Program Beginnings
TMAARC, originally formed as The Florida Maintenance
Training Program (FMTP), began in April 1990 when the Florida Department of Transportation
(FDOT) and the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) signed a
joint participation agreement. The agreement entailed setting up training
for public transit technicians in classrooms and labs and establishing a
resource center of training programs and materials. TMAARC was also to produce and distribute Transit Training, a quarterly
newsletter on training activities, training tips, and new programs. Administration of all
parts of the program was undertaken by CUTR.
TMAARC began
as a cooperative effort between FDOT and CUTR. The original idea for the program was
developed by Hank Donaldson and Mike Johnson at FDOT.
Without the
hard work and dedication of many individuals to the idea of providing bus technicians with
thorough training opportunities, TMAARC could not have had the success it has seen.
Program Management
Since 1992,
Robert E. Westbrook has overseen the program from the FDOT side. His dedication to
providing training to Florida’s technicians is evident. He is closely involved in
every facet of the program, especially the annual state Bus Maintenance Roadeo, where
teams of the best technicians compete to show their skills.
At CUTR, Ed Bart
and Todd Parsons work as the program management team.
Mr. Bart
specializes in maintenance management and analysis,
maintenance training and curriculum development, fleet
performance measurement and reporting, trend analysis, and
preventive maintenance planning and development. He has more
than 30 years experience in the vehicle maintenance arena.
He has worked as a mechanic, supervisor, and Maintenance
Director at two different properties in the state. Mr. Bart
has recent experience as part of the Executive Team at a
major local transit property where he participated in
strategic planning and policy development and recommended
courses of action which impacted equipment and facilities
performance standards. Mr. Bart has a Master’s degree in
Public Administration and is well versed on policy
implications as they relate to financial, managerial,
ethical, political, and organization considerations. Mr.
Bart was instrumental in the creation and administration of
the CTT-PSAV program, to include curriculum development and
partnership building, and currently manages the program.
Mr. Parsons is
the Learning & Development Facilitator with TMAARC and is a
Master Training Specialist experienced in all areas of
transit maintenance. Instructional abilities include
hands-on trouble shooting, teardowns, and testing in
addition to formal classroom/hands-on training. Mr. Parson’s
specialties include preparation and review of curriculum,
training methodologies, editing, and classroom presentation.
He received accreditation from the American Council on
Education and is an OSHA 29CFR1910 certified Instructor.
The Consortium includes representatives from public transportation agencies’
maintenance departments around Florida. This group meets quarterly on a formal basis and
at other times as needed. They elect a Committee Chair
who is charged with the job of coordinating Committee activities. All
major decisions concerning program structure, format,
content, and policy are put before the Committee for approval. Members of the Committee communicate their
needs and opinions, and provide the program feedback from the most important source - the
maintenance departments and technicians themselves. CUTR and FDOT also support and
participate in the activities of the Consortium.
Key TMAARC Activities
1. Maintenance Training Classes Course surveys are
completed by each transit agency twice a year before each training session to assess what
areas and topics should be covered in classes. CUTR has managed the program
through a mix of contracted services, in-house training module
development and delivery, state level scheduling based on agency
surveys, and a process to document and archive long term training trends
and results. Program leaders are currently working with Votran
and JTA to help develop
and administer state sponsored training and testing.
Technicians
are reimbursed for travel (if over 50 miles from their home property), lodging, and meals.
Classes are usually held Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm and average about 20
students. At the end of the class, the students complete anonymous evaluations of the
class content and the instructor. The instructor also completes an evaluation of each
student. Pre- and post-class tests are given to monitor student progress. All students
attending the class are given a certificate. A certificate of completion is given to all
students who pass their final examination. Those students who do not achieve the minimum
score on their exam are awarded a certificate of participation. Classes yield an average
increase of 32% from pre- to post-test scores.
2. Maintenance Forum Listserv This listserv is open to
all maintenance technicians, managers, trainers, or others interested in vehicle
maintenance. Introduced in January 2000, this list is growing in size and
contributions. It is used as an open forum on all issues related to maintenance, including
buses and parts for sale or needed, questions on repairs, training issues, and other
topics.
3. State Roadeos TMAARC is
instrumental in the administration and design of the annual Mega Bus
Roadeo. FDOT and CUTR work closely to ensure this event, hosted by a
different property each year, runs smoothly. TMAARC provides related training during the three days leading up to the
event.
4. Statewide
Equipment Inventory CUTR maintains and periodically updates an extensive inventory
of vehicles and sub-components (e.g.engine and transmission types,
wheelchair lifts) from each transit property. An updated inventory aids in new training development. By monitoring new
equipment acquisition, TMAARC can tailor courses to the specific needs of the transit
agencies.
Other Services
The success of the first ten
years of TMAARC led to an expansion of its functions and services. CUTR and FDOT developed new activities which help TMAARC increase its usefulness to transit properties. Some
additional services include:
*Technical Assistance One-on-one interaction through site visits to enhance the feedback process.
*Regulatory Issue Review Monitoring current topics and identifying new topics and
concerns where the results of federal and state regulatory legislation will affect the
operation of public transportation systems.
*Online registration and feedback Individuals are
able to register for classes and provide feedback online that can be acted
on by staff.
