NADTC Announcements
Coordination Coalition Opportunity
In 2021, NADTC convened local, state, and national leaders in the transportation field to form a Coordination Advisory Committee to provide guidance on the launch of a NADTC Coordination Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to create resources and products to assist programs in developing and strengthening coordination activities.
 
A new project of the Coordination Campaign in 2022 is the Coordination Coalition Opportunity. This initiative aims to strengthen community partnerships by developing new or reinvigorating existing coalition teams with direct, personalized guidance from NADTC staff. Two communities will be chosen to participate in a 2-day, in-person workshop to build their coalition group and develop an action plan with long-term, sustainable outcomes. This opportunity is available to transportation agencies and human services organizations who currently receive FTA 5310 Funding.

If interested, a Letter of Interest must be submitted by May 27 in order to be eligible. Visit our website for more information and how to apply!

Please note, there is no direct funding provided to the chosen groups. 
Featured NADTC Resources & Events
Office Hours: Expanding Independent Travel Opportunities for People with Vision Loss Through Travel Training

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) office hours are focused on enhancing training and technical assistance opportunities and offer further opportunities to interact with your peers, topic experts and NADTC staff.

On June 2 from 2:00-3:00 PM, ET NADTC’s office hours will focus on travel training tools and techniques to assist people with vision loss. This session will feature a presentation by Nicole Fincham-Shehan, Disability Access Specialist at Palm Tran. If you are interested in learning about travel training for people with vision loss or would like to share information on how your organization provides travel training to help people with vision loss travel independently and safely on public transportation, please join us for this interactive discussion.

Attendance will be capped at 30 participants to foster a small group discussion, so if you are interested in participating, please register as soon as possible to reserve your space! RSVP to [email protected]
DEI Lunch & Learn Series: The Journey to Improving Diversity and Service Efficiency
Thursday, June 16 | 12 pm EST | Virtual

When COVID hit the U.S., every transit system across the country was affected, and for many, ridership numbers were significantly reduced. GRTC in Richmond, VA went through a process pre-pandemic to explore the populations and areas that had high levels of diversity, however, his process ended up being highly beneficial to evaluate how resources could be reallocated during the peak of the pandemic. Join us as we hear from Julie Timm, CEO of GRTC, to explore the journey they took to ensure that their diverse ridership was served before, during, and after the COVID pandemic.
NADTC Releases Three New Blogs

This month we are showcasing three new blog posts! The first comes from our partners at the Administration for Community Living (ACL), written by Victoria Wright; ACL Programs Support Transportation Accessibility for Older Adults and People with Disabilities highlights the importance of inclusive planning and the many programs ACL has to offer that support the independence, well-being and health of people with disabilities. Our second blog, written by Ken Thompson of NADTC, What Have We Learned for the COVID Pandemic?, covers transportation's response to the pandemic and some of the key takeaways and lessons learned. Our third blog, West Virginians are Connecting Downstream Health Problems to Upstream Issues, written by Chelcie Beadnell of NADTC, showcases the efforts of public health officials in Morgantown, West Virginia to connect social determinates of health and access to reliable transportation.

To read more of NADTC's blogs, visit our website!
A Tale of Two Funders: Thrive Allen County
In 2020, Thrive Allen County was awarded an NADTC Community Grant to create a non-emergency medical transportation service for rural Allen County, Kansas. They had also received funding from the National Center for Mobility Management to plan for and develop a public transit system separate and distinct from the NADTC grant program. A Tale of Two Funders highlights how they were able to utilize both grant programs to develop a comprehensive transportation system that continues to grow and thrive!
NADTC's Coordination Toolkit
As part of NADTC's Coordination Campaign has been the the creation of resources and products to assist programs in developing and strengthening coordination activities.
 
