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
Announcing the Winners of our 2022 Photo Contest - The Bus Stops Here
New National RTAP Transit Website Checklist
Tribal Transit Spotlight - Cherokee Transit
U.S. DOT Thriving Communities Program Notice of Funding Opportunity
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Announcing the Winners of The Bus Stops Here Photo Contest
Our National RTAP 2022 Photo Contest – The Bus Stops Here – was all about where the bus stops.
The photos submitted showcase beautiful bus stops, shelters, stations, and hubs, and all the great places buses stop at to bring riders to shopping, school, work, or leisure.
The photos were judged by a team on the following criteria: photo quality, artistic design, originality, and creative depiction of this year’s theme: The Bus Stops Here.
- First place: Sedona Shuttle at Soldier's Pass Trailhead, photographed by Al Comello
- Second place: Cripple Creek Transit bus stop, photographed by Ted Schweitzer
- Third place: Mountain Line bus stop, photographed by Dave Stalling
- Honorable mention: North Central Kansas Coordinated Transit District, The Mural at the Mill, photographed by Michelle Griffin
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New National RTAP Transit Website Checklist
National RTAP’s new Transit Website Checklist contains suggested components that transit websites should consider for inclusion. For example, the transit agency logo should be visible on each page, usually at the top and a “Contact Us” link or button should be visible on all pages. The checklist also includes components about navigation and accessibility, route, service, fare information, and policies.
National RTAP gratefully acknowledges the review and contributions of National RTAP Review Board Member Laura Corff, United Community Action Program, Inc./Cimarron Transit Transit Director
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Register for National RTAP Winter Meetings
Our next State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable will be held on January 9, 2023 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. State RTAP Managers can register for this informal discussion and send topics they would like discussed to info@nationalrtap.org.
The Books in Transit Discussion Group selected Riding the Bus with my Sister by Rachel Simon. The book takes place in rural Pennsylvania and is about someone with an intellectual disability who spends her days riding buses. Register for February 16, 2023 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The author plans to join us!
Upcoming Transit Retreat
The Transit Retreat, hosted by the Northwest Pennsylvania Mobility Alliance, Inc. in partnership with the Transit Association of South Carolina has posted the agenda and opened registration. The retreat will be held in Myrtle Beach, SC on February 1-2, 2023. National RTAP will be participating. |
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National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences and Meetings
We're presenting and exhibiting at the following conferences and meetings:
Save the Date - National RTAP 5th Technical Assistance Conference
All Onboard for Mental Health Twitter Chat Summary Posted
We held an #allonboard4mentalhealth Twitter Chat, on October 11, 2022 to discuss best practices and equitable strategies for serving riders with mental health issues, including dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Read the chat transcript and summary.
National RTAP Presenting Poster at the TRB 2023 Conference
National RTAP Knowledge and Resource Center Manager Cara Marcus and National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) Senior Program Associate Heather Edmonds will be presenting a poster on TACL at the 2023 TRB Annual Meeting, through TRB Committee AJE40, Committee on Public Engagement & Communications. |
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U.S. DOT published a Notice of Funding Opportunity to Establish Cooperative Agreements with Technical Assistance Providers for the Fiscal Year 2022 Thriving Communities Program. The program's goal is to ensure that disadvantaged communities affected by environmental, climate, and human health policy outcomes have the tools and capacity to plan for and deliver quality infrastructure and community development projects that enable their communities to thrive. The submission deadline is November 22, 2022.
FTA's September 2022 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight newsletter includes guidance on updates to Agency Safety Plans to comply with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requirements and information about FTA's new reports on bus accident investigations and medical fitness for duty and fatigue risk management.
The U.S. DOT Build America Bureau offers low-cost and flexible financing for transit and Transit-oriented Development projects at the maximum level authorized under law through its Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program. A new initiative, TIFIA 49, authorizes borrowing up to 49% of eligible project costs for projects that meet certain eligibility requirements.
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The University of Florida Transportation Institute offers a Transportation Equity Fundamentals program, designed to provide transportation engineers with a transportation equity perspective and knowledge on how they can use the equity principles in their day-to-day work. The next opportunity to take Transportation Equity Fundamentals I is on October 24-25, 2022.
Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA) offers a Defensive Driving for Transit Operators certification course. The course covers distracted, fatigued, and impaired driving consequences, vehicle technology and safety features, and other topics. This course is open to agencies outside of Colorado. |
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TCRP's Transit Safety Risk Assessment Methodologies helps the transit industry better understand current and new innovative state-of-the-practice methodologies in safety risk assessment. The study found that most transit agencies use a risk assessment based on hazards and safety concerns identified through inspections, audits, reports by employees or riders, or when investigating an incident or accident.
