eNews - September 26, 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

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

Upcoming National RTAP Intercity Transportation Webinar - Part 1

Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Government Shutdowns

FTA General Directive on Required Actions Regarding Assaults on Transit Workers

FHWA Grant Funding Available through Low Carbon Materials Program

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.

Upcoming Webinar on Intercity Transportation Focusing on Multimodal Intercity Transportation Hubs

Join us on October 15, 2024 from 2:00-3:30 PM ET for Part 1 of our Intercity Transportation Update Webinar Series. Three rural transit leaders will discuss multimodal intercity transportation hubs. Don Willis, Director of Goldsporo-Wayne Transportation Authority in North Carolina, Angie Peters, General Manager of Walla Walla Valley Transit in Washington State, and Fred Fravel, Vice President, KFH Group, will discuss the benefits and the challenges of bringing intercity transportation and rural transit together. Bring your questions!

On September 25, 2024, the U.S. Congress passed a spending bill to fund government programs through December 20, 2024, averting a government shutdown.

FTA issued a General Directive to address the safety risk related to assaults on transit workers. The General Directive requires each transit agency subject to FTA’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) Final Rule to conduct a safety risk assessment, identify safety risk mitigations or strategies, and provide information to FTA on how it is assessing, mitigating, and monitoring the safety risk associated with assaults on transit workers. Responses to this General Directive are due December 26, 2024.

FTA's Procuring and Maintaining Battery Electric Buses and Charging Systems – Best Practices identifies areas for voluntary standards development for transit buses powered through electric propulsion and associated charging infrastructure. National RTAP assisted in this report by distributing FTA's survey to stakeholders.

FTA published its September 2024 Drug and Alcohol Regulation Updates newsletter. The issue contains guidance on post-accident testing thresholds, random testing spread requirements, post-accident/reasonable suspicion cards for supervisors, and other information.

Bobit is holding its Global Fleet Conference in San Diego, CA from November 4-6, 2024. Enter Code GFCAD100 through September 27, 2024 to apply a $100 discount off the registration fee.

AASHTO provides an eLearning course on CDL General Knowledge. This training contains the general knowledge and safe driving information that all commercial drivers should know, such as vehicle control, night driving, driving in hot and cold weather, and other topics. 

Equitable Transportation Access Solution: Bear River Association of Governments Mobility Voucher Program is a case study by the NADO Research Foundation. It describes a Mobility Voucher Program developed by the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG) and the Cache Valley Transit District (CVTD) in Utah that allows qualifying participants to submit vouchers reimbursing friends and family for giving them rides to access healthcare, shopping, and other needs.

An issue brief by the NADO Research Foundation, Planning and Environment Linkages: Flexible Implementations, introduces core concepts of PEL and the range of PEL authorities and provides case studies of successful PEL, such as the Prioritization Process in Rural Long Range Transportation Plan, Berkeley Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, South Carolina.

The Eno Center for Transportation published a policy brief on Understanding AI and Transportation to inform the transportation industry about the opportunities that AI offers and enable informed decisions about when and how to use it. The brief provides examples of AI technologies already in use in transportation, such as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and AI-assisted advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

The Transit Workforce Center (TWC) case studies on Approaches to Childcare Support in the Transit Industry describe three successful models: a voucher system, an on-site center managed directly by the agency, and a discounted center managed by a contractor with supplemental referral services. One of the case studies is a rural transit system: Prairie Hills Transit in Spearfish, South Dakota.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a table of federal tools that can help technical assistance providers evaluate climate risks and hazards, develop climate-smart projects, and consider the impacts of climate change throughout project implementation. Tools include the Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA), the Climate Resilience Evaluation & Assessment Tool (CREAT), and others.

Rural Health Information Hub (RHI Hub) recently updated its maps on Rural Healthcare Facilities. Maps are available on critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, and other types of facilities.

APTA’s Public Transportation Vehicle Database is an annual report of revenue vehicles by fleet characteristics. Fleet information includes date of manufacture, manufacturer, model, length, fuel type, accessibility features, and number of vehicles. The zip file includes the PDF and Excel. 

