Preliminary Program

Saturday, April 5

Registration

Conference Steering Committee Meeting

David F. Jickling, chair, APTA Conference Steering Committee, and director of public transportation, Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Reno, NV

Welcome Reception

All conference registrants and their guests are invited to join us this evening for a chance to meet and network with your fellow registrants. The reception will be held at the Grand Sierra.

An Evening in Downtown Reno, NV

Our hosts, the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County and the University of Nevada, Reno will be happy to provide you with information on things to see and do in the area, including restaurants, shows, and much more.

Sunday, April 6

Registration

New Attendee Orientation

New and nearly new university and transportation officials and students are invited to attend a pre-conference meeting where the discussion will center on experiences and expectations for you as you participate in the only conference created to address the needs of transportation within university communities.

Opening Session: Public Transportation: Wherever Life Takes You…Today and Tomorrow

Join APTA and our hosts, the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County and the University of Nevada, Reno, for the opening session of the 2008 Transportation and University Communities Conference, the public transportation’s venue for addressing the special transportation needs of university communities.

Presiding:

Jeanne Krieg, vice chair – human resources, APTA; vice chair, APTA small operations committee; and chief executive officer, Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, Antioch, CA

Welcoming Remarks:

Gregory H. Krause, executive director, Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Reno, NV

Hon. Robert Cashell, mayor, City of Reno, NV

Milton D. Glick, president, University of Nevada, Reno, NV

General Session: RTC Wolf Pass Program in Partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno

This session will provide attendees with an overview of the program – from its inception five years ago to challenges along the way to the success of the Wolf Pass Program today and tomorrow.    

Speakers:

David F. Jickling, chair, APTA Conference Steering Committee, and director of public transportation, Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Reno, NV

Melody Bayfield, director of parking services, University of Nevada, Reno, NV

General Luncheon

Join us for lunch featuring a dynamic keynote speaker!

General Session: What’s New in University Partnerships?

Join us for an informative session highlighting case studies from small, medium and large transportation and university communities covering various modes of transportation and their partnership experiences. You will learn how transit agencies have developed or are developing partnerships including lessons and challenges they faced along the way.

Dinner

Join your colleagues for a buffet dinner at the Grand Sierra and an evening of networking and information exchange in a fun and informal setting.

Evening on Your Own

Enjoy exciting downtown Reno for the evening and attend one of the many shows.  

Continental Breakfast

Monday, April 7

Registration

Concurrent Sessions

Session 1: Marketing

Incorporation of transit in land-use planning, small community transit services, ridership forecasting, and accessibility services are just a few of the service planning tasks a transit agency and its university partner considers in meeting customer needs and marketing their services. This session will look at some of the creative and successful ways transit agencies and universities market their services.

Session 2: Future University Trends

A university environment is unique to any other market.  Understanding the future trends that face universities is critical to planning future transit service to meet the transportation needs of the university population.  This session will look at topics as the future of on-campus housing, on-line learning, student population assessments, future of on-campus residence and housing, trends on classroom allocation related to campus housing, trends on university attendance, etc.  

Session 3: UPASS Programs: What’s New?

UPASS programs offer students and faculty practical choices for their transportation needs but what does it take to implement a successful program? This session will look at barriers associated with the UPASS, developing partnerships, implementation of and sustaining a UPASS program.

Concurrent Sessions

Session 4: Partnerships

The ability to develop and maintain strong partnerships can be the difference between success and failure in university transportation. Partnering brings the strengths of each group to achieve together winning partnerships. This session will look at partnerships between universities, financial institutions, and local officials on such issues as parking, tolls, fare technology and land use.

Session 5: University Transportation Safety and Security

Developing and maintaining strong programs for university transportation safety and security is no longer just shrewd business practice – it is a reality that has proven to be one of the most challenging elements of transit operations.  This session will look at safety and security issues such as escort services, university safety and security programs, social behavior and safe transportation. How does your program measure up?

