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A Ride with public transitAn Internship at Mountain Line Transit Authority
ABSTRACTThis internship was at Mountain Line Transit Authority, a nonprofit public transit system in Morgantown, West Virginia and was completed in Spring 2019. I interned part-time in the Finance Department for fifteen weeks, from January 2019 to May 2019.
Sarah AlwayECON 491
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Table of Contents
Preface………………………………………………….. ….……………………………………..2
Introduction to Mountain Line Transit Authority…..……………………………………………..4
Role at Mountain Line and Intentions….…………….………………………………………...…6
Learning Objective Information……………………………………….………………………….8
How this Experience Relates to Major and Goals……………………………………………….10
Overview of Projects……………………………………………………………………………..12
Personal Significance of Public Transit…………....…………………………………………….15
The Economics Impact of Public Transportation………………………………………………..16
Driven to Freedom: How Investment in Public Transportation Would Stimulate the Economy..18
Board Meetings………………..…………………………………………………………………21
Informative Interview with David Bruffy, CEO…………………………………………………22
Self-Evaluation………………………………………………………….……………………….26
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….28
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Preface
When asked where I intern, I often receive some confused looks when I answer. People
expect that interning at a bus line means that I must be learning how to drive the buses. This
assumption seems quite silly to me, as it is far from the truth. Behind every bus door, customer
service desk, and bus shelter is a hidden office world that makes the bus run. Most people do not
realize how much effort, organization, and planning is required to maintain a successful bus
operation in a large college town.
This internship was at Mountain Line Transit Authority, a nonprofit public transit system
in Morgantown, West Virginia and was completed in Spring 2019. I interned part-time in the
Finance Department for fifteen weeks, from January 2019 to May 2019. My main responsibility
was posting vendor invoices. This task is important because it makes it possible to pay owed
payments, as well as keep track of them. I used QuickBooks, a software program that is popular
among small or medium businesses, to enter these invoices. This program makes it easy to pay
invoices, pull information for audits, counteract a false vendor claim of an overdue payment, and
review payment history.
Financial management is an incredibly important aspect of any organization. Without
proper budgeting and planning, an organization cannot function. Mountain Line Transit
Authority receives the majority of its funding from the city of Morgantown. I find it amazing that
this finance and accounting work, in addition to CEO, David Bruffy, is managed by only two
people in the entire organization. Tracy DeBardi is the accounting clerk, and Loring Danielson is
the finance officer.
Throughout the months, I realized that seemingly-small tasks can have a large, influential
impact to the organization. When I first started the internship in January, I did not think that
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posting invoices was significantly beneficial. However, it is these records that provide a good
illustration to the federal government for funding purposes and to companies wishing to bid for
the bus line’s business.
A large part of financial management is organization. Many times, I was asked to
organize or reorganize invoices or payroll information. Though this can be frustrating at times, it
is essential to learn to do the tedious, unattractive tasks. Again, this is a task that seems small and
unimportant when doing it but actually largely affects the organization. I had to constantly
remind myself of this fact during the internship. Proper organization ensures a more efficient and
productive workplace. When I pulled information for the federal audit, for example, I noticed
that there were a lot of papers misplaced. This meant people had to halt their daily tasks to search
for these lost documents.
Overall, I believe that this internship was incredibly successful. I mostly learned how to
interact in a professional workplace setting. I had my own office space (as shown below) and
was able to organize it to create the most productive environment for myself. I learned that all
organizations have behind-the-scenes occurrences that dictate how it runs. A bus line is not just
sending buses out into the town, but it is a series of events that must happen prior and
continuously.
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Introduction to Mountain Line Transit Authority
Mountain Line's longest standing partners, the City of Morgantown and the
Monongalia County Commission, operated separate transit systems in 1996. In an effort to
consolidate efficiencies of operation, reduce redundancy and increase overall service, the City
and County combined their two bus lines with humble beginnings offering just over 2,500 hours
of revenue service to the community. In 2008, Mountain Line operated more than 5,800 hours of
service, including its Intercity Service, the Grey Line, connecting Clarksburg, Fairmont and
Morgantown, WV with Waynesburg and Pittsburgh, PA.
