On December 8, 2025, STA launched the Pathfinders mentorship program. As part of Goal 3 of Connect 2035 — strengthening organizational capacity to meet the region’s changing needs — the program helps support and retain new bus drivers. The program pairs newly hired operators with experienced, specially trained mentors to ease the transition from the training environment to full-time service on the road. Pathfinders also supports leadership development opportunities for seasoned operators, helping strengthen and grow STA’s workforce from within.
As of May 2026, the program has grown to include 24 mentors and 40 mentees. Ride-alongs, where the mentor accompanies the mentee on a route drive and offers constructive feedback, and other mentorship activities continue on a rolling basis as schedules permit.