Solving the Transit Labor Shortage: Strategies for Recruitment & Retention

Transit agencies have a structural recruiting problem that most private employers solved five years ago: they’re fishing in a shallow local pond while their actual competition for the same workers, warehouse operators, delivery networks, logistics companies, is fishing everywhere. The agencies we’ve seen make real progress on this have done one specific thing differently. They stopped treating benefits and pension as a closer and started leading with schedule predictability, which turns out to matter more to the candidate profiles they need than almost any other variable.

On retention, the lever that tends to get underestimated is internal mobility. A lot of transit workers leave not because they found a better employer but because they couldn’t see a path from their current role to the next one inside the same agency. The agencies that map those paths explicitly and surface them to new hires in the first 90 days see substantially better two-year retention. It’s less about pay bands and more about whether the person can imagine themselves there in three years.

Transit agencies can help employees stay longer by making it easier for them to visualize their own career growth within the transit industry. People tend to remain in their positions when they can see how they will move from today’s job to jobs in operations, maintenance, safety, planning, leadership and/or technology.

Some strategies include developing opportunity models that show how various positions fit within the agency, and how the employee fits into the agency. Other examples of programs that could assist in developing a future within an agency are structured mentoring programs. By pairing new employees with experienced staff who will assist them in identifying their goals, when they are available, where they live, and their areas of technical interest, both can work toward a successful career in transit. Both training and mentoring will help individuals develop the skills necessary to accomplish their goals and to build their confidence within the job.

One specific strategy transit agencies can use to attract and retain a skilled workforce is investing in flexible, employee-centered leave and accommodation programs. In my experience, workers are more likely to stay with an organization when they feel supported during major life events, health challenges, or caregiving responsibilities. I have seen employers reduce turnover simply by making leave processes easier to understand and less stressful, which builds trust and loyalty across the workforce.

A real-world lesson I’ve observed is that many organizations focus heavily on recruiting but overlook what happens after an employee is hired. When leave requests, accommodations, or return-to-work processes become confusing, employees often feel disconnected and start looking elsewhere. Agencies that provide clear communication, manager training, and streamlined workforce support create a better employee experience and improve retention.

My advice for transit agencies is to treat workforce support as a retention strategy, not just a compliance requirement. Regularly review employee feedback, simplify administrative processes, and ensure supervisors are equipped to support workers through personal and medical challenges. As the industry evolves and competition for talent increases, employees will gravitate toward organizations that demonstrate flexibility, empathy, and a genuine commitment to their well-being.