eNews - August 28, 2025

National RTAP is a program of the Federal Transit Administration dedicated to creating rural and tribal transit solutions through free training materials, technical assistance, and partner collaboration.

Newsletter Highlights

Updated National RTAP GTFS Guidebook, Videos, and Upcoming Workshop

National RTAP Mobility Management News: Webinars and New Workgroups

FTA, National RTAP, and CCAM-TAC Agricultural Communities Transportation Tech Brief

U.S. DOT Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program and Ideas Challenge

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Threshold Increases

Updated GTFS Builder Guidebook, Videos, and Upcoming Workshop

National RTAP updated its GTFS Builder Guidebook and five of its training videos to support our new single spreadsheet GTFS Builder tool:

• GTFS Builder Guidebook
• An Introduction to GTFS Builder (Download and Setup)
• Agency, Calendar, CalendarDates, Rte, Feed_Info, Fares & Transfer Tabs
• Identify Stop Coordinates/Complete Stops Tab
• Schedules_V3 Tab to Complete the Trips and Stop Times Tabs
• Exporting, Validating, and Hosting GTFS Data With A Web Link

The guidebook and videos cover the latest GTFS Builder updates, including using color to highlight duplicate trip_ids, a combined errors report tab, as well as displaying the route color with the route’s text contrast, particularly helpful to riders to distinguish between routes. 

We are holding the first workshop in a 3-part GTFS Builder Series on September 16, 2025 from 2:00-3:30 PM ET. Easing into the Recent General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) NTD Reporting Requirements: Understanding How to Create GTFS Route and Stop Shapes will provide a brief overview of GTFS Builder before digging deeper into creating shapes. Shapes refer to snapping fixed-route lines and bus stops to the road.

National RTAP has also started planning for a National Mobility Managers Handbook, which will be a comprehensive resource to support and advance the field. The National Mobility Managers Handbook Workgroup will be led by National RTAP Rural Transit Project Manager Enjoli Dixon and Tribal Transit Liaison Jeremy Bell.

The U.S. DOT Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program (IFAC) is accepting applications through October 1, 2025. The program will assist eligible public entities in facilitating and evaluating public-private partnerships and exploring opportunities for innovative financing and delivery for eligible transportation infrastructure projects, including transit, rural infrastructure projects, and transit-oriented development projects.

The U.S. DOT Advanced Research Projects Agency – Infrastructure (ARPA-I) has launched a new Ideas Challenge. The challenge will be an opportunity for individuals to showcase innovative concepts that will improve safety, lower costs, and enhance America’s infrastructure. Stage 1 Concept Papers are due September 17, 2025. Winning teams from Stage 1 will be invited to submit a detailed proposal for Stage 2. 

FTA recently updated its Third Party Contract Provisions Matrix. This matrix outlines the clauses and certifications that FTA recipients and subrecipients must include in third-party contracts awarded under an FTA financial assistance award.

FTA published its proposed policy guidance for the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program and is requesting comments by September 2, 2025. FTA also published a Request for Information on ways to streamline and enhance the CIG Police Guidance. Comments must be received by September 18, 2025.

FTA has withdrawn an advance notice of proposed rulemaking exploring the establishment of minimum standards for public transit worker hours of service, as well as mandates for fatigue risk management programs, because it was superseded by an existing Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan regulation that covers worker fatigue.

The U.S. DOT Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology is seeking information from the public, industry, infrastructure owner/operators, and other stakeholders to inform coordinated national research supporting Automated Driving Systems transportation technology deployment and realizing safe, efficient operations. Submissions must be received by October 17, 2025.

U.S. DOT asked state governors to join the Safe Arterials for Everyone through Reliable Operations and Distraction-Reducing Strategies (SAFE ROADS). The goal of the SAFE ROADS national initiative is to partner with state and local governments to make the entire roadway right‑of‑way easier to interpret and navigate for all users, including pedestrians, vehicle operators, and automated vehicles.

The comment period for the notice regarding the request for information on the next U.S. DOT surface transportation reauthorization bill has been extended to September 8, 2025. 

The South West Transit Association (SWTA) is holding a webinar on

Building Resilient Teams to Combat Burnout and Improve Your Safety Culture on September 9, 2025 from 12:00-1:00 PM ET. The webinar will explore public transit's challenges as the industry navigates uncertainty, help participants recognize causes and signs of burnout and how it impacts their work environment, and build resilient teams.

