a newresident direct-mail program.The campaign is expected tocontinue through 2009 with afocus on engaging teenagers,employers and local busi-nesses to promote usingpublic transit for personal,environmental and economicbenefits. Marketing initia-

In challenging economictimes, marketing andpromotions are often thefirst things to go from abusiness budget. How-

ever, history has proven timeand again that when times aretough, you should step upyour marketing efforts.

Laketran, like many othergovernment agencies, is facedwith the dilemma about allo-cating dollars for advertising,marketing, outreach andpublic relations. In today’sfast-paced, customer-focusedworld, even government agen-cies have a responsibility topromote their services so thatwhen you need it, you havesome information about howthe service works.

In 2000 and in 2005, theAmerican Public Transporta-tion Association recognizedLaketran as the Best SmallTransit System in America –and for good reason.Laketran’s buses are clean,safe and on-time. Drivers andCustomer Service Representa-tives are friendly and profes-sional. The Board of Trusteesis diverse and dedicated to thecitizens of Lake County. Theadministration is very smalland each member is excep-tional within their field ofexpertise.

In 2008, Laketran BoardPresident Terrell Dillard pro-posed a workgroup model thatwould bring together trusteesand senior staff members intheir respective areas todevelop initiatives that wouldkeep Laketran on the forefrontof being the best in transitservice. Workgroups havedealt with debt financing,health and human service policies and communications.Through the workgroup setup, trustees gain an increasedunderstanding of the role thedepartment plays in the suc-cess of the system and provide

MEMBER CONTRIBUTION

Marketing Challenge Leads to Best Practice – and Awards

Members On The MoveMembers On The MoveLuther Diggs,one of ourPhiladelphiaChapter mem-bers, wasrecentlyappointed tothe positionof AssistantGeneral Manager ofOperations for SEPTA.SEPTA is the sixth largesttransit authority in theUnited Sates. Diggs’ 26 yearsof experience in operations,along with his knowledge ofthe Authority, have ensured aseamless transition.

Long-termCOMTO NewYork ChaptermemberThaliaPanton hasbeen pro-moted toAssistantVice President of WorkforceDevelopment for the MTA.In this capacity she will con-tinue her focus on the devel-opment of our future leaders,

our children. Thalia hasworked tirelessly in leadingthe Student DevelopmentInstitute to ensure studentsare provided with men-toring, training, summerinternships and guidance sothey can one day become thetransportation leaders ofNew York. She also is chair-ing the committee to designthe first COMTO charterschool in New York. Theschool will be designed totrain high school students inall facets of transportation.

ParaleeRobersonShivers,M.A., hasjust pub-lished a newbusinessbook, Howto Be anExtra-Ordinary Entrepreneur!Shivers says it’s the bookeveryone needs for extraor-dinary success in the market-place and includes four keynuggets to increase the

Luther Diggs

bottom line, tips to help busi-nesses become more competi-tive and strategies to winmore contracts. The book isavailable at www.pas-commu-nications.com. Shivers plansto donate a portion of theproceeds to the COMTONational Scholarship Fund.

GardnerTabonrecentlybegan newduties as theSafety andSecurityManager atthe ValleyMetro Regional PublicTransportation Authority inPhoenix. Tabon has exten-sive experience in the field oftransportation including 14years of commuter rail andfreight experience with thenation’s highest volume com-muter carrier, Long IslandRail Road. Most recently, hewas with the MetropolitanAtlanta Rapid TransitAuthority as a System SafetyOfficer for rail operations. ■

tives include an updated website, community research,training programs for all ages,classroom programs, businesspresentations and socialmedia usage. ■

This article was reprinted with per-mission from Laketran, Painesville,OH. www.laketran.com

Thalia Panton

Paralee RobersonShivers

Gardner Tabon

818 18th Street, NW, Suite 850Washington, DC 20006www.comto.org

PresortedFirst Class Mail

U.S. PostagePAID

Riverdale, MDPermit No. 5165

2008-2010 Board of DirectorsNational ChairShirley A. DeLiberoPresidentDeLibero Transportation

Strategies, LLCMilton, MA

First Vice ChairRicky D. SmithDirector of PortsCleveland Airport SystemCleveland, OH

Second Vice ChairRoosevelt BradleySenior Vice PresidentThe Allen Group, LLCMiami, FL

Secretary/TreasurerLester Woods, Jr.External Civil Rights

AdministratorMissouri Department of

Transportation (MoDOT)Jefferson City, MO

Board Members At-LargeDavid ArmijoChief Executive OfficerHillsborough Area Regional

Transit AuthorityTampa, FL

Dwight FerrellDeputy General Manager/COOMetropolitan Atlanta Transit

Authority (MARTA)Atlanta, GA

Frank T. MartinVice PresidentPBS&JTallahassee, FL

A. Bradley MimsVice President, Market Groups -

AviationParsons BrinckerhoffWashington, DC

Robert Prince, Jr.Vice President & General ManagerDMJM+Harris and AECOM

CompanyBoston, MA

Presidents' CouncilRepresentativesAida DouglasBusiness Development ManagerCapital Metro Transit AuthorityAustin, TX

Cathy Hamilton-KirkaldyManager, Project ContractsDallas Area Rapid TransitDallas, TX

Warren MontagueDirector, Service OperationsSoutheastern Pennsylvania

Transportation AuthorityPhiladelphia, PA

Academic AdvisorDeborah UnderwoodProgram ManagerNorth Carolina A&T UniversityGreensboro, NC

Accelerate is a bi-monthly publication produced by the Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), 818 18th St. NW,Suite 850, Washington, DC 20006; (202) 530-0551. Articles may notbe reproduced without written permission from COMTO.

Publisher: Ramonica D.M. Moore Graphics: FCS Communications© 2009

COMTO Vision StatementTo see the diverse faces of America equally reflected in all levels ofthe transportation industry – (Resolution adopted May 8, 2007)

COMTO Mission StatementTo ensure a level playing field and maximum participation in thetransportation industry for minority individuals, businesses, andcommunities of color through advocacy, information sharing,training, educational and professional development.

COMTO Core ValuesCOMTO’s core values are embodied in how we conduct businessand how we interact with our stakeholders, including our members, customers, partners and supporters. We affirm and are committed to the following core values: Advocacy, Diversity,Excellence, Inclusion, Innovation, Integrity, and Service.

HUB AdvisorAl BrunsonPresidentBrunson Technical

Associates, LLCDallas, TX

Legislative AdvisorLyn HarrisChief of StaffMiami-Dade Board of County

CommissionMiami, FL

Immediate Past ChairLoretta KirkDeputy General Manager -

Finance & AdministrationGreater Cleveland Regional

Transit AuthorityCleveland, OH

President & CEOJulie A. CunninghamWashington, DC

Founder & Honorary Chairman EmeritusRev. Jerry MooreWashington, DC

Co-Founder & HonoraryHistoriographerHarold WilliamsGrand Rapids, MI

HAPPY NEW YEAR

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Martin Luther King Jr.’s BirthdayValentine’s DayPresident’s Day

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