The 2026 SWTA Leadership Lab will kick off Monday with a full day dedicated to the legal, legislative, regulatory, and workforce issues affecting public transportation agencies today.

The Public Transit Legal Symposium brings together legal experts, government leaders, transit professionals, and industry experts for timely conversations designed to give agency leaders practical information they can take back to their organizations.

From hiring challenges and public safety to federal advocacy, regulatory reform, and Tribal law, Monday’s program addresses issues that increasingly influence the decisions transit leaders are being asked to make every day.

The Public Transit Legal Symposium is included in the full SWTA Leadership Lab experience, giving attendees the opportunity to start with an intensive day of legal and regulatory education before continuing into Tuesday’s leadership programming.

Overcoming Hiring Hurdles in Today’s Labor Market

Recruiting and retaining a strong workforce continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing public transportation.

This session will examine the realities of today’s labor market and the challenges agencies face as they work to attract, hire, and retain the employees needed to keep their systems moving.

Additional speakers for this session are still being confirmed and will be announced as the Leadership Lab program continues to come together.

Understanding Your Transit Agency’s Rights and Responsibilities in Today’s World

Public transit agencies increasingly find themselves at the intersection of public service and some of the most complicated issues facing communities today.

Michael Dougherty, Boulder County District Attorney, will lead a timely discussion examining transit agencies’ rights and responsibilities, including challenges surrounding public safety, mental health, immigration issues, and gun violence.

The session will provide transit leaders with perspective on the legal landscape surrounding these complex situations and the responsibilities agencies face while serving their employees, riders, and communities.

SWTA’s Legislative Efforts and How Members Can Engage in Regulatory Reform

Federal legislation and regulatory decisions can directly affect how transit agencies are funded, managed, and operated—and SWTA members have an important role to play in those conversations.

This panel will feature Katie Kachel of Blank Rome Government Relations LLC; John Lewis of TransPro Consulting; and Anne Smith, Executive Director of Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency.

Together, the panelists will explore SWTA’s legislative and regulatory efforts and discuss how transit agencies and individual members can become more engaged in the regulatory reform process.

Attendees will hear perspectives from advocacy, consulting, and transit agency leadership while learning how local experiences, operational realities, and community impacts can help inform SWTA’s advocacy efforts and strengthen the collective voice of public transportation.

Complexities of Tribal Law and Transit

For agencies serving Tribal communities or working in partnership with Tribal governments, understanding the unique legal landscape surrounding those relationships is critical.

Paiten Taylor Qualls of the Cherokee Nation Attorney General’s Office will lead a discussion focused on the complexities of Tribal law and transit and the legal considerations surrounding public transportation within and alongside Tribal communities.

The session adds an important perspective to the Legal Symposium and reflects the diverse rural, urban, and Tribal systems represented throughout SWTA Nation.

Start with Legal. Stay for Leadership.

The Public Transit Legal Symposium is just the beginning of the 2026 SWTA Leadership Lab.

Attendees who register for the full Leadership Lab can continue into Tuesday for another day of leadership development, interactive learning, industry conversations, and networking with public transportation professionals from across the region.

Full Leadership Lab registration is encouraged for those who want to experience everything planned in Breckenridge.

However, SWTA also recognizes that some agencies may have staff members whose professional development needs are specifically focused on legal and regulatory issues. For those attendees, a Monday-only registration option is available for the Public Transit Legal Symposium.

Whether you’re responsible for executive leadership, operations, human resources, compliance, policy, administration, or agency governance, Monday’s conversations are designed around issues that matter to public transportation today.

Register for the full 2026 SWTA Leadership Lab and start your experience with Monday’s Public Transit Legal Symposium in Breckenridge.