Best Practices: Building a Resilient Transit Workforce - Strategies for Retention and Engagement

Public transit is the circulatory system of our cities. Its vitality depends on a workforce that is not only operationally capable but also deeply committed. Yet, agencies are facing an undeniable challenge: retaining skilled and engaged transit workers. From operators and dispatchers to maintenance staff and schedulers, workforce turnover is taxing resources and threatening service reliability. Now is the time to rethink retention as a strategic imperative integrated throughout transit operations. 

Rethinking the roots of retention 

Keeping transit workers isn’t just a staffing metric; it reflects organizational health. Losing experienced employees often means losing institutional knowledge, community trust and service continuity. Challenges like burnout and absenteeism frequently point to deeper issues with policies, communication or work-life alignment. 

Strategic retention starts by identifying these drivers and addressing them through systemic change. 

Fairness and flexibility as strategic tools  

Retention improves when employees trust that policies are fair and responsive. This includes how shifts are assigned, how time off is approved and how flexible the organization is in supporting its teams.  

Structured mentorship programs also embed fairness into agency workforce strategies, offering workforces the guidance and community they need for success. This approach helped boost new operator retention from 80 to 95 percent for one agency, reinforcing the value of investing in peer support. 

Smarter scheduling practices 

Operators frequently cite schedule bidding as one of the most stressful parts of the job. Antiquated processes can create confusion and resentment, especially when transparency is lacking.  

Agencies can improve bidding outcomes by: 

• Implementing clear, consistent rules. 
• Offering early visibility into available shifts. 
• Using digital tools to reduce human error and wait times. 

When the schedule feels fair and predictable, operators can focus on delivering service instead of managing fatigue or stress.  

Creating real connection through communication 

Effective communication in transit doesn’t end with a bulletin board or dispatch announcement. Employees want to feel part of something bigger and that requires honest, two-way engagement. When team members understand how their roles fit into broader goals and when they’re invited to share ideas or concerns, trust takes root. 

Strong communication is a retention driver. It helps workers feel recognized, respected and invested. 

Breaking the absenteeism cycle with data 

Absentee patterns often reveal underlying challenges. By analyzing data on timing, routes and other variables, agencies can spot trends and act before disruptions grow. 

At one West Coast agency, shifting from manual records to real-time data gave leadership better insight into attendance and scheduling. With those insights, they adjusted shift structures, supported union negotiations with clear metrics and cut daily scheduling time by over 50 percent—all contributing to a more stable workforce. 

Absenteeism, once a persistent pain point, became a source of actionable intelligence. 

Prioritizing work-life harmony 

Transit jobs come with intensity and irregular hours. Still, that doesn't mean work has to eclipse life. Agencies that support their people with realistic rest periods, easy-to-navigate time-off requests and access to mental health resources are creating conditions where employees can thrive. 

Beyond job satisfaction, this is about enabling staff to bring their full selves to work. 

The road ahead  

While often treated as a standalone initiative, retention is deeply rooted in strong leadership, a healthy organizational culture and operational vision. Agencies that treat it as a continuous priority rather than a reactive fix are positioning themselves for long-term strength. 

As rider expectations evolve, successful agencies will be those that invest in the people powering every route, shift and service.