Mountain Line Transit Authority is the primary public transportation system in
Morgantown, West Virginia and the surrounding area. It also provides bus service to the West
Virginia University campus. The bus fare for local routes is $0.75. The Grey Line, which
connects Clarksburg, WV and Pittsburgh International Airport, costs $30 for a single person.
With over 70 employees, an average of 1,500 riders are proudly served each month.
The majority of riders are residents of Morgantown. Mountain Line strives to create a
transportation system that is accessible and efficient for all riders. Since walking accessibility is
not prominent in the city, many residents without personal vehicles or in hopes of saving money
rely on the transit system. As a non-profit, funding is primarily received from the city and the
federal government. Because of budget reduction, the city has decided to release Mountain Line
of its contract. Thus, Mountain Line receives only a fraction of the money it has received in
previous years.
In October 2017, Mountain Line learned that the city of Morgantown wanted to close
the Garrett Street depot. This depot was the hub of activity and was easily accessible due to its
location downtown. However, this location was a victim of vandalism and loitering. So,
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Mountain Line agreed to transition to a new depot by undergoing a $4 million project. The move
was successful and officially completed in August 2018 to Westover. Now, the aesthetic and
professionalism of the depot is visible. Due to the depot change, there were many bus routes that
also changed. Mountain Line carefully considered the opinions of the public when changing
routes.
Former depot on Garrett Street
New depot on DuPont Road
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Role at Mountain Line and Intentions
The position I accepted at Mountain Line Transit Authority was Finance/Accounting
Intern. The following is a recap of the job description for this role:
Goal: The Mountain Line Transit Authority (the Monongalia County Urban Mass Transit Authority) is
seeking a motivated intern to assist the Finance Officer to gain experience with a variety of duties
related to local public transportation services.
Duties: Projects will include statistical data compilation, attending administrative staff meetings,
analyzing and organizing National Transit Database information, assist with posting accounts
payable, credit cards, assist with the perpetual inventory system and organizing system files. The
intern may assist with the Triennial Review, which is a Federal procedural review in connection with
receiving Federal awards. Additional projects may be added through the duration of the internship.
Skills: The student should have junior or senior student status in Finance, Accounting, Economics or
Public Administration and must have excellent time management, communication and organizational
skills. Applicants must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite. The student should be able to work
independently and with others, follow directions and meet deadlines.
This Internship offers a reasonably flexible schedule, and will be worked out according to the
student’s academic schedule, approximately 10 hours a week. Duties will mostly be performed in the
Westover office but may require some offsite work as well.
As a Finance/Accounting Intern, I have worked directly and indirectly with the two
members of the Finance Department: Tracy DeBardi and Loring Danielson. Tracy DeBardi is the
accounting clerk, and Loring Danielson is the finance officer. Together, they financially manage
the nonprofit. They must take into consideration the budget and funding.
In addition to earning college credit, my intentions for this internship were the following:
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Gain professional skills I can use in a workplace setting
Gain valuable experience that will help me land a job and get accepted into
competitive MBA programs
Learn more about public transportation that will help me appreciate it more and so
that I can educate others
I believe that my main intentions for this internship were fulfilled. Additionally, this
internship has encouraged me to do more research on public transportation. I created my own
website, encouraging public transportation use. This website also includes a Public Service
Announcement video I created. This can be found at the following web address:
https://transportationnation.home.blog/.
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Learning Objective Information
At the beginning of my internship, I set many goals for myself. I hoped to learn more
about analyzing and organizing important statistical and financial information for a company
while gaining/enhancing my computer program skills, such as Microsoft Excel and QuickBooks.
I also hoped to learn more about the public transit system in general, especially in Morgantown,
where public transportation is vital because of the great distance between buildings/businesses,
and the lack of sidewalks. I was also interested in learning about how the city buses both
alleviate and encourage the pollution in Morgantown.
I worked one-on-one with Tracy DeBardi, who was able to answer all my questions. I
took notes, review information with her, and then practice hands-on before taking on big tasks
independently. She checked my work and reviewed errors with me. Repetition certainly helped
me retain information efficiently. With the QuickBooks program, repetition was vital
I showed what I learned through my work hours, weekly journal, self-evaluation, and this
final paper/project. A weekly journal helped me review what I learned each week and how I built
up my knowledge over the months. I used and enhanced my critical thinking/problem solving,
oral/written communications, understanding/adhering to organizational systems, acquiring and
integrating information skills.
