eNews - March 14, 2024

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

Upcoming National RTAP Active Shooter Preparedness Training Overview Webinar

New National RTAP Website Builder Office Hours

Updated Getting Started: Creating a Vision & Strategy for Rural Transit Technical Brief

FTA Partial Fiscal Year 2024 Apportionments Announced

Build America Bureau NOFO for Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grants

New National RTAP Office Hours for Website Builder

Website Builder allows rural and tribal transit agencies and State RTAPs to create and design websites that are hosted on the National RTAP server free of charge. National RTAP now offers live technical support for Website Builder on Tuesdays from 1:00-1:30 PM ET. Share your screen, ask questions, and get help with your website. Use this link to join – no need to register.

Updated National RTAP Getting Started: Creating a Vision & Strategy for Rural Transit Technical Brief

Getting Started: Creating a Vision and Strategy for Rural Transit is a National RTAP Technical Brief that looks at how transportation professionals can build a solid foundation of support for transit that can be both initially successful and sustainable into the future. It presents start-up strategies that focus on what rural, small urban, and specialized transportation communities need in terms of service.

Updated information includes new recommendations for key stakeholders, additional resources for demographic data, and additional bibliographical references. National RTAP thanks Jeremy Bell, Interim Director, Choctaw Transit, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, for the review of the latest update.

FTA announced partial-year federal funding available to support public transportation throughout the U.S. FY24 apportionments reflect the U.S. Census Bureau’s new urbanized area boundaries and population figures released in December 2022. FTA used transit agencies’ most recent 2022 service numbers reported to the National Transit Database (NTD) to calculate apportionments. 

FTA published the 2024 version of the annual Certifications and Assurances for execution by grant applicants. The posting includes a redline version showing changes between the 2023 and 2024 versions. 

FTA has released a new resource to help Tribes navigate the Low-or No Emission (Low-No) and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities programs streamlined requirements, including what to do if requesting $1 million or more and whether Tribes can split requests across multiple applications.

The National Transit Institute has published new online courses for the upcoming months. Offerings include Principles for Effective Management and Supervision, FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel, Crisis Communications for Transit Managers, and others. See the Upcoming Events section of this newsletter for listings.

The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is holding a Workshop on Free GIS Tools for Transit Analysis and Map Making from March 26-28, 2024, 2:00-4:30 PM ET. This workshop will cover how to access and use free GIS tools, such as QGIS, how to make maps and perform transit planning analyses, and other topics.

The Urban Institute's Advancing Racial Equity through Federally Funded Public Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Projects catalogues data sources that can help local applicants make evidence-informed decisions about project selection and provides examples of how those data sources can be used to answer key equity-centric questions, using application criteria from competitive grants.

Travel Training Instruction using FTA Section 5310 by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) provides successful examples of programs, such as GoDakota in Dakota County, Minnesota, and TripLink in New Hampshire.

FHWA's Improving Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Accessing Transit is intended for transit agencies, regional organizations involved with planning and designing transit stops, pedestrian, bicycle facilities that provide access to transit, and others. The guide contains topics related to pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access to transit. The National RTAP Resource Library has a print copy - you can click on the Add to Cart icon if you would like to borrow it.

The Joint Office launched a new webpage on workforce development. This new platform contains resources to support workforce development activities for an electrified transportation system. It includes information on EV maintenance training, apprenticeship resources, and other information.

The Transit Workforce Center's (TWC) Agency Explorer (BETA) is an analysis of employment data from the National Transit Database (NTD). This dashboard provides agency-level employment statistics from 2018 to 2022 for all directly operated services of full reporters to NTD.

OnTheMap is a U.S. Census Bureau web-based mapping and reporting application that shows where workers are employed and where they live. It also provides companion reports on age, earnings, industry distributions, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, and gender. 

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) updated its National Transportation Statistics. Updated data tables include Roadway Vehicle-Miles Traveled (VMT) and VMT per Lane-Mile by Functional System, Government Transportation Finance, Domestic Demand for Gasoline by Mode, and other data.

The new Caltrans Transportation Equity Index Tool identifies inequities based on publicly available and internal data sets. It includes three data screens: Priority Populations, Traffic Burdens, and Access to Destinations.

