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.
Newsletter Highlights
New National RTAP ELDT Tech Brief and FTA/FMSCA ELDT Webinar
Join our Second Relaxation Workshop: Living in Nature’s Cycle, Moment by Moment
National RTAP ADA Topic Guide and COVID-19 FAQs Updated
FTA Publishes 2022 Emergency Relief Docket
Tribal Transit Spotlight: Bois Forte Band of Chippewa’s Big Woods Transit
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National RTAP Technical Brief and FTA/FMCSA Webinar on Entry-Level Driver Training Requirements
Federal Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) regulations set the minimum requirements for training that entry-level drivers of Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) must complete before being permitted to take certain commercial driver’s license (CDL) skills or knowledge tests on or after February 7, 2022. Our new technical brief explains what rural and tribal transit agency staff and trainers need to know to comply with the regulations.
For training on this topic, FTA and FMCSA are holding an ELDT Rule Requirement Webinar today, January 20, 2022 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. This webinar will provide an overview of the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) Final Rule and the Training Provider Registry, plus outline the driver and training provider requirements.
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Upcoming National RTAP Workshop - Relax: Living in Nature’s Cycle, Moment by Moment
For those of you who enjoyed our February 2021 Relax Stress Management Workshop (and anyone who wants to relax), we are offering something very special on February 7, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM ET.
George Kinder finds creative inspiration from the solitude of living on the edge of a New England pond. Attuned to nature’s teachings, Kinder recorded its seasonal changes through poetry and photography in his book Reflections on Spectacle Pond. In this event, he offers an intimate window into the creative process with a poetry reading, photography slideshow, and discussion about meditation, nature, and inspiration. Register for the Workshop. |
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National RTAP and AASHTO MTAP Hold Transit Insurance and Risk Management Webinar
National RTAP and AASHTO Multi-State Transit Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) are hosting a Risky Business: Transit Insurance and Risk Management webinar on March 31, 2022 from 2:00-3:30 PM ET to provide training on two very important components of rural transit management: insurance and risk management. Participants will also learn about statewide insurance pools. Register for the webinar.
Marketing Workshop Series: Step One - Build Awareness Posted
The first of six virtual marketing workshops geared to rural and tribal public transit providers was held on January 13, 2022. Selena Barlow of Transit Marketing LLC gave a presentation and worked with participants on their marketing strategies. Access the recording and presentation slides.
National RTAP Presentations at Virtual Conferences
National RTAP will be presenting at TransitCon 2022 on January 30, 2022 (the schedule is forthcoming) on How to Find (Almost ) Anything in Transportation. The presentation will feature our Find Anything Toolkit. Our staff will also be presenting at Tompkins County Department of Social Services' Virtual TransportationCamp Ithaca 2022 on January 21, 2022 on The Library is OPEN at Ithaca Transportation Camp.
National RTAP COVID-19 FAQs Updated
National RTAP updated its COVID-19 FAQs, which answer questions that our users asked us about Coronavirus Disease 2019. We updated previous answers and posted new questions and answers for topics including employee and rider surveys, shared-ride taxi service, and temperature kiosks.
Books in Transit Discussion Group Features the Accidental Bus Driver Author
Join us on February 17, 2022 from 11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET to discuss the Accidental Bus Driver by Tom Beaumont - a view from the bus driver's seat. The first half-hour of the meeting will be an introduction to the book by author Tom Beaumont. During the second half-hour of the meeting, National RTAP staff will lead a group discussion. If you would like to borrow the book, please contact us.
Welcome New State RTAP Managers
National RTAP extends a warm welcome to new Utah State RTAP Manager Alana Spendlove, Maryland RTAP Manager Luke Benson, and Arkansas RTAP Manager John Spears, Jr. If you would like to get in touch with them or any other RTAP Managers, visit our Directory of State RTAP Managers. |
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National RTAP Soliciting New Review Board Members
National RTAP is soliciting nominations through March 31, 2022 for new Review Board members to join the Board in 2022 and 2023. There will be vacancies to fill for 2 state transit officials in fall 2022 and 2 in spring 2023. For rural or tribal transit providers there will be 3 vacancies in 2023. The term is 3 years beginning at the member’s first meeting. Read more and download the nomination form.
Upcoming National RTAP Transit Manager Peer Roundtable
We are holding a Transit Manager Peer Roundtable on January 27, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM ET, for an informal discussion and information sharing with transit managers, facilitated by National RTAP staff.
Potential topics include the new CDL entry-level driver training requirements, Title VI participation, triennial reviews, vehicle and parts shortages, and going fare-free. Please submit questions you have or topics you would like addressed when you register for the roundtable.
