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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 Updates its Salary Ranges for Transit Jobs
Updated National RTAP Roles and Responsibilities of Transit Board Members Technical Brief
National RTAP Review Board Spotlight Article - Katy Miller
Get Ready for Rural Transit Day - Rural Transit Day T-Shirts Available
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2025 Signed into Law
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National RTAP Updates its Salary Ranges for Transit Jobs
National RTAP updated its Salary Ranges for Transit Jobs database. Updates to the database include annual salaries for full-time employees and hourly rates for part-time employees, as well as data for several new job titles such as administrative positions, community relations managers, safety/training specialists, and trainer/training managers. The new database also includes a sheet displaying percentages of full- and part-time transit employees receiving benefits, such as health insurance and paid time off. Another new sheet shows the percentages of drivers, maintenance providers, and administrators receiving salary increases from 2023-2024.
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Updated National RTAP Roles and Responsibilities of Transit Board Members Technical Brief
Our recently updated National RTAP Technical Brief, Roles and Responsibilities of Transit Board Members provides a list of what new board members need to know about the organization they govern. Updates include new bibliographical references and the brief has been divided into board member roles and responsibilities.
Thank you to Marianna Hanefeld, Transportation Planner/RTAP Manager for Washington DOT, for the review of the 2025 update.
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Upcoming National RTAP Events
National RTAP is hosting the following two Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) trainings in Ketchikan, AK: Substance Abuse Management and Program Compliance Course and Reasonable Suspicion and Post-accident Testing Determination Seminar on May 4-9, 2025. To register, send an email to Neil Rodriguez.
The room block is at the Cape Fox Lodge. Attendees will need to call the hotel and tell them they are attending the National RTAP Training and the training will be at the Ted Ferry Civic Center.
Note: the dates have been changed.
The National RTAP Books in Transit Discussion Group selected Bus People: 30 Days on the Road with America's Nomads by Mike Pentecost as its next book to read for its August 19, 2025, 2:00-3:00 PM ET meeting. Bus People focuses on the stories, hopes, and dreams that accompany the passengers that Greyhound serves. Register for the meeting. The author will be joining us! If you would like to borrow the book from the National RTAP Resource Library, please contact us.
Opportunities to Participate in the
2025 National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference
The 6th National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference, Wrangling Access and Mobility in Rural and Tribal Transit, will take place in Austin, Texas between December 7-10, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Austin on 208 Barton Springs Road. We will post more information on our conference web page when available.
We are accepting presentation proposals. Proposals should address how transportation services impact lives and create measurable benefits in communities. Read more about the submission process and submit a session summary by April 15, 2025. We are also accepting sponsorship proposals.
Students are invited to submit a poster for the Conference to be shown on December 7, 2025. Posters for consideration must be sent by October 1, 2025 to info@nationalrtap.org and students must be able to present their posters in-person.
Recordings, Slides, and Summaries Posted for National RTAP Webinars and Peer Roundtables
National RTAP held an Employment-Focused Transit Manager Peer Roundtable on March 13, 2025. Bryna Helfer, Director of Employment Support and Innovative Partnerships, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability and Employment Policy, and Scott Michael Robertson, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, discussed challenges and solutions regarding employment transportation. Access the presentation slides and summary.
Our National RTAP Cost Allocation Calculator has been updated with new reference materials. National RTAP held a Cost Allocation Tool You Can Use webinar on March 19, 2025. Michael Walk from the Texas Transportation Institute provided a brief training on the updated Cost Allocation Calculator. Jessica Schmitzer from the Ohio DOT discussed her experience encouraging and training subgrantees to use the tool. Access the recording and presentation slides.
On March 20, 2025, we held a Spring into New National RTAP Resources webinar that introduced the Directory of Grant Writers, Resources by Roles, and the John Martin Series - Harnessing the Power of Change. We also provided an introduction to some of our recently updated resources, including our Salary Ranges for Transit Jobs database, results from our survey of RTAP Managers, and new ways to celebrate Rural Transit Day. Access the recording and presentation slides.
Get Ready for Rural Transit Day
Rural Transit Day is July 16, 2025. Now you can purchase an official Rural Transit Day t-shirt through our t-shirt vendor, as many of you have asked for.
