The Missouri Public Transit Association hosted its first virtual advocacy workshop to build statewide capacity as the 2026 Missouri Legislative session nears in January. Presenters included:
- Scott Bogren, Executive Director of CTAA – Telling Your Transit Story – the How and Why
- Mike Winter, Scherr Winter LLC – State of MO Legislature
- Jay Hardenbrook, Associate State Director for Advocacy for AARP Missouri – What Missouri Advocacy Looks Like
Topics ranged from establishing working relationships outside of the ‘ask’ to critical topics this year at the state legislature and the political outlook for 2026. Key component of any advocacy for transit according to the panel will be personal stories with statistics. According to Bogren, “It is important to treat these relationships like a bank account – need to make as many deposits if not more than withdrawals. Transit advocates need to build relationships with their lawmakers sharing their work on a regular basis and the impact on the communities in which they serve in addition to the asks for support.”
Key takeaways from the panel included:
- Personal stories are critical whether you are an individual rider, provider, employer or stakeholder – sharing the impacts of transit and tying it to other critical issues like healthcare access in rural Missouri.
- Critical contacts this coming session will be the House Budget Committee, House Subcommittee on Transportation; Senate Appropriations Committee and Governor.
- Meet with legislators in district as much as possible – invite them to events, have coffee, reach out by phone or email. Talking transit with legislators is tracked. As more voices weigh in, the issue continues to move up on the agenda.
The complete workshop recording is available below or by following this link to our YouTube page.