News

GCRTA Prepares to Start Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Program

Posted February 2021

On December 8, 2020, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) amended their Rail Maintenance standards of apprenticeship to include Bus Maintenance, with intentions of adding it as a newly registered occupation with the State of Ohio. GCRTA has been part of the Center’s National Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship Committee since it started in 2015 after the Center was awarded a US DOL American Apprenticeship Initiative grant.

GCRTA used the Center’s Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship competency-based framework to structure their training. The agency has worked closely with the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 268 to come to agreement on this joint apprenticeship and they have also partnered with Cuyahoga Community College, to supplement their in-house training capacity.

GCRTA has been a pioneer in registered joint apprenticeship. In addition to currently seeking to register their Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship, GCRTA also has a successful Rail Car Maintenance Apprenticeship and is one of the only transit agencies in the country with a registered program in that occupation.

                  Rail Car Apprentice Celebrates Graduation with Mentors and GCRTA Team

The Center looks forward to more agencies adopting this highly effective and engaging form of training.

For more information on registered Bus Maintenance Apprenticeship, please contact John Schiavone .