This year we are requesting smart cards for our Rural Transit Day Time Capsule. If you have any that you can send us (no fares need to be loaded), please mail them to Cara Marcus, Knowledge and Resource Manager, National RTAP, 5 Wheeling Avenue, Woburn, MA 01801.
We will be holding a Facebook Live Rural Transit Day Chat on July 16, 2025 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. If you would like to participate, please RSVP.
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National RTAP Review Board Spotlight Article - Katy Miller
Katy Miller, Transit Programs Manager, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT), recently joined our Review Board. What she enjoys most about her job is working with transit agencies to help get them the grants they need. Katy is completing her requirements for her master’s degree at Virginia Commonwealth University, studying urban and regional planning. Her thesis focuses on public transportation for women in Appalachia. Read more about Katy.
National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences
We're presenting, exhibiting, and participating at the following conferences and meetings:
- CSG East Policy Summit: Pathways to Rural Prosperity and Small Town Resilience, Portland, ME, April 4-5
- Association of Mobility Managers Inaugural Annual Conference, Edmond, OK, April 5-8
- 2025 Tribal Self-Governance Conference, Chandler, AZ, April 7-10
- Arizona’s 38th Annual Statewide Transit Conference Flagstaff, AZ, April 14-16
- Rocky Mountain Region Tribal Transportation Association Meeting, Great Falls, MT, April 15-17
- New Jersey Transaction, Atlantic City, NJ, April 15-17
- Moving Missouri Forward Summit, Columbia, MO, April 16-18
- CTRTAP Spring Conference, Hartford, CT, April 17
- NCPTA Conference, Expo, Roadeo & Golf Tournament, Cherokee, NC, April 25-30
- 2025 ALTRANS & Transit Association of Alabama Conference, Gulf Shores, AL, April 29 - May 1
- Nevada Transportation Conference, Reno, NV, May 13–14
- Community Transportation of the North West (CTANW) Summit, Bremerton, WA, May 19-20
- CTAA EXPO, San Diego, CT, June 2-4
- Special Libraries Association 2025 Annual Conference & Expo, Pittsburgh, PA, June 7-10
- Transit Retreat, Des Moines, IA, June 25-26
- National TTAP/LTAP Conference, Kansas City, MO, July 20-24
- 2025 LPTA & SWTA Summer U Joint Conference & EXPO, New Orleans, LA, July 27-30
- ATI Annual Conference, Quincy, MA, July 29-31
- Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation Commission (NEMTAC) Transform 2025 Annual Conference, Dallas, TX, August 24-26
- Tri-State Transit Conference, Portland, ME, September 3-5
- Montana Rural Transit Workshop, Helena, MT, September 3-5
- URSTA Conference and Roadeo, St. George, UT, September 10-13
- National Transportation in Indian Country (NTICC), Gila, River AZ, September 21-25
Updated National RTAP Defensive Driving Topic Guide
National RTAP continues its annual Topic Guide update with our Defensive Driving Topic Guide. Resources include:
Technology Tools Office Hours
National RTAP offers free, live GTFS Builder support on Thursdays from 1:00-1:30 PM ET. Use this link to join. National RTAP also offers live technical support for Website Builder on Tuesdays from 1:00-1:30 PM ET. Share your screen, ask questions, and get help. Use this link to join – no need to register for either session.
National RTAP Resource Library Now Includes The New Future of Public Transportation
Author Paul Comfort donated two copies of his newest book - The New Future of Public Transportation - to the National RTAP Resource Library. The book covers cutting-edge topics such as autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, smart infrastructure asset management, contactless payments, and more. Please contact us if you would like to borrow it.
National RTAP Intercity Webinar Added to TACL
The National RTAP Intercity Transportation Update Webinar - Part 2 has been added to the Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL).
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The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation published Physical Safety and Security at Electric Vehicle Charging Sites, which provides information on physical safety and security design elements for public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and general best practices that can be considered for the safety and comfort of charging station users.
TCRP's Transit Agencies Providing or Subsidizing Innovative Micromobility Projects: Legal Issues presents practices for transit agencies to consider when implementing shared-use micromobility systems to provide and support public transit, including accessibility, safety, regulation, jurisdiction, service quality, theft, insurance, liability, security, tracking, licensing, permitting, franchising, billing, maintenance, and compliance with civil rights laws. It also provides examples of bike and scooter share programs.