National Transit Institute (NTI) is holding a number of online and in-person trainings, such as , National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for State DOTs and Subrecipients, and FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel.

The Mineta Transportation Institute's Using Toll Revenues for Transit: It Can and Should be Done examines why reinvesting toll revenues into transit is an effective strategy for improving transportation system performance on a variety of metrics. Case studies are included from agencies that have successfully implemented this approach across various toll facility types.

With A Guide to Practical Next Steps for AI Implementation by Cambridge Consultants and ITS America, transportation agencies can learn how to use AI for executive, operations, and delivery functions.

NHTSA's Resources to Prevent Impaired Driving in Rural Areas highlights promising practices implemented in rural areas to prevent alcohol impaired driving. Case studies include the San Carlos Apache Tribal Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention Program in Arizona and the 24/7 Sobriety Program in South Dakota.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an article on Public Transit Supports for Food Access. Approximately half of municipalities reported having or planning for public transit. 27.1% reported considering service to farmers markets and 52.6% reported considering service to supermarkets.

USAi.gov is a new official website of the U.S. General Services Administration. The platform includes a chat, application programming interface (API), and console. The website provides programmatic access to artificial intelligence (AI) services for government users and approved partners.

The Tribal Funding Registry is a free searchable grants database for Tribes and Native-led Nonprofits. Users can search by category, deadline, funding type, or keywords. The Registry also provides office hours for technical support.

The Transportation Needs Index is a data-driven analysis of transportation needs across New Jersey. Data includes demographics, transportation access, priority communities, overburdened communities, and geographic boundaries.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) updated its Transportation Economic Trends. Data updates included costs faced by businesses purchasing transportation services, employment in transportation-related occupations, household spending per vehicle-mile, and other metrics.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is soliciting applications through September 2, 2025 for Disaster Assistance for State Units on Aging and Tribal Organizations in Major Disasters Declared by the President.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a Notice of Intent that announced a planned funding opportunity for the Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program.

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council issued a Final Rule, effective October 1, 2025, amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to further implement a statute, which requires an adjustment every five years of statutory acquisition-related thresholds for inflation. The micro-purchase threshold is increasing from $10,000 to $15,000 and the simplified acquisition threshold is increasing from $250,000 to $350,000. The regulation will not affect existing contracts or those issued before October 1, 2025. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extended the comment period for the Reconsideration of 2009 Endangerment Finding and Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards until September 22, 2025. On August 12, 2025, EPA also issued guidance to manufacturers for how they may modify diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems on new and existing diesel vehicles and nonroad equipment to reduce derates that can limit a vehicle's performance to nearly inoperable levels (as low as 5 miles per hour).

N-pyrrolidino metonitazene and N-pyrrolidino protonitazene have been placed in the Controlled Substance Schedule I by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). They are synthetic opioids.

Effective September 22, 2025, FHWA is rescinding a labeling provision of the rule on Advance Construction of Federal-aid Projects. Federal-aid projects where federal-aid funds have already been obligated will no longer require the use of the prefix ‘‘AC.’’

The Federal Communications Commission is reexamining the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts and seeks comments on whether fundamental changes could make these alerting systems more effective, efficient, and better able to serve the public's needs. Comments are due September 25, 2025.

On August 21, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided guidance on electronic vehicle and energy tax credits. The guidance notes that buyers won't actually need to take delivery of their vehicle by September 30, 2025. However, they will need to have a binding sales agreement signed by that deadline and they'll need to make a payment. 

All event times listed in Eastern Time. Subtract 1 hour for Central Time, 2 for Mountain Time, 3 for Pacific Time, 4 for Alaska, and 5 or 6 for Hawaii (depending on daylight savings time).

UKi Media & Events

ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle Technology Summit

San Jose, CA, August 27-28

New

Southeast ADA Center

The Road Forward: Community Transportation Access and Mobility Webinar

August 28, 10:00-11:00 AM

America Walks

Quick-Builds in Indian Country – Advancing Road Safety through Community Engagement Webinar

August 28, 2:00-3:00 PM 

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

TripSpark

How to Design an Effective Microtransit System Webinar

September 3, 1:00 PM 

Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont Transportation Associations

Tri-State Transit Conference

Portland, ME, September 3-5

We're presenting and exhibiting!

