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
Upcoming National RTAP Workshops on Intercity Bus and GTFS
Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Broadband Access and Rural Transit
Tribal Scholarships for State and Tribal Programs and Transit Partnerships Conference
Review Board Member Spotlight: Marianna Hanefeld & Website Spotlight: VAST
New National RTAP Award for Tribal Capital Projects Launched
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National RTAP Intercity Bus 101: State of the Industry Meeting Next Week
National RTAP will be hosting Intercity Bus 101: State of the Industry on July 25, 2023, 2:00-3:30 PM ET. We are hosting a series of webinars describing these changes and setting up states and communities to successfully integrate with the newly emerging industry. Join us for Intercity Bus 101 where multiple speakers from a diverse group of backgrounds will describe the state of the industry, technological advancements, and how best to move forward.
This session will be a general overview, followed by future sessions which will provide more in-depth analysis. Bring your questions because there will be a chance to engage with industry experts.
The intended audience is state program managers, local and tribal transit providers and mobility planners, researchers, and intercity bus carriers.
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National RTAP Workshop Series - GTFS: Three Steps to Trip Planning and Meeting New NTD Reporting Requirements in 2023
National RTAP is hosting a three-part online GTFS: Three Steps to Trip Planning and Meeting New NTD Reporting Requirements in 2023 workshop series on August 8, 15, and 29, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM ET, offering free targeted, hands-on training to help you develop your GTFS data and publish your services online. At the end of the training, you can expect to complete GTFS data for one bus route, and most importantly, have the skills to create GTFS data for other routes. |
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Additionally, in support of the forthcoming National Transit Database (NTD) reporting requirements for General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) for fixed and deviated fixed route service, National RTAP is offering free, live GTFS support Thursdays between 1:00-1:30 PM ET. Meet with our instructor, share your screen, and ask questions. Use this link to join the Zoom meeting – no preregistration is needed. GTFS support is also available Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET by contacting info@nationalrtap.org. |
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Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Broadband Access and Rural Transit
National RTAP updated its technical brief, Broadband Access and Rural Transit: Bringing Connectivity to Rural Communities (previously called Broadband Access and Rural Transit: Bringing Online Resources to Rural Communities). The brief discusses the types of broadband services available, current legislation, funding, implementation, and the outlook for the future. It also includes a new section on how rural and Tribal transit agencies can become involved in broadband access improvement.
Thank you to Laura Corff, Transit Director for United Community Action Program, Inc./Cimarron Transit, for the review of the update.
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Tribal Travel Scholarships Available to Attend the FTA State and Tribal Programs and Transit Partnerships Conference
Upcoming National RTAP Events
National RTAP will host a Rural Cultural Competence Training for Transportation and Mobility Professionals Webinar on August 16, between 2:00-3:00 PM ET. This training will help transportation and mobility management professionals who work in rural communities to gain a better understanding of these unique characteristics, as well as the determinants of health and health challenges for people in rural areas. The instructor will be Mary Maruscak, Director of Community Health at the Rural Health Network of South Central NY, which was one of National RTAP's Community Rides grantees in 2021-2023.
Our Books in Transit Discussion Group has selected I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman as our next book to read. A mother and daughter travel in a bus full of strangers for a college tour all along the east coast. Register for our meeting on August 22, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The author will be joining us!
Rural Transit Day Recap
Our fifth #RuralTransitDay Twitter Chat was held on July 14, 2023. (Rural Transit Day is always July 16, which was a Sunday this year.) This is an event where participants share thoughts about the benefits of rural transit, along with challenges and solutions. The chat was moderated by Stephanie Lewis, Project Manager, Florida RTAP, Paula Smith, Executive Director, Tri River Transit, and National RTAP staff. Read the chat transcript and summary.
244 organizations pledged their commitment to rural transit, the state of Alaska proclaimed Rural Transit Day 2023 and Georgia DOT formally recognized the Rural Transit Day.
Danny Schnathorst, Marketing Outreach Coordinator for the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA), and Jayde Kolb, Marketing and Promotions Coordinator, North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) tied to win our contest about how their agency was celebrating Rural Transit Day.
Enter the National RTAP 2023 Photo Contest: This is Rural Transit
Our National RTAP 2023 Photo Contest – This is Rural Transit – is all about the “rural” in rural transit. We’re looking for photos that showcase the beauty and uniqueness of rural areas and tribal lands and highlight what makes small towns special. Entries must include a photo of the bus, bus stop, driver, and/or riders. Each transit agency can enter up to three photos by August 21, 2023.
National RTAP Launches RFP to Update our Marketing Toolkit
National RTAP Website Builder Spotlight: Valley Area Stretcher Transport
Valley Area Stretcher Transport (VAST), based in Lexington, VA, was founded in September 2022. VAST is the first nonprofit, paratransit, non-emergent stretcher transport provider in Virginia. National RTAP's Website Builder was a perfect fit for the new VAST website, which has an interactive map that can toggle between street and aerial view and a Schedule-a-Ride button. Read more about the VAST website.