The Build America Bureau issued the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program for three fiscal years of awards. The grants will enable recipients to facilitate and evaluate public-private partnerships in which the private sector partner could assume a greater role in project planning, development, financing, construction, maintenance, and operation, including by assisting eligible entities in entering into asset concessions. Submissions are due May 10, 2024.

TCRP is accepting nominations for research reports, and anyone can share an idea for future TCRP research by submitting a problem statement by June 14, 2024. 

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) is leading a TCRP study called Accessible Public Bus and Rail Passenger Information for Riders with Vision Disabilities. This project will develop a transit agency guide for improving how information is provided to passengers who are blind or have low vision. TTI is seeking feedback through March 15, 2024 from transit agencies that provide fixed-route transit services.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is seeking input on what courses to develop in the 2024/2025 contract year.

FMCSA is soliciting proposals for four grant programs through April 19, 2024: High Priority Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Grant Program, Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant Program, Commercial Driver’s License Program Implementation Grant Program, and High Priority Enforcement Training and Support Grant Program. 

FHWA is accepting applications through April 22, 2024 for its Congestion Relief Program, which offers competitive grants to advance innovative, multimodal solutions to reduce vehicular traffic in the most congested metropolitan areas of the U.S. FHWA also announced funding through the Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants Program to fund low carbon construction materials that create less pollution by reducing the levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions, including concrete, cement, glass, asphalt mix, and steel. Funds are available through September 30, 2026.

The 2024 Digital Counties Survey by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties provides an opportunity to conduct an in-depth IT self-audit of current operational status, accomplishments of the past year, and plans for the future. The survey deadline is March 27, 2024.

The U.S. Government Publishing Office and the Office of Management and Budget published the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. The Budget requests $25.4 billion in discretionary budget authority for transportation for 2025.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted an information collection extension request for Transportation Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, Programs, and Projects. Comments are due April 1, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security seeks public comment through April 30, 2024 on issues and questions related to transactions involving information and communications technology and services for connected vehicles that are designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of foreign countries or foreign non-government persons identified in its regulations.

The IRS issued final regulations, effective May 10, 2024, to treat the amount of certain tax credits as a payment of Federal income tax. The regulations describe rules for the elective payment of these credit amounts in a taxable year, including definitions and special rules applicable to partnerships and S corporations and regarding repayment of excessive payments. In addition, the regulations describe rules related to a required IRS pre-filing registration process. The regulations affect tax-exempt organizations, State and local governments, Indian tribal governments, Alaska Native Corporations, and others.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeks comment through April 8, 2024 on implementing a multilingual alert processing model for the Emergency Alert System where pre-scripted/template alert messages have been pre-translated into English and the 13 most commonly spoken non-English languages in the U.S.

FHWA announced that it will not seek to enforce the deadline for states to submit their initial targets for the greenhouse gas performance measure until March 29, 2024.  

The FHWA is proposing to discontinue its general waiver of Buy America requirements for manufactured products and in doing so require FHWA recipients to start applying Buy America requirements to manufactured products. The FHWA is also proposing standards for applying Buy America to manufactured products should the waiver be discontinued. Comments are due May 13, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule, effective March 11, 2024, revising the Department’s guidance on how to analyze who is an employee or independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

FHWA announced a Request for Information to solicit feedback from stakeholders on updating its minimum standards and requirements for electric vehicle charging stations. Information is particularly being solicited concerning the new J3400 standard for chargers. Comments must be received on or before April 5, 2024.

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 6 for Hawaii.

Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

Zero-Emission Bus Resources Webinar

March 14, 12:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 14, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Texas Transit Association (TTA)

TTA Annual State Conference, Expo, and Roadeo

San Antonio, TX, March 15-20

Please visit our booth!

Nebraska Association of Transportation Providers (NATP)

NATP 2024 Legislative Day

Lincoln, NE, March 18

We're participating!

NCMM and SUMC

Universal Mobility Learning Module and Implementation Guide Webinar

March 18, 3:00-4:30 PM

Native Learning Center

Steps to Starting a Tribal Business Training

Hollywood, FL, March 18-19

AASHTO

2024 TechEx Conference

Boston, MA, March 18-21 

National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) 

Mobility Management Connections: Spring Into Mobility & Transportation Virtual Summit

March 18-22  

We're presenting!

