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Upcoming National RTAP Peer Call: Tribal Transit Manager Overview

National RTAP is partnering with the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) to have a conversation about Tribal Transit. FTA's Tribal Program has grown and the need for continuity and shared learning has also expanded. 

Carol Wright Kenderdine from NADTC and Easterseals, formerly of the Small Urban and Rural Transportation Center, will lead the first discussion with an overview of Transit Management.  Neil Rod riguez and Robin Phillips of National RTAP and Jennie Rowland of Big Woods Transit (Bois Forte Tribe), will lead a discussion about what is happening nationally with Tribal Transit.

Register now for this Peer Call on Thursday, July 13 at 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET and share about your tribal transit system, your perspective, and what you're doing that might benefit others. Also hear about resources and opportunities for making your system even better.
National RTAP 2017 Marketing Contest

Instead of our annual Photo Contest, this year we're asking for your passenger guides!  Check out our   Marketing Transit Toolkit for ideas on how to improve your existing brochure, or submit it as is.
 
Grand Prize: One free registration for our 2017 Conference in Omaha, Oct 29-Nov 1. Two runner-ups will receive $50 gift cards.

Guides will be judged by: rider in formation;  clarity;  visual quality; and  overall user-friendliness. For full contest details and the consent form, go to our Marketing Contest page.   The deadline is July 31!
Register for National RTAP's 2017 Conference

Registration is open for the 2017 National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference: Transportation at the Center. Join us in Omaha, NE from October 29th to November 1st for workshops, presentations, keynote speakers, and round-tables with a focus on training and practical solutions for rural and tribal transportation. 

Visit the Conference Website for more information and to register!
FTA and U.S. DOT Updates
 
The Final Report of FTA's Rides to Wellness Community Scan Project is now available. The purpose of the scan was to determine the impact of transportation barriers on health care costs and begin to demonstrate the return on investment for providing transportation to care. View the report and learn more about other initiatives related to the Coordinated Council on Access and Mobility.

FTA's Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter for June is now available, with upcoming trainings and oversight activities.

Save the Date for FTA's 17th Biennial State Programs Meeting and State Public Transit Partnerships Conference in Washington, DC, August 16-18. The audience includes State 5311 and 5310 Program Managers and State Transit Staff. Keep an eye on the 5311 page for more information and plan to attend the meeting to:
  • get a refresher on TAM, 
  • review safety initiatives, 
  • hear about emerging options in coordinated mobility, and
  • share your vision of the future of rural transit!  
FHWA is taking comments on two draft documents that provide official guidance for State DOT asset management plans.   Learn more  and submit your comments by July 5.
Resources and News

Articles

Great article in the Arizona Republic newspaper about the importance of rural public transit,  My Turn: How I Got Ahead in Life by Riding Valley Metro's 685 Bus.

Opportunities

Submit your innovative mobility management practices for NCMM's MMIP Contest by June 30!  You will be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card. See NCMM's  May Newsletter  for more information.

TRB is seeking  nominations for the  Sharon D. Banks Award recognizing excellence in people-oriented initiatives, due July 31.

Training and Webinars

Upcoming NTI courses. See the  NTI Website for details and the full calendar: 
  • Introduction to Transit Asset Management -- July 12-14, New York, NY  
  • Procurement Series III: RFPs and Competitive Contract Negotiations -- July 31-August 1, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Ridership Forecasting with Simplified Trips-on-Project Software package (STOPS) for Transit Project Planning -- September 6-7, Philadelphia, PA
Look for us at these upcoming conferences!
  • LTAP/TTAP Conference, Portsmouth-Norfolk, VA, July 17-20
  • South Central Motor Coach Association, Arlington, TX, July 29-31
  • Missouri Transit Conference, Springfield, MO, August 6-8
  • FTA State Programs Meeting and State Public Transit Partnerships Conference, Washington DC, August 16-18
Opportunity for Public Comment on Health and Transportation

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is soliciting comments on the proposed framework for Healthy People 2030. The Healthy People program provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans.

The leading health indicators in Healthy People 2020 did not include transportation. Access to Health Services was included, but it was defined by having medical insurance. This public comment period is an opportunity for you to share what you think the link is between healthy communities, healthy people, and transportation.  

Visit the  Healthy People website, within the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, to learn more the program and framework and share your perspective on health and transportation.  
June 29, 2017
Events
Easterseals
Implementing Conditional Eligibility for ADA Complementary Paratransit Trip-by-Trip
July 12
2:00- 3:30 p.m.

National RTAP
Tribal Transit Manager Overview
July 13
2:30-3:30 p.m.

LTAP/TTAP 
2017 National Conference
July 17-20
Portsmouth, VA

NTI 
July 19

SWTA 
Freedom Through Transit Summer
University
July 25-6 & July 27-28
Dallas, TX

Easterseals
Transportation and the ADA Workshop
August 2-3
Des Moines, IA

FTA
State Programs Meeting
Washington, D.C.
August 16-18 
Save the Date

FTA
2017 TAM Roundtable
August 28-29
Cambridge, MA

NTTC
20th Annual National Tribal Transportation Conference
Tucson, AZ
September 25-29

National RTAP 
2017 Technical Assistance Conference
Omaha, NE
Oct 29-Nov 1,  2017
Early Bird: Sept 8

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
Substance Abuse Awareness Training, Testing, and Compliance Technical Brief
 
Anyone designated by the US DOT as a safety-sensitive employee is subject to DOT drug and alcohol testing. But what does "safety-sensitive" mean? 

This brief will provide guidance for employers who must train and test safety-sensitive employees for drug and alcohol use and misuse, and prepare employees for what to expect. 

Download it from our  Resource Library and refresh your understanding of this important compliance topic!
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