Hello newsletter readers,

Last week, I traveled to Johnson County, Iowa to meet with our Iowa City-based Design Challenge grantee team. There we hosted our human-centered design workshop that begins the grant process with them. It had been a few months since I was on a plane; I was last out to Allen County, Kan., one of our pilot-phase grantees, who've launched a new demand-response countywide bus service. It was a welcome change to remote meetings.

While in Iowa, one thing clearly stood out to me. Due to the times, last year's Design Challenge work with grantees was conducted completely remotely. Through our eight remote workshop meetings-which we replaced our two in-person, full-day workshops-we discovered insights that led directly to a thought-out solution to solve their team's focus question. While productive, with outcomes we're all proud of, remote collaboration just isn't the same as being able to be physically present in a room with others, a feeling one I'm sure many of you have experienced over the last 18+ months. The ability to read the body language of those around you and to respond to comments and hold (very important) side conversations is unmatched to what could be done during a remote collaboration session.

That's why I am, and the rest of NCMM staff, so excited to be hosting a full day of in-person events during CTAA's EXPO on Tuesday, November 9. As the day is free of charge to all attendees, we hope you make your way to Richmond for some in-person collaboration and learning. If you've been missing out on being around like-minded individuals, working together towards the common goal of providing, and encouraging mobility for all, then NCMM's Mobility Management Forum is the place to be. Hope to see you there!

Stay well,

Kirby Wilhelm

(202) 489-6020

If there is another type, please reach out to wilhelm@ctaa.org

If you value something different, please let me know at wilhelm@ctaa.org

We're ready to get started!

NCMM has a packed schedule ahead for our NCMM Mobility Management Forum on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at CTAA's EXPO in Richmond, Va. Our free event has been dedicated to you. Just get yourself to Richmond!

The forum will be held in downtown Richmond's Marriott Hotel in Salons 4-8 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Prior to attending the Forum, all attendees should report to the Convention Center (just across the street) to receive their badge and verify their COVID vaccination or negative test status; without a badge they will be unable to enter the Forum.

The forum strikes a balance between structured panels showcasing innovative programs and ideas in the morning and our "Unconference" in the afternoon where mobility managers from across the country will present on topics important to them. Later in the day, our accepted presenters will present on their mobility management posters in the Convention Center's Exhibit Hall from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and again 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The agenda of the day's events, with information on panelists and panel topics can be found here .

Once again this year we are happy to host the Mobility Management Lounge (Conv. Ctr, Room E10-A), a place for our mobility management attendees to meet colleagues from across the country. The Lounge will be open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday and 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. It'll be a good opportunity to grab a cup of coffee or tea, network, swap strategies, and learn about each other's communities. Posters from the NCMM's 2021 Mobility Management Poster Session will be moved into the Lounge once the trade show closes.

Beyond the NCMM Forum, there's plenty more to partake-in at EXPO, including workshops on Wed. and Thurs. on topics ranging from transportation to substance use treatment to NEMT to virtual input into planning efforts and much more. If you haven't already done so, you can register for EXPO here. We hope to see you soon! Any questions can be directed to CTAA's Membership Director, Loreal Lance.

All attendees of CTAA's EXPO will need to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, dated no later than Nov. 4, to take part in any activities. You can find out more about EXPO & COVID-19 Policies here.

We are pleased to announce the four communities selected for the 2021 Community Mobility Design Challenge grants. The Design Challenge grantees will develop and test ways to solve the mobility challenges of community members for whom a lack of transportation is an obstacle to the pursuit of economic, health, and social well-being. The four selected communities are:

NCMM has already begun traveling out these communities to work with them. We can't wait to see the solutions these communities are able to design! You can find out more about our grantees, and to stay up to date on their progress, here.

During this webinar, participants heard from a wide range of national mobility management experts who have conceptualized, developed, and piloted a variety of Mobility on Demand projects that have resulted in long-term, sustainable programs. Speakers discussed the challenges, successes, and lessons they learned as they used creative strategies to unify varying transportation modes to ensure riders receive safe, reliable, and efficient trips. You can visit the webinar recording, transcript, and slides here.

NCMM is excited to have released its sixth episode of the Mobility Lines Podcast. This conversation with Janae Futrell focuses on on gaining key skills for implementing and maintaining one-call/one-click transportation information systems while avoiding common stumbling blocks. Listen to this conversation, along with past episodes, here or search for Mobility Lines Podcast on your favorite listening channel, such as Spotify.

FTA has announced the availability of $3.5 million in Fiscal Year 2021 competitive grant funding for FTA's Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot program projects that improve access to vital services for older adults and people with disabilities, and in low-income communities. Applications due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 6. You can find out more about the opportunity here.

Data is becoming easier to collect - almost too easy. The firehose of information can be useful if you can figure out how to manage and interpret it. This National Center for Applied Transit Technology Technology (N-CATT) sponsored intensive will help you understand promising practices for collecting, organizing, and maintaining, and then making decisions from that information to maximize your impact in the community. This symposia is still accepting registered EXPO attendees for involvement. More details here.

Webinar: Integrating Micromobility and Transit, Dec. 1

Micromobility options, especially bikeshare, have flourished in the past few years due to a number of technological advances. They represent a significant partnership opportunity for transit agencies to expand their networks. Rather than being just a bus company, transit agencies can integrate a variety of modes to make sure their communities get where they need to go. This webinar through N-CATT illustrates promising practices in harnessing this tech through relationship building and collaboration, and identifies methods for your agency to consider. Register here for the webinar.

Presented in partnership with the Governor's Council for People with Disabilities, the inaugural Indiana Mobility Summit will help advocates, riders, service providers, public agencies, and any interested individuals better understand Indiana's current transportation system and related challenges facing Hoosiers. This action-oriented digital summit will identify next steps to improve transportation and mobility options for Hoosiers of all ages, abilities, income levels and backgrounds. Those working in mobility management and transportation nationwide are welcome to attend and contribute. You can find register and find out more about the summit here.

The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation, invites your participation in the 16th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Older Adults and People with Disabilities (TRANSED), themed Inclusive and Accessible Transportation in Community and Regional Resilience, to be held September 2022 in Seattle, Wash. Abstracts can be submitted for presentations until the extended Oct. 29 deadline. To find out more about the conference and abstract submission process, visit the TRANSED 2022 Abstract Call webpage.

In some places, and for some people, cargo bikes can be the key to unlocked mobility - especially for parents of children with special needs. This image shows Nate Barney of Tulsa, Okla., with his bike and ready to roll with his two children in tow. You can read more about the importance of cargo bikes to families with special needs children here.

Mobility Management News is the newsletter of the National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM), which is operated jointly by the Community Transportation Association, the American Public Transportation Association and Easter Seals under a cooperative agreement with the Federal Transit Administration.