National RTAP eNews - April 16, 2020

eNews - April 16, 2020

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.

National RTAP Honors Outgoing Review Board Members and Welcomes New Review Board Members

National RTAP honored outgoing Review Board Members Curtis Sims, Jr. and Marcele J. Edington (pictured in photo) by sending plaques and letters of appreciation from our Executive Director, Robin Philips. Curtis Sims, Jr., CSSO, serves as the National RTAP Review Board Chair, and is the Training, Safety/Security, and RTAP Program Manager for the Office of Public Transit, South Carolina. He has served on our Review Board since 2016. Marcele J. Edington, is the Program Manager for the Office of Passenger Transportation, Michigan Department of Transportation, and has served on our Review Board since 2017.

Effective April 29, 2020, our new Review Board Chair will be Connie J. Sipe, Transit Program Administrator for Center for Community in Sitka, AK, who has served on our Review Board since 2017.

We extend a warm welcome to the newest members of our Review Board:

Laura Corff, Transit Director, United Community Action Program, Inc./Cimarron Transit, Ponca City, OK
Shauna Miller, RTAP Program Manager, Idaho Transportation Department, Boise, ID
Pradip Pant, Planning Program Administrator, Statewide Transportation Planning Office, Hawai’i Department of Transportation, Honolulu, HI
Pamela West, Operations Management Analyst Principal, Mississippi Department of Transportation, Jackson, MS

Learn more about the National RTAP Review Board.

New Date for National RTAP, AASHTO MTAP and Florida DOT Webinar on Vehicle Specifications

On May 13, 2020, 2:00-3:00 PM ET, join AASHTO’s Multi-State Transit Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) and National RTAP for a webinar with Carlton Allen, Florida DOT’s Transit Research Inspection Procurement Services (TRIPS) Program Manager about the state purchasing process. Robert E. Westbrook, Assistant State Transit Manager at Florida DOT, will moderate and provide a state’s perspective. Register for the webinar.

If you want safer and more reliable vehicles you have to ask for them. This webinar will give you the information to help you use a state safety tested vehicle specification with safety and reliability built-in.

Resources and Events

National RTAP Twitter Chat Next Week on Climate Change and Transit

We're hosting a #ClimateTransit Twitter chat on April 21, 2020, from 2:00-3:00 PM ET to discuss how climate change could impact rural communities and transit agencies. We will also discuss how transit agencies can prepare for potential effects of a changing climate, as well as tackle their emissions to mitigate potential climate impacts. RSVP to [email protected].

COVID-19 Focused Peer Assistance - Register for Upcoming Roundtables and Panel Discussions and Read Summaries of Recent Ones

We have been holding COVID-19 Peer Roundtables and Panel Discussions. Our next Peer Roundtable is for Tribal Transit Managers on April 22, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 PM ET.

Our next Panel Discussion is for State RTAP Managers on April 23, 2020 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Panelists are Don Chartock, Washington DOT; Marcele Edington, Michigan DOT; Jacklyn Montgomery, CALACT; and Lea Sheridan, NJ Transit. Register for the State RTAP Manager COVID-19 Panel Discussion.

Read summaries on our Peer Roundtables and Chats web page of previously held events. We also have a new web page for all our COVID-19 information.

U.S. DOT and FTA Updates

The FTA CARES Act Overview for the Public Transportation Industry webinar presentations, recordings, and transcripts have been posted on the FTA Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act web page.

U.S. DOT issued a Safety Advisory to reduce the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) among transit employees & passengers on April 14, 2020. The Advisory recommends that transit agencies develop and implement procedures and practices consistent with all applicable guidance and information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Opportunities

USDA is Inviting Applications for the Rural Business Development Grant Program to Provide Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems . Funding is available for on-site technical assistance to tribal, local and regional governments, public transit agencies, and rural nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Funding may be used for training material development. The deadline is May 14, 2020.

CDC's Supporting Tribal Public Health Capacity in Coronavirus Preparedness and Response provides funding for Native American tribal organizations and governments. Applications will be accepted through Grants.gov by May 31, 2020.

SAMHSA is accepting applications for Treatment, Recovery, and Workforce Support grants. The program will support individuals in substance use disorder treatment and recovery to live independently and participate in the workforce. Applications are being accepted through June 1, 2020.

The Native Learning Center is looking for speakers on all topics to help Native Communities for upcoming Hoporenkv Podcasts. Anyone who is interested can contact Wilma Noah or Krystal Cedeno.

SAMHSA is accepting applications for State Opioid Response grants. The program aims to address the opioid crisis by increasing access to medication-assisted treatment. Grants will be awarded to states and territories via formula. The application due date is May 19, 2020. SAMHSA is also accepting applications for Rural Opioid Technical Assistance grants through May 8, 2020 and Tribal Opioid Response grants through May 4, 2020.

