Question about public transportation jobs (market, architect, issues, major)

[Jersey22]

I am a recent college graduate and have been obsessed with public transportation issues for a long time. I would love to pursue a career in something relating to public transportation, but I am having a difficult time figuring out what the best entry level jobs would be for this area. I didn't major in transportation or engineering, so I never really learned about what the best route is to take after graduating to get into this "industry". I realize that this is a very broad area I am referring to here, but I can definitely narrow down my focus if I can gt some responses from people that have experience/knowledge in this area If you are reading this and have some advice or ideas for the best route to take for a recent college graduate trying to get into this area, please let me know. Thanks

[scarletneon]

What kind of experience do you have/what was your major?

Transit agencies need all sorts of people - jobs dealing with customer service, accounting, marketing/PR, IT, HR, engineering ... pretty much any sort of discipline can find a niche at an agency.

If you don't have any sort of background in transportation, showing your interest in the industry if you were to find and be interviewed for a position would be a plus.

Are you interested in any particular part of transit, or would any job duties do? If you got your foot in through one department, but really wanted to do something like planning, most agencies offer tuition reimbursement to enhance your education.

Personally, I wound up getting my masters degree (urban planning, concentrating in transportation) before "breaking in" to the transit industry. I am currently doing exactly what I wanted to do, however, I wouldn't have been able to do my particular job without going back and studying transportation, if that makes sense.

[pvande55]

It is beyond me why transit drivers have to be paid so much. Are they the elite of drivers that they have to be paid above school bus drivers? Although the jobs don't require a college degree, they pay better than many that do. College graduates should apply for such jobs each year, though the competition is surely fierce.

[chet everett]

The situation for pretty much all public sector hiring is VERY bleak -- cutbacks and a history of unwise spending means that even EXTREMELY well qualified individuals are facing the elimination of their positions.

Transportion, in the public sector, is extremely cyclical. The long term nature of the majority of the projects does not lend itself to the current budget crisis.

I know several folks that have Master's degrees from well respected universities in the transportation / urban planning areas and even ON TOP of additional MBAs / architectural degrees they have been unable to find related work...

If you really have a passion for this and want to stay at least a little connected you MIGHT be able to volunteer with a political advocacy group. That won't help pay your bills, but it might be a way to network with others and if the hiring picture shifts it might allow for an "in" if positions become available. In a way, a completely uncredentialed person might be have a better shot at an entry level job doing clerical type stuff than a holder of multiple advanced degrees...