My desired future career will likely consist of a professional setting, most likely in
offices. So, this internship perfectly encompassed the professional world. I had my own office
space, worse business attire each day, and conducted myself in a professional manner. Board
meetings, especially, showed me how professional businesses conduct themselves amongst
employees. This was a great experience in order to learn and further develop my professional
skills.
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Overall, internship at Mountain Line was successful. I was introduced to the QuickBooks
software, which is used in a variety of different small/medium-sized businesses. I learned how to
enter purchase orders, contract services accounts, credit transactions, and payroll information.
Knowledge of the QuickBooks software enhanced my overall technological skills, as well as the
general financial information needed to run a business. As an economics major, I also found the
types of vendors Mountain Line uses (such as different auto services and gas companies), and the
frequency of visits incredibly interesting.
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How this Experience Relates to my Major and Goals
As a driven student concerned with obtaining relevant professional experience while in
college, I firmly believe that my internship at Mountain Line taught me many valuable aspects
about public transportation and professional environments. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of
Arts degree in economics at West Virginia University. I am also double-minoring in English and
leadership studies. My professional goal is to become a successful nonprofit manager or play a
role in corporate social responsibility. Academically, this internship has strengthened my
knowledge of economics and how it relates to public transit systems.
For example, I learned how important public transit is to the local economy. Accessibility
is key to the success of a bus line and the support of the economy. Based on a recent Mountain
Line survey, most Mountain Line riders use the bus lines to travel to their workplaces. Many
riders, with or without the ownership of personal vehicles, depend solely on the buses to reach
their jobs. Without the bus, they would have a more difficult time contributing to the labor force
and earning money.
The buses also support local businesses that are located on or near bus routes. With
businesses located closely to routes, riders are more likely to notice and shop at them. Students,
seniors, and low-income residents are most likely to benefit from Mountain Line. College
students, high school students, and seniors are able to ride buses for free when they have their ID
card. Low-income residents benefit because they are able to travel with no or low use of personal
vehicles, which are expensive to upkeep. The buses, being only $0.75 per ride, are very
affordable.
The financial management aspect of this internship also relates to my major. Economics,
most generally, is the study of how resources are allocated to meet human needs. Since Mountain
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Line has limited funding from the city, they must carefully choose how to allocate the funding
each year. As I entered invoices in QuickBooks I was able to understand how money is used for
purchasing services or items from vendors. For example, I learned that much of the money is
spent on fuel for the buses- most likely the costliest expense each month. Orders of paper and
office supplies and employee uniforms are frequent expenses. Luckily, Mountain Line, as well as
other nonprofits, do not pay sales taxes.
My professional goals include pursuing an MBA and taking a role in nonprofit
management or corporate social responsibility. For this program and my career, learning
professional skills are vital to success. At my internship, I showed up to work wearing business
casual clothing each day. I greeted many employees in the morning and acted polite to them all. I
even had my own office space, which made me feel very professional. Wearing professional
attire and having an office space encouraged me to be more productive and confident because of
how professional I felt. The saying “dress for success” is certainly true.
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Overview of Projects
As the finance/accounting intern, I had the opportunity to work on many important projects for the business. Here is an overview of projects completed during my time at this internship:
Title of Project
Description Role
Posting vendor invoices
Posting vendor invoices to the QuickBooks program is one of the most necessary and abundant tasks in the finance department. Posting invoices consists of marking certain aspects (total price, date, and PO number if applicable) and writing the account number on the paper. Then, the invoice amount if entered on the program, which prepares it to be paid. The QuickBooks software is used in a variety of different small/medium-sized businesses.
I entered the invoices on QuickBooks and stamped each invoice after entering it. I learned how to enter purchase orders, contracted services accounts, credit transactions, and payroll information. Knowledge of the QuickBooks software will enhance my overall technological skills, as well as the general financial information needed to run a business. As an economics major, I also found the types of vendors Mountain Line uses (such as different auto services and gas companies), and the frequency of services incredibly interesting.
