NADTC eNews: February 2023

News for NADTC, sub-heading "National Aging and Disability Transportation Center"

NADTC News

NADTC Welcomes 2022 Grantees to DC!

On February 8 and 9, NADTC welcomed its 2022 Equity and Accessibility Implementation Grantees to an in-person meeting with NADTC staff, representatives from FTA and other guests for robust discussions about outreach and engagement, workforce and recruitment, data collection and more. Each of the grantees also had an opportunity to showcase the status of their projects.

NADTC awarded $490,000 to grantees in seven states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island for the implementation of innovative projects focused on equitable access to transportation options that meet the needs of vulnerable and underserved populations, especially older adults and people with disabilities. Click here to learn more about our grantees.

Catch Us If You Can!

This past week, NADTC staff Dave Somers and Jeremy Johnson-Miller attended the South West Transit Association (SWTA) Annual Conference in Aurora, Colorado. Dave presented at a breakout session focused on NADTC's DEI Initiative, and both were able to make great connections while hosting a booth at the trade fair.

NADTC Resources

Donna Smith_a blind woman boarding a bus with her guide dog

Access Matters Videos

NADTC is pleased to present Access Matters, a series of videos created to train drivers to be sensitive to the needs of people who are blind, deaf or have other disabilities who rely on public transportation to be independent in the community.

Access Matters covers important topics such as communication, service animals, the importance of access and tips for serving people with a variety of disabilities. NADTC encourages these videos to be used across all sectors of transportation service.

Happening Next Month

March is Women's History Month!

NADTC is celebrating the vital role of women in American History, especially those working in the transportation industry. In 1922, Helen Schultz became known as the “Iowa Bus Queen” when she established the Red Ball Transportation Co., providing city-to-city transportation by bus.

To learn more about how women have impacted transportation throughout history, visit US DOT's

Women in Transportation History webpage.

Partner Updates & Resources

Connecting My Community

The Transit Workforce Center (TWC) recently launched a campaign toolkit called Connecting My Community, developed to support public transportation agencies with templates and graphics that can be customized by each agency when advertising job openings for new transit-oriented employees. TWC supports workforce development and assists with the critical challenge of recruiting workers, especially bus operators and maintenance workers.

Agencies are encouraged to share their designs on social media by using #ConnectingMyCommunity. Click here to access the toolkit.

Funding Opportunities

The 2023 AARP Community Challenge Grants are now open. There are two new opportunities this year, Capacity Building and Demonstration, along with the typical Flagship grants. Transportation and mobility projects are eligible under all three grant opportunities. Applications due March 15, 2023.

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 send us an email at [email protected] to start a conversation.

Click Here to Learn More

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.