The Coordination Committee Toolkit provides comprehensive guidance on aspects of creating, growing, and sustaining a transportation coordination committee. The toolkit is divided into three main sections - Getting Ready, Growing the Table, and Organization and Planning. Each section includes an explanation of steps to follow, tools to complete each step, and examples of how the tools have been used. The toolkit can be used in its entirety or targeted sections that are pertinent to the needs of individual committees.
Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Transportation DEI Focus Groups
As a part of NADTC’s continuing work on Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we are partnering with five communities around the United States to convene a series of focus groups of diverse individuals. Each of our partner organizations will plan and hold three focus groups: one each for older adults, younger adults with disabilities and caregivers. The information gleaned from the focus groups will help in our understanding of the transportation experiences and barriers documented in our 2021 survey of historically underserved and marginalized populations. The five communities are: Catholic Services of the Miami Valley, Sidney, Ohio; Frontier Community Services, Soldotna, Alaska; King County Metro, Seattle and King County, Washington; Sedgwick County, Wichita, Kansas; Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, Decatur, Georgia.

Hold the Date: Virtual Stakeholder Meetings!

In addition to the focus groups, NADTC is also planning two virtual meetings with Transportation Stakeholders, to be held on June 21 and 23, from 2 to 3:30 PM EST. Additional information and registration will be available soon. 
NADTC Report Spotlight
Best Practices Compendium
In the coming months, NADTC will highlight one of the best practices featured in the Best Practices Compendium, all of which are based on the work of grant projects supported by NADTC from 2017-2019.

This month's Best Practice Showcase, Rural Transportation, discusses the challenges of getting around in rural communities, which especially impact older adults and people with disabilities. NADTC grantees in rural areas emphasized the importance of building trust, the need for coordination among transportation providers and the critical importance of structuring programs to cover long distances.
2021 Section 5310 Spotlight

Each month, NADTC will highlight one informational brief that is featured in the 2021 FTA Section 5310 Compendium. This publication showcases the various uses of FTA Section 5310 Funding, including examples implemented by human services agencies and transportation programs across the United States.

May's spotlight, Area Agencies on Aging and FTA Section 5310 Funding, highlights the important role of AAA's in the development and oversight of transportation services in the communities they serve. This report showcases two programs that are using FTA Section 5310 funding for activities like mobility management, ride voucher programs, and access to medical and work duties.
2021 Trends Report
NADTC has published its Annual Trends Report that reviews trending topics in transportation from 2021. The Trends Report provides an overview of what’s happening in the industry and important transportation issues in communities across the U.S. This month, we are focusing on people with autism.

May's spotlight, Serving People with Autism on Transportation, emphasizes the importance of understanding the characteristics of all users being served, especially those who might have differing challenges when out in public. This report covers the common barriers and challenges persons with autism may face while riding the bus.
FTA Announcements
Safe Streets and Roads for All
The U.S. DOT announced $5 million in funding, over the next 5 years, to establish the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program. Focused on the goal of zero deaths and serious injury on our nation's roadways, this opportunity is open to Metropolitan Planning Organizations, counties, cities or towns, transit agencies and federally recognized tribal governments. These funds are for the development of an Action Plan through environmental scans, safety analysis and stakeholder engagement with community members, especially older adults and people with disabilities. Applications must be submitted through grants.gov no later than September 15, 2022.
Partner Resources
N-CATT Offers Two New Opportunities
The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is excited to announce an opportunity for up to three direct recipients (state Departments of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Rural Planning Organizations, Tribal consortiums, or others) to hold Technology Summits with their small-urban, rural, and tribal agencies. This is an opportunity for agencies to present challenges they face and use those to work with their peers to collaborate on technology priorities and begin mapping out technology investments at the state level.

Please submit your application in one document in PDF format to [email protected]  no later than 11:59p.m. EDT, on July 12, 2022.
 
N-CATT is also accepting applications for transit agencies to receive one-on-one technical assistance through the Center's Strategic Technology Technical Assistance Teams (STTATs). N-CATT will work with up to three transportation providers to navigate a technology challenge or opportunity that results in a useful starting product for the agency, such as an implementation plan or ready-to-go technology solicitation.
 
Please submit your application in one document in PDF format to [email protected] no later than 11:59p.m. EDT, on July 12, 2022.
Survey: Living with a Disability in Rural Communities
The Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities at the University of Montana is recruiting for a project in which they will interview people with disabilities who live in rural areas with limited transportation options. Interviews will be conducted remotely and participants will be compensated for their participation. This research is ongoing.

