The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (Santa Clara VTA) has launched a group focused on identifying and addressing the unique challenges women face in public transit. Women Innovating Transit (WIT) is working to support and empower women working frontline roles in the industry.
The group emerged from a necessity recognized by the Santa Clara VTA/ATU Local 265 Joint Safety Committee to address operator assaults and recruitment and retention challenges of women in bus and light rail operations. WIT was brought to life with a core team of 10 women, all with former or current experience as bus or light-rail operators.
Shannon Arms is one of these women. Arms began with the Santa Clara VTA as a bus operator for 17 years, an experience she describes as both challenging and rewarding.
Her climb up the career ladder from a bus operator to a superintendent overseeing Santa Clara VTA’s cerone division is a story of triumph against the odds.
Arms was inspired by the women she worked with over the years, helping her to realize the limitless possibilities in her career and motivating her commitment to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion within the transit agency. The mission of WIT is to advocate for safety, inclusivity and education for women in the public transit industry.
Arms spearheaded the creation of WIT to act as a resource for all women in the transit community. The group holds monthly meetings and has already made significant strides in its first six months. The group has already launched initiatives like WIT Resource Cubbies, maternity uniforms, peer-to-peer training and the WIT Leadership Certificate Program.
The initiatives stem from ongoing surveys that capture the voices and concerns of women on the front lines. The members of WIT’s “core team” all have one thing in common, according to Santa Clara VTA: They are passionate about supporting their peers and creating positive change.
The group is currently working on a plan to expand WIT to the maintenance division.
Chief Operating Officer Derik Calhoun, Chief People Officer Sonya Morrison and ATU Leadership have played a major role in supporting and guiding WIT forward.
Morrison has recently offered leadership training for the group and Calhoun has ensured they will have all the tools and time needed to get their initiative off the ground.
