National RTAP eNews - October 24, 2024

eNews - October 24, 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

New National RTAP Driver Retention Best Practices Spotlight Article

Upcoming National RTAP / N-CATT Webinar on Mobility Wallets

Transportation Technical Assistance Library (TACL) News and Updates

U.S. DOT Proposed Rule on Electronic Signatures for Drug and Alcohol Testing

USDA Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)

New National RTAP Driver Retention Best Practices Spotlight Article

National RTAP published a Best Practices Spotlight Article on Driver Retention. It has been becoming increasingly difficult to recruit and retain rural and tribal transit drivers. To retain quality employees, transit agencies need to offer competitive pay and benefits, and implement programs and processes that make drivers feel valued and appreciated. The article provides practical and easy-to-implement strategies from several rural and tribal transit agencies that can be used to create a workplace that drivers will want to remain in and thrive in.

Case studies include Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA, shown in the photo above), Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA), HIRTA Public Transit, and Big Woods Transit. National RTAP appreciates the review of the spotlight article by John Andoh, Transit General Manager, Redding Area Bus Authority.

Featured Resource

Upcoming National RTAP/N-CATT Webinar on Mobility Wallets

National RTAP and the National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) are co-hosting a webinar on Mobility Wallets 101 on November 4, 2024 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Learn about mobility wallets and the Michigan Mobility Wallet Challenge, including several successful projects that have been implemented.

Transportation Technical Assistance Library (TACL) News and Updates

The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL) helps rural and tribal transit agencies access information about public transportation coordination, coordinate among federally funded programs, and share resources across agencies to improve transit in their communities. TACL contains reports, training seminars, toolkits, and other materials developed by FTA and its technical assistance centers.

In October 2024, 2 new resources were added to TACL:

Transit Workforce Center's (TWC) Case Study: Mississippi’s Developing Responsible Individuals with Valuable Education (DRIVE) Program
Shared-Use Mobility Center's (SUMC) Living Streets: Redding Bikeshare’s Integration with Public Transit

The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is this quarter's featured TA Center with resources shown in a carousel at the bottom right of TACL's homepage.

We launched a TACL Peer Forum, where transportation coordination stakeholders can ask questions about TACL and transportation coordination resources. TACL Task Force members will answer questions and peers can also share best practices. Request to join the forum.

Visit TACL

Upcoming National RTAP Events

In support of the NTD reporting requirements for GTFS for fixed and deviated fixed route service, National RTAP offers free, live support on Thursdays from 1:00-1:30 PM ET. Meet with our instructor, share your screen, and ask questions. Use this link to join – no preregistration is needed.

Website Builder allows rural and tribal transit agencies and State RTAPs to create and design websites hosted on the National RTAP server free of charge. National RTAP 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.

National RTAP administered a Community Rides Grant Program in 2021-2023, which offered up to $100,000 for projects that strengthen transportation partnerships and improve social determinants of health in rural and tribal communities. Join us for a webinar on October 31, 2:00-3:00 PM ET to learn about several of the successful projects.

National RTAP recently comprehensively updated and enhanced its Marketing Transit Toolkit. Join us for a webinar on November 12, 2024 at 2:00-3:15 PM ET for an overview of the Toolkit.

Join transit leaders from the National RTAP Review Board for a LinkedIn Learnalong on succession planning on January 7, 2025 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Participants will watch instructional videos and engage in a discussion on LinkedIn with our co-moderators on best practices and lessons learned. RSVP.

State RTAP Managers - Please join us on January 9, 2025 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET for an informal discussion of topics of interest to State RTAP Managers. Topics that we will discuss will include developing an RTAP policy manual, assisting subrecipients with supply chain shortages, and other subjects. Please note that this roundtable is just for State RTAP Managers. Transit Managers - stay tuned for a roundtable later this winter.

The National RTAP Books in Transit Discussion Group selected the book The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson as its next book for our February 20, 2025 meeting, which will take place between 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The novel is about a man who met a woman on a bus and lost the bus ticket with her phone number on it. For the past sixty years, he’s ridden the same bus trying to find her. Register.