New

National Academy of Medicine

Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies Webinar

September 4, 12:00-4:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 4, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE)

Planned Special Events (PSE) Spotlight Series: September 2025

September 4, 1:00-2:30 PM

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for State DOTs and Subrecipients Webinar

September 4, 2:00-3:30 PM

New

Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy 

Tribal Clean Energy Symposium

Las Vegas, NV, September 8

New

South West Transit Association (SWTA)

Building Resilient Teams to Combat Burnout and Improve Your Safety Culture Webinar

September 9, 12:00-1:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 9, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

ADA National Network

ADA Overview: A Focus on Title I Webinar

September 9, 1:00-2:15 PM

National Transit Institute

NTD Annual Reduced Reporting for Urban Small Systems and Tribal Transit Providers Webinar

September 9, 2:00-3:30 PM

New

Western TTAP

FHWA Southwest Tribal Transportation Workshop

Window Rock, AZ, September 9-10

We're presenting!

New

Commit to Connect 

Annual National Summit to Increase Social Connections

September 9-10, 1:00-3:30 PM

Utah Urban Rural Specialized Transit Association (URSTA)

URSTA Conference and Roadeo

St. George, UT, September 10-13

Please visit our booth!

New

FTA

FTA Global Sports: Charter Bus Webinar

September 11, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 11, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Dakota Transit Association

Dakota Transit Association Fall Conference & Roadeo

Jamestown, ND, September 11-17 

Please visit our booth!

National Safety Council (NSC)

2025 NSC Safety Congress & Expo

Denver, CO, September 12-18

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Transform

Boston, MA, September 14-17

Zephyr and University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies

2025 Modeling Mobility Conference

September 14–17, Minneapolis, MN

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 16, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National RTAP

Easing into the Recent General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) NTD Reporting Requirements: Understanding How to Create GTFS Route and Stop Shapes

September 16, 2:00-3:30 PM

New

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Tribal Consultation Meeting

Wayland, MI, September 17, 1:00-4:00 PM

Pre-registration deadline September 12, 2025

New

TRB 

Find Transportation Research That is Happening Today Webinar

September 17, 2:00-3:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 18, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Online Course

September 18, 1:00-5:00 PM

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

2025 AASHTO TransComm

Chicago, IL, September 21-24 

National Transportation in Indian Country (NTICC)

NTICC 2025

Gila River, AZ, September 21-25

We're presenting and exhibiting!

Bobit Business Media

Public Transit & Technology Exchange

Scottsdale, AZ, September 22-24

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 23, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Terrapinn

MOVE America 2025

Detroit, MI, September 24-25

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 25, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR)

IATR Annual Conference 2025

Nashville, TN, September 26-30

New

TripSpark

Game Day to Every Day: Mastering Event Transportation and Community Engagement Webinar

September 30, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Association of Mobility Managers (AMM)

Addressing Gaps and Unmet Needs in Oklahoma Webinar

September 30, 2:00 PM

New

California State University

NextTech Kern Conference 

Bakersfield,CA, October 2, 2025

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

ADA Guru

ADA Compliance Training

Honolulu, HI, October 7-9

Please Visit our Table!

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 9, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 14, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Association of Mobility Managers (AMM)

RideSheet: Dispatching Technology for Rural Transit Webinar

October 14, 3:00 PM

National RTAP

Tribal and Rural Transit Mini-Conference

Rapid City, South Dakota, October 14-16

Forth

Forth Roadmap Conference 

Detroit, MI, October 14-16

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 16, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Alaska Federation of Natives

Alaska Federation of Natives Convention

Anchorage, AK, October 16-18

Connecticut Association for Community Transportation (CACT)

2025 Annual Statewide CACT Transportation Expo

Newington, CT, October 21

Please visit our table!

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Bobit Business Media

Fleet Forward Conference

San Diego, CA, October 21-23

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 23, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Transit Mobility Alliance

Transit Mobility Alliance Conference

Phoenix, AZ, October 26-29

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database: Rural Reporting - Virtual Course

October 28-29, 1:00-4:30 PM

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

2025 AASHTO Safety Summit and Peer Exchange

New Orleans, LA, October 28-30

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

For a listing of all National RTAP and other national events, view our Calendar. To submit an event, email info@nationalrtap.org.

National RTAP | 888-589-6821 | info@nationalrtap.org | nationalrtap.org