National RTAP ADA Topic Guide Updated
National RTAP has begun its annual update of Topic Guides, starting with the ADA Topic Guide. New resources include:
Save the Date: Transit Knowledge Sharing Retreat
Northwest Pennsylvania Mobility Alliance, Inc., in partnership with National RTAP, National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT), and PennTRAIN, will be hosting the Inaugural Transit Knowledge Sharing Retreat in Erie, PA June 15-16 2022. Topics will include mobility management, alternative fuels, transit's role in economic development, and more.
Learn about TACL Webinar Next Month, Plus TACL Updates
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FTA established an Emergency Relief Docket for calendar year 2022, so grantees and subgrantees affected by a national or regional emergency or disaster may request temporary relief from FTA administrative and statutory requirements. Written comments should be received on or before March 8, 2022.
U.S. DOT submitted an Agency Request for Emergency Approval of an Information Collection for applicants to submit a proposal for discretionary grant funding under the National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The information request covers the application stage, grant agreement stage, project management stage, and project evaluation stage. Comments should be submitted as soon as possible.
U.S. DOT updated their Innovation Principles, which include policy priorities, worker support, opportunities to collaborate, and others. U.S. DOT identifies opportunities for interoperability among innovations and fosters cross-modal integration.
The U.S. DOT Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Pre-solicitation Q&A Forum provides an opportunity to submit clarifying questions on the topics published in the U.S. DOT Fiscal Year 2022 Phase 1 Pre-Solicitation through February 2, 2022. |
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TRB is holding a Transportation in an Aging Society—The Future is Now Webinar on February 23, 2022 from 1:00-2:30 PM ET. The webinar will identify past, present, and future initiatives to ensure easier mobility for an aging society. Presenters will discuss the current mobility landscape and will provide solutions about how to improve it.
If you haven't already done so, please take the RIBTC 2021 conference evaluation survey to help plan for future National Conference on Rural, Public, and Intercity Bus Transportation conferences.
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511 SF Bay's Interactive Employer Transportation Planning Handbook has a section on rural worksites, which discusses active commutes, walking, and biking on corridors with complete sidewalks, bike lanes, and curbside bike storage for safe travel. The handbook also provides guidance on implementing programs including vanpools, transit commute programs, and active commute programs.
APTA published its 2021 Public Transportation Fact Book, which contains national aggregate statistical data covering all aspects of the transit industry. Sections include rural transit service data by state, finances and operating statistics by modes of travel, transit vehicle characteristics and deliveries, and information relating to federal grants. There is also an Excel spreadsheet of the Fact Book available for download.
A special issue of TRB's Transportation Research Record (TRR) focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Transportation Profession. The issue includes information on TRB's Standing Committee on Native American Transportation and their projects and how transit agencies such as the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority are implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organizations. |
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Tribal Transit Spotlight: Big Woods Transit |
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Our new Tribal Transit Spotlight is on the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa’s local bus service Big Woods Transit in Minnesota. Many of Big Woods Transit’s changes over the past two years have been quite innovative, such as using bus wheelchair lifts to load boxes to take to public food shelves for food-compromised community members and development of a program where community members can borrow transit agency vans to take family members to medical appointments. |
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AECOM is conducting research on behalf of the NCHRP regarding statewide insurance pooling for public transit ( NCHRP 23-04) and created a survey to better understand transit insurance in each state, transit risk sharing insurance pools, and the transit operating agency perspective. They are asking agencies to complete a Transit Agency Survey in the next two weeks even if they have not considered a risk sharing insurance pool.
Applications are open through March 3, 2022 for the Government Fleet/American Public Works Association (APWA) 2022 Leading Fleets award. The award is open to government fleets and recognizes operations that are performing at a high level in fleet innovation and leadership.
The National Safety Council (NSC) is accepting applications for the 2022 Green Cross for Safety Awards through March 1, 2022. The award recognizes a community partnership, individual, or coalition that has made a significant impact on a safety issue by advocating for proven or promising practices to raise safety awareness or change policy.
Grant funding is available from FMCSA for FY2022 Commercial Driver's License Program Implementation. The program provides financial assistance to States and other eligible entities to improve the national Commercial Driver's License (CDL) program. The closing date for applications is February 28, 2022.
To build on their Technology Procurement Playbook, N-CATT wants to share resources from transit agencies that have had successful procurements and would like to share their documents. They’re building an archive for users to search and learn from. Please let them know if you have a Request for Proposals, implementation plan, or anything else that helped you achieve your technology procurement.
