Business View Magazine - Nov 2023

234 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11 look like over the coming decade? Skoutelas shared how the APTA will continue to be a viable voice for the public transportation industry. Public transportation’s future is brighter and more essential than ever, he projects. “We are entering a new era of American mobility,” he adds, “as communities strive to create a more equitable, efficient, vibrant, and environmentally sustainable future and as our industry invests in new types of vehicles, operating systems, and skilled workers. The public transportation industry has successfully reinvented itself several times over the past 200 years and will continue to do so today to improve the quality of all people’s lives by providing convenient, dependable, and desirable access to opportunity. APTA’s Transform Conference and Expo exemplify the energy and creativity that drive the public transportation industry. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.” This year’s APTA Transform Conference’s core focus was summed up by its theme: “Next starts here.” It was designed to be a once- in-a-generation catalyst to help shape the future of public transportation. The show floor featured new products, services, and hands-on demonstrations, as well as the most advanced buses, rail cars, and autonomous vehicles. In addition to the exhibits, it offered exclusive educational programs, technical tours, and networking events, where attendees were introduced to new people, new businesses, and new ways of thinking. For example, sessions covered major topics, such as recruiting frontline workers; examining fare policies, digital collection tools, and innovative funding initiatives; investing in zero-emission electric buses, along with the infrastructure to support them; expanding access to under-served communities; and enhancing the customer experience to help win back riders, as Skoutelas informed. Many important trends, hot topics, and relevant tech-related matters were