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.
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SEPTA Paratransit Vehicle Operator.
Photo: SEPTA
“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.”
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.
Photo: SEPTA
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.
Photo: SEPTA
Public transit is a necessity and the rewards of working in the industry are many.
Polis comprises cities and regions, as well as corporate partners, from across Europe, promoting the development and implementation of sustainable mobility. This year’s event had over a thousand attendees across various policy forums and an exhibition.
Across North America and beyond, transit agency officials are contending with a perfect storm of operational headaches and strategic challenges that hamper daily service and long-term progress.
Simply incentivizing electrification is not enough to make a meaningful impact; we must shift our focus toward prioritizing public transportation and infrastructure.
For many years, the narrative surrounding public transit improvements has been heavily weighted toward environmental gains and carbon reduction. While these are undeniably crucial long-term benefits, the immediate focus of this new funding environment is firmly on demonstrable system efficiencies and a clear return on investment.
The notion of agencies being over- or underfunded, I argued, doesn’t hold up. If an agency wants to turn up the heat — to grow beyond the status quo — it must demonstrate measurable value.
Some agencies might suggest they are funded in the public transportation space. Some complain that they are funded too little. I have never heard a public transportation executive proclaim that they are funded too much. And if no public agencies are funded too much, then, by definition, none are funded too little. To steal from Goldilocks’ thinking, they are all funded just right.
From East Asia to Europe, more than 400 exhibitors and 70 sessions tackled global mobility challenges — highlighting AI, automation, and urban transit equity in the race toward a carbon-free future.
A closer look at ridership trends, demographic shifts, and the broader impacts of service reductions reveals why maintaining, and even improving, bus service levels should be a top priority in 2025.