Fuel bid RFP Since the current fuel provider has not been delivering fuel according to the contract, Mountain Line called for new fuel bidders for the upcoming fiscal year.
I located, collected, copied, scanned, and emailed fuel information from several different vendors. This information would allow the potential fuel bidders to see how much fuel and at what prices Mountain Line consumes fuel. Then, the bidders would make bids in consideration to this information.
Review and edit tire RFP
The RFP (request for proposal) assignment consisted of indicating a need for tire bid proposals, as well as including correct FTA (Federal Transit Administration) rules and regulations. The tire RFP was released for bidding, and many tire companies had the opportunity to bid for a chance to sign a contract with Mountain Line for the upcoming fiscal year.
I was very excited to learn more about how the finance department writes requests for proposals (RFP). Using the fuel bid RFP as a model, I read, reviewed, made suggestions, and edited the tires RFP. Since Mountain Line's contract with a tire company is nearly complete, the bus line was looking for new bids. Of all the received bids, the finance department chose the one bid that met the certain criteria listed in the
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RFP. The business with the chosen bid signs a contract with Mountain Line to do tire delivery and services for the next fiscal year.
Payroll deduction audits
These audits consider the deduction of various insurance plans (such as an Aflac insurance plan) from employees’ pay.
I worked with Microsoft Excel to create and organize accurate payroll deduction spreadsheets. I completed two spreadsheets: one for each type of insurance. I used payroll information, invoice information, and previous Excel knowledge (including various Excel formulas) to complete the audits. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed working with this data.
Federal audit The government occasionally asks for specific samples, chosen by the government, of payroll information. This ensures that Mountain Line still qualifies for funding. If not all samples are found, alternative samples may be requested.
I located, made copies, and organized a sample stack for the audit. I utilized QuickBooks, payroll binders, and the paperwork file cabinets for this task. I was excited to help with such an important audit.
Memos These memos needed to be sent out to all existing employees to inform them about their current sick and vacation hours. This is because of a recent mistake in the hours.
I created memos, detailed for each of the 70+ employees, concerning their current sick and vacation hours. First, I adjusted the sick and vacation hours sheets to determine the current, accurate hours. I think this was a very good experience to enhance my correspondence-writing skills, and I was glad that I was able to put my writing skills to use.
2018 payroll information organization
The 2018 payroll information included the collection and organization of information included deductions, hourly rate, and time off from work on vacation hours. This is important
I collected and organized this information into file folders by months. Time sheets, payroll sheets, and time off were the main components. It was important to organize them a specific way so that information could be easily
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because it makes information easily accessible and available for future audits.
located in the future.
Board Meetings
Board meetings, open to the public, discuss important information regarding news, updates, and concerns of Mountain Line.
Attending board meetings was a great opportunity to learn more about how professional organizations conduct professional meetings. Board meetings cover how ridership levels increased or decreased, concerns (such as a barely-visible stop sign), budget, and other aspects.
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Personal Significance of Public Transit
I have been a frequent rider of Mountain Line buses for over one year. While
transitioning from high school to college, public transportation was vital to my success as a
college student and employee of Goodwill. The most use occurred during the Fall 2017, Spring
2018, and Summer 2018 semesters. I was unable to afford a car, so I took the West Run bus from
the West Run Complex to the downtown West Virginia University campus during the week.
As a student, I was able to ride for free, which was a large factor in my decision to ride
on Mountain Line. Alternative transportation options, such as riding a bike or taking taxis, were
not doable with the road conditions and my budget. Like many riders, I used the bus to primarily
get to work; this helps support the economy by allowing me to contribute to the labor force.
Also, riding the bus made me a more responsible and punctual person. Since the bus
comes and leaves at specific times, it was important to keep track of these times. I grew
accustom to remembering bus schedules and viewing the exact location of buses from the
Mountain Line bus tracker app. Instead of going by my own personal schedule, I learned how to
be punctual.
Riding the bus turned out to be incredibly efficient and beneficial for me. I think that this
is why I decided to intern at Mountain Line and why public transportation is so important to me.
