eNews - July 18, 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

National RTAP Books in Transit Discussion Group to Discuss Buses Are a Comin'

Transportation Technical Assistance Library (TACL) News and Updates

Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Plain Language

Notice of Funding Opportunity for U.S. DOT Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program

GSA/U.S. Access Board Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines Final Rule

Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL) 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.

TACL welcomes its newest Task Force members: Jordan Howard and Abby Tremel, Senior Program Associates, National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT), and Abby Mader, Program Associate, Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC). TACL also welcomes Janice Yancey-Williams, Program Specialist III, Mississippi DOT, as a new reviewer.

In July 2024, 3 new resources were added to TACL:

• National RTAP and SUMC's Rural and Urban Transportation Coordination
• SUMC's Technological Advancements and Interagency Networks in Central Ohio: COTA’s AI-enabled Transit and Traffic Management Platform
• SUMC's Green Raitero and Green Riderz: Shared Rides in Huron, CA

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) is this quarter's featured TA Center with resources shown in a carousel at the bottom right of TACL's homepage.

The next Learn about TACL training will take place on August 28, 2024 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The session will instruct on how to use TACL and include a Resource Feature by N-CATT Director Andrew Carpenter, on GTFS Flex.

Following a utilization study performed by San Jose State University and the University of Michigan, we updated the TACL homepage with a plain language purpose statement and added suggested search keywords and examples of retrieved results.

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.

U.S. DOT released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the third round of its Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program, for FY24-26 funding available for capital construction and community planning grants.

U.S. DOT updated several of its Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Implementation Modifications, including FTA recipients setting overall goals, good faith efforts, business size determinations, personal net worth, unified certification programs, and decertification.

The U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs lists stages of U.S. DOT Rules. Results can be filtered by title, rule stage, or Regulation Identification Number (RIN). Clicking on the RIN link will provide an abstract of the rule, a timetable, and contact information.

To effectively evaluate programs, FTA needs to collect data directly from program participants, such as State DOTs, local governments, Tribes, and others to understand their experiences and benefits of program participation. FTA is requesting comments through August 9, 2024 on an information request to collect voluntary data and information from stakeholders.

U.S. DOT published a report to Congress on Decarbonizing U.S. Transportation. The report includes a case study about the rural town of Wilson, NC, which has invested in mixed-use development in its historic downtown, allowing residents to meet multiple needs with fewer car trips.

The Office of the Secretary of Transportation invites public comment through August 14, 2024 on the most meaningful activities to advance equity that should be considered as part of U.S. DOT’s 2024 update to its Equity Action Plan.

FTA published its July 2024 Drug and Alcohol Regulation Updates newsletter. The issue includes guidance on employee identification, FTA's test reclassification procedures, defining dispatch in terms of safety-sensitive employees, post-accident timing for testing, and guidance about insufficient drug specimens. There is also a crossword puzzle.

FHWA Resource Center’s Air Quality Team delivers MOVES4 training through virtual and in-person courses. The training provides an overview of EPA’s MOVES4 mobile source emissions model. Contact Chris Dresser to request a training for your state.

The National Transit Institute (NTI) is holding a number of trainings about the National Transit Database (NTD), including a National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for Indian Tribes Webinar and others. See the Upcoming Events section for further information. The Southwest Transit Association (SWTA) is also holding an NTD webinar: Boost Your Confidence in NTD Surveying Webinar.

If you would like to learn more about collaboration and partnerships, there are several upcoming training opportunities. See the Upcoming Events section for further information:

• Administration for Community Living (ACL), Coalition Building: Strategies and Perspectives in Disability Advocacy Webinar
• ACL, Navigating Partnerships Between State Government, Local Government, and Program Providers Webinar
• Indian Health Service (IHS), 2024 IHS Partnership Conference

TCRP's Continuous Dynamic Optimization: Impacts on ADA Paratransit Services documents the current use of continuous dynamic optimization for ADA paratransit where optimization results in improving the efficiency of the route schedule and the overall productivity of the on-demand service without affecting the customer’s confirmed pickup time window.

In Towards Data and Solution-Focused Approaches for Homeless Populations on Public Transit, researchers from the National Institute for Transportation and Communities used data to identify how interventions and practices deployed by transit agencies are experienced by people experiencing homelessness. The authors recommend a Housing & Transportation First approach to best assist this population.

