eNews - May 7, 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

Upcoming Webinar - Spring into New National RTAP Resources

New National RTAP Best Practices Spotlight Article - Using Data for Storytelling

2 Weeks Left to Submit a Proposal for a Local Host for the Next National RTAP Conference

National RTAP RFP to Update Tap Into RTAP Video

National RTAP Review Board Spotlight Article - Shauna Miller

New National RTAP Best Practices Spotlight Article - Using Data for Storytelling

Everyone loves stories. Putting data in your stories (or telling stories with your data) adds another layer to make the impression and message last. This National RTAP Best Practices Spotlight Article on Using Data for Storytelling will show how rural and tribal transit agencies have mastered this and how you can become an expert too. This article contains a case study on Bolivar County Council on Aging, Inc.'s (BCCOA) data story, several case examples, and recommendations for creating stories about funding and advocacy, visual and verbal stories, and stories that celebrate milestones.

Thank you to John Andoh, Transit General Manager, Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA); LaShonda McKinney, Executive Director, Bolivar County Council on Aging, Inc. (BCCOA); and Katy Miller, Transit Programs Manager, Virginia Department of Rail & Public Transportation (VDRPT), for review of and contributions to this article.

Two Weeks Left to Submit a Proposal for a Local Host for the Next National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference

FTA is requesting comments through May 26, 2026 on information collection for its Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program and its Transit Research, Development, Demonstration, Deployment, and Training Projects.  

U.S. DOT is requesting comments through May 18, 2026 on its Proposed Guidance for its Improvement Financing Program and Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Program. The interim policy would be applied only to active projects that previously received a preliminary eligibility determination or initiated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

U.S. DOT and its agencies, including FTA, published a Final Rule on Administrative Rulemaking, Guidance, and Enforcement Procedures in the Federal Register. The rule revises and updates the U.S. DOT's internal policies and procedures relating to the issuance of rulemaking documents. The rule is effective on May 27, 2026.

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) is hosting a Tribal Transportation/Transit Building Virtual Roundtable on May 12, 2026 from 12:00-1:00 PM ET. This session will explore the full life cycle of transit building grants—from early planning and project development to construction, compliance, and final grant closeout.

The Center for Tribal Transportation is offering several in-person trainings for Tribes, such as plan estimating, procurement, grant writing, and others.

TRB is holding a webinar on Leading Transportation Agencies and Advancing Projects Through Disruptions on May 18, 2026 from 12:00-1:30 PM ET. Presenters will highlight strategies that support organizational excellence across governance, workforce, emerging technologies, and communication methods, insights into challenges affecting rural transportation, and approaches for adapting strategies to real-world disruption scenarios.

A Rural Health Information Hub article on Collaborating for Transportation Access in Rural Communities shows how the nonprofit Feonix – Mobility Rising helps rural areas like Waupaca County, Wisconsin, and South Texas increase access to transportation.

The Annual Disability Statistics Compendium by the Center for Research on Disability collates important information about people with disabilities in the United States, including all states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and in some sections outlying territories. It includes data from multiple government agencies and programs. 

One Idea Per Line: A Guide to Making Easy Read Resources by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network provides training on Easy Read, a format designed to make information accessible to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Easy Read is a style of writing that uses clear and easy-to-understand language. Each sentence is shown next to a picture icon to illustrate the information in that sentence.

Rolling Rural is a new podcast series from the Illinois Rural Transit Assistance Center (RTAC), part of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University. Rolling Rural tells the stories of the people behind rural transit, featuring interviews with leaders and frontline professionals working to connect communities across rural Illinois. RTAC Director John Bannon is the podcast host.

The Minnesota Transportation Finance Database contains data about the expenses of the Minnesota rural transit systems, Minnesota revenue and expenditures for transportation purposes, county transportation tax revenue, and other categories. 