National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) announced Fellowship Program for Entry and Mid-Level Transportation Systems Management and Operations Professionals. The program provides opportunities for those early in their careers to develop knowledge and skills that they can apply on the job in support of their long-term growth. All submissions for the first cohort are due by May 1, 2020.

The deadline for the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Rural Communities Opioid Response Program award has been extended to May 26, 2020.

The TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Commission is soliciting letters of interest. The TOPS Commission is the independent governing board that oversees TCRP, a cooperative undertaking between TRB, APTA and FTA. Interested persons should provide a letter of interest and a biographical sketch to Cynthia Owens by May 1, 2020.

Mass Transit recognizes outstanding young individuals showing innovation, leadership, and a commitment to making an impact in transit in their 40 Under 40 competition. Nominations are due July 1, 2020.

Cigna Foundation World of Difference Grants help people overcome barriers to their health and well-being related to factors such as ethnicity, race, gender, age, geography, or economics and emphasize partnership. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

The NADTC 2020 Innovations in Accessible Mobility Grant due date for grant applications has been extended to May 1, 2020.

Webinars and Training

AMF-Bruns offers free, self-paced online wheelchair securement training, including certificates of completion.

The Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC) has a new online learning module: The Importance of Shared, Electric Mobility. The module aims to explore a broad array of electric and shared mobility pilot projects across the U.S. and to build a greater understanding of these innovative projects across various disciplines.

EasterSeals Project Action Consulting is holding an ADA Complementary Paratransit Management Essentials Online Course. The course runs from July 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020. Registration ends on June 30, 2020.

Publications

Results from the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute's Transit Automation Technologies: A Review of Transit Agency Perspective survey indicated that transit agencies believed vehicles with all Society of Automotive Engineers levels 1 to 5 can promote safety.

Congressional Research Service published a report on Emergency Funding for Public Transportation Agencies Due to COVID-19. The report summarizes the FTA Emergency Relief Program and discusses legislative issues for COVID-19 funding.

Google has started to publish COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, which includes mobility trends for public transit stations. The data are available for the United States and individual states.

TCRP's Attracting, Retaining, and Advancing Women in Transit explores the strategies that have been deployed in transit and other related industries in order to attract, retain, and advance women in a variety of roles. The report provides successful case examples, such as a Transit Careers Ladders Program and a Leadership Academy.

A National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) article on Tri-County Transit Coordination in the Lake of the Ozarks describes how the Lake of the Ozarks Transportation Council partnered with OATS, the local transit provider, to launch a new bus route that connected multiple counties.

FHWA has created a series of printable Outreach Brochures to demonstrate how transportation agencies positively impact health and the local economy. Brochures are available on Public Transit, Rural and Small Town Transportation, and other topics.

National RTAP Drug and Alcohol Programs Topic Guide Updated

The National RTAP Drug and Alcohol Programs Topic Guide was updated in April 2020. Newly added resources include Florida DOT's Prescription for Safety, USDA's Rural Community Action Guide: Building Stronger, Healthy, Drug-Free Rural Communities, and FMCSA's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse .

Legislation

NHTSA published a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register on Occupant Protection for Automated Driving Systems on March 30, 2020. This proposal is limited to adapting current crashworthiness Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and provides a unified set of proposed regulatory text applicable to vehicles with and without automated driving system functionality. Comments are due by May 29, 2020.

The Federal Communications Commission published a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register on March 31, 2020 on Disruptions to Communications that seeks to provide state and federal agencies with access to communications outage information. Comments are due on June 1, 2020.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency in the Federal Register on April 6, 2020, which expanded on interim basis destinations that Medicare covers ambulance transportation to include all destinations, from any point of origin, that are equipped to treat the condition of the patient consistent with Emergency Medical Services protocols established by state and/or local laws.

Through June 30, 2020, FCMSA is providing a waiver from certain regulations for interstate and intrastate commercial driver’s license and learner’s permit holders and other interstate drivers operating commercial motor vehicles. Another FCMSA waiver was granted concerning Third Party CDL Skills Test Examiners, which is also in place through June 30, 2020.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury posted forms for Submission Required for Receipt of Coronavirus Relief Fund Payments on April 13, 2020. The provide downloadable Certifications for Local and Tribal government forms. Eligible governments should provide payment information and required supporting documentation by April 17, 2020.

Calendar of Upcoming Events

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

Distracted Driving Twitter Chat

April 16, 12:00-1:00 PM

Twitter Chat

APTA and CDC

Keeping Public Transit Workers and Riders Safe During the COVID-19 Pandemic

April 16, 1:30-2:15 PM