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
Get Ready to Celebrate Rural Transit Day!
Upcoming State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable
U.S. DOT & Cherokee Nation Sign First Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Compact
Suggest TRB Webinars and Nominate TCRP Synthesis Panel Members
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Get Ready to Celebrate Rural Transit Day!
Our fourth Rural Transit Day Twitter Chat will be held on July 15, 2022 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET (July 16 falls on a Saturday). RSVP for our #RuralTransitDay Twitter Chat, moderated by Stephanie Lewis, Florida RTAP, Marcela Moreno, National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT), Moira Moon, Colorado DOT, and National RTAP staff.
Access our Rural Transit Day Toolbox to help you spread the word about Rural Transit Day and the benefits of rural transit through social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Send a Rural Transit Day Hero Card to someone who's gone above and beyond - just click on the Learn More button below and download a card from the page. Take the Rural Transit Day Pledge to show your commitment to rural transit. So far we've received 144 pledges - let's try for 175 for this year's Rural Transit Day.
You can tell exactly how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds there are until Rural Transit Day starts with our animated Countdown graphic at the bottom of the webpage. |
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Join our July State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable
State RTAP Managers can register for our State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable on July 14, 2022 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET to discuss issues of interest to State RTAP Managers.
Topics will include ELDT training, bus driver recruitment, TAM updates, Census changes, scholarship programs, and more. We will be adding breakout rooms so RTAP Managers can join the discussion(s) that interest them.
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National RTAP Tribal Transit Training Conference in Flagstaff Next Week
Join us in Flagstaff, Arizona on June 27-28, 2022 for in-depth training and hands-on workshops. Sessions will include Capital Development and Construction, Project Management Training, PASS Training for Drivers, Rural and Tribal Transit Service Design Workshop, Federal Transit Administration Updates and Grant Management Workshop, and a GTFS Builder Workshop.
Enter our 2022 Photo Contest - The Bus Stops Here
Our National RTAP 2022 Photo Contest – The Bus Stops Here – is all about where your bus stops. We’re looking for photos that showcase your beautiful bus stop, shelter, station, or hub, as well as photos that show all the great places your bus stops at to bring riders to shopping, school, work, or leisure. Enter up to 3 photos by August 20, 2022.
National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences and Meetings
We're presenting and exhibiting at the following conferences and meetings:
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NATP Manager's Workshop, June 22-23
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2022 NEPTA Conference & Expo, June 28-30
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2022 IPTA Annual Meeting & Training Conference, July 6-8
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COMTO 2022 National Meeting & Training Conference, July 9-11
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SWTA 2022 Summer University Conference, July 24-27
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2022 WVPTA Annual Conference, July 26-28
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National Transportation in Indian Country Conference 2022, August 22-26
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WSTA Transportation Conference, Vendor EXPO & State Roadeo, August 27-30
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Transportation Disadvantaged Training Workshop & Expo, August 30-31
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DTA 2022 Fall Conference and Roadeo, September 16-20
Learn about TACL in August
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National RTAP Solicitation for New Review Board Members
National RTAP is soliciting nominations through June 30, 2022 for new Review Board members to join the Board in 2022 and 2023. There will be vacancies to fill for two state transit officials in fall 2022 and two in spring 2023. For rural or tribal transit providers there will be three vacancies in 2023. Read more.
National RTAP Creates Hot Topic Guide on Climate Change
Books in Transit Discussion Group Meeting: Set my Heart to Five
The Books in Transit Discussion Group has selected Set my Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson for our next book to read. The book takes place in a future where robots live and work alongside humans and driverless cars and buses fill the roads. The meet the author and discussion will take place on August 17, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Register.
Register for the Final Marketing Workshop Series Session on Improving the Passenger Experience
The sixth workshop on Improving the Transit Passenger Experience will take place on June 28, 2022, 2:00-3:30 PM ET. The session will discuss elements of the transit passenger experience and what we can do to enhance each aspect in order to retain and build ridership.
Tribal Transit Training Events Listed on our Tribal Transit Program Webpage
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Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC), in partnership with the FTA, released a Mobility Innovation Survey to learn more about strengths, opportunities, and challenges for transportation agencies advancing mobility innovation. Survey responses will be used as part of a qualitative report for FTA on innovation in the mobility industry and may help SUMC develop future tools that agencies can use to explore their innovative potential.
