LRTA Links: Professional Organization Sites

Organizations and associations devoted to the transit industry and/or transit operations. Include organizations made up of individuals as well as those whose "members" are transit system operators or transit industry companies. Also includes trade/industry associations devoted to urban transit.

Note: For enthusiast organizations, see the Personal and Club Sites section.

• American Public Transportation Association - APTA membership is made up of organizations which develop and operate transit systems in the US and Canada plus government agencies, academic institutions, and private businesses which supply products and services to the transit industry. The site includes a calendar of related meetings/conferences (worldwide), their annual reports and Strategic Plan for 2000-2004, information on governmental affairs, plenty of statistical information, an on-line bookstore, site search capability, plus many links to transit operators and associations worldwide. (Some features require Acrobat.)
• Asociación Latinoamericana de Metros y Subterráneos - ALAMYS is a non-profit organization which facilitates the interchange of technical and operational information related to subway, surface, and elevated urban rail transit systems among its members - the metro and subway operating companies of Latin American and the Iberian Peninsula. As such, their website has nice one page summaries of each system which is a member. Click Miembros and then a continent to access the individual system summaries. In Spanish. (Some features require Flash.)
  Returned from Out Of Service Links 28 September 2001
• Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers - A complete guide to the organization and activities of ATCO, with useful articles from back issues of ATCO News. The 'News Bites' page is not yet available.
• Canadian Urban Transit Association - The official site of the main Canadian urban transit organization.
• LiRa - International Lightrail Network - Supported by the European Union and co-ordinated by Buck Consultants International, LiRa was setup in January 2000 as a partnership effort of eleven cities and regions from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium with the goal of providing a means for exchanging information and conducting research about the contribution light rail can make to maintaining accessibility in urban areas. The website provides an overview of the organization, its aims and goals, its current research pilot studies, plus contact information and links to the partner cities and regions. (Almost the entire site requires Flash.)
• Railway Association of Canada - Site for the industry association of more than 50 freight and passenger railroads serving Canada. There's plenty of background information on the role of railroads in Canadian life as well as a membership list with links to most member railroad websites. There are also specific sections devoted to Publications (many downloadable including their Interchange newsletter, others available for purchase), to Regulatory Affairs and related legislation, and to Dangerous Goods practices and related legislation. In English or French. (Some features require Acrobat.)
• UITP - International Association of Public Transport - The main international organization for urban transit operators and undertakings.
• VDV - Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternemen - The main German public transport organization. A large and comprehensive site. In German.