Nebraska Mobility Matters Article Cites National RTAP
Nebraska Mobility Matters, published by Nebraska DOT, Nebraska Public Transit, and Nebraska Association of Transit Providers, published an article about What's New from National RTAP. The article cites some of our new training resources on broadband and volunteers in transportation, along with upcoming events. |
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National RTAP Review Board Member Spotlight: Marianna Hanefeld
National RTAP Review Board Member Marianna Hanefeld is a transportation planner and liaison for the Washington State Department of Transportation and is the Washington State RTAP Manager. Read about her early career in music education and her work advocating for underserved communities, rural and tribal areas to elevate the role of mobility management in helping communities solve transportation problems. Read more about Marianna.
National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences
We're presenting and exhibiting at the following conferences and meetings:
- WVPTA Annual Meeting, July 25-27
- CTAV 2023 Conference and Expo, August 7-9
- Washington State Public Transportation Conference/Oregon Public Transit Conference, August 13-15
- 2023 Biennial FTA State and Tribal Programs and Transit Partnerships Conference, August 16-18
- Florida CTD 31st Annual Training Workshop & Expo, August 29-30
- Tri-State Transit Conference, September 6-7
- URSTA Conference & Roadeo, September 7-9
- NEMTAC TRANSFORM 2023 Conference, September 10-12
- NADO National Summit on Rural Road Safety, September 12-14
- CASTA Fall 2023 Conference and EXPO, September 12-15
- HTA 2023 Annual Conference, September 13-14
- National Transportation in Indian Country Conference (NTICC), September 24-28
- CTE Zero Emission Bus Conference (ZEB Con), September 26-28
- MassDOT 2023 Moving Together Conference, October 4
- Wisconsin/Minnesota Public Transit Expo, October 23-25
National RTAP Transit Asset Management Topic Guide Updated
National RTAP Community Discount for the Zero Emission Bus Conference
National RTAP community members can receive $200 off registration to the Center for Transportation and the Environment's (CTE) Zero Emission Bus Conference using the discount code RTAP200. The conference will be held in San Diego, CA on September 26-28, 2023.
Call for Tribal Transit Agencies and Champions Nominations and Student Posters for the National RTAP 2023 Conference
TACL Utilization Study Launched
Rural Health Information Hub Publishes RTAP Webpage
The Rural Health Information Hub published a webpage about State RTAPs that include information about their program objectives with links to National RTAP's State RTAP webpages. |
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U.S. DOT is accepting applications through September 28, 2023 for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program, a program that combines the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program and the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program, which address harm from past infrastructure planning decisions, accelerate equitable community revitalization, and improve access to everyday destinations.
FTA created an interactive map showing the distribution of FY2023 Buses & Bus Facilities and Low-No Grants throughout the country. Users can select individual projects to learn more about them, including project sponsors, descriptions, and funding amounts.
U.S. DOT published a rural electric vehicle toolkit to help rural community stakeholders scope, plan, and identify ways to fund electric mobility charging infrastructure. The toolkit addresses funding opportunities and planning considerations for electric vehicles and devices, including micromobility and transit vehicles. |
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Easterseals Project Action (ESPA) offers a certification program for mobility management professionals, at all experience levels, with a Certified Mobility Manager (CMM) credential. All courses are provided virtually.
The video recordings for the keynote presentations for the 2023 National Shared Mobility Summit, convened by the Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC), have been posted. Topics include shared mobility and utilities and decarbonizing transportation.
Integrating Transportation and Land Use is a free online course from FHWA that is designed to help practitioners plan multimodal transportation systems that support community development goals and shape land use patterns that support transportation system performance goals.
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What Transit Needs to Know About Labor Trafficking by Busing on the Lookout describes how transit stakeholders may come into contact with labor trafficking victims and describes red flags to look for, such as body language or how they speak, or even just confusion about the day and time, and more. The brief also describes how the transit industry can help labor trafficking victims to get help.
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EPA's MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) is an emission modeling system that estimates emissions for mobile sources at the national, county, and project level for criteria air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and air toxics.
No-Lift NEMT provides an interactive map for users to find a certified No-Lift NEMT provider in the U.S. Users can search by location and distance.
Google MaaS integrates navigation and booking for multiple transportation services (including shared micromobility providers) into a single app.
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The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is conducting a survey about coordination practices at the state and local levels. NCMM will use this information to develop case studies highlighting the practices, so others can replicate these strategies. For questions, please contact Enjoli Dixon.
The Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) is conducting a survey to understand more about personal transportation decisions and interest in a membership association with insurance for shared mobility users. Perspectives will inform national efforts to promote people-focused mobility for social equity and climate action.
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) is seeking Transportation Program Innovations targeted to the needs of older adults and people with disabilities. All program transportation innovations submitted for consideration must have been in operation for six months or longer. Applications are due August 18, 2023.
Smart Growth America extended the Community Connectors application deadline to July 27, 2023. The program advances locally driven projects that will reconnect communities separated or harmed by transportation infrastructure and tap available federal and state funds to support them. |
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NHTSA and FMCSA propose to adopt a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard to require automatic emergency braking systems on heavy vehicles, vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds. They also propose to require nearly all heavy vehicles to have an electronic stability control system that meets certain standards. Comments are due September 5, 2023.