Since I personally understand why so many people place reliance on the buses, I understood how
the finance department was important. Also, I was excited to engage in active learning by
researching more about public transit and asking several questions.
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The Economic Impact of Public Transportation and Globalization
The existence of public transportation affects the lives of many people, even those who
do not use these systems. In New York City, the subway is essential and widely used for getting
to work. In Morgantown, public transportation is especially important because it allows college
students, seniors, low-income residents, and others to get to their destinations with ease. Overall,
it makes Morgantown, a town with poor road conditions and few sidewalks, a more accessible
area. It also increases economic growth because of the cumulative impact on economic
productivity.
Since 1995, ridership on public transit has increased by 37%, according to APTA
(American Public Transportation Association) data. This may partially be a result of rising costs
of personal vehicles and increased physical distances between businesses. This represents the
growing importance of public transportation in the United States. With so much reliance on
public transit systems, it is not surprising that it impacts the economy in so many ways.
Public transportation provides mobility, creates jobs, encourages economic growth, and
supports environmental policies. Increased investment in public transportation leads to increased
economic growth in Morgantown. After conducting a survey of frequent riders with the
marketing intern, we learned that most riders take the buses to get to and from their jobs. This
means that, without Mountain Line, they would have to find a difficult way to work. Thus,
Mountain Line supports jobs and the economy in Morgantown.
Public transportation is greatly impacted and impacted by globalization. Globalization
describes how countries and people of the world interact and integrate. It describes the spread of
products, technology, information, and jobs across borders. As different people come into
contact, the world becomes more globalized. Transportation is one of the most critical, but least
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visible, aspects of globalization. Public transportation systems must adapt and abide by the
requirements set by the globalizing economy. It is the industry that connects many other
industries. Public transit plays a part in globalization by transporting people, thus transporting
ideas, as well.
Also, globalization encourages the demand and growth of public transportation. In fact,
changes in transportation technology have decreased the costs of public transportation.
A more unfortunate effect of globalization is the increasing isolation of cities.
Considering this phenomenon of modern-day globalization, many cities would rather build
routes to big cities than the town right next door. For example, big cities, such as Indianapolis,
Pittsburgh, New York City, and Los Angeles, have immense populations and a large number of
commuters from outside cities. These cities are largely influenced by globalization. The
surrounding cities to these prosperous cities certainly benefit from the growth of the big cities.
However, they also suffer from poor transportation routes. For example, the Mountain Line bus
itself takes the most direct route from Morgantown, WV to Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh is the only
Pennsylvanian city that Mountain Line stops. Mountain Line connects Morgantown, a fairly
large college town, and Pittsburgh, a big city; it does not, however, connect bedroom
communities or other surrounding cities to each other.
Surrounding cities, which may very well be bedroom communities, see less
employment opportunities. The Weirton Area of West Virginia, for example, has low
employment rates; this is largely because many residents commute to Pittsburgh or Ohio. These
struggling places that surround prosperous communities may not be interested in seeing those
successful towns improve any further.
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Public transportation could certainly help this issue that these struggling cities are
facing. Routes should expand to connect smaller towns to other smaller towns, so that people can
visit these small cities with ease; this, in turn, would provide greater support for small businesses
of these struggling cities.
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Driven to Freedom: How Investment in Public Transportation Would Stimulate
the Economy
A personal vehicle is viewed as a basic necessity for the American social, cultural, and
economic society. Driving a personal vehicle signals freedom and independence. 16-year-olds
dream of receiving cars on their birthdays, parents carefully budget a new car for their growing
family, and adventurers long for durable cars that will last several hundreds of thousands of
miles for travel. Many people, however, live in areas with poor transportation options; many
poor families cannot afford to buy a car. Without a car, these people often cannot find a job and
arrive to work on time, which contributes to their financial disparity. It is a never-ending cycle.
Even people with cars can spend a fortune on insurance, car loans, fuel, fixes, and maintenance.
In this way, does both the ownership and lack of personal vehicles actually take away our
freedoms?
