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One of our 2018 goals is to increase awareness, within the tribal community, about transportation training and related events. The North Dakota Local TechnicalAssistance Program
(NDLTAP) and Transportation Learning Network (TLN)are programs of UGPTI that offer an array of training opportunities. Many of these courses are free or have a minimal fee and are available via webinar. This is a great way to reduce travel costs and is helpful for communities and agencies with budget constraints. Here are the training schedules for NDLTAP and TLN.
NDLTAP provides training and will be hosting the upcoming North Dakota Asphalt Conference in April. TLN offers a variety of training areas including construction, design, planning, safety, workzone safety, and professional development.
For additional questions on training, please contact us.
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 NTICC call for presentations
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The 2018 National Transportation in Indian Country Conference Planning Committee is seeking dynamic, engaging, and knowledgeable presenters for the 2018 NTICC. The conference will be held in Duluth, MN, Sept. 17-20, 2018.
All details and presentation requirements can be found at the Call for Presentation link.
Deadline to submit presentation proposals (via link ONLY) is March 1. Selected presentations will be announced in early April.
Please visit the newly renovated website for additional event details.
In addition to the call for presentations, I am happy to announce that I will be representing UGPTI/NDSU and our tribal outreach effort on the 2018 National Transportation in Indian Country Conference (NTICC) planning committee! In this role, I will assist with reviewing submissions from potential presenters and participate in other planning activities. Please contact me with any suggestions about what you'd like to see and hear, and with any ideas for potential changes to the format. I'm excited to be part of the team and look forward to serving you.
Please email me your suggestions and content requests. Note that suggestions/requests will be reviewed and forwarded to the committee, but that does not guarantee confirmation of any kind.
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| Tribal transportation scholarship at NDSU |
The Tribal Transportation Scholarship at North Dakota State University will recognize outstanding Native American Students who will be enrolling at NDSU with an interest in engineering, economics or agriculture. Funding for the $2,000 scholarship will be provided by the Mountain-Plains Consortium through the University Transportation Centers Program of the USDOT. The scholarship will be awarded in two parts: $1,000 to an incoming freshman and then a second $1,000 if the student maintains GPA of 3.0 or higher. Scholarship applications will be accepted until May 31 and the first award will be made for fall semester of 2018. The scholarship winner will be recognized at the NDSU Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) Annual Awards Banquet. For more information on the scholarship and to apply, please visit UGPTI's education webpage.
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| Travelling safely in Indian Country |
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), car crashes are the number one killer of tribal people ages 1-44 years old. Unintentional injury due to motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for natives under the age of 20. The death rate for Native American infants under age 1 is 8 times higher than that of non-Hispanic white infants.
Native Americans with the highest risk include children and males. Native men are twice as likely to experience a crash fatality than Native women. They are also 3.8 times more likely to die from a pedestrian-related injury.
Historically, low seat belt and child safety seat usage, and impaired driving are contributing factors. We can now add distracted driving, specifically texting, to that list.
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A Killer in Indian Country
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How can we change these statistics? What works and what doesn't work? How can we eliminate these preventable deaths in Indian Country? Montana DOT has seen great success with their SOAR (Safe On All Roadways) initiative to reduce Native American crash fatalities. Many states are rolling out similar programs. North Dakota just announced its Vision Zero initiative- meaning the goal is to have ZERO traffic fatalities, statewide.
UGPTI's tribal outreach effort has similar goals in mind. We want to help reduce and eventually eliminate ALL Native American crash/pedestrian fatalities, too. We have partnered with the North Dakota Safety Council to bring Alive at 25 to our tribal communities. We will begin scheduling this interactive training for tribal youth this spring. It's more than teaching the mechanics of driving, it is modifying human behavior and taking responsibility for our actions while driving. Change the behavior - change the outcome.
Additionally, we are working to bring National Child Passenger Safety (CPS) training to tribal communities. This will include NO JUDGEMENT car seat clinics, car seat check-ups, proper installation techniques and community safety events.
If we can eliminate traffic deaths by teaching our youth to put the phone down, to buckle up by teaching a parent how to properly install a car seat, we will be prepared to do so.
North Dakota utilizes the Graduated Driver License (GDL) system to help new drivers gain skills under lower-risk conditions. Research suggests that states with a GDL system in place have reduced fatal injury crashes by 38-40% among 16-year old drivers.
If we combine our efforts, we can reduce and eventually eliminate traffic deaths, not just among our tribal reservations, but statewide.
For more information on any one of these programs, please contact us. |
| Federal grant funding now open |
The U.S. Department of Justice has available funding to improve public safety and victim services in tribal communities. The 2018 competitive grant announcement is available through the USDOJ Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS). One caveat is that ONLY federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply. There are a few exceptions, however:
- COPS office: Applicants who have an established law enforcement agency, as of March 20, 2018, or who currently receive LE services with BIA, state or local agencies, may apply.
- OVW Tribal program: Applicants who have an established Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) tribal government program, may apply with a tribal resolution.
- OVC Tribal program: Applicants who have an established Office for Victims of Crime, may apply with a tribal resolution.
The deadline for submitting applications is
Tuesday, March 20, 2018. From a transportation safety perspective, public safety and community policing would be a strong asset to fund, but all victim service funding opportunities are greatly needed in each tribal community. One such option is funding a program to improve services to prevent human trafficking but to also assist trafficking victims.
Native American women and children remain at a high risk for trafficking victimization.
This funding could cover strategic planning, staffing, victim services, interventions, training and travel, prevention, equipment and supplies, cultural and traditional practices (i.e. talking circles, healing ceremonies, etc.), as well as programming for under-served populations.
For more information and to get started with your application please visit the online application site. If you need direction or assistance in developing this grant application, we can offer some assistance. |
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About Us
Mission:
The UGPTI's Tribal Outreach effort improves safe transportation of people and goods on tribal reservations to enhance livability, community and cultural values through increased accessibility to employment, workforce development opportunities, education, healthcare and housing.
Vision:
The Tribal Outreach effort will be a leader in facilitating improvements in tribal transportation to enhance livability, community and cultural values for reservation residents.
Currently, the effort offers outreach in:
- funding opportunities
- grant writing assistance
- training (workforce development, youth, education, technology)
- program/resource assistance
- partnership/collaborative opportunities
- outreach task force
- monthly newsletter
Other resources and services will be offered as they become available. Please visit us on the web to
apply for assistance.
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North Dakota State University does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a U.S. veteran. Direct inquiries to: Vice Provost for Faculty and Equity, Old Main 201, 701-231-7708 or Title IX/ADA Coordinator, Old Main 102, 701-231-6409.
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