The Region 4 University Transportation Center's Rural Autonomous Vehicle Readiness Assessment Tool is an interactive geospatial platform designed to evaluate a region’s preparedness for autonomous vehicle deployment, with an initial focus on rural North Carolina. The tool integrates data on physical and digital infrastructure and social vulnerability to compute a readiness score at the county and census tract levels. 

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Fuel Economy Find-a-Car feature provides fuel economy information, environmental data, and safety data by model, make, and year. The site also includes a widget so others can add the tool to their own website.

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) launched an interactive story map to tell the story of transit. Interactive maps highlight routes, points of interest, employment clusters, population density, and more.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) updated its National Transportation Statistics (NTS). Updated data includes national transportation and economic trends, average passenger fares, total wage and salary by transportation industry, and other statistics.

Google Plus Codes are open-source digital addresses that are like street addresses for places that don’t have one. Instead of addresses with street names and numbers, Plus Codes are based on latitude and longitude, and displayed as numbers and letters. They can be used to get precise pickup and drop-off locations.

911Translate provides real-time conversational access to more than 70 languages, which could reduce the time it takes for emergency call takers to understand requests and communicate with dispatchers during 911 emergency calls.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) issued a notice of solicitation of applications (NOSA) for its Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative. INSPIRE supports projects that help individuals in recovery from substance use disorder enter or reenter the workforce. Applications are due June 15, 2026. ARC also issued a NOSA for its Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. POWER offers funding for projects that help Appalachian coal communities expand local and regional economies. Applications are due July 8, 2026.

Transit Talent has begun gathering data for its 2026 Transit Agency Salary Survey. Transit agency staff who would like to fill out a brief survey can send their email address to info@TransitTalent.com.

The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) opened its National Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Safety at McNeese State University. The Center will serve as a hub for research, innovation, regulatory coordination, and stakeholder education. 

The National League of Cities (NLC) new AI & Emerging Technology Forum is designed to convene stakeholders to explore how AI can improve service delivery, governance, and internal capacity.

Smart Growth America is offering technical assistance to help communities develop effective plans and compelling applications for U.S. DOT Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants. The grant deadline is May 26, 2026.

The USDA Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program supports the development and delivery of informal education and outreach activities, aiming to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of individuals and families on Tribal lands. While transportation is not specifically mentioned, one of the grant's purposes is solving the most pressing challenges farmers, ranchers, and foresters face. The deadline to apply is June 8, 2026.

TCRP is seeking research ideas that address the needs of public transportation agencies. TCRP supports applied, practitioner-focused research, and stakeholder engagement is critical to ensuring that TCRP identifies timely and impactful topics for the industry. The submission deadline is June 22, 2026.

The Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation Commission (NEMTAC) is conducting a voluntary, anonymized survey to better understand how non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services are structured, priced, and delivered across the United States. Responses will be aggregated and anonymized.

The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Wage and Hour Division is requesting public comment through June 22, 2026 on its Proposed Rule to clarify Joint Employer Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. The DOL believes that regulations addressing joint employment is necessary to promote clarity and uniformity in nationwide enforcement of federal wage and hour law.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will hold a hearing on the proposed rescheduling of marijuana into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act beginning June 29, 2026 in Arlington, VA. Persons who want to participate in the hearing must provide written notice of desired participation by May 28, 2026.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service is proposing to amend its regulation that sets forth the limited circumstances under which paper check disbursements may be made by federal agencies. Comments are due June 15, 2026.

FMCSA announced its new Motus registration system. Phase I was released on December 8, 2025. In Phase II, planned for the second quarter of 2026, Motus will become available to all regulated entities. Then, FMCSA will sunset the current Unified Registration System (URS) used for new applications for U.S. DOT Numbers and Operating Authority, along with registration components of the Motor Carrier Management Information System.

FMCSA also announced updates to its Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse online database. New identity verification requirements for certain Clearinghouse users have been set up for fraud prevention, accuracy, and accountability. Medical Review Officers, Substance Abuse Professionals, third-party administrators, and employers will be required to take additional steps to verify their identities within the database.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) placed four cannabinoid drugs into Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act, effective May 1, 2026. On May 4, 2026, the DEA established a specific listing in Schedule 1 for hexahydrocannabinol (HHC).