In America, it is virtually impossible to survive without a car. Even the poor must invest
in a car in order to get to work. In order to increase accessibility in cities and throughout the
country, there needs to be better, more accessible public transportation options. This would
include city buses, subways, trolleys, trains, and metros, for example. People without cars would
be able to easily access their jobs, and people with cars would be able to save money by driving
their cars less.
The expensive costs of car ownership do not stop at maintenance costs. People are bad
drivers. That is why nearly 12.5 million people in the world die in road crashes each year, which
averages 3,287 deaths a day. Road crashes even cost $518 billion globally, costing individual
countries about 1-2% of their GDP. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, road
traffic injuries are predicted to become the fifth leading cause of death by 2030. So, a reduced
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reliance on automobiles would improve the environment, safety, and many aspects of American
life.
In addition to benefits of the riders, many unemployed people could find jobs in the
transportation sector. Mistakenly, a common assumption is that more roads will alleviate traffic;
actually, this would cause more people to drive on the roads, which would cause traffic levels to
return to the regular level. There are more jobs created in public transportation than the creation
and maintenance of roads. Smart Growth America predicted it would create twice as much as
work as highway creation does. Overall, an investment in public transportation would create job
access and job creation. In fact, adding public transportation options in areas with high
unemployment creates 2.5 times more jobs than putting public transportation in areas with low
unemployment.
Alternative transportation options would reduce the need for cars, thus improving the
American economy and preventing devastating environmental and safety effects. Government
investment in alternative transportation options would increase jobs. Public transportation is
probably the most widely used today, though it is not very accessible. City buses are often cheap,
but not always convenient. Investment in city bus transit, for example, would help these bus lines
make the frequency of their stops more convenient and create more routes. As a result, more bus
drivers and staff would need to be hired. According to the American Public Transportation
Association, every $1 billion invested in public transportation creates and supports 36,000
American jobs. Direct investment into transit operations also means lower fares and an increase
in convenience for riders. In turn, these lower fares will help businesses because people will have
more money to spend. The Transportation Equity Network report suggests that investment in
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transit creates jobs that allow people without a college education to earn higher than minimum
wage.
Increased public transportation options would do more than just increase convenience
and improve environmental conditions. Public transportation options would stimulate the
economy by increasing jobs and supporting local businesses located on the routes. So, as the
world becomes more globalized and personal vehicles become more intrinsic to society, perhaps
the government and advocacy groups should focus more on investment in public transportation.
The investment in public transportation is an opportunity to drive the American economy to
freedom.
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Board Meetings
During my time at Mountain Line I had the opportunity to attend two board meetings.
These board meetings are open to the general public. The board sits in designated seats facing
the audience. David Bruffy, the CEO, is one of the members on the board. I found the board
meetings to be incredibly interesting because of the real-world value they hold. They update
people on what is happening in the organization, and they allow the public to watch, ask
questions, and comment. The board meetings helped me better understand the business world on
an intimate level. The board meetings were very professional in manner, but informal enough so
that anyone could comfortably comment. Tracy DeBardi takes the minutes at board meetings.
Maria Smith was in charge of creating and distributing the meeting agendas. Both meetings
followed their individual agendas very well and were careful not to get off topic.
Both meetings focused on the declining ridership of the bus system. WVU ridership, in
fact, is decreasing. During the second meeting, ideas were brainstormed as to why this is
happening. Also, ridership across all other demographics, including high school students and
seniors, are also declining. January and February made it easy to believe that this was due to the
cold weather, but March and April do not have this excuse.
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Informational Interview with David Bruffy, CEO
After nine weeks as working as a finance intern at Mountain Line Transit Authority, I
have learned a lot about financial management, public transportation economics, the importance
of organization, and simple accounting duties. The skills I have learned so far can be applied to
many different occupations. Mountain Line Transit Authority is the primary public transportation
system in Morgantown, West Virginia. With over 70 employees, over 1,500 riders are proudly
served each month. The majority of riders are residents of Morgantown. Mountain Line strives to
create a transportation system that is accessible and efficient for all riders.
