eNews - November 23, 2022 |
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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
Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Mobile Driver Simulator Training
Upcoming National RTAP Intercity Bus Peer Roundtable
National RTAP Team Spotlight - Erik Dickey
National RTAP Staff Presenting at HUD Meeting on Rural Homelessness
SURCOM Survey on Workforce Development and Driver Shortages
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National RTAP offices will be closed on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25. We will respond to any requests when we return on Monday, November 28. |
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Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Mobile Driver Simulator Training
National RTAP updated its technical brief on Mobile Driver Training Simulators, which introduces bus simulator technology that is being utilized to assist rural operators in training their drivers. Bus simulator training involves the use of a simulated bus driving compartment, which provides behind-the-wheel, hands-on training in a virtual environment. The update includes new case studies, updated data, additional expert recommendations, and how simulators can be used in entry-level driver training.
National RTAP gratefully acknowledges contributions and reviews of this technical brief by the following individuals: Jaimie Baldwin, Oregon Department of Transportation; Paul Ouderkirk and Bill Telovsky, New York DOT; and Brendan Sennet, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) The MTD simulator is shown in the photo above.
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Upcoming National RTAP Intercity Bus Peer Roundtable
Register to participate in the upcoming National RTAP Intercity Bus Peer Roundtable on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, from 2:00-3:30 PM ET. Join your peers to discuss issues and updates relevant to the Intercity Bus industry. Potential topics include the National Bus Atlas, TRB AP055 Subcommittee on Intercity Bus Transportation Research and volunteer opportunities, GTFS and the Intercity Bus industry, and new FTA 5311 Circular updates. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. |
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Register for National RTAP Winter Meetings
Our next State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable will be held on January 9, 2023 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. State RTAP Managers need to register for this informal discussion (please note that there are separate roundtables for transit managers - this one is just for State RTAP Managers). Topics to be discussed include state initiatives to combat human trafficking, property-related projects, and electric vehicle sharing.
Join us on January 24, 2023 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET for an #OurBusStopsHere Twitter Chat to discuss issues, strategies, and promising practices for bus stop and route planning. The chat will be moderated by National RTAP staff and Review Board Members Paula Smith, Executive Director, Tri River Transit, and Jonnie Kusek, Chief Operations Officer, Panhandle Transit Services. The chat will also feature all photos from our 2022 Photo Contest - The Bus Stops Here. Email us at info@nationalrtap.org if you would like to RSVP.
The Books in Transit Discussion Group selected Riding the Bus with my Sister by Rachel Simon. The book takes place in rural Pennsylvania and is about someone with an intellectual disability who spends her days riding buses. Register for February 16, 2023 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The author plans to join us!
On March 9, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM ET, learn how to use Resource Share, the National RTAP portal for free, high-quality technical assistance and training materials for rural and Tribal transit systems. Resource Share features National RTAP-developed resources and linked access to relevant resources developed by other organizations.
Find our Hot Topic Guides on our Topic Guides Page
To make it easier to find our Hot Topic Guides (resources based on the questions from National RTAP customers within the past year), we now have a link to the Hot Topics on our Topic Guides page. Our 2022 Hot Topics include Bus Stops, Construction, Cybersecurity, Driver Recruitment, Marketing, and Medicaid Transportation
National RTAP Staff Presenting on Transportation for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
Register for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HUD) Rural Homelessness: A Collaborative Approach Working Group Report on December 1, 2022 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. National RTAP Executive Director Robin Phillips and Knowledge and Resource Manager Cara Marcus will be presenting. Registration closes on November 30, 2022. |
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National RTAP Team Spotlight - Erik Dickey
If you've contacted National RTAP Technical Support recently, you’ve had the opportunity to work with our friendly and knowledgeable new tech support specialist, Erik Dickey. But did you know that Erik has a background that includes art and fostering healthy sleep? Read more about Erik.
National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences and Meetings
We're presenting and exhibiting at the following conferences and meetings:
Save the Date - National RTAP 5th Technical Assistance Conference
National Council on Aging Blog Post on Transit Expanding Access to Food by National RTAP
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) published a blog post by National RTAP Knowledge and Resource Manager Cara Marcus on How Transit Is Expanding Access to Food for Rural Older Adults and People with Disabilities. The article describes how many rural and Tribal transit agencies have found creative ways during the pandemic to bridge transportation gaps for providing healthy foods to older adults and people with disabilities, and that long after COVID-19, the issue of delivering food to people will continue to be an important transit role.
Enhancements to the National RTAP Calendar
We've enhanced our Calendar of Events with new features. National RTAP events now have a blue bar next to them. Users can filter the calendar by conferences, National RTAP events, Tribal events, and/or webinars. The calendar is now also searchable by Keyword. Users can also view it as a calendar, list, or grid. We're working on a calendar widget for this version.
National RTAP Transit Benefits Statistics Updated
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FTA announced the opportunity to apply for up to $3,000,000 under the Technical Assistance and Workforce Development Program for proposals to develop voluntary standards and standards related best practices, guidance, and tools in safety, and other areas that improve public transportation by directly engaging and working with transit stakeholders. Applications are due January 23, 2023.
The application deadline for the U.S. DOT Notice of Funding Opportunity To Establish Cooperative Agreements With Technical Assistance Providers for the Fiscal Year 2022 Thriving Communities Program has been extended to November 29, 2022.
