eNews - October 26, 2023

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

Updated Agenda for to the 2023 National RTAP Conference

National RTAP Wall of Fame Nominations Due November 10, 2023

Updated National RTAP Technical Brief - Operating the Rural Transit Agency

FTA Adjusted Annual Categorical Exclusions Monetary Thresholds

Updated Agenda for the 2023 National RTAP Conference

An updated Agenda has been posted for the 2023 National RTAP Conference, which will be December 3-6, 2023 in Myrtle Beach, SC. If you're not registered yet, there's still time! The deadline to register is November 28, 2023.

The Sunday Pre-Conference Training times and descriptions have also been posted. If you're already registered, please modify your registration to finalize your selection(s).

In conjunction with the conference, National RTAP will host the Transportation Safety Institute's SMS Principles for Transit training on December 5-7 and the National Transit Institute's Rural NTD Reporting on December 7. See the Agenda page for full details.

The Wall of Fame will celebrate exemplary rural and tribal transit industry staff for their dedication, innovation, and/or professionalism and share their important work. All honorees will be showcased on the wall and the National RTAP website and receive a commendation. Nominations are due November 10, 2023. Nominate someone today!

There are also many opportunities for vendors to participate in the conference, including a Vendor and Bus Expo and a Rapid Fire Intro segment to provide exposure for all exhibitors and sponsors. See the Vendor page for the Prospectus and full details.

Updated National RTAP Technical Brief - Operating the Rural Transit Agency

This updated technical brief on Operating the Rural Transit Agency introduces transit managers to topics and resources required to run a transit agency under federal regulations, as well as coordinate the development and delivery of services. We updated information on equal opportunity employment, charter service, disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE), and other operations components. Thank you to Laura Corff, Transit Director, United Community Action Program, Inc./Cimarron Transit, for the review of this update.

FTA adjusted the annual monetary thresholds for the limited federal financial assistance categorical exclusions (CE) established by FHWA and FTA. FTA incorporated the adjustment for inflation on October 1, 2023. The adjusted figures for CE projects receiving limited Federal assistance are now available on FTA’s CE webpage.

FTA announced the opportunity to competitively apply through the Public Transportation Innovation Program to serve as the Program Lead for the Accelerating Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS) program. This program will plan, deploy, evaluate, and promote ADCMS technologies. Applications will be accepted through February 12, 2024. 

FTA published a special edition of its Drug and Alcohol Regulation Updates. The issue provided 49 CFR Part 40 Updates on oral fluid testing, which is not yet allowed because the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services must certify at least two laboratories for oral fluid testing.

Rural Health Information Hub is holding a Rural Definitions and Data: Changes after the 2020 Census Webinar on November 8, 2023 from 1:00-2:00 PM ET. Presenters from the U.S. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy will review how rurality is defined by the federal government, what changes in these definitions were made recently, and how this may affect rural areas' eligibility for federal funding.

The White House published an Investing in America Technical Assistance Guide, along with State Directed Technical Assistance Resources. These guides provide information about more than 100 federal technical assistance programs that can support efforts to receive federal and state funding.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) 2023-2025 Strategic Plan is the agency’s first, comprehensive strategic plan. It covers cybersecurity risk reduction, resilience, operational collaboration, and additional topics.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Intelligence Transportation Systems (ITS) Challenges and Potential Solutions, Insights, and Lessons Learned by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office and FHWA discusses challenges to artificial intelligence adoption, including data, supporting technology, bias, security, privacy, ethics, equity, liability, workforce availability, and stakeholder perception.

The Shared-Use Mobility Center's Bridging the First and Last 5 Mile Gap: Microtransit in Northeast Wake County, NC describes a rural microtransit pilot in areas that have historically been underserved by public transit. The pilot included coordination with a local school to host educational programs to help adults with lower technological literacy learn how to book rides and get accustomed to the new mobile app. 

511NY Rideshare is a database that includes regional transportation resources by county. After users select a county, a page will display bus, paratransit, and other transportation services. The website also includes a mobility app, transit trip planner, electric vehicle station locator, and chat service.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Funding Navigator provides a listing of funding opportunities under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and others across federal agencies. Users can search by project type, audience, state/territory, and funding stage.

FMCSA's Motor Carrier Safety Planner provides explanations and templates to help companies that operate commercial motor vehicles understand and comply with federal safety regulations.

Google Maps added accessible walking routes to its wheelchair-accessible transit navigation option. Users who already selected the accessible transit feature will automatically receive the accessible walking routes feature.

The newly formed Automated. Connected. Electric. Shared. (ACES) Mobility Coalition is a public sector-led, multi-stakeholder coalition to educate and promote appropriate regulation and adoption of shared mobility providing first- and last-mile connectivity to support public transportation, safety, the environment, and workforce development. ACES is accepting new members.