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center published a blog post on Raising Awareness About Transportation Options in Native American Communities: Insights from USAging’s 2024 Title VI Program Survey. The survey included responses from 220 Title VI programs across the country.
The National Safety Council (NSC) Serious Incident and Fatality (SIF) Prevention Model helps employers identify workplace injury hazards, implement and verify controls, and provide continuous monitoring. It contains resources, tools, and guidelines designed to support users in preventing serious incidents and fatalities.
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The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides a Situations and Solutions Finder where users can find information about effective workplace accommodation solutions for persons with disabilities. Users can search for terms including bus driver, dispatcher, and mechanic.
The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) launched a Deciding the Fare Payment Technology That Fits Your Needs Worksheet. This worksheet is designed to help transit agencies think through their fare payment needs to map out their next steps for their fare technology.
MobilityData's Slack is an open messaging platform about mobility data, which includes public transit and shared mobility. Subjects like data formats, software, and services are discussed.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) introduced its latest data set: Census Transportation Planning Product (CTPP). The main uses of its tabulations are for creating population forecasts, modeling travel demand, analyzing the socio-demographics of a population, creating models of vehicle ownership, and validating transportation forecast output.
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The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is designing a free web tool to help transit agencies see how data flows from one part of a process to another. They are looking for agencies to test the current iteration of the tool. If anyone is interested, please contact helpdesk@n-catt.org.
Metro Magazine is seeking bus operators who have recently partnered with a solutions provider within the last year to implement an innovation that has helped save money, improve safety, streamline operations, improve customer satisfaction, or increase ridership for its Innovative Solutions Awards. The application deadline is April 17, 2025. Mass Transit Magazine is also accepting nominations for its 40 Under 40 Awards through May 12, 2025.
TRB's Transit Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) program provides funding early in the development process for promising but unproven, innovative concepts and methods. Proposals are due May 15, 2025.
The National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Awards celebrate the TSMO strategies and tools that leverage existing infrastructure to increase safety and reliability. Each year, NOCoE awards winners in four TSMO Award categories. Applications are due April 4, 2025.
Technical assistance is provided at no cost by experts from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy, DOE’s national laboratories, and other partnering organizations. This support assists federally recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal entities.
The survey deadline has been extended to April 4, 2025 to complete the survey for TCRP Synthesis Topic SB-44, which will describe the state of art programs in transit in the U.S. and Canada. EBP is distributing the survey to transit agency staff who manage or are involved with selecting, siting, installing, maintaining, curating, assessing, and/or decommissioning art in a transit system.
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H.R. 1968, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, was signed into law on March 15, 2025, averting a government shutdown. This Act makes further continuing appropriations and other extensions for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning reconsideration, restructuring, and redirecting enforcement resources to many regulations, guidelines, and programs. EPA will also reconstitute the Science Advisory Board and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. EPA is also extending the Renewable Fuel Standard compliance reporting deadline for the 2024 compliance year.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Final Rule to extend the reporting deadline under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule for reporting year 2024 data to May 30, 2025.
An Executive Order published on March 20, 2025 aims to consolidate federal procurement so that it will be conducted by the General Services Administration.
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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 5 or 6 for Hawaii (depending on daylight savings time).
Alaska Tribal Transportation Work Group (ATTWG)
21st Annual Alaska Tribal Transportation Symposium
Anchorage, AK, March 25-27
We're presenting
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
March 27, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)
A Conversation with the Fallon Piaute Shoshone Tribe: Leveraging ICAM Pilot Program Funds to Grow On-Demand Services Webinar
March 27, 2:00 PM
National RTAP
2025 National RTAP Rural & Tribal Transit Training
Anchorage, AK, March 28
Native Learning Center
Tribally Determined Wage Rates Virtual Training
March 31, 1:00 PM
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
April 1, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
Safe Routes Partnership
Quick Wins that Work - Finding the Right Project and Setting Up for Success Webinar
April 1, 1:00-2:00 PM
New
Ride AI
Ride AI 2025
Los Angeles, CA, April 2, 2025
Native Learning Center
Strategic Planning for Tribal Professionals Workshop
Hollywood, FL, April 2-4
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
April 3, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National Safety Council (NSC)
Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Ask the Experts Session Webinar
April 3, 2:30-3:30 PM
CSG East
Policy Summit: Pathways to Rural Prosperity and Small Town Resilience
Portland, ME, April 4-5
We're participating
Association of Mobility Managers
Inaugural Annual Conference
Edmond, OK, April 5-8
Please stop by our booth!