PL 119-86 / H.R.7744 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026, was signed into law on April 30, 2026, ending the partial government shutdown. This Act provided funding for several U.S. federal agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). 

The U.S. Council on Environmental Policy published categorical exclusion guidance on Establishing, Revising, Adopting, and Applying Categorical Exclusions Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on April 9, 2026. This document provides guidance for federal departments and agencies to establish, revise, adopt, and apply categorical exclusions in accordance with NEPA.

PL 119-88 / S.723, the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025, was signed into law on May 4, 2026. The Act sets forth requirements for the processing of a proposed business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, and right-of-way document by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). 

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).

Minnesota RTAP

Minnesota RTAP Spring Transit Workshop 2026

Waite Park, MN, May 5-7

Please visit our table!

HIRTA Public Transit 

Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) Substance Abuse Management and Program Compliance Training 

Des Moines, IA, May 5-8, 2026

FHWA

Innovative Funding Processes for Rural Road Safety Webinar

May 7, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

May 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference Local Host RFP Q&A Webinar 2

May 7, 2026, 2:00-3:00 PM 

Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA)

CTAA EXPO

Omaha, NE, May 10-13

Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy

Tribal Energy Evolution Summit

Tulalip, WA, May 11-14

New

National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)

Tribal Transportation/Transit Building Virtual Roundtable

May 12, 12:00-1:00 PM

We're participating

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

May 12, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE)

Notable Storms Webinar

May 13, 1:00-2:30 PM

Oregon Department of Emergency Management

Rural Communities Prepared for Disasters Webinar

May 13, 1:00-3:00 PM 

New

Tribal Funding Registry

TFR Live! Grantmatching Session

May 13, 2:00-3:15 PM

Self Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center (SARTAC)

Easy Read Text: A Webinar for Government and Non-Profits Agencies

May 13, 4:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

May 14, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Mobility Conference

Salt Lake City, UT, May 17-20

New

TRB 

Leading Transportation Agencies and Advancing Projects Through Disruptions Webinar

May 18, 12:00-1:30 PM

Community Transportation Association of the Northwest (CTANW)

CTANW Summit

Leavenworth, WA, May 18-19

Please visit our table!

New

Rocky Mountain Tribal Transportation Meeting

Great Falls, MT, May 18-20

Contact Winslow Friday for information

We're participating

National Safety Council (NSC)

Road to Zero Annual Meeting

Washington and Online, DC, May 19

Carahsoft

Carahsoft AI for Government Summit 2026

Reston, VA, May 19, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

May 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies (CTS)

CTS Webinar: How Infrastructure Shapes Driver Behavior and Pedestrian Safety

May 19, 1:00–2:30 PM

New

Mineta Transportation Institute

Trailblazer Tuesday with April Rai: President & CEO, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)

May 19, 3:00-3:30 PM

New

Wisconsin Assistive Technology Program (WisTech)

WisTech 2026 Training #1: Getting from Point A to B: Accessible Transportation

May 20, 11:00 AM

Self Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center (SARTAC)

Easy Read Icons: A Webinar for Government and Non-Profits Agencies

May 20, 4:00 PM

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Workforce Summit

Salt Lake City, UT, May 20-21

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

May 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

May 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

Transit Workforce Center (TWC)

ATTAIN: Bus Operator Mentorship and Apprenticeship Webinar

May 27, 12:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

May 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

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

May 28, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

June 1-4, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

Transit Workforce Center (TWC)

Launching TC3: Foundational Skills for Today’s Transit Workforce Webinar

June 2, 1:00 PM

New

911Translate

Introducing 911Translate: The free AI Language Line for 911

June 2, 2:00 PM

New

AASHTO

2026 AASHTO Census Transportation Planning Conference

Providence, RI, June 2-4

New

Easter Seals Project Action

Innovation, Engagement, and Spontaneity - Yes, we are Talking about Paratransit Service Webinar

