eNews - September 30, 2021 |
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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:
Online National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation (RIBTC)
Upcoming National RTAP Webinar on Service Contracting and Cost Allocation
Community Transportation Database Planning Opportunity
FTA Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program Funding Opportunity
CDC Publishes Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccination Booster Shots
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Online National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation (RIBTC) and Pre-Conference Training
Convened by Transportation Research Board, the 24th National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation (RIBTC) will be held on October 25-27, 2021 online. The conference offers a valuable experience for rural transit and human service transit providers, tribal transit managers, planners, state agency staff, intercity bus operators, consultants, researchers, and trainers. The 2021 conference will include multiple routes to offer learning opportunities in planning, design, and research; policy, funding, and finance; special topics on rural mobility; rural and tribal transportation; and better mobility through technology.
National RTAP RIBTC Preconference Training will take place from October 19-25. The agenda includes National RTAP Tools, Tribal Transit Assessment Preparation and Financial Management Tips, Bus Procurement Strategies to Retain Drivers, Diversity Awareness and Environmental Justice in Rural Transit Service Provision, Grant Writing, Construction of Rural Transit Projects, State Management Review Process and Preparation, and Breaking Down Barriers to Get People Where They Need to Go. |
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Upcoming National RTAP Webinar on Service Contracting and Cost Allocation
Register for a webinar on Service Contracting and Cost Allocation on October 14, 2021, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Speakers Todd Hansen and Michael Walker from the Texas Transportation Institute will present highlights from National RTAP’s upcoming manual - Advanced Topics in Financial Management and demonstrate our updated Cost Allocation Calculator.
The Advanced Topics manual will include two chapters, one on service-based cost allocation and another on operating and pricing sponsored service (service that is paid for by third parties). The overview of the manual will focus on key concepts in the sponsored service chapter, including important considerations when operating sponsored service and recommendations for setting a sponsored service price. The webinar will also give a summary of updates and enhancements to the Cost Allocation Calculator, including usability improvements and a new feature of saving and reporting out multiple years of cost allocation results and operational data.
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Join our #LetsTACLcoordination Twitter Chat
Join TACL (Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library) for a #LetsTACLcoordination Twitter Chat on October 20, 2021, 2:00-3:00 PM ET, to discuss challenges, solutions, and resources for transportation coordination. The chat will be moderated by Heather Edmonds, Program Associate, NADTC; Melissa Gray, Assistant Program Director of Transportation, NADTC; and Marcela Moreno, Transit Technologist, N-CATT. RSVP.
National RTAP Rural Transit Service Planning and Route Design Webinar Slides Posted
National RTAP held a webinar on Rural Transit Service Planning and Route Design on September 14, 2021. This webinar, presented by Ken Hosen of KFH Group, provided guidance on how to evaluate appropriate service designs and covered best practices in service design and planning of fixed or flex route design as well as on-demand or microtransit services which can be attractive in small cities. Access the webinar slides.
National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences
Please look for us at the following upcoming in-person and virtual conferences:
Upcoming National RTAP Tribal Transit Training Events
Community Transportation Database Planning Opportunity
National RTAP, National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM), and National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) are creating a database of U.S. community transportation services, including fixed-route, deviated fixed-route, demand response, volunteer-driven, and on-demand. If you are aware of datasets that provide this data, contact Kirby Wilhelm. |
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Staff Spotlight: Robin Phillips, Executive Director
We launched a series of spotlight articles for readers to get to know our team. The first article is about our Executive Director, Robin Phillips. Read about Robin's early career and mentors, her bike trip that spanned multiple countries, and more. To find out more about Robin or any of our team, visit our Staff page.
Website Builder 3.0 Q&A and Advanced Topics Training Recording Posted
During our Website Builder 3.0 Q&A and Advanced Topics Training session held on September 23, 2021, our technical support staff answered questions about working in Website Builder and covered advanced topics. We've posted the recording and slides.
National RTAP Transportation Management Association Workshop Document Posted
National RTAP held a Transportation Management Association (TMA) Online Workshop on September 22, 2021. Michele Brooks, Vice President of TransAction Associates and Connecticut RTAP Coordinator, outlined the first steps, the community assessment process, and how TMAs can improve job access for rural areas. Access the companion document.
National RTAP Resource Catalog Updated
Our Resource Catalog, which contains links to all the training modules, technical briefs, and technology tools created by National RTAP, was updated in September 2021, with 14 resources that have either been launched or updated this year. From the catalog, users can download and/or order specific resources and find lists of resources by roles.
National RTAP GTFS Hot Topic Guide Updated
National RTAP continued posting 2021 Hot Topics in our Find Anything Toolkit, generated from our surveys and questions that users ask us. GTFS continues to be one of our most-requested topics. We updated our GTFS Hot Topic Guide with:
New National RTAP Web Page on Tribal Transit Partners
The National RTAP website recently added a new page that lists our Tribal Transit Partners. The page includes information about the partners and links to their website. |
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FTA announced the opportunity to apply for approximately $409.59 million in fiscal year 2021 funds under the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. Eligible projects are capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, purchase, or lease buses, vans, or related equipment; or to rehabilitate, purchase, construct, or lease bus-related facilities. Proposals must be submitted by November 19, 2021.
FTA published its September 2021 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter. The issue announced Fiscal Year 2022 safety training, which includes Bus Nomenclature and Fatigue and Sleep Apnea Awareness for Transit Employees, and includes a data spotlight on vanpool events.
