NADTC eNews: March 2023

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

NADTC News

Saying Farewell to Ken Thompson

After 22 years, Ken Thompson will be retiring March 31, 2023. As the Technical Assistance Director for Easterseals and NADTC, Ken has provided his expertise and deep knowledge of accessibility and the ADA to the transportation industry through his work over the years in Easterseals Project Action, NCST, the Veterans Transportation Community Living Initiative, and NADTC. His spirit and kindness will be missed as he plans his next adventure into retirement.

Thank you, Ken, for all you have done, and we wish you the best!

Welcome to NADTC, Katherine Newman!

Katherine joined Easterseals and NADTC in March, 2023 as a Training and Technical Assistance Specialist, providing technical assistance, training, educational opportunities and information to transportation programs across the country.

Prior to joining Easterseals, Katherine worked at Bay Area Agency on Aging/Bay Transit as the Mobility Manager in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula of Virginia for 10 years. Katherine was active in the Virginia Association of Mobility Managers and served on the Community Transportation Association of Virginia Board of Directors.

NADTC Resources

Office Hours Recordings Now Available

Riders with Vision Loss: New Tools from NADTC and the American Foundation for the Blind focused on strategies for better serving the transportation needs of older adults with vision loss. You can access the materials and recording on our website.

COVID-19 Vaccination Access and Transportation in Rural Areas presented strategies for reaching people in rural communities who need help accessing vaccination services and helping them to locate community transportation options to access vaccination sites. The presentation and recording, along with informational materials are now posted on our website.

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center NADTC) released a new publication that provides a snapshot of the findings from a series of focus groups and stakeholder meetings conducted in 2022 to increase our understanding of the transportation experiences of older adults, younger adults with disabilities and caregivers from historically marginalized and underserved communities. The findings and next steps for action were recently released in Listening to Riders and Providers: A Synthesis Report on NADTC's Focus Groups and Stakeholder Meetings

Remembering a Remarkable Leader

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Judy Heumann

Known as the "Mother of the Disability Rights Movement," Judy Heumann led the charge of the grassroots movement that eventually resulted in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The ADA paved the way to universally designed services that are accessible to all users. If not for these tremendous efforts, organizations like NADTC and FTA funded programs would look much differently today. Check out a blog post by Easterseals, which includes several recorded interviews and books written by Judy.

FTA Updates & Resources

Register now for FTA's Transit Community Organization Webinar Series, to provide community-based organizations a better understanding of FTA's programs, oversight and technical assistance resources. The first webinar series will be held April 13, 1 PM ET.

Partner Updates & Resources

National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) and National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) will sponsor a free, full-day workshop on Tuesday, May 23, during the CTAA Expo in Oklahoma City. Systems Thinking for Technology Decisions will address how to effectively plan, procure and implement major technology changes within your agency. There is no cost to attend, but pre-registration is required.

The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) will host a day-long Transportation Accessibility Institute at EXPO in Oklahoma City on May 22nd. Selected Community Teams will receive guidance and training on strategies and techniques to support and enhance accessibility of transportation programs for the inclusion of older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers in transportation planning, oversight and operations. Members of selected Community Teams will also receive two nights of hotel accommodations, meals and transportation expenses.

The Institute is supported by the Transit Planning 4 All Program and the U.S. Administration for Community Living. For more information, visit the TP4A website, applications are due April 12th.

Funding Opportunities

FTA has announced the availability of nearly $1.7 billion for the FTA Low or No Emission (Low-No) competitive program. The program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses as well as acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities. Applications are due April 13.

USAging’s Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative will fund AAAs, Title VI programs, CILs and other aging and disability organizations to perform an array of vaccination promotion activities, including community vaccine clinics, in-home vaccinations and transportation to vaccination sites, as well as outreach and education to older adults and people with disabilities among other activities. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until funding is expended. Click on their website for more information!

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.