U.S. DOT posted a notice of the establishment of an Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE) under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). ACTE will provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on issues related to transportation equity from a variety of stakeholders involved in transportation planning, design, research, policy, and advocacy in pursuit of the U.S. DOT's equity goals.
On June 8, 2022, U.S. DOT and the Cherokee Nation signed the first compact under the Department’s Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program (TTSGP). The approval gives the Tribe the ability to plan and oversee its own transit projects without having to seek federal permission.
The FTA Transit Bus Electrification Tool is a Microsoft Excel-based spreadsheet tool that allows users to estimate the partial lifecycle greenhouse gas emission savings associated with replacing standard bus fleets with low-emission or zero-emission transit buses. |
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Join our FTA TA Center partner National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) today, June 23, 2022 at 2:00 PM ET for a Transportation Equity Stakeholder Meeting: Rural, Tribal & Frontier. This meeting will be conducted as an open forum with opportunities for transportation stakeholders who provide and/or care passionately about community transportation for diverse older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers to share their perspectives and experiences.
National Transit Institute (NTI) has released its course listing for the remainder of 2022. See the Upcoming Events section of this toolkit for a listing of online courses on topics including Crisis Communications for Transit Managers and Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations. |
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Transit Center's Equity in Practice: A Guidebook for Transit Agencies addresses inequities within transit. It examines how current practices can marginalize groups of people and explores how some transit agencies are changing these practices and establishing new protocols to prioritize riders who have historically been neglected.
TCRP's case study on the Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency (aTa Bus) in Kansas explained how aTa Bus defined a range of norms and practices that align with federal guidelines for responsibly managing and reducing no-shows and cancellations.
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The U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation created an exception template to help states, particularly rural ones, evaluate the best locations for charging stations when it may not be possible to provide them at the 50-mile intervals required in the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. This template can also be used for projects for the construction of publicly accessible electric vehicle chargers funded under title 23 of the U.S. Code.
The EPA Smart Location Database is a nationwide geographic data resource for measuring location efficiency. It includes more than 90 attributes summarizing characteristics such as housing density, diversity of land use, neighborhood design, destination accessibility, transit service, employment, and demographics. |
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The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is accepting applications through July 15, 2022 for its Community Mobility Design Challenge 2022 grants. This grant supports communities in seeking to address the personal well-being of community members that face transportation barriers to recreation and physical activities, healthy food, personal safety, economic opportunity, or community and peer support opportunities.
The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is accepting applications for transit agencies to receive 1:1 technical assistance through the Center's Strategic Technology Technical Assistance Teams (STTATs). N-CATT will work with up to 3 agencies on a technology challenge or opportunity that results in a useful starting product for the agency. Submit applications in 1 PDF to moreno@ctaa.org by July 12, 2022. N-CATT is also conducting a customer survey to improve their products and identify new topics.
The Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) launched the Mobility Innovation Survey to help develop innovative mobility projects all over the country through the Mobility Innovation Collaborative. Survey responses are due by June 30, 2022.
The U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence published a preliminary draft of Implementing a Zero Trust Architecture and is seeking comments through July 5, 2022. This project will result in a NIST Cybersecurity Practice Guide.
Individuals and organizations are welcome to suggest a webinar that they can deliver to TRB by July 1, 2022, which may be added to their fall schedule. TCRP invites qualified individuals to nominate themselves or other candidates by June 30, 2022 to serve on expert panels that oversee the content of FY 2022 TCRP Synthesis Topics. Nominees will serve on a panel that will meet twice in a 10-month period and review materials.
The U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation is accepting nominations for committee members for the Federal Advisory Committee Act Electric Vehicle Working Group, which aims to make recommendations regarding EV development, adoption, and integration through July 15, 2022. To submit a nomination, email the nominee’s resume.
The Rx and Illicit Drug Summit is accepting conference presentation proposals through August 12, 2022 to show how transit can help end the opioid crisis. The conference will take place in Atlanta, GA on April 10-13, 2023. |
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FMCSA is requesting responses to inform future guidance on the definitions of broker and bona fide agents. Comments are due by July 11, 2022. Questions include, "What role do dispatch services play in the transportation industry?" and "When should a dispatch service be considered a bona fide agent?"
