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National RTAP Peer Call Today!  
State Allocation of Section 5310/5311 Funds
 
This call with be an opportunity for State Program Managers to discuss how they allocate Section 5310 and 5311 funds, including what formula they use, if any, and the application cycle.  Program Managers from Texas and Michigan will speak briefly about what they do in their states, but the call will be most effective if other states participate and share. 

View these Application Process Summaries from Michigan, Texas, and New York, which will also be provided as a handout on the call.  Register now and join us today, February 8 at 2:00 PM ET. 
National RTAP Webinar Series: Website Builder - Start to Finish

During this workshop webinar series on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 PM ET through March 15, Tech Support Staff will walk participants through the process of setting up a transit website using the National RTAP Website Builder tool.  Each Tuesday lesson will be accompanied by an optional Q&A session on Thursday. By completing each session's "homework," the user will have a completed site by the end of the series.  Learn more and register  today for the one or more parts of the webinar series.
National RTAP Peer Call: In the Eye of the Storm
 
Register now for the second installment in this  Disaster Preparedness Peer Call Series co-organized wit the South West Transit Association (SWTA),  to be held  on February 21 at 2:00 PM ET.  L earn what role can you play in helping your community respond to fires, floods, and other disasters and what you need to do you do to protect your vehicles.  
National RTAP Hours of Service and Electronic Logging Devices Q&A Document Available
 
We just posted questions and answers following our January  Hours of Service and Electronic Logging Devices webinar presented by industry experts Mike McDonal and Brandon Buchanan.  
Updated Livability Topic Guide

The  Livability   Topic Guide  in our Resource Center was updated in February 2018. We've added a number of new reports, including some that focus on specific populations, such as Mountain Plains Consortium's Developing a Livability Program for Indian Reservations: A Methodology and Case Study and AARP's What Is Livable? Community Preferences of Older Adults.
Calling All Transit Agencies! Participate in National RTAP's  2018 State of Rural and Tribal Transit Survey

National RTAP is conducting a survey of rural and tribal transit agencies, in order to update our records on rural and tribal transit providers and gain feedback about National RTAP products and services. The survey includes questions about salary ranges and job descriptions, which we will share results in database format in the spring of 2018. If you would like a link to this invitation-only survey, please contact Senior Technical Director  Rob Tassinari.  
USDOT Build America Credit Bureau - Financing Opportunities and Feedback Requested

USDOT's Volpe Center is working with National RTAP to better understand any constraints that prevent rural transit agencies from accessing financing, as well as to promote the  Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act  (TIFIA) program. TIFIA provides credit assistance in the form of direct loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit to projects of national or regional significance.  Types of projects funding include ITS, intercity buses and facilities, and rural infrastructure projects. 

Please fill out this two-question survey to share any challenges your agency faces in terms of financing and to ask any questions you would like addressed during a future webinar on the TIFIA program targeted to rural and intercity transportation.
FTA and USDOT Updates

FTA is hosting a  webinar on  Thursday, February 22 at 2 PM  about complying with the Transit Asset Management Rule. This TAM Refresher Webinar will review the deliverables and technical assistance resources available to help with implementation before the TAM Plan deadline in  October 2018 .   Registration is open to the first 500 participants. The webinar will be recorded and made available on the FTA TAM webpage

FTA updated its FAQs for Transit Asset Management, based on the TAM Workshop at the Council on Public Transportation/MTAP Winter Meeting in Austin. The newest question on the FAQ is, "Which 5310 grantees are exempt from the TAM rule?"  

FTA also has a new TAM for Tribes page, with resources for tribal providers to help them comply with the TAM rule requirements.  

To maximize flexibility and improve transportation coordination, the  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services'  Administration for Community Living (ACL) has clarified and publicized the ability of grantees to use Older Americans Act Title IIIB Supportive Services Funds to match to specific FTA programs. The ACL worked with the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center to publicize how to use Non-DOT Funds for Local Match. FTA also added it to guidance documents, including the fact sheets for the Section 53115310, and 5307 grant programs.

USDOT has a number of free  Transportation Safety Institute eLearning courses available.  Training includes:
  • Curbing Transit Employee Distracted Driving
  • Fatigue and Sleep Apnea Awareness for Transit Employees
  • Transit Asset Management Training: Calculating Performance Measures and Setting Targets
Do you need information about safety and oversight topics, events, training, and guidance? The FTA January 2018 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight newsletter is  now available

The comment period is open through March 2 for comments on FTA's  Strategic Transit Automation Research (STAR) Plan . Visit the Transit  Automation Research page  for more information.
Resources and News

Webinars

The  National Complete Streets Coalition and National Center for Mobility Management are co-hosting a webinar on  Improving Mobility Access through Complete Streets and Mobility Management on  February 21 at 12:30 PM ET. It will cover ways to include mobility management strategies when implementing complete streets and how to reduce mobility barriers for people with disabilities, older adults, and low income individuals. 

Publications

The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living Toolkit for Operating a Rural Transportation Voucher Program provides a model that describes how to bring together community members and resources to develop and operate a transportation system for people with disabilities in rural areas for employment, NEMT, daily living chores, and social activities. 

TCRP's Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual provides guidance and a framework for measuring transit availability, comfort, and convenience from the passenger and provider points of view. 

NCHRP's Return on Investment in Transportation Asset Management Systems and Practices explores how agencies manage their transportation assets, and provides guidance for evaluating the return-on-investment for adopting or expanding transportation asset management systems in an agency. 