National RTAP GTFS Builder and Intercity Transportation Webinar Recordings Published

National RTAP held a workshop series to develop GTFS data for trip planners from October 2-16, 2024. Attendees completed GTFS data for one bus route and learned how to complete GTFS data for other routes and generate the required weblink to report at the National Transit Database (NTD). We published:

Session 1 recording and slides
Session 2 recording and slides
Session 3 recording and slides

On October 15, 2024, we held Part 1 of our Intercity Transportation Update Webinar Series. Three rural transit leaders discussed multimodal intercity transportation hubs and the benefits and challenges of bringing intercity transportation and rural transit together. Access the recording and slides. Part 2 will take place in January.

National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences

We're presenting and exhibiting at the following events:

National RTAP NEPA Hot Topic Guide Launched

National RTAP continues its annual rollout of Hot Topic Guides in its Find Anything Toolkit. These guides include resources that answer questions posed by users of the National RTAP Resource Center and respondents to our surveys. We posted a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Hot Topic Guide.

Resources include:

FTA's NEPA Readiness web page
U.S. DOT's NEPA Timelines
Volpe Center's Using NEPA Review to Define and Shape Better Projects

Call for Grant Writers for a National RTAP Directory

National RTAP launched a new Grant Writer Directory to help rural and tribal transit agencies and local, regional, and state transportation programs find grant-writing consultants that they can consider contracting with. If you know of any grant writers who should be considered for this directory (self-nominations are welcome), please contact us.

Save the Date for the 6th National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference

The 6th National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference will take place in Austin, Texas from December 7-12, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Austin on 208 Barton Springs Road. We will post more information on our conference web page as it becomes available.

Updated National RTAP Resource Library Policies

National RTAP updated its Resource Library Policies document. The document outlines the library collection development methodology, services, and visiting protocol.

National RTAP Posts Social Media Plan

National RTAP posted its Social Media Plan on its Connect with Us web page. The plan details the platforms that National RTAP offers and its goals and objectives for each of the platforms, along with initiatives planned for the next year.

Articles Citing National RTAP

USDA Rural Business Development and NADO's report on Supporting Mobility Innovation in Michigan’s Western Upper Peninsula cites the National RTAP Transit Manager's Toolkit and our micromobility and service planning webinars.

The Jaunt Rural Transit Needs Assessment, prepared by the Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility (SURCOM), cites the National RTAP Marketing Toolkit.

U.S. DOT and FTA Updates

U.S. DOT proposes to amend its regulations for conducting workplace drug and alcohol testing for the federally regulated transportation industry to allow, but not require, electronic signatures on documents required to be created and utilized under the regulations. Comments must be received by December 16, 2024.

FTA published its 2024 NTD Safety & Security Quick Reference Guide – Non-Rail Mode Reporting. A Reportable Event is a safety or security event occurring on transit right-of-way or infrastructure, at a transit revenue facility, at a maintenance facility, during a transit-related maintenance activity, or involving a transit revenue vehicle.

FTA conducts oversight workshops across the country to help recipients broaden their understanding of federal rules and regulations and how to comply with FTA program requirements. The FTA web page on Upcoming Procurement System Reviews and Financial Management Oversight Reviews Workshops lists the upcoming events with regions, cities, locations, and dates. Upcoming trainings are planned for Anchorage, AK, San Francisco, CA, and San Juan, PR.

The U.S. DOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) launched its Pathways to Entrepreneurship Program: Powering Small Businesses in Emerging Transportation Markets pilot program. The program has three pathways to entrepreneurship designed for Small Disadvantaged Businesses, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

FTA published a final rule, effective January 1, 2025, for State Safety Oversight (SSO). This final rule implements new requirements of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, removes outdated references, and simplifies notification requirements. While Part 674 does not apply to bus transit, this final rule does not prevent state safety oversight agencies from performing additional oversight activities at their discretion pursuant to their state laws.

Webinars and Training

TCRP is holding a Fleet Configurations for Paratransit Services Webinar on October 24 at 2:00 PM ET. This webinar will address the findings of TCRP Synthesis 174: Paratransit Fleet Configurations, which focuses on the different ways that transit agencies have configured their dedicated paratransit fleets.