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
APTA Mobility Conference
Austin, TX, April 6-9
Self Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium
2025 Tribal Self-Governance Conference
Chandler, AZ, April 7-10
We're participating
New
AASHTO
AASHTO GIS-T Symposium
Portland, OR, April 7-10
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
April 8, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
April 10, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
TRB
Mitigate Exposure to Airborne Diseases through Bus Cabin Air Webinar
April 10, 2:00-3:30 PM
New
Curbivore
Curbivore 2025
Los Angeles, CA, April 10-11
Arizona Transit Association (AzTA)
Arizona’s 38th Annual Statewide Transit Conference
Flagstaff, AZ, April 14-16
Please visit our booth!
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
April 15, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New Jersey Transaction
New Jersey Transaction Conference
Atlantic City, NJ, April 15-17
We're presenting
The Drug & Alcohol Testing Institute, Inc. (DER)
2025 Drug and Alcohol Testing Institute Summit for DER's and Program Managers
Omaha, NE, April 15-17
New
American Bus Association (ABA)
2025 WIB (Women in Bus) Meet & Eat Session
April 16, 1:00 PM
Local Motion
Moving Missouri Forward Summit
Columbia, MO, April 16-18
Please visit our table!
National Transit Institute
Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making
St. Louis, MO, April 16-18
Connecticut RTAP
CTRTAP Spring Conference
Hartford, CT, April 17
Please visit our table!
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
April 17, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
America Walks and Main Street America
Rural Communities Walkability and Quality of Life Webinar
April 17, 2:00-3:00 PM
New
Southwest Transit Association (SWTA)
Federal Transit Funding & Legislation 301: Real Talk about Reauthorization Webinar
April 22, 12:00-1:00 PM
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
April 22, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
AASHTO
AASHTOWare Connect Conference
Providence, RI, April 22-24
National Safety Council (NSC)
2025 NSC Spring Safety Conference & Expo (SSCE) and NSC Networks Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) Summit
Charlotte, NC, April 22-25
New
National Safety Council (NSC)
Distracted Driving Awareness Month Expert Panel
April 23, 1:00 PM
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
April 24, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
North Carolina Public Transportation Association (NCPTA)
NCPTA Conference, Expo, Roadeo & Golf Tournament
Cherokee, NC, April 25-30
Please visit our booth!
North American Fleet Association (NAFA)
NAFA 2025 Institute & Expo (I&E)
Long Beach, CA, April 28-30
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
April 29, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
America Walks
Tribal Pedestrian Safety Workshop and Quick-Build Demonstration Project
Jemez, NM, April 29-30
ALTRANS & Transit Association of Alabama
2025 ALTRANS & Transit Association of Alabama Conference
Gulf Shores, AL, April 29 - May 1
Please visit our booth!
New
U.S. Access Board
U.S. Access Board Meeting
April 30, 1:30-3:00 PM
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
May 1, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE)
TOM Talks: May 2025 Webinar
May 1, 1:00-2:30 PM
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
May 6, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
Small Business Administration
National Small Business Week 2-Day Virtual Summit
May 6-7
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
May 8, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
AASHTO 2025 Spring Meeting
Hartford, CT, May 12-15
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
May 13, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
Nevada Department of Transportation, University of Nevada Reno, FHWA, Regional Transportation Commission
Nevada Transportation Conference
Reno, NV, May 13–14
Please visit our table!
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
May 15, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
Community Transportation Association of the North West (CTANW)
CTANW Summit
Bremerton, WA, May 19-20
Please visit our booth!
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
May 20, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
New
American Bus Association (ABA)
2025 WIB (Women in Bus) Meet & Eat Session
May 21, 1:00 PM
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
May 22, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National RTAP
Website Builder Office Hours
May 27, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
TRB
TRB's Conference on Data and AI for Transportation Advancement
Seattle, WA, May 27-29
National RTAP
GTFS Office Hours
May 29, 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.
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