The Native Learning Center has a Grant Opportunities webpage that lists grants for Tribes and funding sources and resources. Grants listed on this page include the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program.

Pilot Pen is soliciting nominations for its G2 Overachievers Grant — individuals who go above and beyond to make their communities and our world better for us all. The application deadline is December 15, 2023.

USDA published a Final Rule on Special Authority To Enable Funding of Broadband and Smart Utility Facilities Across Select Rural Development Programs to assist rural small businesses in gaining access to broadband service by permitting recipients of loans, grants, and loan guarantees to use up to 10% of the amount to construct broadband infrastructure in areas not served by the minimum acceptable level of broadband service.

The U.S. Department of Energy published a direct final rule to establish new and amended energy conservation standards for electric motors. Compliance with the new standards established in the direct final rule is required on and after June 1, 2027.

FMCSA extended the comment period for its Proposed Rule requesting public comment on the need for a rulemaking to revise the regulations prescribing the safety fitness determination process to November 29, 2023.

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.

National Safety Council (NSC)

2023 NSC Safety Congress & Expo

New Orleans, LA, October 20-26



EVNoire and Forth

National E-Mobility Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Conference

Washington, DC, October 26

U.S. DOT

V2X Summit - Saving Lives with Connectivity

Ann Arbor, MI and Virtually, October 26

Volpe Center

Accelerating Project Delivery through Innovative Procurement, Partnerships, and Financing Methods: Part 2 Webinar

October 26, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Center for Rural Road Safety

Safety Analysis Process Webinar

October 26, 2:00 PM

Native Learning Center

Just Give Us the Money Already Webinar

October 27, 2:00-3:30 PM

Louisiana Public Transit Association

2023 Louisiana Public Transit Conference

New Orleans, LA, October 29 - November 1

Please visit our booth!

AARP and National Housing Conference

Building Livable Communities for All Generations Webinar

October 31, 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM

ITS America

How AI Can Improve Transportation Webinar

October 31, 2:00-3:00 PM

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database 2023-2024 Data Publications Release Overview Webinar

October 31, 2:00-3:30 PM

California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CALACT)

CALACT 2023 Fall Conference and Expo

Indian Wells, CA, October 31 - November 3

Please stop by our table!

Smart Growth America

Rural Physical Activity -- An Active Roadmap: Best Practices in Rural Mobility Webinar

November 1, 1:00 PM

ITS4US Deployment Program 

NFTA ITS4US Webinar: Enabling Indoor Navigation to Support Complete Trips

November 1, 2:00-3:30 PM

University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies (CTS)

2023 CTS Transportation Research Conference

Minneapolis , MN, November 2, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

FTA

FTA Tribal Transit Program Virtual Consultation

November 2, 2 PM 

Native Learning Center

Don't Be an Island to Yourself Webinar

November 3, 2:00-3:30 PM

National Association of Counties (NACo)

Rural Action Caucus/Symposium

White Sulphur Springs, WV, November 5-7

Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Definitions and Data: Changes after the 2020 Census Webinar

November 8, 1:00-2:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 9, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

TRB

Transportation Resilience 2023 

Washington, DC, November 13-15

AASHTO

2023 AASHTO Annual Meeting & Expo 

Indianapolis, IN, November 13-16

FHWA

Value Capture and Debt Financing Strategies: Tax-Exempt Debt Financing Webinar

November 14, 1:00-3:00 PM 

National Transit Institute

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Virtual Course

November 14, 1:00-5:00 PM

Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota

2023 Toward Zero Deaths Conference

Rochester, MN, November 14-15

New Mexico Transit Association (NMTA)

National Transit Database Reporting That Includes General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) Starting in Reporting Year 2023 Training

Santa Fe, NM, November 15, 10:00-6:30 PM

To register or for more information, please contact Melissa Drake

Please register by Wednesday, November 8, 2023

National RTAP Presenter

U.S. DOT

Commemorating the Second Anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Webinar

November 15, 1:00 PM

National Transit Institute

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

November 15, 1:00-4:30 PM

NCHRP 

Transportation Emergency Management and Security Summit & Exchange

Washington, DC, November 15-16

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 16, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

5th Technical Assistance Conference: Navigating the Tides of Change with Rural & Tribal Transit

Myrtle Beach, SC, December 3-6

National RTAP/Transportation Safety Institute

SMS Principles for Transit Training

Myrtle Beach, SC, December 5-7

National RTAP/National Transit Institute 

Rural National Transit Database (NTD) Reporting Training

Myrtle Beach, SC, December 7

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 7, 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 Course

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

National Transit Institute

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

December 13, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 14, 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 Virtual Course

December 14, 1:00-5:00 PM

FHWA

Value Capture Strategies Toolkit for Practitioners: An Overview Webinar

December 20, 1:00-3:00 PM 

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 28, 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.