Brief History of WTS-Boston

The Boston Chapter was formed in 1980 by a group of twenty women working in the transportation industry. Recognizing the need for women to communicate and establish networks in order to gain respect within the field, they established the Greater Boston Women's Transportation Group (GBWTG). Their goals included creating a presence, meeting with other women professionals, networking for jobs, holding workshops, giving mutual support, and exchanging information. After just a year, membership had grown from 8 to 138, reflecting a wide range of transportation professions. Presidents, associates, and partners of private companies as well as state and federal government managers and administrators formed the group's core. Systems and operations analysts, engineers, technicians, planners, public relations specialists, and students all added depth and various points of view to the organization.

In 1981, the GBWTG joined the national organization Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS), and continued to grow as one of the largest WTS chapters and one of the most influential transportation organizations in the Boston area.

WTS-Boston has hosted the WTSI annual conference in 1985, 1992, 2003, and 2019 to showcase Boston’s rich history and its modern, technology-based economy.  

In 2019, WTS-Boston unveiled its public art ‘Network’ in South Station in collaboration with MBTA and MassDOT. The installation celebrates women’s contributions to transportation.