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COMTO Maryland

The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Maryland is a statewide organization dedicated to advancing opportunity, leadership, and engagement across the transportation industry. Chartered in 1980, COMTO Maryland serves as a forum that uplifts and elevates diverse lived experiences while fostering meaningful connections among transportation agencies, private sector corporations, small and disadvantaged businesses, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, students, and industry professionals. Positioned in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic region, COMTO Maryland is uniquely situated to build partnerships and drive collaboration across all modes of transportation. 


Rooted in a rich legacy of advocacy and inclusion, COMTO Maryland works to strengthen the transportation workforce, expand access to professional and business opportunities, and support the next generation of industry leaders. Guided by the belief that transportation should reflect and serve the communities it connects, the chapter provides networking, professional development, mentorship, scholarship, and business engagement opportunities that help move both people and the industry forward. Through its members and partners, COMTO Maryland remains committed to creating a transportation sector that is innovative, accessible, and representative of all.

Did You Know?

COMTO Maryland is part of a powerful network of 41 chapters across North America that connects transportation professionals, agencies, businesses, and future industry leaders through advocacy, professional development, and collaboration. Through this extensive network, Maryland members gain access to opportunities and relationships that extend far beyond our state, all working together to Move Maryland forward.

Our Mission Statement

In support of COMTO’s mission, the Maryland Chapter of COMTO will provide opportunities and maximum participation in the transportation industry across Maryland for all, through leadership training, professional development, scholarship and internship funding, political advocacy, partnership building, and networking opportunities. 

Our Value Proposition

COMTO Maryland connects professionals and businesses across the transportation industry with opportunities to grow, lead and collaborate through targeted development programs, strategic advisory and strong industry partnerships.


COMTO Maryland stands out through its multimodal reach, strategic influence, and commitment to inclusive outcomes. Located near the nation’s capital, our chapter leverages its proximity to all levels of government to drive nonpartisan engagement, mentorship, and community outreach. We cultivate leadership, expand contracting opportunities, and advocate for representation that reflects Maryland’s distinct needs and voices. 

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How It All Started - The History of COMTO

In 1971, with a goal to provide a forum for ALL minority professionals in the transportation industry, Rev. Jerry Moore, then pastor of the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC, partnered with Harold B. Williams, then Urban Mass Transit Administration (UMTA) Director of the Office of Civil Rights, to organize a conference for Minorities in Transit at Howard University. The conference was coordinated by UMTA’s Project Director, Carmen Turner, who later became the first Black woman to serve as General Manager of a major transit system, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The event drew 77 participants and eventually led to the formation of COMTO.


Today, COMTO has grown to more than 40 chapters nationwide. We represent more than 3 million minorities in the United States who work across all modes of transportation. From highways and roads to mass transit systems; from subways to rail systems and from port authorities to airports, COMTO members represent every facet of the transportation industry. This includes trucking, taxi and limousine services.


COMTO members are individuals, students, transportation agencies, corporations, academic institutions, industry non-profits and Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) - connecting talented people to opportunities. We are the presidents and chief executive officers who determine the direction of major transportation systems and the mechanics and operators who ensure the safe passage of millions of transportation riders every day.