SEPTA Railcar Operator.
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What do transit authorities like SEPTA, MBTA, MTA and BART have in common other than transporting thousands, even millions of riders every day? All were recently ranked as four of the U.S.’s
500 “Best Employers” by Forbes magazine.
SEPTA, MBTA, MTA and BART were among 25 organizations included in Forbes’ “Transportation & Logistics” category, along with Southwest Airlines, Amtrak, CSX, Union Pacific and Greyhound. In fact, SEPTA (#33) and MBTA (#49) placed higher than Apple (#55) and SEPTA was the highest ranked company in Pennsylvania.
“We’ve known for years that mass transit is one of the best industries in which to work,” said SEPTA GM Joseph M. Casey. “The Forbes list confirms this for the rest of the country.”
SEPTA Paratransit Vehicle Operator.
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The Forbes rankings are derived from an online survey of 20,000 American workers. Respondents gave their opinions of their employers and other companies in their industries. According to Forbes, Statista, a firm that partnered with the publication, used the survey data to form a list of 3,500 employers “for whom there was a statistically relevant result." The list of 3,500 was then narrowed down to the 500 companies on the “Best Employers” list. In all, the 500 companies ranked by Forbes comprise 24 categories, ranging from “Media & Advertising” and “Health Care Equipment and Services” to “Education” and “Drugs and Biotechnology."
SEPTA Ticketing Agent.
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Mass transit has so many career paths for employees — more than the public might think. Of course the operations staff — engineers, conductors, operators and mechanics — are the “driving” force of a transportation organization. But there are job opportunities in fields such as finance, engineering, government affairs and law enforcement, too.
In addition to offering a variety of work prospects, transportation authorities often have long-term employees, proving the companies to be more stable than those in other industries. In its 9,000-person organization, SEPTA has many staff members who have been with the authority for well over 30 years, including Casey, who joined SEPTA in 1982. That speaks volumes to the pride employees have in the organization, their dedication to their fields and their enjoyment of their jobs.
SEPTA travel training.
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Public transit is a necessity and the rewards of working in the industry are many.
Where are we today with the great anticipated retirement wave? It looks like it may finally be starting, if not fully underway. It seems at least a couple times each month we here of a transit CEO who is retiring, technical staff who are leaving, and the difficulty in filling maintenance and operations positions with skilled workers for those who have retired.
Transportation organizations regularly remind the public to be vigilant when using their systems — to be aware of any suspicious activities and people exhibiting odd behavior, and if they see something, immediately say something to personnel or police.
For transit employees working with the public on a daily basis, no two shifts might be the same and each day can bring an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the customers we serve. Often, the acts go unnoticed, but for two SEPTA employees, their special acts — both coming within hours of each other — were caught on video.
On a per-mile, capital cost basis, streetcar systems typically cost more than bus systems, but less than light rail (LRT). One of the biggest contributors to this difference is right-of-way: streetcars and buses typically run within an existing roadway and thus require minimal property acquisition...
Transit systems move millions of people each day, getting us to where we need to go, influencing our moods, and shaping our collective stories. But, faced with fluctuating ridership, uncertain budgets, and the sky-high expectations of a digital savvy customer — open app, get car — how can centuries-old transit systems keep up?