I decided to conduct an informative interview with the CEO, David Bruffy, to learn
more about managerial roles in nonprofit organizations. David Bruffy has been the CEO of
Mountain Line Transit Authority for over 21 years. In fact, he is one of the original founders of
the nonprofit bus line. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Master of Public
Administration. Before becoming CEO, he was an assistant city manager in Morgantown for ten
years; he worked 60-70 hours per week. Mr. Bruffy was attracted by the opportunity to take an
organization in its infancy and create a well-known public transportation system in the city of
Morgantown. He likes working with a nonprofit because of the larger community benefit by
creating accessible transportation. Most Mountain Line riders use the transit system to go to
work, which helps the economy.
Mr. Bruffy noted that financial management, human resource experience, and
organizational management are necessary for this line of work. He believes that an advanced
degree, such as a Master of Public Administration (MPA) or Master of Business Administration
(MBA), is needed to earn a managerial role. Though an MBA is a great pathway, an MPA is
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preferable in the nonprofit world because it teaches ethics and law. The MBA is less focused on
government and is more suited for the for-profit world.
If Mr. Bruffy had to choose something he wished he had known or done before his
current role, he would have wished someone told him that law school was not expensive. He was
not accepted into the law school at West Virginia University; therefore, he did not think he
would get scholarships or financial aid at an institution that was far from home. However, he
regrets not going to law school because it would have been worth it in the long-run. When
running a nonprofit, it is very important to stay updated and informed about ethics, laws, and
current events in public transportation.
Curious about the specifics of the position, I asked David Bruffy to explain his
everyday tasks. When he first comes into the building, he greets all of the employees. Then, he
deals with employee troubleshooting and crisis management. He does long-range planning and
financial management. Also, it is important for him to keep up with current events because
public transportation laws and news are always changing.
Concerned about how to balance work and life in my own future managerial career, I
asked about Mr. Bruffy’s work-life balance. Mr. Bruffy admitted that his work-life balance was
not ideal. However, he chose a line of work that he personally enjoys and cares about. He knows
that his work is important to many people, which motivates him to do his best work. With
organizational and prioritization skills, it is very possible to maintain a good work-life balance.
Stress is often an issue in any organization. Managers, especially, are prone to stress
because they are held accountable for their subordinates’ actions and desire perfected results.
Employing effective management skills are the key to identifying, preventing, and handling
occupational stress. When Mr. Bruffy experiences high amounts of stress, he says he has to stand
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back from the situation and separate emotions from logic. In a high-stress environment, it is too
easy to combine emotions with logic. Problems need to be solved analytically and realistically to
yield appropriate results. Developing strategies and creating plans will reduce stress
dramatically.
The most rewarding aspect of the job is the success of the bus line. In this sense,
success is not the equivalence to profit. Mr. Bruffy knows that the bus line is successful because
he sees so many riders using it each day. After conducting a rider survey, Mr. Bruffy realized
that most riders use the bus line to go to their jobs. Without Mountain Line, these people would
not be able to get to their jobs. Therefore, the bus line promotes the Morgantown economy. The
most difficult aspect of managing a nonprofit is acting as the communication hub. Since there are
so many employees and different departments, communication can be very difficult. It is
important to have effective communication in order to maintain a successful organization. Mr.
Bruffy emphasized the importance of communication throughout the interview.
In the next 10 years, Mr. Bruffy sees changes coming to both public transportation and
management roles. There is pressure for reorganization in workforce platforms. Transit is always
changing with the advancement of technology. However, Mr. Bruffy does see people, not
technology, being the main part of transit. He does not think automation will become more
important than real drivers. In the future, there will be fewer baby boomers and more millennials
in the workforce than ever before. This is important because millennials work differently than
other generations.
The best entry-level jobs for management work within public transit are bus drivers. In
fact, according to Mr. Bruffy, three-fourths of transit managers were once bus drivers. It is
important for managers of any industry to understand the industry in which they are managing.
Alway 26
Managers who understand their industry are more likely to succeed. There is no specific way to
become a manager because they come from diverse backgrounds. In fact, Mr. Bruffy knows of a
receptionist who later become a transit manager. It is more important to find what you like to do
and to gain as much experience in that field as possible.
In conclusion, there is no direct path to becoming a manager. It is more important to
focus on the present and what I am most interested in. Eventually, my interests should lead me to
a managerial role that is a correct fit. Though advanced education is very important, experience
and skills are also important. The most important skills to managerial success are organization,
perseverance, adaptability, and ability to separate ego from position.