To learn more about this opportunity and to sign up, please contact Andrew Myers at [email protected] or call 406-243-4683.
TCRP: Pathways to Effective, Inclusive and Equitable Virtual Public Engagement for Public Transportation
Give your voice to the latest research study on the use of virtual public engagement (VPE) during COVID-19 pandemic. The survey is being shared with public transit agencies of all sizes and types throughout the United States. Lessons from this research will be used to address significant gaps in public engagement guidance currently available to transit agencies to facilitate two-way communication with the community, potential passengers, and current riders.

The survey closes June 1 and will take about 15 minutes to complete. For any questions, please contact Trish Sanchez, [email protected].
Shared Mobility 2030 Action Agenda
During their annual summit, the Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) announced its Shared Mobility 2030 Action Agenda, which emphasizes how the impact of our car-dependent culture has devastated the family budget, our health and the climate. By offering more ways to get around, shared mobility can make streets safer and connect more people to opportunities in a sustainable way. This action agenda calls on public, private, and non-profit organizations to hold themselves accountable for advancing an equitable, convenient and low-carbon future for our communities. To learn more, or to join the effort, visit the SUMC website.
Upcoming Events
Transit Planning for All: Virtual Roundtables
Transit Planning 4 All, which has promoted inclusive transportation planning for older adults and people with disabilities through support of demonstration projects. An online roundtable series will be held with representatives from these demonstration projects to discuss the lessons learned. Each roundtable will include time for audience questions and dialogue. All sessions will be recorded and will be posted on the Transit Planning 4 All website.

Please note, captioning and American Sign Language will be provided for each of these event. Separate registration is required to attend each roundtable.

Lessons Learned on Communication for Inclusive Transit Planning
June 2nd 1:00 to 2:00 PM eastern

Lessons Learned on Engagement Strategies for Inclusive Transportation Planning
June 28th – 12:30 to 1:30 PM eastern

Lessons Learned on Measuring Success for Inclusive Transportation Planning
July 14th – 2:00 to 3:00 PM eastern
NADTC Recognizes Juneteenth!
NADTC recognizes the historical and current disparities in transportation service availability and accessibility that impact diverse older adults and people with disabilities. The annual celebration of Juneteenth is a reminder that we need to address the inequities that have resulted from past transportation decisions and practices that continue to impact communities across the country.

Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States and has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s. Juneteenth marks the day Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed the last remaining enslaved people of their freedom. Juneteenth is also known as Emancipation Day or Black Independence Day.

For most enslaved people in Texas, freedom was delayed for two months after the Civil War ended and two-and-a-half years after the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1 of 1863. Juneteenth represents freedom deferred and can also point to other ways freedom and justice has been historically delayed or denied to many marginalized, underrepresented and underserved groups.
 
NADTC is continuing our multi-pronged initiative to shine a light on transportation challenges that specifically impact diverse older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers. We commemorate Juneteenth as a day to recognize freedom and also a day to reflect on the social and racial injustices that persist today. 

To learn more about Juneteenth, click here for more information.
NADTC Celebrates Pride Month!
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) pride celebrates self-affirmation, dignity, equality and increased visibility of LGBTQ+ people. Every June, Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots, that occurred on June 28, 1969 in New York City. The Stonewall Inn served as a safe-space for the gay community, during a time when living openly gay was illegal. Police raids on bars were common; however this particular event in 1969 resulted in a riot lead by community activists, most importantly transgender women. The first Gay Pride Parade occurred on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1970 and continues to be celebrated around the globe in recognition of the impact LGBTQ+ people have had in the world.

Pride Month provides an opportunity to shine a light on the work of SAGE, which advocates for LGBTQ+ elders to gain the basic human rights and freedoms of the LGBTQ community. SAGE has been a supportive member of NADTC's transportation diversity, equity and inclusion work, and has been a welcome voice at our table.

To learn more about NADTC's Transportation DEI Initiative, visit our website.
NADTC Information and Referral Services
NADTC Technical Assistance Specialists are here to assist you and answer your questions about a variety of topics related to transportation for older adults and people with disabilities, ADA-accessible services and related issues. Call us at 866.983.32220 or email us at [email protected] to start a conversation today.
National Aging and Disability Transportation Center 
 Washington, DC 
[email protected] | 866.983.3222 
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center is a program funded by the Federal Transit Administration and administered by USAging and Easterseals with guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living.