Vision Zero Network

Safe Streets for All - Funding Strategies That Work Webinar

March 19, 12:00-1:00 PM

Mobility, Access, and Transportation Insecurity (MATI) Program

MATI Office Hours

March 19, 1:00-2:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

March 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Steuben County Human Services Transportation Advisory Committee and National RTAP

March 19, 1:30-3:00 PM ET  

No preregistration is necessary; join at the time of the meeting. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA Community Change Grants: Preparing a Grant Budget Webinar

March 19, 3:00 PM

United Motorcoach Association (UMA)

2024 Bus and Motorcoach Industry Legislative Fly-In

Washington, DC, March 19-20

Institute for Transportation Engineers (ITE)

ITE Virtual Spring Conference: The Journey to Safer Communities

March 19-20

APTA

The Role of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses in a Zero Emission Future Webinar

March 20, 2:00 PM

TRB 

Lessons of Agency Resilience During Periods of Disruption Webinar

March 20, 2:00-3:30 PM

Forth 

Driving Change with a Sustainability Certification Webinar

March 20, 3:00-4:00 PM

EVCS Productions Inc.

EV Charging Summit and Expo

Las Vegas, NV, March 20-22

President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) 

Virtual Public Meeting

March 21, 12:00-5:00 PM

Maryland Department of Planning

Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives Webinar

March 21, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

U.S. DOT

Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program: Technical Assistance Grants Webinar

March 21, 1:00-2:00 PM

Braunability

DPA-2 Model Lifts Maintenance & Certification Checklist Webinar

March 21, 1:00-2:00 PM

U.S. DOT

Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program: Expert Services Grants Webinar

March 21, 2:30-3:30 PM

Braunability

DPA-2 Model Lifts General Overview Webinar

March 22, 1:00-3:00 PM

TRB 

Respectful Response to People Experiencing Homelessness in Transit Webinar

March 25, 1:00-2:30 PM

Southwest Transit Association (SWTA)

Federal Transit Funding & Legislation 201: Understanding the Formula Programs Webinar

March 25, 2:00-3:00 PM

U.S. DOT

DOT Climate Change Center 2024 Webinar Series: Transit-Oriented Development

March 25, 2:30 PM 

ActivEnviro

Active Living Conference

Chattanooga, TN, March 25-28

Native Learning Center

Tribal Grant Writing Virtual Training

March 25-28

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

March 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

NTD 2024 Safety and Security Non-Rail Mode Reporting Webinar

March 26, 2:00-3:30 PM

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

2024 Safe Mobility Conference

Chapel Hill, NC, March 26-27

National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT)

N-CATT March 2024 Workshop on Free GIS Tools for Transit Analysis and Map Making

March 26-28, 2:00-4:30 PM

Institute for Human Services, Inc. (IHS)

Social Factors That Impact Health and Why They Matter Webinar

March 27, 9:00-10:00 AM

TRB 

Wrong-Way Driving Solutions Handbook Webinar

March 27, 12:00-1:30 PM

National Transit Institute

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

March 27, 1:00-4:30 PM

Smart Growth America

Smart Growth America’s Equity Summit

Washington, DC, March 27-28

United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc.

2024 USET/USET SPF Impact Week

Arlington, VA, March 27-29

We're participating!

Intelligent Transport

Driving Sustainable Progress: Harnessing the Potential of Alternative Power in Public Transport Webinar

March 28, 10:00 AM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

April 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Active Shooter Preparedness Training for Rural Transit Systems - Overview Webinar

April 2, 2:00-3:00 PM

FTA

17th Annual FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference

Atlanta, GA, April 2-4

Connecticut RTAP

Connecticut RTAP Spring Conference

Hartford, CT, April 3

We're presenting and exhibiting!

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 4, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Renewable Fuel Standard Set Rule Implementation Webinar

April 4, 1:00-4:30 PM

North Carolina Public Transportation Association (NCPTA)

NCPTA Conference, Expo, Roadeo & Golf Tournament 

Concord, NC, April 5-10

Please stop by our table!

