Class of 2026 Timeline
- June 13, 2025: $5,000 tuition payment due.
- June 26-28, 2025: In-person Kickoff session in San Francisco, CA. Introductions to Emerging Leaders Program leadership, mentors, APTA members, and senior management. Customized workshop including skill-building sessions, time with industry mentors, and a site visit to a local transit facility.
- June 29-July 2, 2025: APTA Rail Conference. We encourage attendance at APTA committee meetings, conference sessions, and events to gain an appreciation of the rail side of the industry. We recognize that participants may not be able to attend the entire conference.
- July 2025 – May 2026: Mentors and mentees meet monthly, online and in-person, to discuss a broad range of industry and career development topics. These relationships will develop your awareness and knowledge of the public transportation industry and help facilitate your career advancement.
- September 2025 – February 2026: Individual Project Presentation Webinars. Each class member will deliver an online presentation (in groups of 6-7), sharing a project or program from their own team/organization. Class members, ELP Committee members, local and national mentors, and the presenters’ managers are invited to join these webinars.
- September 12-13, 2025: In-person Mid-Year session in Boston, MA. Additional access to industry leaders, skill-building sessions, networking opportunities, and time with your national mentor group for team-building and planning your capstone project.
- September 14-17, 2025: APTA TRANSform Conference. We encourage attendance at APTA committee meetings and conference sessions to see the industry’s newest technologies, products, and services first-hand. We encourage attendance at APTA committee meetings, conference sessions, and events to explore cutting-edge industry topics and network with colleagues. We recognize the participants may not be able to attend the entire conference.
- April/May 2026: Capstone Industry Webinars. Project teams will present their capstone projects virtually to the industry. Presentations will be recorded and posted on the APTAU Learning website.
- May 14-16, 2026: In-person Capstone session in Salt Lake City, UT. Workshop will feature panels on leadership and industry challenges, sessions that highlight innovative practices and project approaches at peer agencies, and discussions of the class’ program takeaways and next career steps.
- May 18, 2026: APTA Mobility Conference. The class will be recognized at a graduation program. Class members will have the opportunity to deliver their capstone presentations during the graduation ceremony and to APTA committees.