FTA temporarily closed its Transit Award Management System (TrAMS) from September 24, 2021 through early November 2021 for fiscal year-end financial reconciliation. Financial transactions such as funds reservation, grant obligation, award de-obligations, and financial purpose code/scope code transfers are restricted. Users can use TrAMS for non-financial functions. Please reach out to the TrAMS Help Desk with any questions.
FTA is soliciting public input through a Request for Information regarding transit worker assault prevention through November 23, 2021. Questions to guide respondents include types of interactions that typically lead to transit worker assaults and approaches that could prevent transit worker assaults. |
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TRB is holding a free Drug-Impaired Driving Online Conference on October 27-29, 2021. Participants will identify new, innovative strategies and countermeasures to reduce the incidence of drug-impaired driving, define ways to effectively disseminate drug impaired-driving research and information, and bridge the gap from research to practice. |
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Emergency Evacuation and Sheltering During the COVID-19 Pandemic discusses preparedness planning to ensure health, safety, and smooth operations during emergencies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and provides guidance for evaluating transportation resources in advance of an emergency to ensure that services will be available to all who need them.
TCRP's Analysis of Green Bond Financing in the Public Transportation Industry provides public transit agencies with an introduction to green bonds and how they can be used to advance sustainability goals. The report uses case studies to provide transit agencies with the context and knowledge needed to understand the complexity of green bond issuance.
Unagi's 2021 Comprehensive Guide to Electric Scooter Laws summarizes electric scooter laws in general and by state in terms of DMV registration and driver's license requirements, minimum age, helmet requirements, speed limits, and other factors.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published Who is Eligible For a COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot? COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are available for the following Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine recipients who completed their initial series at least 6 months ago: 65 years and older, 18+ who have underlying medical conditions, 18+ who work in high-risk settings, and 18+ who live in high-risk settings. Public transit workers are considered individuals working in high-risk settings. |
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The U.S. Department of Energy provides an Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations interactive map. The map provides data on over 44,400 EV charging stations. Users can filter by types of fuel, charger types, and connectors.
The Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility (SURCOM) developed a Web Application on Small Urban and Rural State of Good Repair. The tool will determine the current conditions of the revenue vehicles, predict when they need to be replaced, and determine the funding needed to replace them in a future year to maintain the state of good repair. |
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The FY 2022 AmeriCorps State and National Tribal Grants competition seeks to prioritize the investment of national service resources to help local communities respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic with programs that prioritize civic engagement, social cohesion, and economic opportunity. The deadline is May 4, 2022. |
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is seeking an extension of the currently approved collection for the TSA Exercise Information System (EXIS®). EXIS® is a free, voluntary web portal designed to serve the transportation industry in regard to security training exercises. EXIS® provides stakeholders with transportation security exercise scenarios and objectives, best practices and lessons learned, and a repository of the user's own historical exercise data for use in future exercises. It also allows stakeholders to design and evaluate their own security exercises based on the needs of their specific transportation mode. Comments must be received by October 4, 2021. |
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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.
FTA
September 28-30, 1:00-4:00 PM
We're presenting
Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)
September 28-30
NCMM
September 30, 3:00 PM
UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies
September 30, 3:30 PM
Minnesota Public Transit Association
Duluth, MN, October 4-7
We are hosting tribal transit training on October 6-7.
FTA
October 5, 1:00-2:00 PM
TRB
October 5, 2:00-3:30 PM
Oklahoma Transit Association
October 5, 3:00-6:00 PM (with additional fun opportunities every Tuesday in October)
We are participating.
Native Learning Center
October 5-6, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
FHWA
October 6, 1:00-3:00 PM
CUTR National Institute for Congestion Research
October 7, 12:00 PM
National Transit Institute
October 7, 1:00-4:30 PM
UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies
October 7, 3:30 PM
Native Learning Center
October 7-8, 11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
National Safety Council (NSC)
Orlando, FL, October 8-14
National Institute for Transportation and Communities
October 12, 1:00-2:00 PM
FORTH
October 12, 1:00-2:00 PM
National Transit Institute
October 12, 2:00-3:30 PM
Environmental Health Matters Initiative
October 12-14, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
University of Florida Transportation Institute
October 12-14, 12:00-5:00 PM
TRB
Oct 13, 1:00-2:30 PM
Administration for Community Living
October 13, 3:00-4:00 PM
National Transit Institute
October 14, 1:00-4:30 PM
Native Learning Center
October 15, 1:00-3:30 PM
National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)
Portland, OR, October 16-19
Q'Straint/Sure-Lok
October 19, 12:00-1:30 PM
NADTC
October 19, 12:30-1:00 PM
TRB
October 19, 1:00-2:30 PM
UMass Amherst Transportation Center
October 19- 20
Rural Assembly
October 19-20
FTA
October 19-20
In conjunction with the Rail Transit Agency Virtual Workshop
National RTAP
October 19-25
Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL)
October 20, 2:00-3:00 PM
National Transit Institute
October 21, 1:00-4:30 PM
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
October 21-22
Florida Public Transit Association/Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged
Daytona Beach, FL, October 24-27
We're exhibiting. Please stop by our table!
TRB
October 25-27
We're presenting and exhibiting.
NAS Committee on the Assessment of Technologies for Improving Fuel Economy of Light-Duty Vehicles - Phase 3
October 25-28, 1:00-5:15 PM
Global Fleet
Miami, FL, October 26-28
Active Transportation Resource Center (ATRC)
October 26-28, 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM
CALACT
Monterey, CA, October 26-29
We're presenting and exhibiting.
TRB
October 27-29
NADTC
Office Hours: Innovative Approaches to Communicate with Individuals with Dementia
October 28, 2:00-3:00 PM
Native Learning Center
October 29, 11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
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