MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 27, 2026 — The California Transit Training Consortium (CTTC) and the California Transit Association (CTA) today announced a strategic partnership designed to strengthen collaboration, expand access to industry resources, and bring together expertise from across California’s public transportation community.
The partnership creates new opportunities for the two organizations to share knowledge, identify emerging needs and provide resources and insights that help transit agencies and their workforces prepare for the future. As part of the partnership, Michael Pimentel, Executive Director of CTA, will serve on CTTC’s Advisory Committee, bringing CTA’s statewide perspective and direct connection with transit agencies and industry partners into CTTC’s planning and workforce development efforts.
“California’s transit agencies are navigating significant changes in technology, workforce needs, funding and the expectations of the communities they serve,” said Pimentel. “This partnership with CTTC creates another important avenue to bring the industry together, share expertise and help ensure transit professionals have access to the resources and training they need.”
“This partnership represents exactly the type of statewide collaboration CTTC was built to foster,” said Jannet Malig, President and Executive Director of CTTC. “CTA brings an invaluable understanding of the issues, priorities and opportunities facing transit agencies throughout California. By bringing our organizations closer together, we can better connect industry needs with workforce development and training solutions.”
Record Scholarship Support
For the first time, CTA has committed to sponsoring the Jim Ditch Golf Classic as it celebrates its 15th annual tournament. The event brings together transit agencies, industry suppliers, and partners in support of education and the next generation of California’s transit workforce.
Years of generous support from transit industry suppliers have helped the James A. Ditch Education Fund grow its impact. In 2026, CTTC awarded a record $18,500 in scholarships to 12 students representing seven colleges and universities across California—the largest single-year scholarship amount in the fund’s history. These awards reflected CTTC’s continued commitment to supporting students pursuing careers in public transportation and strengthening the next generation of transit professionals.
Meet CTTC at the CTA Fall Conference & Expo in Monterey
CTTC will participate in the CTA Annual Fall Conference & Expo in Monterey, joining transit professionals, agencies, suppliers, and industry partners from throughout California. This year’s host agency, Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST), shares a close connection with CTTC: MST Chief Operating Officer (COO) Norman Tuitavuki also serves as Chairperson of CTTC.
Attendees are invited to visit the CTTC table at Expo Registration to meet the team and learn how membership can provide access to specialized training, technical expertise, industry resources, and collaborative workforce development opportunities.
“Preparing for the future of transit requires collaboration across agencies, educators, industry partners and the organizations that represent them,” said Tuitavuki. “With CTA supporting the Jim Ditch Golf Classic, CTTC participating in the Fall Conference & Expo here in Monterey and Michael joining our Advisory Committee, we are creating meaningful opportunities to bring people together, share knowledge and ensure workforce development remains an important part of California transit’s future.”
Building Resources for the Future of California Transit
Through the partnership, CTTC and CTA will identify opportunities where their expertise, networks and resources complement one another, strengthening communication among transit agencies, industry leaders, suppliers, educational institutions, and workforce development partners. CTTC’s programs address evolving workforce needs in areas including advanced vehicle technologies, zero-emission transit, safety, maintenance, operations, and leadership development.
About the California Transit Training Consortium
The California Transit Training Consortium (CTTC) is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening California’s public transportation workforce through innovative, industry-driven training and collaboration. CTTC works with public transit agencies, educational institutions, and private-sector partners to develop and deliver cost-effective training programs addressing the evolving technical, operational and leadership needs of the transit industry. For more information, visit cttc.com.
About the California Transit Association
The California Transit Association (CTA) represents public transit agencies and industry partners throughout California. The Association provides advocacy, education, professional development, and industry resources while bringing together transit leaders to address the policies, funding and operational issues shaping public transportation throughout the state. For more information, visit caltransit.org.
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Media Contact:
Jannet Malig
Executive Director / President
California Transit Training Consortium (CTTC)
press@cttc.com
(310) 694-3969
