01154471

Component

Given the increased shortage of qualified managers in bus fixed-route and paratransit agencies, ICF was contracted by the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TRCP) to identify practical recruitment, development and retention solutions. This paper highlights the results of the literature review and benchmarking portions of this project. For the literature review, we assembled information from over 37 independent articles, including six meta-analytic studies of over 100 primary research studies. The following five workforce issues were specifically addressed: Recruiting diverse management staff; selection and placement; restructuring of benefits and policies; retaining staff; succession planning; and training and developing staff. The paper also reviewed existing benchmark data and conducted a benchmarking study of 15 private and public sector organizations including other transportation related (e.g., rail; freight) and utility companies. A telephone focus group format was used to conduct the benchmarking study. Strategies from the study to-date indicate agencies should: (1) increase awareness of competitor organizations; (2) involve employees in self development; (3) identify high potentials early; (4) network for recruitment sources; (5) create career paths and development plans; (6) establish a diverse talent pipeline; (7) strike a balance of internal and external talent; (8) create mentoring relationships; (9) capitalize on existing training programs; (10) rebrand; (11) provide honest job information; (12) reduce competency gaps through training; 13) develop targeted recruitment strategies and (13) gather employee data. Specific examples of these strategies will be discussed.

01147878

10-1757

English

19p

2010

Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting

DVD

References (19) ; Tables (1)

Bus transit; Bus transit operations; Competition; Fixed routes; Management; Personnel retention; Public transit; Recruiting; Transit operating agencies; Workforce

Administration and Management; Public Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2010 Paper #10-1757

TRIS, TRB

Jan 25 2010 10:48AM