PPTA 2024 Fall Meeting

 Agenda and Schedule

as of 9/17/2024

Monday, September 23

Noon to 6:00 PM
Registration Open

Grand Station III Foyer, 1st Floor

Noon to 1:00 PM
PennTRAIN Steering Committee Work Session* (*Closed Committee Session)

Pointview, 2nd Floor

1:15 to 2:15 PM

Round One Committee Meetings

• Financial Officers, Pointview, 2nd Floor
• Maintenance, Brighton, 2nd Floor

Thanks to Gillig, our "continuous coffee" sponsor.

2:30 to 3:30 PM

Round Two Committee Meetings

• Human Resources, Pointview, 2nd Floor
• Cybersecurity Task Force, Brighton, 2nd Floor
• Small Vehicle Procurement: Transit Agency Listening Session, Grand Station II

3:30 to 4:30 PM

PPTA Board Meeting

Hall of Fame, 2nd Floor

5:00 to 6:30 PM 

PPTA Welcome Mixer

Shorty’s Pins X Pints “Retro-tainment” (353 North Shore Dr.)

Thanks to Modeshift, our welcome reception sponsor.

Tuesday, September 24

7:30 AM to Noon

Meeting Registration Open

Grand Station III Foyer

Thanks to Gillig, our "continuous coffee" sponsor.

8:30 to 9:30 AM

Breakfast: PPTA General Membership Meeting, PPTA Website Unveil, and PennDOT Update

Grand Station I

Thanks to Avail, our membership breakfast sponsor.

9:45 to 10:45 AM

ACCESS & Dementia Friends Pennsylvania Partnership: Customized Training for Drivers—Train the Trainer, Key Tips & More

Dementia Friends Pennsylvania is changing the way people think, act and talk about dementia. You will learn how Access Transportation Systems, a shared-ride paratransit service in Pittsburgh, partnered to create customized Dementia Friends training for all drivers. The session will help participants understand five key messages about dementia, and learn ways to effectively communicate with passengers living with dementia.

Karen Hoesch, ACCESS
Stacie L. Bonenberger, MOT, Dementia Friendly PA
Jared Miller, Air Star Paratransit
Grand Station II

11:00 to 11:45 AM

Cultivating a Respectful Workplace

During this time of civil disagreements and heightened emotions in and out of the workplace, this session will: take a look into internal and external environments that may cause disagreements in the workplace; examine how to keep the tensions lower within your organization; and offer tips for how supervisors can work to mitigate unrest.

Jill Nagy, Summers-Nagy
Jason Polster-Abel, LANTA
Grand Station II

Noon to 1:30 PM

Literacy & Language Barriers Among Our Customers

This session will delve into: the critical issue of literacy and language barriers faced by transit customers; challenges these barriers present for individuals in accessing transit; effective communication strategies and tools for transit agencies; and innovative approaches to language and literacy support for riders.

Sherry Welsh, PhD, LSW, rabbittransit
Jason McSherry, York Literacy Institute
Delma Rivera-Lytle, Latinos Unidos of York
José Santiago, YMCA of the Roses
Grand Station I

1:45 to 2:30 PM

Breakout Sessions:

• PennTRAIN, 2024-25 Program Highlights: What’s on Tap, Grand Station II
• Small Vehicle Procurement: Transit Agency Listening Session, Grand Station III

2:45 to 3:30 PM

Technology & Transit: LANTA Employee App

Earlier this year, LANTA unveiled a smart phone app as a new internal communications tool for employees. Come hear more about what the App does, what went into design considerations, and how things are going in the first few months of operation.

Darryl Lightner, LANTA
Grand Station II

3:45 to 4:45 PM

Breakout Sessions:

• Maintenance Strategic Brainstorming Session, Grand Station II

• Transit GM & CEO Roundtable, Grand Station III

Open Evening for Networking with PPTA Vendors and Industry Colleagues.

Wednesday, September 25

Attendee Registration

Fall Conference Registration: 

• $325 - Active PPTA Member Early Bird (ends September 6, 2024)
• $395 - Active PPTA Member Standard Registration
• $495 - Non-Member

Email kristen@ppta.net to be added to a cancellation waitlist.

NOTE: Dues must be current to receive the PPTA member rate. 

Mark Your Calendar!

• Tuesday, August 6 - Registration opens. Early bird registration available for PPTA members.
• Friday, August 30 - PPTA room block at Sheraton Station Square closes. Don't delay... Book your room soon! 
• Friday, September 6 - Early bird registration ends. Standard registration applies after this date. 
• BEFORE SEPTEMBER 9 - PPTA's cancellation policy allows refunds (minus $100 fee) for cancellations more than 14 days out, and substitutions more than 7 days out (with a $75 fee if it's after September 16).
• Saturday, September 14 - Deadline for registration. On-site registration will NOT be available.
• Monday, September 16 - Substitutions made after this date will incur a $75 fee that must be paid in advance of any changes.
• Monday, September 23 to Wednesday, September 25 - PPTA 2024 Fall Meeting in Pittsburgh 

Transit agencies are asked to pay by check whenever possible. 

Please email info@ppta.net with any questions.

Headquarter Hotel: Sheraton Station Square

PPTA Meeting Registration is required to stay in the host hotel and will be confirmed prior to the event.

Rooms are available on the nights of September 22, 23, & 24 at a rate of $189 per night.

Book your group rate for PA Public Transportation Association

Last Day to Book: Friday, August 30, 2024

Overnight self-parking is available at the Sheraton or the Station Square Parking Garage.

Remember: Reserve Your Room by August 30!

Overflow Hotels available if needed; information forthcoming.