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National RTAP 2017 Technical Assistance Program

Reminder that a pplications are due Friday, March 17 at 12:00 PM ET for the 2017 Technical Assistance Program. To learn more about the program, application requirements, and to submit your application, visit the  Program Webpage.

This year we will provide technical assistance to two small rural or tribal transit providers for their marketing and communications.  We anticipate that each project will involve, at a minimum, developing or updating the agency's marketing plan and an assessment of the system's visibility, image, and passenger experience.  We will use the Marketing Toolkit worksheets  as a starting point.
Recording Now Available for Kids on Transit Webinar

When kids use public transit it benefits the agency, community, and individual. It can help dispel the stigma that transit is only for certain populations; empower youth to be independent; help kids get around without needing a car; enable interaction among different people in the community; and increase current and future ridership.

During this webinar three transit providers described their initiatives to get youth to use transit: Amber Blake from Durango Transit in CO; Michele Brooks on behalf of Acton, MA; and Mary Anderson of Whatcom Council of Governments in WA. Find this recording and other past webinars on our Webinars page.
FTA and U.S. DOT Updates
 
Due to a presidential order, the FTA is delaying the implementation of some regulations until March 21. Read the Federal Register announcement.

NTI and the FTA are partnering to offer a course on Ridership Forecasting with the STOPS (Simplified Trips-on-Project Software package). Training will be held in Chicago May 2-4 and in Dallas June 20-22. For details and registration, check out the NTI site

Reminder that the deadline for the FY 2017 Tribal Transit Program  competitive  grants is March 20. A total of $5 million in funding is available. Visit the FTA website for full details and the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Also see this recent Fastlane post.

DOT has issued an  NPRM     for a possible change to its drug-testing program. The proposed change would add additional substances to the testing list, among other changes.  Comments are due March 24.

FTA recently released an updated Award Management Requirements Circular  (5010.1E) and Buy America Handbook.
Resources and News

Publications

TRB recently released TCRP Synthesis 127: Addressing Difficult Customer Situations, which considers issues surrounding difficult passengers and current practices used by transit agencies to prevent, prepare for, and deal with these incidents.

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) released a Rides to Wellness Implementation Guide, intended to help states, regions, and communities implement rides to wellness events and facilitate connections between mobility and healthcare professionals.

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center released a Materials Toolkit: Exploring Human Services Transportation, with written and video content from their recent online course exploring the role of human service agencies in transportation. 

Opportunities

Safety Performance Management can be overwhelming. Let the National Center for Rural Road Safety and the FHWA make things more clear. A Safety Performance Management Webinar will be held today, March 9 from 1:00-2:30pm ET. Register Now!

Improve your understanding of ADA requirements for policies and accessibility with the upcoming NADTC Mini-Course on ADA. From March 20 to April 14, participate in this Online Course.

What if people could access the mode of their needs on foot or by transit? TRB's Livable Transit Corridors: Methods, Metrics, and Strategies webinar will address this question. Read the report or register for the webinar on March 16 from 2-4pm ET.

The deadline to submit a TCRP Synthesis research topic is March 17t. Not sure how to submit an idea? Watch National RTAP's Introduction to TCRP Problem Statements.

Are you an innovator in mobility management?  Submit  your best practices to the NCMM's Mobility Management Information Practices (MMIP) contest. The deadline is March 31.

A few upcoming National Transit Institute (NTI) courses - see their  website  for the full calendar: 
Additionally, NTI's Transit Trainer Workshop is being held March 26-28 in Nashville, TN. Registration is $375 and filling up quickly!
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March 9th, 2017
Events
National Center for Rural Road Safety
Safety Performance Management
March 9
1:00-2:30pm

Transportation Research Board
Livable Transit Corridors
March 16
2:00-4:00 PM

Propose New Topics for the 2017 TCRP Syntheses
Due March 17

NADTC
ADA Mini Course
March 20-April 14

TTA
Texas 2017 Spring Training, Expo, Roadeo
Lubbock, TX
March 21-26

NMTA
Transit Roadeo, Conference, Expo
Bernalillo, NM
March 25-28

Illinois RTAC 
Spring Conference
Springfield, IL
April 5-6
 
NTI
Transit Maintenance Leadership Workshop
Long Beach, CA
April 10-14, 2017

FTA
12th Annual Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference
April 18-20, 2017
New Orleans, LA

CalACT 
2017  Spring Conference & EXPO 
April 24-27
Olympic Valley, CA

PPTA 
Spring Conference & Expo
April 24-27
Lancaster, PA

National RTAP
Fire and Flood: Disaster Preparedness and Response
April 26, 2:30-4:00pm
Webinar

ITS Heartland 
Annual Meeting
May 1-3
Wichita, KS

APTA
2017 Bus & Paratransit
Conference
May 7-10
Reno, NV
Conference

National RTAP 
2017 Technical Assistance Conference
Oct 29-Nov 1,  2017
Omaha, NE

For a listing of all National RTAP and other national events, view our  Calendar . If you'd like to submit an event, please email info@nationalrtap.org.

All event times listed as Eastern Time
Resource Spotlight
Did you know? National RTAP recently released an Advertising Best Practices article with examples, tips, and lessons-learned regarding bus wraps and in-kind advertising from five rural transit agencies. 

Also be sure to check out our previous articles on Surveillance Programs, Fuel Efficient Driving, Travel Training, and more!
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.:  50 F Street NW, Suite 7020, Washington, DC 20001