FHWA proposes to establish regulations setting minimum standards and requirements for projects funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program for the construction of publicly accessible electric vehicle chargers. The standards and requirements proposed would apply to the installation, operation, and maintenance of charging infrastructure. Comments must be received by August 22, 2022.
NHTSA proposes to amend its regulations regarding Event Data Recorders to extend the recording period for timed data by both time and frequency. Comments must be received by August 22, 2022. |
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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.
Nebraska Association of Transportation Providers
Norfolk, NE, June 22-23
Please visit our info table!
U.S. DOT
June 23, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)
June 23, 1:00 PM
U.S. DOT
June 23, 1:00- 3:00 PM
TRB
June 23, 1:30-3:00 PM
NADTC
June 23, 2:00 PM
AASHTO
Lawrence, KS, June 23-July 1
U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
June 24, 2:00 PM
AASHTO National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP)
Nashville, TN, June 26-30
National Safety Council (NSC)
June 27, 1:00 PM
National RTAP
Flagstaff, AZ, June 27-28
Transit Planning 4 All
June 28, 12:30 PM
ITS America
June 28, 1:00-2:30 PM
Vision Zero Network
June 28, 2:00-3:15 PM
National RTAP
June 28, 2:00-3:30 PM
American Bus Association (ABA)
Baltimore, MD, June 28-29
NorthEast Passenger Transportation Association (NEPTA)
Warwick, RI, June 28-30
Please visit our booth!
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Charlotte, NC, June 28-30
Intertribal Transportation Association (ITA)
June 28-30
Eno Center for Transportation
June 29, 2:00-3:00 PM
N-CATT
June 29, 3:00 PM
EPA
June 29, 2:30 PM
FORTH
Portland, OR, June 29-30
Iowa Public Transit Association (IPTA)
Cedar Rapids, IA, July 6-8
Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)
Fort Lauderdale, FL, July 9-11
We're participating
USAging
Austin, TX, July 10-13
National Transit Institute
July 11-14, 1:00-5:00 PM
Q'Straint / Sure-Lok
Jul 12, 12:00-1:30 PM
Smart Growth America
July 13, 12:00 PM
U.S. Access Board
July 13, 1:00-2:00 PM
FTA
July 13, 2:00 PM
National RTAP
July 14, 2:00-3:00 PM
Transit Planning 4 All
July 14, 2:00 PM
TRB
July 15, 1:30-3:00 PM
National RTAP
July 15, 2:00-3:00 PM
TRB
Garden Grove, CA, July 18-21
National Local and Tribal Technical Assistance Program Association (NLTAPA)
Seattle, WA, July 18-21
National Transit Institute
July 18-21, 1:00-5:00 PM
FTA
July 19, 1:00-3:30 PM
Registration closes July 12, 2022
National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)
Kansas City, MO, July 19 -21
TRB
Portland, OR, July 24-27
Southwest Transit Association (SWTA)
Rogers, AR, July 24 – Jul 27
Please visit our booth!
West Virginia Public Transit Association (WVPTA)
Roanoke, WV, July 26-28
FTA
July 27, 2:00 PM
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
Pittsburgh, PA, August 7-10
National Transit Institute
August 8-11, 1:00-5:00 PM
National RTAP
August 11, 2:00-3:00 PM
National Transit Institute
August 15-18, 1:00-3:30 PM
National RTAP
August 17, 2:00-3:00 PM
National Transportation in Indian Country (NTICC)
Louisville, KY, August 22-26
Please visit our booth!
Washington State Transit Association
Spokane, WA, August 27-30
Please visit our booth!
TRB
Boise, ID, August 29-31
Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged
Orlando, FL, August 30-31
Please visit our booth!
National Transit Institute
September 12-15, 1:00-3:30 PM
National Transit Institute
September 12-15, 1:00-5:00 PM
TRB
September 12-16
Dakota Transit Association
Aberdeen, SD, September 16-20
Please visit our booth!
ITS America
Los Angeles, CA, September 18-22
National Transit Institute
September 19-20, 1:00-5:00 PM September 19-22
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS)
Washington, D.C., September 19-21
Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE)
Anaheim, CA, September 19–21
National Transit Institute
September 19-22, 1:00-5:00 PM
National Transit Institute
September 20-21, 1:00-4:30 PM
National Transit Institute
September 26-29, 1:00-5:00 PM
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