California Transit Association > Events > Annual Conferences > Fall Conference & Expo 2026
The California Transit Association (CTA) 61st Annual Fall Conference & Expo is the association's flagship in-person gathering for the public transit industry in California, held in Monterey, California from October 28-30, 2026 at the Portola Hotel & Spa and adjacent Monterey Conference Center (1 Portola Plaza).
Presented by Accenture and hosted in partnership with Monterey-Salinas Transit, the conference brings together transit agency leaders, operations staff, industry partners, consultants and exhibitors from across the state around the theme Connecting Us. Under one roof, the conference combines content-rich general sessions and breakout sessions, an interactive Expo Hall, technical tours, committee meetings, and extensive networking opportunities.
Highlights include the Opening General Session & Keynote Address by Leon Panetta (former U.S. Secretary of Defense, former Director of the CIA), the Small Operators Awards Lunch, a Student Poster Session, and the Jim Ditch Golf Tournament. This year's pre-conference day (Oct 27) offers half-day CTE courses on Zero-Emission Bus 101 and Hydrogen for Transit. The Expo Hall is open Wednesday through Thursday with exhibitor move-in on Oct 28 morning.
The event is open to both members and non-members, designed for transit and transportation professionals across all sectors and career stages, including students. The Early Bird registration deadline was September 1, 2026. The 62nd Annual Fall Conference & Expo is scheduled for November 17-19, 2027 at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, Chula Vista, CA.
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Venue Map and Hotels Around
Monterey - Monterey Conference Center and Portola Hotel & Spa, California, United States