FCC also proposes rules for Next Generation 911 that allow emergency calls to be answered upon request of 911 authorities who have certified the capability to accept Internet Protocol based 911 communications. Comments are due August 9, 2023.
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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 RTAP
July 20, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
AASHTO
July 20, 2:00 PM
Native Learning Center
July 20, 2:00-3:30 PM
National Safety Council
July 20, 3:00 PM
TRB
Richmond, VA, July 23-26
U.S. Access Board
July 25, 1:30-3:30
Smart Growth America & Transportation for America
July 25, 2:00 PM
Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
July 25, 2:00-3:00 PM
National RTAP
July 25, 2:00-3:30 PM
American Bus Association Bus Industry Safety Council (BISC)
Orlando, FL, July 25-27
American Bus Association Bus Maintenance and Repair Council (BusMARC)
Orlando, FL, July 25-27
West Virginia Public Transit Association (WVPTA)
Wheeling, WV, July 25-27
Please visit our booth!
U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence (COE)
July 26, 1:00 PM
TRB
July 26, 1:00-2:30 PM
National RTAP
July 27, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
U.S. DOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES)
July 27, 1:30-3:30 PM
No pre-registration necessary
Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE)
July 27, 2:00 PM
APTA
Anaheim, CA, July 30 - August 2
U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence (COE)
August 3, 1:00 PM
National RTAP
August 3, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
FHWA
August 3, 1:00-2:30 PM
FHWA
August 3, 1:00-3:00 PM
Easter Seals Project Action (ESPA)
August 3, 2:00 PM
Community Transportation Association of Virginia (CTAV)
Fredericksburg, VA, August 7-9
National RTAP
August 8, 15, and 29, 2:00-3:00 PM
Must attend all 3 sessions
Association of Travel Instruction (ATI)
Salt Lake City, UT, August 8-10
FHWA
August 9, 2023, 1:00-2:00 PM
U.S. DOT
August 9, 1:30-3:30 PM
American Bus Association
August 9, 2:00-3:00 PM
U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence (COE)
August 10, 1:00 PM
National RTAP
August 10, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
WSTA/OTA
Vancouver, WA, August 13-15
Please visit our table!
NRITS and ITE
Portland, OR, August 13-16
Northwest Tribal Emergency Management Council and Planning Team
Tulalip Bay, WA, August 14-18
U.S. DOT
August 15, 1:30-3:30 PM
National Local Technical Assistance Program Association (NLTAPA)
August 15-17, 1:00-3:00 PM
FHWA
August 16, 1:00-3:00 PM
National RTAP
August 16, 2:00-3:00 PM
FTA
Washington, DC, August 16-18
We're participating
National RTAP
August 17, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National RTAP and SUMC
August 17, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
National Transit Institute
August 17, 2:00-3:30 PM
National RTAP
August 22, 2:00-3:00 PM
TRB
August 22, 2:00-3:00 PM
Green Transportation Summit & Expo (GTSE)
Tacoma, WA, August 22-24
Southwestern Tribal Technical Assistance Program (SWTTAP)
Albuquerque, NM, August 22-24
National RTAP
August 24, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
TRB
August 29, 2:00-3:30 PM
Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD)
Orlando, FL, August 29-30
We're participating
U.S. DOT ITS JPO
August 30, 2:00-3:30 PM
National RTAP
August 31, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National Transit Institute
August 31, 2:00-3:00 PM
United Tribes
Bismarck, ND, September 5-7
New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine DOTs
Killington, VT, September 6-7
Please stop by our booth!
MPTA, IPTA, KPTA, NATP
Kansas City, MO, September 6-8
National RTAP Ambassadors are attending.
U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence (COE)
September 7, 1:00 PM
National RTAP
September 7, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
Utah Urban Rural Specialized Transit Association (URSTA)
Kanab, UT, September 7-9
Please visit our table!
Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation Commission (NEMTAC)
Jacksonville, FL - September 10-12
Please stop by our table!
National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)
Oklahoma City, OK, September 12-14
We're participating
Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA)
Crested Butte, CO, September 12-15
Please stop by our table!
Hawaii Transportation Association (HTA)
Honolulu, HI, September 13-14
We're participating
National RTAP
September 14, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
FHWA
September 14, 1:00-3:00 PM
National RTAP
September 21, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National Transportation in Indian Country Conference (NTICC)
Anchorage, AK, September 24-28
Please stop by our booth!
Move America
Austin, TX, September 26-27
National Transit Institute
September 26-27, 1:00-4:30 PM
Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE)
San Diego, CA, September 26-28
Please stop by our booth!
U.S. DOT Project Delivery Center of Excellence (COE)
September 27, 1:00 PM
American Bus Association
September 27, 2:00-3:00 PM
International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR)
Scottsdale, AZ, September 27-30
American Public Works Association (APWA) - New England Chapter
September 28, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
National RTAP
September 28, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
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