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.
After acts of terrorism — domestic or international — law enforcement agencies are almost always asked: “How are you ‘ramping up’ your security efforts?”
Billions of taxpayer dollars are spent buying buses and railcars every year. Although the national unemployment rate has declined since the Great Recession, for low-income families and communities of color, the unemployment rate remains in the double-digits and good, family-supporting jobs can’t come fast enough. We need strategies that revive U.S. manufacturing and other industries that can create the kind of jobs we want.
The recently adjourned 2016 Democratic National Convention put Philadelphia in the national — and international — spotlight once again. For the third time in four years, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority transported thousands of visitors to the City of Brotherly Love and its surrounding counties. As with the U.S. Open in 2013 and the World Meeting of Families and Papal Visit in 2015, public transit was a key component for all event activities.
Everywhere, evidence reveals how we’re moving into a less-consumptive, sharing-based society. Whether it’s people’s homes, torrent files or a car ride downtown, sharing is in. As environmentally conscious and economically prudent reducers and re-users, millennials are choosing non-traditional forms of transportation. This behavior has already had a huge impact on the way the transit industry is planning for its future.
How do you replace the institutional knowledge and subject expertise of a 40-year employee? You do it through succession planning, which is especially necessary in the transportation industry where senior level managers often have well over 25 years’ experience.