Self-Evaluation
Alway 27
5=Outstanding 4=Good 3=Average 2=Mediocre 1=Poor N=No Opinion
Traits 5 4 3 2 1 NPromptness [ ] [4] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Dependability [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Professional Appearance [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Initiative [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Maturity [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Self-Confidence [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Time Management [ ] [4] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Written Communication Skills [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Oral Communication Skills [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Ability to Work with Others [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Acceptance of Criticism [5] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Overall Performance (average of traits) 4.8/5 = 96%
Explanation of Weaknesses
I believe that I excelled at all of these traits and enhanced my skills. Promptness, self-confidence,
and time management skills were good, but they could have been improved. At times, I was up
to 5 minutes late depending on the unpredictability of traffic. If I left my house at the same time
every day, I could be 5 minutes early, 5 minutes late, or right on time because of the traffic. I live
at an area that is usually very congested with traffic. Also, I missed one day because of the
inclement weather. To battle this issue, I should focus on leaving my house very early to account
for potential traffic issues. My other weakness was time management skills. Because of the
important nature of work, I double-checked (and sometimes triple-checked) my invoices and
Alway 28
other work to lessen the opportunity for mistakes. Of course, I think double-checking is a good
habit for work. My supervisor told me that it was more important to do some work correctly than
to do a lot of work inaccurately. So, this trait was not necessarily an issue at Mountain Line.
Explanation of Strengths
Of these traits, I think dependability, initiative, professional appearance, and maturity were my
strongest traits. I had the initiative to ask for more tasks, and I was always to get work done
before the deadline. For example, I stayed longer than my usual time on many instances in order
to finish a task or locate a missing document I worse business casual attire each day, and had
positive, professional interactions with all of my coworkers.
Conclusion
Alway 29
This internship was certainly a unique experience of my Spring 2019 semester at West
Virginia University, and I will take the skills I learned from this internship to future programs
and jobs. In conclusion, I think this internship was a great experience that enhanced my
leadership and professional skills, as well as strengthened my understanding of how economics
relates to public transportation. Not only did I gain practical skills, but I also had the opportunity
to meet many great people in Morgantown’s premier bus system.
The atmosphere always felt welcoming and professional; I never felt like I was regarded
with inferiority. Especially, Tracy DeBardi, my main supervisor, went out of her way to ensure I
felt comfortable in this new environment. She was always available to answer my questions or
give me further direction. She also gave me great advice about how to stay focused and reduce
errors in the workplace. My second supervisor, Loring Danielson, always showed sincere
kindness and entrusted me with many difficult, tedious tasks.
By the end of the internship, I felt satisfied with my contributions to Mountain Line. I
was given a good mixture of both small tasks and big tasks; this taught me that small tasks are
not necessarily nominal tasks. Instead, small tasks are the bricks of big-picture goals. For
example, without organizing paperwork, a seemingly-nominal task, federal audits and RFP bids
could not be conducted. I am grateful that I was able to help the finance department meet their
goals. It was incredibly interesting to learn the behind-the-scenes work of a public transportation
system. The general public only gets to see green buses driving about town; however, I now have
a unique insight to the innerworkings of public transportation.
During my studies during this Spring 2019 semester, I took the opportunity to further
research public transportation. I created a PSA video, advocating for increased use of public
transportation, in my English 303: Multimedia Writing course; I also created an entire website
Alway 30
dedicated to the exploration of alternative transportation options:
transportationnation.home.blog. For my English 304: Business/Professional Writing course, I
wrote a mock grant proposal, acting as an executive of Mountain Line asking for funding for a
new app.
During my time at Mountain Line, I learned about financial management, which is an
important aspect of nonprofit management, a field I am considering after completion of my
MBA. I also learned how important organization is in the workplace, especially at a workplace
that keeps all physical copies of paperwork.
Overall, I am incredibly thankful for this internship. I was able to gain practical skills,
learn more about public transportation economics, and gain a growing network base. I applied
my knowledge of public transportation to my Spring 2019 courses, as well as took the
opportunity to further research the subject.
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