Washington State Transit Association

WSTA ADVANCES THE VALUE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, ADVOCACY OF POSITIVE AND EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY AND FOSTERING THE COLLABORATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSIT EMPLOYEES.

MEMBER SERVICES, MEETINGS AND EVENTS: THE WASHINGTON STATE TRANSIT ASSOCIATION (WSTA) MEMBERS CONSIST OF 30 PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCIES AND THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. WSTA ORGANIZES OVER 50 MEETINGS PER YEAR FOR THE WSTA BOARD AND THE 12 STANDING COMMITTEES MADE UP OF TRANSIT PROFESSIONALS FROM OUR MEMBER AGENCIES. WSTA ALSO ORGANIZES SPECIAL EVENTS, INCLUDING AN ANNUAL SPRING MAINTENANCE VENDOR FORUM, ANNUAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ROADEO, AND IN ALTERNATING YEARS A STATEWIDE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYMPOSIUM AND MARKETING & COMMUNICATION EXCHANGE. MANY OF WSTA'S ASSOCIATE MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN WSTA EVENTS. WSTA PRODUCES A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS AND PROVIDES OTHER MEMBER SERVICES AS APPROPRIATE CONSITENT WITH THE WSTA MISSION AND VISION.

LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC OUTREACH: THE WASHINGTON STATE TRANSIT ASSOCIATION (WSTA) MEMBERS WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND THEN WORK TOGETHER (MEMBERS, WSTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND WSTA AND SMTA (A CAUCUS OF WSTA) CONTRACT LOBBYISTS) TO PURSUE THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. WSTA PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND BRIEFINGS, AS WELL AS A CENTRAL POINT OF CONTACT TO LEGISLATORS, LEGISLATIVE STAFF, AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND STAFF, AND STATE AGENCIES. AS NEEDED, WSTA PREPARES COMMENTS ON PROPOSED STATE LAWS, RULES, AND BUDGET PROPOSALS, AND FUNDING PACKAGES. WSTA PROVIDES WEEKLY UPDATTES AND CALLS TO KEEP MEMBES INFORMED OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES DURING THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. WSTA PARTICIPATES IN LEGISLATIVE STUDIES RELATED TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. OCCASIONALLY, WSTA PROVIDES LEGISLATIVE UPDATES TO MEMBERS REGARDING ISSUES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND MAY PREPARE COMMENT LETTERS ON BEHALF OF MEMBERS. WSTA ALSO COLLABORATES WITH OTHER PARTNERS TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ON THE BENEFITS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATIUON. THIS WORK INCLUDES DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS, RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS, DRAFTING OF ARTICLES AND/OR NEWS RELEASES FOR THE PRESS, AND COORDINATING WITH OTHER GROUPS INCLUDING GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND VARIOUS BUSINESS GROUPS. IN RECENT YEARS, THIS WORK HAS BEEN CLOSELY TIED TO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT A POSSIBLE STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING PACKAGE.