eNews - January 29, 2026

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

National RTAP Seeking Applications for New Review Board Members

Upcoming Books in Transit Discussion Group Meeting - The New Life

National RTAP Survey on Artificial Intelligence for Transit Providers

FTA Rescission of the National Transit Database Weekly Reference Reporting Requirement

Upcoming Books in Transit Discussion Group

Meeting - The New Life

The National RTAP Books in Transit Discussion Group selected The New Life by Nobel Prize winning author Orhan Pamuk as our next book to read. In the book, a student takes bus trips in pursuit of a vision. Our next meeting will be on February 19, 2026 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET.

National RTAP Survey on Artificial Intelligence for Transit Providers

National RTAP is developing a technical brief on understanding artificial intelligence and how it can be used in transit. We are asking transit agencies to fill out a very brief survey on their use of this technology. It is anonymous and will only be used to help shape our technical brief. We are only looking for feedback from transit agencies. If you have any questions, please contact info@nationalrtap.org. Thank you!

FTA published a Rescission of the National Transit Database Weekly Reference Reporting Requirement in the Federal Register on January 15, 2026. 

Interested individuals can submit a public comment to the U.S. DOT OST-R regarding a five-year transportation research and development strategic plan to guide future federal transportation research and development activities. Comments are due February 12, 2026.

U.S. DOT announced the winners of recipients for its annual Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award as part of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Winners included the Cheyenne and Arapaho Department of Transportation’s Transportation Safety Program. 

FTA’s Transit Asset Management (TAM) Program is continuing its series of peer discussion forums for transit agency staff responsible for TAM implementation. FTA will host the next session, a virtual discussion focused specifically on Tribal Transportation Providers, on February 25, 2026 at 1PM ET. Since the virtual discussion is limited to 10 participants, FTA requires all interested individuals to submit an application by January 28, 2026. 

The FTA 2026 NTD Safety and Security Reporting Policy Manual has been published. The Manual includes guidance on security configuration, major event reporting, non-major monthly summary reporting, and other topics.

TRB is hosting an Improving Mobility in Rural and Tribal Communities Webinar on February 25, 2026 from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET. The webinar will explore a range of service design strategies and transit modes, including emerging non-traditional services, that may be appropriate for rural and tribal contexts.

The National Transit Institute (NTI) is seeking hosts for the following courses: Introduction to Transportation Conformity, Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making, Transit, and Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment. If your organization is interested in hosting, fill out the request form.

CCAM-TAC has a new e-Learning course: Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. This course walks people through the basics of a Coordinated Human Services Human Transportation Plan in under an hour and empowers them to start working on their own.

National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) launched a Workforce Training Database, a resource for discovering transportation system management and operations (TSMO) industry trainings and courses.

The Active Transportation Resource Center offers an Online Introduction to Active Transportation Planning and Design eLearning course. The course covers tools used to assess and evaluate the suitability of transportation infrastructure for use by all types of bicyclists and pedestrians.

TCRP's Mitigation Strategies for Deterring Transit Assaults equips transit agencies with strategies and recommendations to enhance safety and security and help prevent assaults in the transit environment. It includes a mitigation strategy matrix and a social media toolkit.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation launched the Mobility for Everyone, Everywhere in North Carolina program. The Shared-Use Mobility Center's (SUMC) case study on Building Mobility for All: North Carolina’s Statewide Approach to On-Demand Transit chronicles the development, implementation, and lessons learned from this initiative.

Who is Interested in Car-Free Living in the US is an article that shares findings from a nationwide survey by researchers at Arizona State University which shows that 40% of people are open to the idea.

USDA's Rural America at a Glance: 2025 Edition provides an overview of social and economic factors affecting rural America, with a focus on population migration, poverty, and employment. Includes county-level maps as well as metro and nonmetro comparisons.

Google Cloud offers an AI-optimized tech stack. The cloud includes products like BigQuery for deep logistics insights, and the ability to work with local via platforms like Google Maps and Waze to manage the last mile of passenger trips.

Transit Maps is a website created by a map designer devoted to the design and social impact of transit maps, including bus maps. There is a submission link to have agency maps considered for the website.

USDA launched the Lender Lens on the Rural Data Gateway. This dashboard will make USDA's Rural Development’s guaranteed loan portfolio available to the public, guaranteed borrowers, and commercial lending stakeholders.

The Kevin and Avonte Program: Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and Developmental Disabilities provides funding for projects to create, run, or improve local programs to prevent wandering or locate people living with forms of dementia or developmental disabilities. Applications are being accepted through February 27, 2026.

FMCSA is hosting webinars to guide potential applicants through the steps necessary to apply for a fiscal year 2026 High Priority grant, Commercial Driver's License Program Implementation (CDLPI) grant, and the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) grant.

Three fleet magazines are holding a 2026 Fleet Manager Salary Survey through February 27, 2026. The survey is intended to provide insights for fleet managers across commercial and public-sector fleets on compensation rates by responsibility and fleet type.

Applications are now open for the Government Fleet and the American Public Works Association 2026 Leading Fleets award through March 6, 2026. The award is open to government fleets and recognizes operations that are performing at a high level in fleet innovation and leadership. They are also soliciting nominations for the Public Fleet Hall of Fame through March 6, 2026. Finally, Government Fleet is accepting nominations for the 2026 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year through March 6, 2026.

College and university students can submit requests to participate in the 2026 Transportation Technology Tournament (TTT). This annual event connects students with public agencies and industry mentors to solve real-world transportation problems using transportation system management and operations (TSMO) solutions.

FMCSA is soliciting nominations for membership to serve on the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) and the Medical Review Board (MRB). Applications for both are due February 23, 2026. Both committees provide recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation.