National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is holding a Data Dashboards 201 Workshop Series on November 19-21, from 2:00-4:30 PM ET. The course will cover how to create dashboards in Power BI and how to prepare data and metrics for dashboards.

Publications

FHWA's Making Transportation Planning Applicable in Tribal Communities Research Study analyzes the transportation project development lifecycle to understand which planning analysis tools best serve Tribal communities’ interests and to what effect. For example, stakeholder discussions can begin internally with the Tribal Council and the Tribal membership or with neighboring Tribes and public transit providers.

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center's (NADTC) equity brief on Caregivers and Transportation discusses the role of caregivers in helping persons with disabilities and older adults access transportation, along with recommendations for travel training and how providers can best work with caregivers.

TCRP's Inclusive Virtual Public Involvement for Public Transit assists transit agencies with enhancing public engagement by more effectively using virtual tools and strategies. For example, one strategy is to use non-digital engagement tools as a supplement to digital tools in rural areas (e.g., phone calls, texts, postal mail, and other means of engaging people who do not have Internet access).

FHWA's Programmatic Mitigation Planning Guidebook identifies the steps agencies should consider, in coordination with the appropriate resource and regulatory agencies, to develop and implement a Programmatic Mitigation Plan (PMP). It provides connections to the statutory and regulatory requirements, details the economic and environmental benefits of using PMPs, and shares best practices and additional resources for developing and implementing such plans.

TRB updated several Snap Searches: Rural Transportation, Public Transportation, and Transit Innovations. For example, in the Transit Innovations Snap Search, readers will find reports including an Open Platform to Attract, Organize, and Coordinate Volunteers for Rural and Small Urban Transit, Bike Love, and Comprehensive Wayfinding for All.

Databases and Tools

Government Technology built an AI Tracker, an interactive map that shows which states are adopting and regulating AI in government through task forces, leadership roles, policies, projects, and restrictions.

There are over 1,100 designated Federal Depository Libraries located in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Micronesia, and U.S. territories. The U.S. Government Publishing Office, through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), distributes government information free of cost to these libraries, and the libraries provide free access for all users to this information. An interactive map lets users search by state, and keyword and advanced search options are available.

FlowmapBlue is an open-source, web-based application that enables planners to identify the starting and ending points of journeys. Users can specify clustering levels and add animations.

Ankava allows users to select a city and then draws every single road, using OpenStreetMap data. Users can customize the background and road network colors and export the drawing as a PNG file.

Opportunities

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP helps rural small business owners make energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments to lower energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen the resiliency of their operations. Applications must be received by September 30, 2027.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation provides technical assistance to communities at all stages of interest, planning, and deployment of electric mobility technologies.

The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, State Justice Institute, Institute for Intergovernmental Research shared a solicitation for Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions program. Over the course of one year, the selected individuals and teams will receive coaching and participate in skill-building workshops as well as virtual and in-person learning experiences. The deadline for applying is December 16, 2024

Legislation

The U.S. Treasury released new and updated resources for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Reporting Requirements, including the October 2024 Project and Expenditure Report User Guide and Updated Compliance and Reporting Guidance to assist in reporting SLFRF expenditures.

The Reuse Excess Property Act (S.2685) became law on October 1, 2024. The Act requires the General Services Administration to make publicly available on the Internet the data contained in specified federal agency reports on excess personal property. Personal property is any property except real property and includes vehicles, furniture, and office equipment.

Upcoming Events

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).

Vision Zero Network

Exploring the role of AVs in Vision Zero Progress Webinar

October 24, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 24, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

TCRP

Fleet Configurations for Paratransit Services Webinar

October 24, 2:00 PM

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

Strategies for Resilient Lifeline Infrastructure – A Critical Part of Community Recovery from Extreme Natural Hazards Webinar

October 24, 2:00-3:00 PM

Oregon Transit Association

Annual Oregon Public Transportation Conference

Seaside, OR, October 27-30

Please stop by our Table!