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) and the Transit Workforce Center (TWC) collaborated to produce Creating Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities in the Transportation Workforce. The contents of the training module are intended to be a resource for mobility and transportation organizations. It covers recruitment, welcoming workforces, accommodations, and measuring success.

TRB updated its Snap Search on Rural Transportation. Resources include Critical Issues in Transportation for 2024 and Beyond, Best Practices in Rural Transit Assessment, and Impact of Decline in Volunteerism on Rural Transit Systems.

The CNT Housing + Transportation Affordability Index provides an interactive view of affordability that includes both the cost of housing and the cost of transportation at the neighborhood level.

QGIS is open-source GIS desktop software that enables users to create, edit, visualize, analyze, and publish geospatial information. For transit-specific analysis, the GTFS-GO plug-in allows planners to import GTFS data files into QGIS and organize routes, stops, and time-table calculations.

AllTransit allows users to analyze the social benefits of transit projects as they relate to health, equity, and economic development. Data includes underserved transit areas, connections between jobs and transit-supported neighborhoods, walkability, affordability, job access, and transit performance.

Electrify America provides an interactive map of public electric vehicle charging stations. Users can search by location, connector type, or whether the station is operable or coming soon.

The International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC) and Planning Communities are conducting the TCRP research project Zero-Emission Vehicles: New Tech, New Skills, New Jobs. You are invited to take a survey through July 29, 2024 to help ensure that this research is robust, representative, and reflects the realities faced by transit agencies.

the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) and TCRP are accepting applications to their Ambassador Program. Ambassadors participate in industry events and visit transportation providers to educate the public transit industry on the wide variety of solution-based research available from TCRP. 

Through September 1, 2024, individuals can sign up to receive 1:1 technical assistance from an expert at the National Center on Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT). Technical assistance topics can include data, network analysis, and more.

Next50 is accepting applications for Changing Aging Grants through July 31, 2024. Grants can support aging in place. Applicants are required to demonstrate the advancement of equity for marginalized and/or geographically underserved communities. 

On July 3, 2024, the General Services Administration (GSA) issued a final rule that adopted the U.S. Access Board’s Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines as part of the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards. The Architectural Barriers Act is a civil rights law that requires federally constructed or leased facilities, and certain facilities constructed or leased with federal funds, to be accessible to people with disabilities. 

On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1984 precedent known as the Chevron Deference, which required judges to defer to reasonable federal agency interpretations of U.S. laws deemed to be ambiguous, such as the Clean Air Act.

The U.S. Department of the Interior seeks input on a proposal to create a conditional, time-limited opportunity for denied petitioners to re-petition for Federal acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe. Comments must be submitted by September 13, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a Proposed Rule to protect workers from heat-related illnesses. Depending on the heat index, the rule would require employers to monitor workers’ heat exposure, provide cool-down areas, and take mandatory cool-down breaks.

NHTSA released a Proposed Rule to update its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard on Seating Systems. This standard establishes requirements for seats, seat attachment assemblies, and their installation in multipurpose passenger vehicles, buses, and other vehicles. Comments are due September 16, 2024.

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).

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

July 18, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Administration for Community Living (ACL)

Coalition Building: Strategies and Perspectives in Disability Advocacy Webinar

July 18, 1:00-2:30 PM

National Safety Council (NSC)

Examining Trends in Technology Solutions in the Workplace Webinar

July 18, 2:00 PM

FHWA

Visualization Tools for Decision-Making Webinar

July 18, 2:00-3:00 PM

National Local Technical Assistance Program Association (NLTAPA)

National LTAP/TTAP Annual Conference

Albuquerque, NM, July 21-25

Please visit our booth!

U.S. DOT

Using Data to Effectively Tell Your Community’s Story (DOT Navigator Two-Part Webinar Series - Part 1)

July 22, 3:00 PM

Via

Transit Summit

Chicago, IL, July 23

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

July 23, 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

July 23, 1:00-5:00 PM

Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)

Getting the Most From Your Board of Directors: Essential Strategies and Best Practices Webinar

July 23, 2:00-3:00 PM

TRB 

Maximizing Proceeds from the Fleet Asset Disposal Sales Process Webinar

July 23, 3:00-4:30 PM

West Virginia Public Transit Association

WV Public Transit Annual Conference

Roanoke, WV, July 23-25

Please visit our booth!

