National RTAP eNews - June 11, 2020

eNews - June 11, 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 ADA Toolkit Comprehensively Updated - Find Out More in our Upcoming Webinar

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the National RTAP ADA Toolkit has been thoroughly updated in June 2020 with new content, resources, explanations, templates, questions and answers, glossary, and more. The Toolkit is meant to give rural and tribal transit managers an overview of their responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations to provide equal service to all passengers.

Join Beth Hamby and Buffy Ellis, KFH Group, and Cara Marcus, National RTAP, for an overview of the updated toolkit's sections, features, and functionality on June 30 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Register for the webinar.

ADA Toolkit

Upcoming State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable with a Training Focus

National RTAP will be holding a training-focused peer roundtable for State RTAP Managers on July 23, 2020, from 2:00-3:00 PM. No need to register, just join GoToMeeting at the time of the Roundtable or call 646-749-3112, Access Code 149-248-141. Topics covered will include training certifications, online training platforms, training scholarships, and in-person training safety protocols in light of COVID-19. Participants can also ask their own questions. RSVP for a calendar invite.

RSVP

Resources and Events

We Asked "What Are Your Current COVID-19 Questions?" And Then We Answered Them.

We recently ran a poll to find out what our readers needed to know during this "reopening" phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. We've answered many of your questions in our COVID-19 FAQs , such as:

showing the public that riding transit is not a threat to their health
meeting increasing demand during reopening with limited vehicle capacity
emergency preparedness and COVID-19
restoring fares

Many Ways to Get Involved on Rural Transit Day

The second annual Rural Transit Day will take place on July 16, 2020. We will be holding a #RuralTransitDay Twitter Chat from 2:00-3:00 PM ET, moderated by Julia Castillo, Executive Director, HIRTA Public Transit, Kari Banta, Section 5304 Program Manager, TX DOT, and Angie Jones, District Manager, Grant County Transportation District (People Mover).

The chat will focus on what agencies are doing to recognize passengers and staff on #RuralTransitDay and through the year, and shared thoughts about challenges and solutions for rural transit. RSVP to receive an invite. Also, stay tuned for contests on our Twitter and Instagram pages to win a Rural Transit Day t-shirt.

Enter the National RTAP Rural Transit Heroes Photo Contest

Do you know a someone who has gone above and beyond to make sure their passengers travel safely and comfortably in all situations? An individual who has spurred innovations to help rural and tribal transit agencies overcome challenges and find new solutions? A person who has helped provide essential transportation or delivery of vital resources during the COVID-19 pandemic? Somebody who has played a leadership role in curbing human trafficking, addressing the opioid crisis, or helping other vulnerable populations through transit? All these heroes deserve to be commended and celebrated, so the theme of our 2020 Photo Contest is “Rural Transit Heroes.” The contest ends August 20, 2020.

U.S. DOT and FTA Updates

U.S. DOT seeks comments on the draft Broad Agency Announcement, part of the Complete Trip - ITS4US Deployment Program funding opportunity. The program aims to solve mobility challenges for all travelers accessing employment, education, healthcare, and other activities, regardless of location, income, or disability. the comment period closes on June 13, 2020.

FTA announced approximately $130 million in grant selections through the Low- or No-Emission (Low-No) Grant program. Rural agencies receiving the grants include Mountain Rides in Blaine County, Idaho and Avon Transit in Avon, Colorado.

On May 28, 2020, FTA announced the availability of $1.25 million in funding to demonstrate and evaluate innovative technologies and designs to improve the state of good repair for transit agencies. The competitive grants are provided through the Public Transportation Innovation Program. The Notice of Funding Opportunity was published in the Federal Register. Proposals are due on July 17, 2020.

U.S. DOT issued a Final Rule on June 1, 2020 to establish and implement the Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program. The Program will afford Tribes participating in the Program greater control and decision-making authority over their use of certain U.S. DOT funding for which they are eligible recipients while reducing administrative burdens. The rule will be effective on October 1, 2020.

FTA will conduct a webinar on their FY 2020 Tribal Transit Program Funding Opportunity on June 25, 3:00-4:00 PM ET. The closing date for the application is August 20, 2020.

The FTA Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility published a CCAM Federal Fund Braiding Guide. Federal fund braiding is when funds from one federal program are used to meet the match requirements of another.

FTA published Fiscal Year 2020 Apportionments, Allocations and Program Information in the Federal Register on June 3, 2020. $727,197,333 was apportioned for the Section 5311 - Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program and $32,604,193 was apportioned for Formula Grants for Section 5311(c)(1) for the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (Tribal Transit Program).

