COVID-19 Resources
New Resource Added to NADTC’s COVID-19 Page
New guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Protect Yourself When Using Transportation, provides information to individuals using transportation, including public transit, rideshares and taxis, micro-mobility devices and personal vehicles. For additional resources related to COVID-19, please visit our COVID-19 Resources page.

Photo Credit: Tri-Valley Transit, Middlebury, VT
NADTC News
NADTC Launches New Coordination, Planning and Public Participation Webpage
NADTC has launched a new Coordination, Planning and Public Participation Webpage, which features a collection of resources dedicated to coordinating more effectively, planning efficiently and promoting public participation and involvement in decision-making for transportation programs, policies and regulations. In addition, the webpage includes updated publications, toolkits, improved searchability and access to past webinars. 
Every Ride Counts Materials Available in Spanish!
Every Ride Counts, NADTC’s comprehensive publicity campaign to promote the availability and accessibility of transportation options for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers is now available in English and Spanish! The campaign’s carefully crafted messages and materials include designated spaces for your local organization’s logo and information, enabling you to customize them for your community. Additionally, a number of new photo images showing diverse transportation users have been added. Download the resources here.
Transportation Diversity Initiative and National Research Poll

NADTC is excited to have selected a minority-owned, full-service marketing research firm, V&L Research and Consulting, Inc., to conduct a national survey of a representative sample of racially, ethnically and culturally diverse older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers to gauge and obtain information about their experiences accessing and using local transportation options in the United States. The survey will launch later this fall.

Our National Advisory Committee on Transportation Diversity, organized to support and work with communities to help them ensure that their transportation services are both equitable and accessible, is playing a pivotal role in helping NADTC clearly define the scope of the survey. NADTC will host the second meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Transportation Diversity on Friday, October 30.

As we move forward with this initiative, we will be seeking the insight of local and state transportation organizations and professionals that work directly with diverse older adults and people with disabilities. If you are interested in being contacted for future partnership or would like to know more, please contact Melissa Gray at [email protected]. 
Volunteer Driver Programs: Insurance and Liability Issues – A Workshop in 2 Parts

Part 1: Webinar on Volunteer Driver Insurance

Volunteer transportation programs provide an essential, often life-enhancing services for older adults and younger people with disabilities in communities across the U.S. However, potential volunteer drivers are sometimes deterred by a concern that their automobile insurance will be cancelled if they provide volunteer rides or not cover them should they be involved in an accident when providing a ride. A recent complication is that some insurance companies make no distinction between volunteer drivers and paid drivers who work with Uber or Lyft, resulting in confusion and the threat of increased rates for volunteer drivers. This webinar will feature a presentation on the new AARP report, Volunteer Driver Insurance in the Age of Ridehailing.

  • Speaker: Jana Lynott, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, AARP Public Policy Institute
  • When: Thursday, November 12 at 2:00 pm–3:00 pm ET 
Upcoming Conferences
November 9-10, 2020
Virtual
This first-of-its kind event is dedicated to transit professionals in order to best assist your training and certification goals. FIT 2020 is a mix of one-day and two-day sessions that offer content or certification needs for everyone.
 
November 19-20, 2020
Since 2012, Carnegie Mellon University’s Traffic21 have maintained a Deployment Partner Consortium and continue that tradition with the US DOT funded National University Transportation Center, Mobility21, with the goal of improving the mobility of people and goods. There is no cost for membership in the consortium or participation in the symposium. Carol Wright Kenderdine, Co-Director, NADTC will be a featured panelist. 
 
December 2-3, 2020 and December 8-10, 2020
Virtual
The Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference is ADvancing States' national conference that annually brings together state, federal, and local policymakers as well as leaders who administer, manage, and deliver waiver and other HCBS programs. The purpose of the HCBS Conference is to share practices and policies that improve state systems delivering long-term services and supports for all ages and abilities. Virginia Dize, Co-Director, NADTC will present.
2021 n4a Annual Conference and Tradeshow Call for Sessions

The call for sessions for the 46th Annual n4a Conference and Tradeshow is now open! n4a is accepting proposals in diverse topic areas like social isolation, livable communities, Title VI programs, transportation and more! Showcase your best practice transportation programs and ideas for the “Enhancing Independent Living Through Mobility Innovations” track by submitting your proposal today. The 2021 Call for Sessions will close on Friday, December 4, 2020. 
Additional Events
FTA Webinar: Update from the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility

Join FTA on Tuesday, November 10 at 3:00 pm ET for a webinar to learn about the latest resources from the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM). FTA will provide an overview of the recently submitted CCAM Report to the President and introduce three tools designed to support coordination between transportation and human services providers.
FTA Events Page

Check out the Federal Transit Administration events page for upcoming events of any FTA-funded technical assistance center and other relevant events like webinars and round-table discussions.
Funding Opportunities
Public Transportation COVID-19 Research Demonstration Grant Program FY2020 Notice of Funding

FTA announces the availability of $10 million in grant funding through a new Public Transportation COVID-19 Research Demonstration Grant Program. Funding through this program supports research demonstration grants for public transit agencies to develop, deploy, and demonstrate innovative solutions that improve the operational efficiency of transit agencies, as well as enhance the mobility of transit users affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. Eligible applicants include state and local governmental authorities, direct recipients of Urbanized Area (49 U.S.C. 5307) and Rural Area (49 U.S.C. 5311) formula funds, and Indian tribes. Proposals are due on November 2, 2020.
2020 Community Change Grants
America Walks and Active People, Health Nations partners announced another round of the popular Community Change Grants program. This program will award grantees $1,500.00 in community stipends for projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play. Funded projects must demonstrate that they will show increased physical activity and active transportation in a specific community, work to engage people and organizations new to the efforts of walking and walkability and demonstrate a culture of inclusive health and design. Proposals are due on November 9, 2020.
Announcements
Verizon 3G Sunset Update

It has recently come to our attention that Verizon has announced the shutdown of their 3G network as of December 31, 2020. For demand/response and paratransit systems who are currently using 3G devices on their vehicles, this will impact your vehicle communications on the Verizon 3G network. 

If your agency has already addressed the Verizon 3G sunset or if you don’t have Verizon as your wireless provider, please disregard. Keep in mind, however, that other wireless providers are also planning to sunset their 3G wireless networks in the near future as well.

If you are not sure if you have any 3G Verizon devices you can check with the provider of those devices, your IT department, your vehicle maintenance department or your Verizon account representative. 

Our thanks to Jeff Zarr, Industry Solutions Manager – Demand Response for Trapeze Group for calling this to our attention.
October 2020
STAY CONNECTED:
National Aging and Disability Transportation Center 
 Silver Spring, MD 
[email protected] | 866.983.3222 
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center is a program funded by the Federal Transit Administration and administered by Easterseals and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) with guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living.