Call for Papers and Presentations

COMTO's 51^st

National Meeting and Training Conference - 2022

Navigating the Future: Advancing Transportation Beyond Disruption

July 9-11, 2022, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2022 CALL FOR PAPERS IS NOW CLOSED

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED PAPERS!

COMTO will host a hybrid National Meeting and Training Conference from July 9–11, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The event will be a premier in-person gathering of professionals in the transportation industry, attracting industry officials at all career levels seeking best practices, tools and solutions to workplace and industry challenges. Virtual tickets will be available to view live sessions. All presentations are required to be presented in person.

For this hybrid conference, COMTO seeks fresh, innovative and cutting-edge proposals for presentations, panel discussions and workshops that are relevant to the conference theme, "Navigating the Future: Advancing Transportation Beyond Disruption."

How can we embrace the change and move beyond the disruption as we move into a hybrid world? The Transportation Industry and the world at large have adjusted how business and services are conducted, priorities and where resources are focused. This conference will address how we navigate beyond the disruption and take the best lessons learned to advance transportation.

Accepted proposals will fall into one of the following three workshop tracks:

• Leadership & Workforce: Meeting & Reflecting Industry Needs
• Equity & Mobility: Ensuring Full Access
• Transportation Innovation: Future Mobility

Proposals should state objectives and measurable outcomes and demonstrate relevancy to the transportation industry. Sessions will be considered for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to comply with COMTO's efforts to offer certification and CEU hours to conference attendees.

Applications must be submitted online. Paper and email submissions will not be accepted. For more information, please contact info@comtonational.org.

SUBMISSION & NOTIFICATION TIMELINE

• Online Submission Opens: March 2, 2022
• Online Submission Closes: April 4, 2022
• Proposal Acceptance Notifications: Early May, 2022

 WORKSHOP TRACKS

Leadership & Workforce: Meeting & Reflecting Industry Needs

For the transportation industry leadership to fully reflect the communities served, what changes must occur and how can growing workforce needs be met effectively? How can we ensure the health and safety of our workforce and meet the mental health challenges? This track will include sessions discussing how to diversify and strengthen the transportation workforce pipeline, reimagining the workplace and a hybrid path to leadership, while ensuring a holistic approach. 

Topics of discussion can include, but are not limited to: Workforce Development, Leadership Development, Employee Development in a Hybrid Workplace, Mental Health & Wellness, Leadership Diversity, Attracting the Next Generation of the Transportation Workforce, etc.

Equity & Mobility: Ensuring Full Access

To achieve full access in transportation for all users, how can we improve accessibility, safety, and embrace shared mobility? With major infrastructure projects and programs planned around reconnecting communities, how can we ensure underutilized communities are partners in the process? This track will explore how we meet the moment of an industry focused on equity to deliver systems that efficiently connect communities. Embedding equity throughout the business processes, making it the exception not the rule.

Topics of discussion can include, but are not limited to: Equity & Mobility, Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, Safe Systems Approach, Equitable Planning and Design, Shared Mobility, etc.

Transportation Innovation: Future Mobility

Alternative fuels, technology, and an effort to improve the user experience is driving innovation in transportation. This track will feature projects, programs, research, and ideations across all modes of transportation bringing future mobility to fruition and addressing the potential benefits and challenges to implementation.

Topics of discussion can include, but are not limited to: Innovations with an Equity Lens in Autonomous Vehicle Technology, Connected Vehicle Technology, Micro Mobility, Aviation, Rail, Freight & Logistics, Maritime  etc.

All presentations must be given in-person. All presentations will be considered for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). To meet CEU eligibility requirements, presentations must have three clear and measurable learning outcomes, and provide attendees with tools for professional growth.

PRESENTATION DETAILS

1. Workshops will be 60 minutes long: A 45-minute presentation, and 15 minutes for live questions and discussion.

2. Presentations promoting audience participation during the Q&A portion are encouraged.

3. You must upload an abstract with your submission.

4. Your submission must include a photo and bio for all speakers.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Moderators, panelists, presenters, etc. must register for the conference. Accepted submissions will receive a discounted registration rate.
• The maximum number of panelists is 4 per panel including the moderator.

PRESENTATION TIPS

1. Delivery: Sessions are designed to provide an exceptional training and learning experience essential for the attendees. Please be creative and provide relevant, interactive content.
2. No Sales: This is a learning and training opportunity, please do not use sale strategies and pitches with your audience.
3. Big Presentation Styles: The primary goal is to engage the audience. Examples may include using case studies, staging a debate to illustrate pros and cons, using a game show format, or a top ten list.
4. Resources: Provide reference for additional information, including websites, charts and graphs, or documented resources. 

Other Information

• Moderators, panelists, presenters, etc. must register for the virtual conference in July. Accepted submissions will receive a discounted registration rate.
  
• The maximum number of panelists is 4 per panel including the moderator.
  

2022 Call for Papers is Now Closed

Thank you to everyone who submitted papers!