June 3, 2:00-3:00 PM

Zero Emission Bus Resource Alliance (ZEBRA)

ZEBRA Spring 2026 Roundtable 

Urbana, IL, June 3-4

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

June 4, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment

Salt Lake City, UT, June 8-10

International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC)

Train-the-Trainer Level 2

Charlotte, NC, June 8-12

Registration closes on April 30, 2026

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 9, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Northeast Passenger Transportation Association (NEPTA)
NEPTA Conference and Expo

Warwick, RI, June 9-11

We're presenting and exhibiting!

New

Center for Tribal Transportation

Plan Reading/Estimating

Fountain Hills, AZ, June 10-11

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

June 11, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Self Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center (SARTAC)

Formatting Basics: A Webinar for Government and Non-Profits Agencies

June 15, 4:00 PM

New

United South and Eastern Tribes (USET)

2026 USET Best Practices Conference

Nashville, TN, June 15-17

Transportation Safety Institute / National RTAP

Substance Abuse Management and Program Compliance Training

Grand Rapids, MI, June 15-18

Limited spaces available. Contact Neil Rodriguez for more information. 

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 16, 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 16, 1:00-5:00 PM

New

Iowa Public Transit Association (IPTA)

2026 IPTA Annual Meeting & Training Conference

Altoona, IA, June 17-19

Please visit our booth!

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

June 18, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 23, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Risk Assessment for Transit Capital Projects

Austin, TX, June 23-24

New

National Transit Institute

Advanced Paratransit Management and Operations

Boston, MA, June 23-24

New

Center for Tribal Transportation

Procurement Best Practices

Fountain Hills, AZ, June 24-25

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

June 25, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National RTAP

Intercity Bus Industry and State Updates: Where Things Are Now

June 26, 2:00-3:30 PM

National RTAP

National RTAP Tribal & Rural Transit Mini-Conference

Window Rock, AZ, June 29 - July 1

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

June 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

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

June 30, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making

Miami, FL, June 30 - July 2

New

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

July 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

July 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making

Lakewood, WA, July 7-9

New

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

July 9, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National Transit Institute

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

July 9, 1:00-4:30 PM

New

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Transit Asset Management Online Course

July 13-15, 1:00-4:30 PM

New

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

July 14, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National Transit Institute

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Online Course

July 14, 1:00-5:00 PM

New

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

July 16, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National RTAP

Rural Transit Day Prequel

July 16, 1:00-2:00 PM

New

National RTAP

Rural Transit Day Zoom Chat

July 16, 1:00-2:00 PM

New

USAging 

USAging Conference and Tradeshow

San Diego, CA, July 18-21

We're providing resources

New

National Transit Institute

Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Transit

Oakland, CA, July 20-21

New

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

July 20-21, 1:00-5:00 PM

New

National Transit Institute

Management of Transit Construction Projects

Alexandria, VA, July 20-22

New

National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)

2026 National Regional Transportation Conference

Atlanta, GA, July 20-22, 2026

Please visit our table!

New

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Online Course

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

New

National Transit Institute

Transportation Planning Process Online Course

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

New

Mineta Transportation Institute

Trailblazer Tuesday with Nadine S. Lee: President & CEO, President & CEO, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

July 21, 3:00-3:30 PM

New

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

July 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

July 23, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

July 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

New

Association of Travel Instructors (ATI)

ATI Annual Conference

Kansas City, MO, July 28-30

We're participating!

New

National Transit Institute

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

July 29, 1:00-4:30 PM

New

National RTAP

Tap into RTAP RFP Preproposal Call

July 29, 2:00-3:00 PM

New

Center for Tribal Transportation

Tribal Grant Writing

Fountain Hills, AZ, July 29-30

New

National RTAP

GTFS Builder Office Hours

July 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