FHWA is accepting applications for its Low Carbon Transportation Materials Program through November 25, 2024. The program reimburses or provides incentives to eligible recipients for the use, in projects, of construction materials and products that have substantially lower levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions.

FHWA and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation issued a Request for Information for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Charging Technologies and Infrastructure Needs. Responses must be received by November 12, 2024.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) proposed regulations that would address the application of the corporate alternative minimum tax, which is imposed on the adjusted financial statement income of certain corporations based on their applicable financial statements for applicable taxable years beginning after 2022. Comments must be received by December 12, 2024. IRS also proposed a rule that aims to expand access to electric vehicle chargers, providing business credits up to $100,000 for installation of clean transportation equipment. Comments must be received by November 18, 2024. 

The comment period for the Update of FEMA's Public Assistance Regulations has been extended to October 18, 2024. FEMA's Public Assistance Program provides assistance for emergency protective measures, such as emergency evacuation, sheltering, and debris removal, as well as financial assistance for the permanent restoration of facilities.

Effective November 25, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will adopt a Report and Order to advance the nationwide Next Generation 911 (NG911) transition rules that define the responsibilities and set deadlines for originating service providers to implement NG911 capabilities on their networks and deliver 911 calls to NG911 systems established by 911 authorities. On September 26, 2024, the FCC approved information collections associated with certain rules adopted in the Location-Based Routing for Wireless 911 Calls Report and Order and stated that compliance with the rules is required.

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).

Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship 

Radically Rural Summit 2024 

Keene, NH, September 25-26 

HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) and Trust for America's Health (TFAH)

National Healthy Aging Virtual Symposium: Innovation Across the Age-Friendly Ecosystem

September 26

South West Transit Association (SWTA)

Shared-Risk Insurance Pools for Transit Agencies Webinar

September 26, 12:00-1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

TRB 

Capturing and Integrating Cost Data into Maintenance Management Systems Webinar

September 26, 2:00-3:30 PM

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

National Resilience Guidance (NRG) Overview Webinar 2

September 26, 3:00 PM

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

PCPID Public Meeting

Washington DC and Virtual, September 26-27

Accessible Transportation Resource Center (ATRC)

ATRC Office Hours: Accessible Transit Inclusion and Partnerships

September 27, 1:00 PM

TRB 

Using the Research in Progress Database Webinar

September 27, 1:00-2:00 PM

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA TRANSform Conference

Anaheim, CA, September 29 – October 2

U.S. Census Bureau

Livestream Meeting With Stakeholders on Disability Data Needs

September 30, 10:45 AM - 5:00 PM

The Transportation Alliance

Mobilize 2024

Dallas, TX, September 30 - October 2

Connecticut Association for Community Transportation (CACT)

Annual Statewide CACT Transportation EXPO

Newington, CT, October 1, 2024

For information, contact mary@cact.info

Please visit our booth!

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

National Resilience Guidance (NRG) Overview Webinar 3

October 1, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 1, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)

Volunteer Transportation: Nevada Rural Counties Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Transportation Service Webinar

October 1, 1:00-2:00 PM 

Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS)

Practice Inclusive Language Virtual Workshop

October 1, 2:00 PM

National RTAP

Cybersecurity for Transit: What You Need to Know

October 1, 2:00-3:30 PM

Clean Mobility Equity Alliance

2024 Clean Mobility Forum

Pasadena, CA, October 2

TRB 

Gender-Inclusive Transportation Safety Webinar

October 2, 12:00-1:30 PM

IPATH

IPATH Annual Meeting: Changing Perspectives - Visions for Sustainable Living: Transport, Access, and Health

Saint Charles, MO, October 2-4

NC Department of Health and Human Services

2024 AT (Assistive Technology) Expo

Raleigh, NC and Virtual, October 3, 8:45 AM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 3, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Fletcher Group Rural Center of Excellence

Telling Your Story: Communicating for Impact Webinar

October 3, 2:00 PM

FTA

URA Final Rule Overview Webinar

October 3, 2:00-3:30 PM

National Center for Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency (TraCR), Clemson University