Transportation for Massachusetts

The Money Train: A Learning Series on Transportation Funding Webinar

July 24, 12:00-1:30 PM

U.S. DOT

Final Rule Prompt Payment and Return of Retainage Requirements with Rollout of a Tool and Toolkit for Optional Use by Recipients/Subrecipients Webinar

July 24, 1:00 PM

Administration for Community Living (ACL)

Navigating Partnerships Between State Government, Local Government, and Program Providers Webinar

July 24, 1:00 PM

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

BABAA Lunch & Learn: General Applicability Waivers

July 24, 1:00-1:30 PM

U.S. Access Board

U.S. Access Board Public Meeting

Washington, DC and Virtual, July 24, 1:30-3:00 PM

Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia DOT

Connect ATL

Atlanta, GA, July 25

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

July 25, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

South West Transit Association (SWTA)

SWTA University 2024

Fort Worth, TX, July 28-31

We're presenting

FTA/AASHTO/APTA 

State Public Transportation Partnerships Conference

Fort Worth, TX, July 29-30

We're participating

TRB

Automated Road Transportation Symposium

San Diego, CA, July 29- August 1

U.S. DOT Office of the Secretary’s Office of Public Engagement

Chicago Public Engagement Workshop

Chicago, IL, July 30

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

July 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

U.S. DOT

Requirements for TVMs in the New DBE Rule Webinar

July 30, 3:00 PM

Association of Travel Instruction (ATI)

ATI Annual Conference

Charlotte, NC, July 30 - August 1

National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) 

2024 National Regional Transportation Conference

Greenville, SC, July 30 - August 1

Association of Travel Instruction (ATI)

2024 ATI Annual Conference 

Charlotte, NC, July 30-August 1

National RTAP

Learn about Alternative Fuels and Clean Cities and Communities

July 31, 2:00-3:00 PM

FMCSA

FMCSA Safety Fitness Determination Listening Session

July 31, 2:00-3:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

August 1, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Rural Assembly

Rural Assembly Everywhere: Nurturing Thriving Communities Virtual Event

August 1, 1:00-3:00 PM

FTA 

Enhancing Mobility Innovation Competitive Funding Opportunity Webinar

August 1, 3:00-4:00 PM

American Public Transit Association (APTA)

2024 APTAtech Conference

Philadelphia, PA, August 4-7

Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT)

38th Annual International Conference

Denver, CO, August 4-7

Community Transportation Association of Virginia (CTAV)

2024 CTAV Conference and EXPO

Charlottesville, VA, August 5-7

We're presenting!

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

August 6, 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

August 6, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute 

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Online Course

August 6, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Books in Transit Discussion Group - Buses Are a Comin'

August 6, 2:00-3:00 PM ET

TRB 

Designing the Transportation Agency of the Future Webinar

August 7, 12:00-1:30 PM

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

BABAA Lunch & Learn: De Minimis Waivers

August 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

August 8, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Washington State Transit Association (WSTA)

Washington State Public Transportation Conference, Vendor Expo & State Roadeo

Tri-Cities, WA, August 10-14

Please visit our booth!

National Transit Institute 

Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Program with Lifecycle Management Online Course

August 12-14, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

August 13, 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

August 13-14, 1:00-4:30 PM

Wyoming Public Transit Association (WYTRANS)

2024 WYTRANS Conference

Riverton, WY, August 13-15

Indian Health Service (IHS)

2024 IHS Partnership Conference

Phoenix, AZ, August 13-15

U.S. DOT

Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking Virtual Public Meeting

August 14, 10:30 AM - 4:45 PM

CTAA 

Small Urban Network (SUN) Conference

Alexandria, VA, August 14-16

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

August 15, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE)

Powering the Future: Advancements in EV Battery Technology for Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Webinar

August 15, 2:00 PM

Minnesota RTAP

ADA Accessible Documents Webinar

August 15, 2:00-3:30 PM

Minnesota Registration

Out of State Registration, email Mariah Kathan

U.S. DOT

Using Data to Effectively Tell Your Community’s Story (DOT Navigator Two-Part Webinar Series - Part 2)

August 15, 3:00 PM

American Public Transit Association (APTA)

APTA Sustainability/Operations Planning and Scheduling Workshop

Washington, DC, August 18-21

Michigan Public Transit Association (MPTA)

Michigan Public Transit Statewide Annual Meeting

Thompsonville, MI, August 19-21

Please visit our booth!