National Transit Institute

Principles for Effective Management and Supervision Online Course

April 8-11, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

April 9, 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

April 9, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Crisis Communications for Transit Managers Online Course

April 9-10, 1:00-4:30 PM

COMTO

2024 Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation (CWWMN) Awards Breakfast

Washington, DC, April 10

National Transit Institute

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

April 10, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 11, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium (SGCETC)

2024 Tribal Self-Governance Conference

Chandler, AZ, April 15-18

National Transit Institute

Transportation Planning Process Online Course

April 15-18, 1:00-5:00 PM

Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) and Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation (CHAI)

Transportation and Aging—Opportunities and Challenges in Rural Communities Webinar

April 16, 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

April 16, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

U.S. Access Board

U.S. Access Board Public Town Hall Meeting 

Los Angeles, CA, April 16, 4:30 – 7:00 PM

To register, send an email to events@access-board.gov with your name and organization by April 8, 2024. 

Community Transportation Association of the Northwest (CTANW)

CTANW Summit

Ocean Shores, WA, April 16-19

Please visit our booth!



Forth

Design and Fund Equitable Electric Transportation For Communities Workshop

Chicago, IL, April 17

National Transit Institute

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

April 17, 1:00-4:30 PM

FTA

Advancing Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance Workshop

Denver, CO, April 17-18

Registration deadline: April 3, 2024

BusRide Maintenance

Preparing Your Transit System for a Changing [EV] Fleet Webinar

April 18, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 18, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

Technology Transfer Symposium: Approaches to Advance Commercial Applications

Washington, DC and Online, April 22, 10:00AM - 5:00 PM

National RTAP

National RTAP Rural and Tribal Transit Training - Capital Projects

Spokane, WA, April 22-24

ITS America

ITS America Conference & Expo

Phoenix, AZ, April 22-25

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

April 22-25, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

April 23, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Safety Council (NSC)

Road to Zero Webinar- Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April 23, 4:00 PM

AASHTO

2024 AASHTO Spring Meeting

Madison, WI, April 23-26

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 25, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Early Property Acquisition and NEPA Compliance Webinar

April 25, 2:00-3:30 PM ET

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Mobility Conference

Portland, OR, April 28 - May 1

National Transit Institute

Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Program with Lifecycle Management Online Course

April 29-May 1, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

April 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

ALTRANS & Transportation Association of Alabama

2024 ALTRANS & Transportation Association of Alabama Conference

Gulf Shores, AL, April 30-May 2

The Drug and Alcohol Testing Institute, Inc.

2024 Drug and Alcohol Testing Institute Summit for DER's and Program Managers

May 1-2, Kansas City, MO

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

May 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Transportation Planning Process Online Course

May 6-9, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

May 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Crisis Communications for Transit Managers Online Course

May 7-8, 1:00-4:30 PM

Government Fleet

Public Transportation Conference

Louisville, KY, May 7-10

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

May 9, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Online Course

May 13-16, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Transit Service Planning Online Course

May 13-16, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Principles for Effective Management and Supervision Online Course

May 13-16, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

May 14, 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

May 14, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Safety Council (NSC)

Spring NSC Safety Conference & Expo

Rosemont, IL, May 14-16

FTA

Advancing Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance Workshop

Atlanta, GA, May 15-16, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM 

Registration deadline: May 1, 2024

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

May 16, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

May 20-23, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

May 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Virginia Transit Association (VTA)

2024 VTA Annual Conference & Bus Expo 

Harrisonburg, VA, May 22

Please stop by our table!

National Transit Institute

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

May 22, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

May 23, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

May 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

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

May 29, 1:00-4:30 PM

U.S. DOT

DOT Climate Change Center 2024 Webinar Series: Climate Adaptation and Resilience in Transportation

May 30, 1:00 PM 

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

May 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Transit Service Planning Online Course

June 3-6, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Transportation Planning Process Online Course

June 3-6, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 4, 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

June 4, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute

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

June 5, 1:00-4:30 PM

FTA

Advancing Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance Virtual Workshop

June 5-6, 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM 

Registration deadline: May 22, 2024

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

June 6, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) CTAA Expo

Palm Beach, FL, June 9-12

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Online Course

June 10-14, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 11, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Crisis Communications for Transit Managers Online Course

June 11-12, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

June 13, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 18, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

June 20, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Rural Grocery Initiative

National Rural Grocery Summit

Montgomery, AL, June 24-25

National Transit Institute

Principles for Effective Management and Supervision Online Course

June 24-25, 1:00-5:00 PM

TRB

TRB's 4th International Conference on Access Management

Boston, MA, June 24-26

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

June 24-27, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 25, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

June 27, 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. Also, see the FTA Events Calendar. To submit an event, email info@nationalrtap.org.

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