FTA announced $3.5 million in grants to improve mobility and access to public transportation for older adults, people with disabilities and individuals of low income through FTA’s Mobility for All Pilot Program. Rural projects include the launch of a new regional rural transit/human services transportation program in Georgia and a new travel training program in seven rural Iowa counties. The grants will also provide scheduling and dispatching software for efficient route configurations and live updates for bookings and cancellations for the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington.

FTA’s has created a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Resource Tool for Public Transportation. The tool contains federal COVID-19 guidance and recommendations on sanitizing transit facilities and vehicles, personal protective equipment, physical distancing, and more, including information from CDC, OSHA, and EPA.

Opportunities

Grants are available for Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The deadline July 17, 2020.

NCMM is interested in hearing how the daily work environment has changed for mobility management practitioners. They're asking for photos that best visualize daily operations in the COVID-19 era along with a 1-2 line explanation. Send photos to [email protected] with the subject line: Mobility Management Operations Change.

CTAA, with support from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, and in collaboration with the FTA and national partners, is planning to fund three grants through their Developing Mobility on Demand Solutions for People with Disabilities and Older Adults Using Inclusive Planning & Human-Centered Design program. This opportunity will fund inclusive transportation planning, development, and implementation with mobility on demand solutions. There will be a teleconference about the grants on June 29, 2020, 2:00 PM ET.

TCRP is seeking nominees for the FY 2020 synthesis program to serve on the expert panels that oversee the technical content of these studies. Nominations are due June 30, 2020.

NCHRP is conducting an assessment of Issues Associated with Providing Customized, Client-Based Transportation Services. The study on rural and small-town areas will identify best practices and innovations in providing agency-based transportation, such as non-emergency medical trips. National and state leaders are invited to participate in a survey to help guide research.

Webinars and Training

The Association for Commuter Transportation has established a national certification program for Transportation Demand Management (TDM) professionals. The first round of TDM-CP exams will be conducted between September 14th and October 2nd, 2020.

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) is holding a virtual 2020 National Regional Transportation Conference during the entire month of July 2020.

Best Workplaces for Commuters now offers Teleworker Certification to help managers and teleworkers work more efficiently, communicate better, perform as team contributors, and remain visible while away.

Databases and Tools

NADTC has launched a Photo Gallery with dozens of free photos that can be used for websites, social media, and marketing. The gallery includes photos of older adults, people with disabilities, rural and tribal transportation, travel training, and many more topics.

University of Oregon prepared a StoryMap about how Transit Authorities and agencies have responded to COVID-19. The StoryMap includes 111 Transit Authorities across the U.S.

When Google Maps users look up public transit directions for trips that are likely to be affected by COVID-19 restrictions, the display will show alerts from local transit agencies and crowdedness information.

Publications

WSP's Public Transportation and COVID-19 Funding and Finance Resiliency: Considerations When Planning in an Unprecedented Realm of Unknowns summarizes federal and state funding options and provides an action plan with a staged approach to addressing immediate response needs and transitioning into recovery efforts.

The latest National Transportation Knowledge Network (NTKN) blog post, written by National RTAP and Montana DOT staff, features Minnesota DOT's Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation LibGuide.

The Basics of Micromobility and Related Motorized Devices for Personal Transport by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center provides an overview of powered forms of micromobility and compares features of micromobility with a spectrum of other traditional and emerging forms of transportation.

National RTAP Transit Asset Management Topic Guide Updated

The National RTAP Transit Asset Management Topic Guide was updated in June 2020. Newly added resources include:

FTA's Transit Asset Management PLanning Assistance TemplatE (TAMPLATE) and Asset Category Overviews & Lifecycle Management
SouthEastern Arizona Governments Organization's interactive Transit Asset Management System
Clallam Transit System Transit Asset Management Plan

Legislation

FMCSA published a Final Rule in the Federal Register on June 1, 2020 revising the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. The rule included allowing a 14-hour work shift to take place as part of the exception, expanding the driving window during adverse driving conditions by up to an additional 2 hours, and requiring a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving time. The rule will become effective on September 29, 2020.

An Executive Order on Accelerating the Nation’s Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Emergency by Expediting Infrastructure Investments and Other Activities was issued on June 4, 2020. The Order expedited the delivery of transportation infrastructure projects and provided flexibility through National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Emergency Regulations and Emergency Procedures.

Deadline Extended: National RTAP Training Request for Information (RFI)

National RTAP has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit proposals from interested and qualified trainers to provide compliance training and technical assistance through in-person workshops, virtual online training and/or webinars to subrecipients of FTA Section 5311, 5311(c), 5311(f) and 5310 funding. The deadline has been extended to June 5, 2020 at 5:00 PM ET. We have also posted questions received and their answers at the link above.

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 Transit Institute

Demystifying Leadership

June 11, 1:30 PM