New resources provide real-world applications and a roadmap for responsible AI implementation
Washington, D.C. (May 14, 2026) — The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) today released Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in Public Transit: A Primer, together with four companion AI Guidance Briefs, providing public transit agencies with a comprehensive resource for understanding, evaluating, and deploying AI and ML tools across their operations.
The Primer and Guidance Briefs draw on a survey of transit agencies and staff interviews to capture current and planned AI applications across eight functional domains: back office, operations, customer support, maintenance, safety and security, customer analytics, planning, and fares and ticketing.
“Public transit agencies of all sizes are deploying AI to make service more reliable, more efficient, and more responsive to riders,” said Paul P. Skoutelas, APTA President and CEO. “These resources give our member organizations a clear picture of where the industry stands and a practical roadmap for moving forward responsibly—from the largest metro systems to small rural providers.”
Key Findings
Customer support and customer analytics are currently the most common areas of AI deployment. When including public transit agencies’ plans to deploy AI, back office and operations functions top the list, with 50 percent and 47 percent of survey respondents, respectively, indicating current or planned use. (....)