Opportunities

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) announced a new funding opportunity under the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) Program on employment for people with physical disabilities. Eligible organizations include Native American tribal organizations, nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status and some for-profit organizations. Funding of up to $475,000 is available. The closing date for application is March 26.
National RTAP Q&A Webinars on our 2019 Technical Assistance Conference Local Host RFP
 
We will be holding two Q&A Webinars to answer questions about the 2019 National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference Local Host Request for Proposals (RFP). The target audience for these webinars is State DOT Staff and State and Regional Transit Associations

Webinar 1  - March 1, 2018, 2:00 PM ET 
Webinar 2 -  April 2, 2018, 2:00 PM ET 

For a copy of the RFP, contact [email protected].
National RTAP Delivers our Hundredth Tweet
 
Our hundredth Tweet was on February 2, Groundhog Day (and yes - 6 more weeks of winter predicted)! Our tweets are informative, fun, and will help you stay abreast of the latest news, training and resources from us and our partners.  Check us out on Twitter: @nat_rtap.
National RTAP FAQs Updated on Website

Contact us anytime during our business hours from Monday-Friday between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET by phone (888-589-6821), chat (top right corner of our website), or email with any questions you may have.  We also have an FAQ page on our website, which we updated in January with answers to questions including, "How do I get help using National RTAP eLearning?" and "When is the next National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference?"
We Have a New Chat System - Come Chat with Us!
 
You may have noticed that the National RTAP chat system looks a little different, from the new icon on our website to a chat-room with a new look and feel.  We've updated our system with some new features, so if you need resources, information or technical support, please click the chat button.  We look forward to serving you!
Calling All National RTAP Ambassadors!

State RTAP Managers  and National RTAP Review Board Members can represent National RTAP at state conferences and meetings throughout the year.  In 2017, Ambassadors exhibited in Utah, West Virginia, and Georgia. We've recently updated our Ambassador Kit, and if you would like to host a table filled with National RTAP training books, brochures, and giveaways, email  [email protected].
Look for us at these upcoming conferences!
  • South West Transit Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO, March 5-7
  • Michigan Rural Transportation Managers Workshop, Mount Pleasant, MI, April 25-26
  • CalACT Spring Conference, Newport Beach, CA, April 3-6  
  • Ohio Public Transit Association Annual Conference, Columbus, OH, April 9-11
  • MassDOT Innovation & Mobility Exchange, Worcester, MA, April 10-11
  • Montana Transit Association Spring Conference, Bozeman, MT, May 21-25
  • CTAA EXPO, Pittsburgh, PA, June 10-14
February 8, 2018
Events
National RTAP
Website Builder - Start to Finish
February 6-March 15
Tuesdays and Thursdays,  2:00 PM

National RTAP 
State Allocation of  5310/5311 Funds
February 8, 2:00 PM

FHWA
Cybersecurity Series Part I: The What, Why, & How of Cybersecurity for IT & OT
February 8,  1:00 PM 

NTI
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Seattle, WA
February 12-14

NTI
Contract Administration
February 12-16
Orlando, FL
Training

Q'Straint
Wheelchair Securement Training
February 13,  12:00 PM

FPTA
Public Transportation and Transportation Disadvantaged Legislative Awareness 
Tallahassee, FL
February 14

Partners for Youth with Disabilities
Leveraging Peer Mentoring Strategies to Increase Transportation Advocacy Among Young Adults
February 15,  2:00 PM

Mass Transit
Implementing Mobile Payment
February 15, 2:00 PM

TRB
Leveraging Transportation Mode Expertise for Community Resiliency
February 15,  2:00 PM

Friends of Transit 
16th Annual  Conference
February 16 
Phoenix, AZ

NTI
Orientation to Transit Procurement
Houston, TX
February 19-23

NTI
Risk Assessment and Basic Cost or Price Analysis
February 19-23
Houston, TX

NTI
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
February 20-21
San Carlos, CA

National RTAP
Disaster Preparedness: In the Eye of the Storm
February 21, 2:00 PM

NCMM
Improving Mobility Access through Complete Streets and Mobility Management 
February 21, 12:30 PM

FTA
TAM Refresher Webinar
February 22, 2:00 PM

NTI
Procurement for Small and Medium Transit Systems
February 22-23
Ft. Worth, TX
Training

National RTAP
2019 Conference Local Host RFP Q&A Part 1
March 1, 2:00 PM 

South West Transit Association
2018 SWTA Freedom Through Transit 
March 5-7
Denver, CO

National RTAP
2019 Conference Local Host RFP Q&A Part 2
April 2, 2:00 PM 

CalACT
CalACT Spring Conference and Expo
Newport Beach, CA
April 3-6

NTI
Project Management for Transit Professionals  
April 4-5
Houston, TX
Training

OPTA
Ohio Needs Transit Conference
April 9-11
Columbus, OH

NTI
Implementing Rural Transit Technology 
April 19-20
Denver, CO

CTAA Expo 2018
June 10-14
Pittsburgh, PA

RIBTC
National Conference on Rural Public & Intercity Bus Transportation
Sept 30-Oct 3
Breckenridge, CO
Conference

For a listing of all National RTAP and other national events, view our  Calendar . To submit an event, email 
[email protected].

All event times listed as Eastern Time
Resource Spotlight
Healthy Habits

Many of us made New Year's Resolutions to be healthier.  Staying healthy especially important to transit operators, who are always on the go and might feel tired or worn down and not really know why they feel that way.  Healthy Habits is a National RTAP Technical Brief  that focuses on maintaining energy and will help transit operators to feel better and be more active and alert.
National RTAP is a program of the Federal Transit Administration dedicated to creating rural and Tribal transit solutions through technical assistance, partner collaboration and FREE training materials.

Contact us:
Main:  5 Wheeling Avenue, Woburn, MA 01801, 888-589-6821
Washington, D.C.:  718 7th Street NW , Washington, DC 20001