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

NHTSA Safety Research Portfolio Virtual Public Meeting

October 28-30

FTA

Cybersecurity Awareness for Transit Agencies Webinar

October 29, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 29, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

AASHTO

AASHTO Annual Meeting & Expo

Philadelphia, PA, October 29 - November 1

U.S. Access Board

U.S. Access Board Meeting and Webcast

October 30, 1:30-3:00 PM

Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

Continuing the Conversation: Challenging Perceptions: Race, Transportation, Safety, and the Built Environment Webinar

October 30, 2:00-3:30 PM

Q'Straint

Q'Straint: Q'LIVE Wheelchair Securement Training Webinar

October 31, 12:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 31, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Community Rides Grant Project Outcomes and Lessons Learned

October 31, 2:00-3:00 PM

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database 2024-2025 Data Publications Release Overview Webinar

October 31, 2:00-3:30 PM

National RTAP

Mobility Wallets 101

November 4, 2:00-3:00 PM

National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)

What We Learned: NADTC’s 2023 National Survey of Transportation Providers Webinar

November 4, 2:00 PM

Bobit

Global Fleet Conference

San Diego, CA, November 4-6

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

November 5, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)

Showcasing Safe and Accessible Mobility Programs to Assist At-Risk Youth Webinar

November 5, 2:00 PM

Michigan Technical University Center for Technology & Training

2024 Cold Weather Work Webinar

November 6, 9:00-11:00 AM

METRANS, University of Southern California

The Environmental Impacts of Living Far from Work Locations: Examining the Roles of Housing, Migration, and Long-Distance Commuting Webinar

November 6, 3:00 PM

National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)

Serving Family Caregivers in Your Transportation System Webinar

November 6, 3:00-4:00 PM

Bobit

Fleet Forward & Fleet Safety Conferences

San Diego, CA, Nov. 6-8

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

AASHTO

AASHTOWare OpenAPI In Action Webinar

November 7, 2:00 PM

TRB

Behavioral Science and Nudge Applications in Transportation Webinar

November 8, 1:00-2:30 PM

Transit Workforce Center (TWC)

Making Connections 2024 - The National Transit Workforce Conference

Baltimore, MD, November 11-13

We're presenting!

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

November 12, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Open Mobility Foundation

Open Mobility Foundation Summit and CoMotion

Los Angeles, CA, November 12-14

National Transit Institute

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

November 13, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 14, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

U.S. DOT

Resilient Transportation Infrastructure: DOT Climate Adaptation Plan 2024-2027 Webinar

November 14, 2:00 PM

UMass Amherst and Massachusetts DOT

Innovation Webinar: Cross-Modal Impact Assessment for Sustainable Transportation Networks

November 14, 2:00 PM

Micromobility America

Micromobility America Conference

Costa Mesa, CA, November 14-15

Q'Straint

Q'Straint: Q'LIVE Wheelchair Securement Training Webinar

November 19, 12:00 PM

Active Transportation Resource Center

Art in Active Transportation Webinar

November 19, 12:30 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

November 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

NTD Reporting Security Events on the S&S-40 and S&S-50 Form Webinar

November 19, 2:00-3:30 PM

National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT)

N-CATT November 2024 Data Dashboards 201 Workshop Series

November 19-21, 2:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

FTA

Advancing Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance Virtual Training

November 21-22, 10:30 AM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

November 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

December 3, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Georgia Transit Association (GTA)

2024 GTA Annual Conference

Columbia, GA, December 4-6

Please visit our booth!

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 5, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Safety and Risk Management Seminar

Atlanta, GA, December 8-11

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Transit Ballot Initiatives Workshop

Cincinnati, OH, December 9-11

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

December 10, 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

December 10, 1:00-4:30 PM

Q'Straint

Q'Straint: Q'LIVE Wheelchair Securement Training Webinar

December 12, 12:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 12, 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

December 16, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

December 16-19, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

December 17, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for Indian Tribes Virtual Course

December 17-18, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Succession Planning LinkedIn Learnalong

January 7, 2:00-3:00 PM

National RTAP

State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable

January 9, 2:00-3:00 PM

FTA

Advancing Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance Virtual Training

January 14-15, 10:30 AM

U.S. DOT

Navigating Climate Challenges: Enhancing Transportation Resilience Webinar

January 15, 2:00 PM

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.

Calendar of Events

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

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