Session 6: Sustainability

How does your university measure up on the “Green Scale?” While so many in America are going “Green” – what can you do to improve and protect the environment? This session will explore such topics as land use and development, alternative fuels, environmentally – friendly practices, and alternative transportation modes.

Product Showcase and Networking Luncheon

The Grand Sierra is the site of this year’s Product Showcase and Networking Luncheon.  The Showcase features displays highlighting the latest and greatest in products and services from APTA’s Business Members, as well as a chance to visit with friends and colleagues.

Technical Tour 1: University of Nevada, Reno

The University of Nevada was founded in 1874 in Elko as the state's first institution of higher education. Relocated to Reno in 1887, the University remained the state's only institution of higher education for 75 years. The first building on the Reno campus, Morrill Hall, is still in use today. The campus has grown from a small cluster of buildings surrounding a central quadrangle (modeled after Thomas Jefferson's design for the University of Virginia), to a 250-acre site just north of downtown Reno. The University has a student enrollment of more than 16,000, including about 3,200 graduate students.

Enjoy a private tour of campus while exploring both historic buildings and the newest additions to campus. Growth during the last few years has resulted in construction of many new facilities which feature the latest technologies. While touring campus, attendees will also learn about the university’s parking and transportation infrastructure.

Technical Tour 2: Green Building Tour

On this tour you will see and hear about the latest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) technology at RTC CENTENNIAL PLAZA, the new transit center currently under construction in Sparks, NV.  This $22.3 million project will open in 2008 following eight years of planning and design. View the project site and learn about various innovations in environmental building. 

The tour will continue to the Patagonia outlet store and service center in Reno which was built with materials that have recycled content, intelligent landscaping, and interior design which lends itself a LEED certification.  Explore the inner workings of the facility, and check out how alternative transportation and optimized energy use are encouraged. The tour will end at the outlet store where lucky participants may be able to snap up great bargains on outdoor clothing!

Host Events:  Reception at the Grand Sierra followed by an Evening at the Magic Underground

Reception

Join your hosts and colleagues at the host reception before making your way to your evening activities.

Evening at the Magic Underground

Join us in experiencing an evening with an eclectic mix of astonishing magic, comedy and breathtaking illusions from some of magic’s finest performers. The event, held at Reno’s Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, will surely not disappoint.

Sign up in advance on your APTA registration form – space may be limited.

Tuesday, April 8

Registration

Continental Breakfast

Concurrent Sessions

Session 7: Emergency Preparedness and Response

How ready are you? Activities in recent years have shown the industry that being prepared in cases of an emergency and responding appropriately are simply a must. Communication, clear planning and keeping informed will aid in a well organized emergency response. This session will look at such issues as emergency preparedness systems, student roles and responsibilities, funding and partnerships. 

Session 8: Transportation in Small University Towns

Transportation in small university towns often has very unique and very interesting experiences from larger systems. 

Demographics, economic factors, and geographic location can all contribute to the day-to-day successes or challenges of a small town university community. This session will discuss effective partnerships, funding strategies, and the unique issues in rural and frontier communities.

Session 9: Managing Special Events

Crowd control, traffic, partnering with local authorities, and the media; these are just a few considerations when a university community organizes everything from football games to graduations.

This session will explore some of the best practices in organizing mass crowds, effective expansion of service, and winning partnerships.

Closing General Session: Virginia Tech and Blacksburg Transit

Representatives from Blacksburg Transit (BT) and Virginia Tech (VT) will discuss lessons learned from their shared experiences during the April 2007 tragedy.  BT and VT will discuss how planned events (football games, graduation, etc…) and unplanned events (road closures, bomb threats, etc…) helped shape transit’s response to the incident.  BT and VT hope that by sharing this information other universities, and their transit agencies, can be better prepared for future emergency situations.

APTA Conference Steering Committee/APTA Small Operations Committee Debriefing