SacRT’s Transit Academy is a free five-class course designed to educate and engage residents, business and community leaders about our planning process and how public transit shapes our communities. The 2023 Citizens Transit Academy will be held between September 27 to October 25, 2023.   Applications were accepted through Monday, September 4, 2023. Accepted applicants will be notified by Monday, September 18, 2023. Accepted applicants must be able to complete at least four of five evening sessions per the session schedule.  Go behind the scenes with SacRT!  SacRT’s free Transit Academy includes presentations about public mass transit benefits; SacRT’s operations; budget and governance; planning and scheduling processes; environmental and mobility initiatives; Q & A; interactive discussions; and behind-the-scenes field trips, including a tour of SacRT’s Light Rail Maintenance Facility and our new low-floor light rail trains. Presenters and speakers include SacRT management, community advocates, and local transit leaders.  The Citizens Transit Academy is a five-week course that takes place every Wednesday evening from September 27 to October 25, 2023 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Each academy participant will receive complimentary SacRT passes (valid on bus and light rail) to attend sessions.  Who is eligible to participate?  SacRT is seeking Transit Academy applicants who are: 

1. Residents, business owners, students, community leaders, institutional representatives, and elected office holders from SacRT’s service area (Sacramento County). 
2. At least 18 years of age or older. 
3. Interested in learning about the inner workings of public transportation in the Sacramento region and how public transit benefits the communities served even if someone doesn’t ride it. 

The application period closed on Monday, September 4, 2023. Applications were accepted through the online application or dropped off/mailed to:  Sacramento Regional Transit District  Attention: Marketing Department – Transit Academy  1400 29th Street  Sacramento, CA 95816  Applications received after Monday, September 4, 2023, cannot be considered for the 2023 session.  Notification of Participation  Accepted applicants will be notified by Monday, September 18, 2023. Accepted applicants must be able to complete at least four of five evening sessions per the session schedule outlined above.  Applicant Evaluation Criteria  Applicants will be evaluated on three criteria: 

1. Location of residence, business operation, or institution/organization within or serving the SacRT service area; and 
2. Level and experience of involvement in community groups or organizations within the SacRT service area; and 
3. Desire to apply what is learned in the Transit Academy to promote the benefits of public mass transportation in the Sacramento region. 

To best represent the diverse communities that SacRT serves, participants will be selected based on a cross representation of the above criteria. With limited space (up to 35 participants), not all applicants will be able to participate in the fall 2023 session.  What is the cost of the Transit Academy?  SacRT is not charging a fee to participate. Instead, SacRT asks that participants share, within three months of completion, what they gained and learned with their community networks to continue and expand the transportation conversation, which is vital to our region’s quality of life, and the well-being of our communities. Ideas for individual action plans will be discussed during the Transit Academy sessions.  What will I learn about in Transit Academy sessions? 

• How your household, your business, and your community benefits from public mass transit.  
• How many new transportation initiatives such as on-demand microtransit service, bus rapid transit, electric vehicles and SacRT’s own mobile apps will change the mobility landscape in the region.  
• How SacRT is involved with transit-oriented development projects.  
• How SacRT implements its management, governance, and budget.  
• How SacRT plans and operates transit service, including fares.  
• How SacRT’s service integrates with transportation in the Sacramento region. 
• What types of technology, safety and security actions, and customer amenities SacRT uses to enhance the customer experience. 

What is the Transit Academy’s mission?  The mission of SacRT’s Transit Academy is to educate and encourage partnerships between residents, transit riders, businesses, institutions, community leaders, and elected officials to strengthen delivery of a world-class transit system in the Sacramento region that will reduce congestion, improve air quality, create jobs, attract talent, retain a qualified workforce, and positively impact the economy.  What are the Transit Academy’s goals? 

• Raise participant awareness of public transit benefits, principles, operations, and resources.  
• Develop the leadership capacity of participants to promote positive engagement.  
• Increase Transit Academy participant collaboration and communication with SacRT, city, and county staff around public transit implementation and needs. 
• Promote innovative mobility solutions that will help improve the quality of life for the residents that live, work and play in the Sacramento region. 

What is the Transit Academy’s philosophy?  SacRT believes businesses, riders, institutions, and community members and leaders are key partners in SacRT’s ability to deliver a safe, clean, and well-connected mobility network. SacRT believes that open lines of communication and effective working relationships with our customers and communities will promote an engaged and educated public, proactive resolution of concerns, and enjoyment of transit benefits for our daily lives and health.   SacRT proudly offers the Citizens Transit Academy, because it directly supports building a strong vision for our region, the priorities of our ridership, and the success of our business and institutional partners.  For more information, contact:  Gregg Fishman gfishman@sacrt.com