National Transit Institute

Procurement II - Risk Assessment and Basic Cost or Price Analysis

Madison, WI, August 19-22

National Transit Institute 

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Online Course

August 19-22, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute 

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

August 19-22, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

August 20, 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

August 20, 1:00-4:30 PM

GTSE

Green Transportation Summit & Expo

Tacoma, WA, August 20-22

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

BABAA Lunch & Learn: Minor Components Waiver

August 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

American Public Transit Association (APTA)

Workforce Summit

Washington, DC, August 21-23

Southwest Transit Association (SWTA)

Boost Your Confidence in NTD Surveying Webinar

August 22, 12:00-1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

August 22, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

TRB

Transportation Symposium on Environment, Energy, and Livable Economies 

Denver, CO, August 25–28

National Transportation in Indian Country Conference (NTICC)

NTICC

Durant, OK, August 25-29

We're Presenting and Exhibiting!

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

August 27, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

2024 Annual NTD Reporting Clarifications Webinar

August 27, 2:00-3:30 PM

Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE)

Zero Emission Bus Conference (ZEB Con)

Philadelphia, PA, August 27-29

Please visit our booth!

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

BABAA Lunch & Learn: FEMA Policy Decisions- Rolling Stock and Removable Objects

August 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

August 29, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 3, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database: Validation Module Training Webinar

September 3, 2:00-3:30 PM

Missouri Public Transit Association (MPTA)

2024 MPTA State Conference & Expo

St. Louis, MO, September 3-5

Please visit our booth!

Transportation Association of South Carolina (TASC)

TASC Annual Conference and Vendor Expo

Myrtle Beach, SC, September 3-6

Please visit our booth!



United Tribes Technical College

Tribal Leaders Summit

Bismarck, ND, September 4-5

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 5, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for State Subrecipients Webinar

September 5, 2:00-3:30 PM

U.S. DOT

Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking Virtual Public Meeting

September 6, 11:00 AM - 2:15 PM

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation Commission, Inc. (NEMTAC)

NEMTAC® Transform 2024 Annual Conference

Glendale, AZ, September 8-10

Please visit our table!

TRB

International Conference on Women and Gender in Transportation

Irvine, CA, September 9-11

National Transit Institute 

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Online Course

September 9-12, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Transit Institute 

Introduction to Transit Service Planning Online Course

September 9-12, 1:00-5:00 PM

Bobit

Fleet Forward: The Tour

Somerset, NJ, Sept 10

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 10, 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

September 10-11, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 12, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Safety Council (NSC)

NSC Safety Congress & Expo, and Professional Development Seminars

Orlando, FL, September 13-19

National Transit Institute 

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Online Course

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

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 17, 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

September 17, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP and Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) 

Substance Abuse Management and Program Compliance Course

Kalispell, MT, September 17-19

To register, send an email to Neil Rodriguez with your contact info.

National Transit Institute 

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

September 18, 1:00-4:30 PM

Utah Urban Rural Specialized Transit Association (URSTA)

URSTA Conference and Roadeo

September 18-21

Please visit our booth!

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP and Transportation Safety Institute (TSI)

Reasonable Suspicion and Post-accident Testing Determination Seminar 

Kalispell, MT, September 20

To register, send an email to Neil Rodriguez with your contact info.

National Transit Institute 

Introduction to Transit Service Planning Online Course

September 23-26, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

September 24, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Terrapinn

Move America 2024

Austin, TX, September 24-25

Forth

Forth Roadmap Conference 

Detroit, MI, September 24-26

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

September 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 1, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Clean Mobility Equity Alliance

2024 Clean Mobility Forum

Pasadena, CA, October 2

IPATH

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

Saint Charles, MO, October 2-4

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 3, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

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

National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for Indian Tribes Webinar

October 8, 2:00-3:30 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

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

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 22, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 24, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Website Builder Office Hours

October 29, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

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

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