Dear Reader,
This month, we reflect on transportation leadership and public service while highlighting how MTI’s work continues to respond to the evolving needs of the industry. From honoring Secretary Norman Y. Mineta’s enduring legacy to developing the next generation of transportation leaders and advancing research that supports safer, more resilient systems, MTI continues to connect research, education, and practice.
In this issue:
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- Transportation leaders gather in Washington, D.C., to honor Secretary Norman Y. Mineta’s legacy of leadership and public service
- MSTM alum Vanessa Ly (’26) reflects on finding confidence, connection, and a new perspective on leadership
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New research on hydrogen fuel cell bus workforce development, roadway flood risk, and transportation access during extreme weather
- Upcoming events on underground steel corrosion and translating transit research into practice
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Honoring a Legacy of Service: The Mineta Forum on Transportation Policy & Leadership |
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Former U.S. Secretaries of Transportation James H. Burnley IV and Rodney Slater provide opening remarks at the Mineta Forum on Transportation Policy & Leadership.
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Twenty-five years after September 11, transportation leaders, policymakers, colleagues, friends, and the Mineta family gathered at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., for the Mineta Forum on Transportation Policy & Leadership: Honoring a Legacy of Service.
Hosted by San José State University’s Mineta Transportation Institute in partnership with United Airlines, the Forum reflected on one of the most defining moments in modern American transportation history and honored the enduring legacy of Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. Through conversations on transportation policy, security, workforce development, and leadership, speakers shared lessons from the past while considering how the transportation community can carry forward Secretary Mineta’s commitment to collaboration and public service.
The gathering brought together leaders from across transportation—including many who worked alongside Secretary Mineta—as well as the Mineta family and those continuing the work and values that defined his career.
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Steve Morrissey, United Airlines; Randy Clarke, Metro; Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan (Ret.), U.S. Maritime Service; and Administrator Nuria Fernandez (Ret.), FTA, discuss the evolution of transportation security across aviation, transit, and maritime transportation in the 25 years since September 11.
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MSTM Alum Spotlight: Vanessa Ly (MSTM ‘26) |
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When Vanessa Ly entered San José State University’s MTI-supported Master of Science in Transportation Management (MSTM) program, the BART engineer considered herself one of the quieter students in the classroom. Through class discussions, presentations, and the support of her cohort, she found the confidence to contribute her perspective and discovered a new understanding of what it means to lead.
In this special reflection, Vanessa shares how the connections she built with classmates from across the transportation industry became one of the most meaningful parts of her MSTM experience—and how the program strengthened her confidence and perspective, as well as approach to leadership.
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Advancing Clean Mobility: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus Workforce Development for Transit Agencies
As transit agencies across the country transition to hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), preparing the workforce to operate and maintain these new vehicles is becoming increasingly important. This study examines the skills and training required for FCEB operators and maintenance technicians to safely and effectively work with this technology, as well as strategies for recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce.
Drawing on interviews with transit agencies, manufacturers, training organizations, and industry associations, the study identifies critical gaps in existing training and highlights opportunities to better prepare workers through apprenticeships, regional training partnerships, community colleges, and standardized training and certification. The findings reinforce a key aspect of the zero-emission transition: investing in new technology must go hand in hand with investing in the people who keep transit systems running.
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Dynamic Flood Risk Assessment for Transportation Infrastructure in Fresno, CA
On flat urban roadways in metropolitan areas, flooding can be challenging to predict because even small changes in elevation, from pavement crowns and curbs to shallow depressions, can control where rainwater collects. This study explores how high-resolution LiDAR elevation data can help identify roadway areas that may be especially prone to standing water and localized flooding.
Researchers developed a mapping approach that identifies depressions where water is likely to collect and considers their size, depth, and proximity to stormwater drains to assess potential flood risk. Testing the approach with two different LiDAR datasets showed some variation in the number and size of areas where water collects, but both revealed similar patterns of roadway flood risk. The findings demonstrate how LiDAR data can provide transportation agencies with a practical tool for identifying vulnerable roadway segments and supporting more targeted flood planning and infrastructure improvements.
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Studying Extreme Weather Event Impacts for Transit-Reliant Unhoused Populations
As extreme weather events due to climate change become more frequent, people experiencing homelessness face heightened risks, including challenges accessing cooling centers, warming centers, and other emergency services. This study examines how unhoused individuals in Santa Clara County navigate these services and the transportation barriers that can make reaching them difficult.
Drawing on interviews with encampment residents, discussions with homeless service providers, and geographic analysis, MTI-led California State University Transportation Consortium researchers found that unhoused individuals rely heavily on public transit and various forms of active transportation. During extreme weather, limited transit access, distance from respite centers, operational barriers, and communication gaps can make accessing services even more challenging.
The study highlights opportunities to improve access by strengthening transportation options, partnering with trusted community organizations, and improving communication and outreach strategies. The findings underscore the need for transportation, emergency management, homelessness services, and community organizations to work together to better protect unhoused residents during extreme weather events.
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Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Online
12:00-12:30p.m. (PT)
*0.5 PDH credit available.
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Beneath the Surface: Predicting Underground Corrosion
This MTI Research Snaps webinar is based on an MTI-led CSUTC research project, Steel Corrosion in Underground Transportation Infrastructure.
Corrosion of steel is one of the costliest challenges facing transportation infrastructure, especially when it occurs underground, out of sight and difficult to detect. In this MTI Research Snaps webinar, Dr. Amr M. Morsy will discuss his new research that combines laboratory testing, field data, and machine learning to better predict underground steel corrosion as soil conditions change over time. Join us to learn how these findings could help engineers better estimate the lifespan of buried infrastructure and prevent costly and dangerous failures.
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Featured Guest: Amr M. Morsy, PhD, PE, MTI Researcher & Assistant Professor, California State University, Long Beach
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Moderator: Hilary Nixon, PhD, Deputy Executive Director, MTI
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Tuesday, October 20, 2026 to Thursday, October 22, 2026
Online
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2026 Research to Practice Transit Symposium
The 2026 Research to Practice Transit Symposium, taking place October 20–22, brings together researchers and practitioners to explore how evidence-based research can help the transit industry navigate emerging technologies, evolving funding environments, and other pressing challenges.
Held entirely online and streamed live on YouTube, the three-day symposium will feature opening and closing plenaries, traditional research presentations, and collaborative sessions where researchers and practitioners share projects addressing real-world challenges facing transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and departments of transportation.
AICP credits will be available for this event.
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About the Mineta Transportation Institute |
At the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San Jose State University (SJSU) our mission is to increase mobility for all by improving the safety, efficiency, accessibility, and convenience of our nation's transportation system. Through research, education, workforce development and technology transfer, we help create a connected world. MTI was founded in 1991 and is funded through the US Department of Transportation, the California Department of Transportation, and public and private grants including those made available by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB1). MTI is affiliated with SJSU’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business.
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Mineta Transportation Institute
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192
sjsu.edu
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