FMCSA published a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard on Anti-Ejection Glazing for Bus Portals. The compliance date of the final rule is October 30, 2027.

NHTSA is seeking public comments through March 24, 2026 to identify requirements and test procedures within the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and regulations that no longer serve a functional safety purpose but continue to impose costs.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) placed 4-fluoroamphetamine, a central nervous system stimulant similar to amphetamine, methamphetamine, and MDMA, in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. In addition, 2-fluorodeschloroketamine (a psychoactive substance) was temporarily placed in Schedule 1. 

FMCSA issued an Emergency Waiver for Hours-of-Service for certain motor carriers and CDL drivers providing direct assistance to emergency relief efforts in forty states in response to severe winter storms and cold temperatures substantially below normal.

On January 23, 2026, a U.S. District Court Judge entered final judgment against the freeze of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, a federal initiative to build electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The judgment permanently bars the federal government from withdrawing state funds or canceling implementation plans.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) set the 2026 business standard mileage rate at 72.5 cents per mile, up 2.5 cents from 2025. The mileage rate is now 20.5 cents per mile driven for medical purposes, down a half cent from 2025, and 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, equal to the rate in 2025.

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).

Intertribal Transportation Association (ITA)

ITA Annual Meeting

Oklahoma City, OK, (formerly October 27-29)

Now January 27-29

New

FMCSA

FY26 High Priority (HP) Grant Technical Assistance Webinar

January 29, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

January 29, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

Mass DOT/New England University Transportation Center 

Unlocking Forensics Data for Vehicles Involved in Motor Vehicle Crashes Research Webinar

January 29, 2:00 PM

New

U.S. DOT

Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Council Public Meeting

Washington, DC and Online, February 2, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Clarion Events

DTECH 2025

San Diego, CA, February 2-5

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

February 3, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National Safety Council (NSC)

Frontiers of Technology: Attention Please! From Distraction to Attention Support with MIT's Bryan Reimer Webinar

February 3, 1:00-2:00 PM

National RTAP and AASHTO Transit Management

Building Your Technology Universe: Understanding the Value of GTFS and Building a Technology Culture Webinar

February 3, 3:00-4:15 PM

New

FMCSA

FY26 CDLPI and CMVOST Technical Assistance Webinar

February 4, 2:00 PM

New

Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP) 

Digital Accessibility Series: Leadership Commitment and Influencer Participation Webinar

February 4, 3:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

February 5, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

Dynamic Mobility Barrier Detection Using Wheelchair-mounted Sensors Webinar

February 6, 12:00-1:00 PM

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Virtual Tribal Consultation on Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule

February 6, 2:00-2:30 PM

Waskawiwin

Tribal Broadband Bootcamp

Aguanga, CA, February 9-12

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

February 10, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

FORTH

Preparing for Surface Transportation Reauthorization: What’s Next for EVs & Charging Infrastructure Webinar

February 10, 4:00-5:00 PM

Transportation Energy Partners

2026 Energy Independence Summit

Washington, DC, February 10-11

National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE)

AI Uses for TSMO Webinar

February 11, 1:00-2:30 PM

National Transit Institute 

Assault Awareness and Prevention for Transit Operators (Train-the-Trainer) Online Course

February 11, 1:00-4:30 PM

United Motorcoach Association (UMA)

UMA Motorcoach Expo

Birmingham, AL, February 11-14

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

February 12, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Introducing the National RTAP Volunteer Driver Program Toolkit Webinar

February 12, 2:00-3:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

February 17, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

February 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Books in Transit Discussion Group Meeting - The New Life

February 19, 2:00-3:00 PM

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Marketing, Communications & Customer Experience Workshop

Savannah, GA, February 22-25

National RTAP

Learn About TACL - The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library Webinar

February 23, 2:00-3:00 PM

AASHTO

2026 AASHTO Washington Briefing

Washington, DC, February 23-26

New

Active Transportation Resource Center

Sustaining Active Transportation Program Non-Infrastructure Activities Beyond the Grant Webinar

February 24, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

February 24, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

Cherokee Nation, Center for Civic Futures, and Tulsa Community Foundation

Tribal Innovation Summit

Tulsa, OK, February 24-26

New

TRB 

Improving Mobility in Rural and Tribal Communities Webinar

February 25, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

February 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

TRB 

Rethinking the Road Test to Identify High-Risk Drivers Webinar

February 27, 12:00-1:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment

Austin, TX, March 2-4

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

March 2-5, 1:00-5:00 PM

FTA

FTA Drug and Alcohol Training Special Topics Seminars: MIS Overview

March 3, 1:00-2:30 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

March 3, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Transportation Conformity

Chicago, IL, March 3-5

New

National Transit Institute

Ridership Forecasting with STOPS for Transit Project Planning

Portland, OR, March 3-5

Crawford Area Transit Authority (CATA)

Transit Retreat

Mobile, AL, March 4-5

We're presenting!

New

CTAA, SWTA, IPTA, OkTA, and CalACT

CTAA Legislative Fly-In

Washington, DC, March 4-6

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

March 5, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP / Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) 

Fundamentals of Bus Collision Investigation

Hollywood, FL, March 9-13

The course is full. Contact Neil Rodriguez to be added to the waitlist.  

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

March 10, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Tips to Become a National RTAP Resource Library Super-User

March 10, 2:00-3:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Violence in the Transit Workplace - Prevention, Response and Recovery (Train the Trainer) Online Course

March 11, 1:00-4:30

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

March 12, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting



National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

March 17, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

March 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

March 24, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Alaska Tribal Transportation Work Group (ATTWG)

22nd Annual Alaska Tribal Transportation Symposium

Anchorage, AK, March 24-26

We're participating!

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

March 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

March 31, 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