For U.S. DOT awards obligated on or after the effective date of the final forthcoming construction materials waiver, U.S. DOT is proposing to waive the construction materials requirements for any contracts entered into before November 10, 2022. U.S. DOT is also proposing to waive the construction materials requirements for any contracts entered into before March 10, 2023, that result from solicitations published before May 14, 2022.
FTA's November 2022 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter includes information on Transit Bus Operator Temporary Barrier to Reduce COVID-19 Exposure, Employee Safety Reporting Program methods, and a data spotlight on bus transit safety. |
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The Federal Virtual Training Environment (FedVTE) provides free cybersecurity courses, such as cloud computing security, cyberessentials, understanding web and email server security, and many additional topics.
Upcoming Tribal webinars, conferences, and meetings include:
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TCRP's Cybersecurity in Transit Systems identifies and documents emerging cybersecurity trends related to teleworking/remote worker offices, contactless customer services, real-time information services, transit-on-demand services, and cyber resilience affecting transit agencies.
Rural Health Information Hub's guide on What is Rural explains the definition of rural from three organizations: U.S. Census Bureau, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture (USDA-ERS) and discusses issues related to differing definitions.
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The Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) has an interactive map with information about its Integrated Mobility Innovation (IMI) and Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) grantees. The filter on the map offers a guide to help categorize projects by subgroup, such as mobility on demand and payment integration projects.
Mathematica County Disability and Natural Disasters Maps are interactive maps that highlight county-level variation in disability prevalence and the risk of natural disasters. The maps represent how the risk of natural disasters would expect to change with a one percent increase in the prevalence of disability.
National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Story Maps feature projects awarded as part of NADO’s 2022 Impact Awards and Excellence in Regional Transportation Awards. The maps target areas including aging, health and human services, environment and sustainability, and other topics.
The Environment America Research & Policy Center's Renewables on the Rise dashboard allows users to track the growth of clean energy as it happens in individual states and around the country. Users can compare growth over the past ten years.
A new database from the Internet Archive lets users filter by transportation. Archival resources include Transit Icing Tests with Early White Rose Potatoes and Primitive Travel and Transportation (published in 1922). |
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The Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility (SURCOM) at North Dakota State University (NDSU) invites transit managers to participate in this research study by completing a Workforce Development and Driver Shortages in Small Urban and Rural Transit survey by November 30, 2022. This study will evaluate workforce development practices and driver shortages within the small urban and rural transit industry.
The Clean Mobility Options Program is continuing to accept CTNA tribal government applications until the window closes on December 7, 2022, which will be processed and approved on a first-come-first-served basis. The CTNA voucher helps under-resourced communities identify and address their transportation challenges. |
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FMCSA withdrew its 2016 notice of proposed rulemaking concerning the establishment of requirements for States to implement annual inspection programs for commercial motor vehicles designed or used to transport passengers and will not be moving forward with rulemaking on this issue.
Effective December 21, 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration will remove [18F]FP-CIT, which can be derived from cocaine, from the schedules of the Controlled Substances Act. This action removes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions on persons who possess [18F]FP-CIT. |
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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.
National Safety Council
November 28, 2:00-3:00 PM
TRB
November 29, 1:00-2:30 PM
IL-NET T&TA Center for Independent Living and ACL
November 29, 3:00-4:15 PM
EPA National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
Washington, DC, November 29 - December 1
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Anchorage, AK, November 29 – December 1
Citizens for Modern Transit
November 30, 9:30 AM
The White House
Washington, DC, November 30 - December 1
Registration Deadline: November 14, 2022
Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE)
November 30, 2:00-2:30 PM
Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM)
November 30, 2:00-3:30 PM
Georgia Transit Association (GTA)
Columbus, GA, November 30 - December 2
Please stop by our table!
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HUD)
December 1, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Registration closes 11/30/2022. National RTAP staff are presenting.
National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)
Improving Mobility for Veterans: Connecting Healthcare and Beyond Office Hours
December 1, 2:00-3:00 PM
Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, North Dakota State University
Bismarck, ND and Virtual, December 2, December 9, December 16, 1:00-2:00 PM
Registration Deadline: 1 week prior to the event
WTS International
December 3, 2:00 PM
APTA
Phoenix, AZ, December 4-7
Intertribal Transportation Association (ITA)
Las Vegas, NV, December 6-8
We're presenting and exhibiting!
NADTC
December 7, 12:00-1:00 PM
Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE)
December 7, 12:00-1:00 PM
FTA
December 7, 2:00 PM
Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE)
December 9, 12:00-1:00 PM
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and San Diego State University
December 9, 2:00 PM
TRB
December 12, 1:00-2:30 PM
Q'Straint / Sure-Lok
Dec 13, 12:00-1:30 PM
FORTH
December 13, 1:00-2:00 PM
TRB
December 13, 1:00-2:30 PM
Transit Workforce Center (TWC)
Washington, D.C., December 13-14
We're presenting and exhibiting!
EV Charging Initiative
December 14
Active Transportation Resource Center
December 14, 1:00 PM
National RTAP/AASHTO MTAP/NADTC
December 14, 2:00-3:00 PM
American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and 3M
December 14, 2:00-3:00 PM
Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
December 15, 1:00-2:00 PM
National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE)
December 15, 1:00-2:00 PM
TRB
December 15, 1:00-2:30 PM
Smart Growth America
Washington, DC and virtual, January 7
TRB
Washington, DC, January 8-12
Visit our poster session!
National RTAP
January 9, 2:00-3:00 PM
United Motorcoach Association (UMA)
Orlando, FL, January 11-14
National RTAP
January 24, 2:00-3:00 PM
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