For many years, our association (of which every state department of transportation are currently members) has dedicated much of its efforts to building the professional capacity of local transit managers and key personnel.

Our newest certification program is designed exclusively for state agency personnel responsible for public and community transportation programs. The Certified Transit Programs Administrator program, or CTPA, was developed by our staff under the guidance of a select group of state transit agency employees, and is a cooperative venture of CTAA and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

What is Certification?

Certification is a process whereby an individual is evaluated in order to determine their mastery of a specific body of knowledge

Professional certification provides personal satisfaction for attaining a recognized level of achievement within one’s profession. It means commitment to the requirements of the job and participation in additional training to exemplify the dedication to do the best possible job in the community transportation field. Certification means success.

The objective of CTAA’s certification program is to:

1. Raise the standards of the profession
2. Reward individuals who have obtained expertise
3. Increase chances for professional mobility
4. Reduce uncertainties in staff selection
5. Help assure organizational goal attainment
6. Improve the provision of transit services
7. Encourage self-improvement

The three requirements for certification are:

• experience,
• education and professional development, and
• a passing score on a written examination.

Recognition

What recognition will I receive for becoming certified?

Besides the personal satisfaction of achieving certification, each individual will receive a certificate acknowledging the successful completion of the certification requirements. When certified individuals present programs or instruct workshops at CTAA-sponsored events, their certification status will be recognized. Your certification status will be shared with the membership of CTAA through periodic listings in CT magazine. CTAA will verify your certification with prospective employers when you request it.

In addition, the administrator’s name, certification status, and pertinent data will be included in a “Register of Certified Transit Programs Administrators” roster, published once a year, and available upon request to individuals responsible for recruiting professional talent in the community transportation field.

Reciprocity between CCTM and CTPA

Because of the similarities between the Community Transportation Association of America’s CCTM and CTPA programs, a number of special considerations are in place for certified transit managers who leave transit agency service to work in state government, as well as for certified state-level transit program administrators who leave state employment to enter transit management. In these cases, it is sufficient for an individual to wait until the end of his or her current three-year certification period before taking the steps described below.

A. Certified Community Transit Managers entering State transit administration

If a currently certified CCTM enters state government service in a position for which CTPA status is possible, he or she can seek a CTPA certification by taking the following steps:

• Completion of a CTPA recertification application, in which the applicant will state and describe his or her current employment position, and document the completion of 20 hours of training or professional development in four CTPA core knowledge areas;
• Payment of a CTPA recertification fee; and
• Successful passage simply of the “Transportation Grants Management” section of the CTPA examination.

B. Certified Transit Programs Administrators entering transit management

If a currently certified CTPA enters a position of transit management for which CCTM status is possible, he or she can seek a CCTM certification by taking the following steps:

• Completion of a CCTM recertification application, in which the applicant will state and describe his or her current employment position, and document the completion of 20 hours of training or professional development among three of the CCTM core knowledge areas; and
• Payment of a CCTM recertification fee.