The SUMC Mobility on Demand Learning Center is creating a public directory of mobility providers, software providers, vehicle suppliers, infrastructure suppliers, and more in the shared-use mobility industry. Individuals and companies may fill out a survey to be listed. |
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On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that OSHA’s COVID–19 Vaccination and Testing; Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), 86 Fed. Reg. 61402, will not be enforced at this time. The ETS established requirements that employees of employers with 100 or more employees be vaccinated or tested.
The federal government rolled out 500 million free at-home COVID-19 test kits through the U.S. Postal Service. Each household may receive up to 4 kits. |
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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.
EV Charging Initiative
January 20, 12:00-3:45 PM
TRB
January 20, 12:30-2:00 PM
FTA and FMCSA
January 20, 2:00-3:00 PM
StreetLight Data
January 20, 2:00-3:00 PM
Native Learning Center
January 20, 2:00-3:30 PM
Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT)
January 20, 2:00 PM
APTA
January 20, 3:00 PM
NASEM Health and Medicine
January 20-21
Tompkins County Department of Social Services
January 21, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
We're presenting!
Small Business Administration (SBA) Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP)
January 25, 10:00-11:00 AM
Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, North Dakota State University
January 25, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Registration deadline is January 20
Block Center for Technology and Society - Carnegie Mellon University
January 25, 1:00-2:00 PM
FORTH
January 25, 1:00-2:00 PM
National Transit Institute
January 25, 1:00-4:30 PM
AASHTO Council on Public Transportation and MTAP
Jan 26, 11:00 AM
Portland State University Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC)
January 26, 2:00-3:00 PM
Broadband USA, National Telecommunications and Information Administration
January 26, 2:30 PM
FTA
January 26, 3:00 PM
NHTSA
January 27, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
National RTAP
January 27, 2:00 PM
National Safety Council, Road to Zero
January 28, 12:00-1:00 PM
TransitCon
January 30
We're presenting!
National Transit Institute
January 31 - February 3, 1:00-3:30 PM
Native Learning Center
February 1, 2:00-3:30 PM
TRB
February 3, 1:00-2:30 PM
Native Learning Center
February 3, 2:00-3:30 PM
Native Learning Center
Tribal Non-Profits from Beginning to End (4 Part Webinar Series)
February 7, 8, 9, 10, 2:00-3:30 PM (4 separate registration pages)
FORTH
February 8, 1:00-2:00 PM
Broadband USA, National Telecommunications and Information Administration
February 9, 2:30 PM
Regional Interdisciplinary Collaborative Working to Disrupt Human Trafficking
Richmond, VA, February 9-10
Q'Straint / Sure-Lok
February 10, 12:00-1:15 PM
National Transit Institute
February 10, 1:00-4:30 PM
TRB
February 10, 2:00-3:30 PM
National Transit Institute
February 14-17, 1:00-3:30 PM
National Transit Institute
February 14-17, 1:00-5:00 PM
Simplify Transit
February 15, 1:00 PM
FTA
February 15, 2:00-3:15 PM
FTA
February 16, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
February 16, 12:00 PM
National RTAP
February 17, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
National Transit Institute
February 17, 1:00-4:30 PM
Mass Transit
Tuscon, AZ, February 21-23
FORTH
February 22, 1:00-2:00 PM
National RTAP
February 22, 2:00-3:00 PM
Native Learning Center
TRB
February 23, 1:00-2:30 PM
American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
February 23-24
Transportation Energy Partners
February 23-25, 2:00-5:00 PM
United Motorcoach Association (UMA)
Long Beach, CA, February 23-26
FTA
February 24, 1:00 PM
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
February 28 - March 1, 12:00-4:00 PM
FTA
March 1, 1:00-2:30 PM
Native Learning Center
March 1, 2:00-3:30 PM
North Dakota Department of Transportation and Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
Bismarck, ND, March 1-2
Native Learning Center
March 2, 2:00-3:30 PM
Native Learning Center
March 3, 2:00-3:30 PM
FORTH
March 8, 1:00-2:00 PM
National Transit Institute
March 9, 1:00-4:30 PM
Global Mass Transit
Washington, D.C., March 9-10
Native Learning Center
March 10, 1:00-4:30 PM
National Transit Institute
March 10, 1:00-4:30 PM
National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA)
Arlington, VA, March 13–16
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Charlotte, NC, March 14-17
ITE - Community of Transportation Professionals
March 15-16
TRB
Irvine, CA, March 15-18
Q'Straint / Sure-Lok
March 22, 12:00-1:15 PM
UMass Transportation Center
March 22-23
Alaska Tribal Transportation Working Group
Anchorage, AK, March 29-31
We're participating.
National RTAP and AASHTO MTAP
March 31, 2:00-3:30 PM
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