Towards Compositional Secure Autonomy: From Perception to Control Webinar

October 4, 2:00 PM

TRB 

Integrating Performance-Based Planning with Long-Range Plans and STIPs Webinar

October 7, 12:00-1:30 PM

International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR)

2024 IATR 37th Annual Conference

Fort Lauderdale, FL, October 7-11

U.S. DOT 

U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence Thought Leadership Series: Making Good on the Potential of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

October 8, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 8, 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

October 8, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for Indian Tribes Webinar

October 8, 2:00-3:30 PM

Reconnecting Communities Institute (RCI)

Reconnecting Communities Institute (RCI): How We Can Help Webinar

October 8, 3:00 PM

Administration on Disabilities (AoD) Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC)

The Role of American Job Centers (AJCs) in Promoting Access to Good Jobs for All Webinar

October 8, 3:00 PM

AASHTO

2024 Annual Meeting of the Council on Public Transportation and AASHTO Transit Management (CPT)

Salt Lake City, UT, October 8-9

U.S. DOT

Advancing Low Carbon Materials Webinar

October 9, 2:00 PM

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

National Resilience Guidance (NRG) Overview Webinar 4

October 9, 3:00 PM

HIRTA Public Transit

Beyond the Bus | Rural Mobility Solutions: Enhancing Access, Sustainability, and Resilience

Newton, IA, October 10, 10:00 AM - 4:45 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 10, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 15, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Intercity Transportation Update Webinar - Part 1

October 15, 2:00-3:30 PM 

AASHTO

AASHTO Safety Summit & Peer Exchange

Houston, TX, October 15-17

METRANS, University of Southern California

Stochastic Ride Sharing System with Flexible Pickup and Drop-Off Webinar

October 16, 3:00 PM

AARP

2024 AARP Livable Communities Online Workshop

October 16-17, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 17, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Mpact

Mpact Transit + Community Conference

Philadelphia, PA, October 20-23

FMCSA

FMCSA Registration System Modernization Meeting

Washington, DC and Virtual

October 21, 1:00-4:00 PM

Registration must be received by October 14, 2024

National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) 

2024 NADO Annual Training Conference

New Orleans, LA, October 21-24

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

October 21-24, 1:00-5:00 PM

U.S. DOT 

U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence Thought Leadership Series: Making Good on the Potential of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

October 22, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 22, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

APTA, Caltrans, University of Florida Transportation Institute, U.S. DOT Tier-1 Center for Equitable Transit-oriented Communities University Transportation Center, UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies, Mineta Transportation Institute

2024 Research to Practice Transit Online Symposium

October 22-24

National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT)

Putting Your GTFS Data to Work Workshop

October 22-24, 2:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

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

October 23, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 24, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

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

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

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 31, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

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

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

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 RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Transit Workforce Center (TWC)

Making Connections 2024 - The National Transit Workforce Conference

Baltimore, MD, November 11-13

We're presenting!

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Online Course

November 11-14, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

November 12, 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

November 12-13, 1:00-4:30 PM

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

Micromobility America

Micromobility America Conference

Costa Mesa, CA, November 14-15

National Transit Institute

Project Management for Transit Professionals Online Course

November 18-21, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Transit Service Planning Online Course

November 18-21, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Principles for Effective Management and Supervision Online Course

November 18-21, 1:00-5:00 PM 

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

November 18-21, 1:00-5:00 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 RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

November 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

Rescheduling of Marijuana Public Hearing

Arlington, VA, December 2, 9:00 AM

Preregistration required by September 30, 2024

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 Transit Institute

Project Management for Transit Professionals Online Course

December 9-12, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Principles for Effective Management and Supervision Online Course

December 9-12, 1:00-5:00 PM 

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

National Transit Institute

Crisis Communications for Transit Managers Online Course

December 10-11, 1:00-4:30 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

Project Management for Transit Professionals Online Course

December 16-19, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Online Course

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

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Transit Service Planning Online Course

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

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