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center’s (NADTC) Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Survey was conducted to learn about the experiences of diverse older adults, younger adults with disabilities, and caregivers. Results describe their hopes for transportation in their communities that would better meet their needs. The top transportation changes diverse older adults and diverse younger adults with disabilities would like to see are free or less expensive options and better public transportation.
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Tribal Transit Spotlight - Cherokee Transit |
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Cherokee Transit is operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and provides public transportation services for the town of Cherokee, North Carolina, and the Qualla community. Their dedicated drivers have taken people as far as Macon, Georgia, and travel anywhere from 10 minutes to 5 hours to take riders to medical care. There have been many wins for the agency over the years, including becoming a direct recipient of FTA rural and Tribal transit funding. |
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The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Native Learning Center is working in partnership with The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to better service Tribal Members in keeping Indian Country safe with regard to fraud and consumer protection issues. Please fill out a survey to provide feedback about the particular fraud and consumer protection challenges faced in Tribal communities.
The Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program enables State DOTs and other public and private entities, to combine resources to address transportation-related challenges. The TPF Program funds projects that include transit, the environment, and construction.
National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is seeking letters of interest through October 14, 2022 from communities who would like to have NCMM co-design and then facilitate a one-day meeting in their community to try to solve a particular perplexing mobility issue that requires cross-agency coordination.
The Department of Homeland Security extended the deadline for nominations to the inaugural DHS Tribal Homeland Security Advisor Council to October 21, 2022. This Council will advise on homeland security policies and practices that affect Indian Country and indigenous communities, including emergency management and cybersecurity. |
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NHTSA invites public comments through November 28, 2022 about its intention to request an extension with modification for the Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS), Non-Traffic Surveillance (NTS), and Special Studies Data Collection.
Effective November 10, 2022, FHWA is amending its regulation governing each state’s certification of whether they enact and enforce drug offenders' driver’s license requirements. States may choose to oppose enacting or enforcing the requirements. |
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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.
Oklahoma Transit Association (OTA)
Durant, OK, October 12-13
Our training materials will be distributed
Arizona Transit Association
Mesa, AZ, October 12–13
Our training materials will be distributed
National Center for Rural Road Safety
October 13, 2:00-4:00 PM
U.S. DOT
October 13, 4:00-5:00 PM
Aging PCOR Learning Collaborative
October 14, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)
Pittsburgh, PA, October 15-18
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
October 18, 1:00 PM
Forth
October 18, 1:00-2:00 PM
National Center for Rural Road Safety
October 18, 1:00-2:30 PM
FMCSA
October 18, 1:00-2:30 PM
ITS America
October 18, 2:00 PM
FHWA
October 18, 2:00-3:00 PM
U.S. DOT
October 19, 1:00-2:00 PM
North Carolina Public Transit Association (NCPTA)
October 19, 2:00-3:00 PM
National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) an State Employment Leadership Network (SELN)
October 19, 3:00 PM
Mass Transit
Indianapolis, IN, October 19-21
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)
October 20, 1:00 PM
TRB
October 20, 1:00-2:30 PM
America Walks
October 20, 2:00 PM
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
October 20, 3:00-4:00 PM
FHWA
October 24, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
FHWA
October 24, 12:30-2:00 PM
FMCSA
October 25, 1:00-2:30 PM
WisDOT/Inter-Tribal Task Force
Wisconsin Dells, WI, October 25-26
We're participating
FTA
October 25-27
New York Public Transit Association
Albany, NY, October 25-27
We're presenting and exhibiting
National Transit Institute
October 26, 1:00-4:30 PM
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)
October 27, 1:00 PM
National Transit Institute
October 27, 1:00-4:30 PM
FMCSA
November 1, 1:00-2:30 PM
Tribal Injury Prevention Resource Center
Greenwood Village, CO, November 1-3
NHTSA
November 1-3
National Center for Rural Road Safety
November 3, 2:00-4:00 PM
TRB
November 3, 4:30-6:00 PM
TRB
Washington, DC, November 3-4
FTA and OSHA
November 9, 1:00-2:00 PM
FHWA
Interagency NEPA & Permitting Collaboration Tool (INPCT) Webinar
November 9, 1:00-2:30 PM
National Transit Institute
November 9, 1:00-4:30 PM
Intelligent Transport
November 9-10
Fleet Forward
Santa Clara, CA, November 9 - 11
National Transit Institute
November 10, 1:00-4:30 PM
FORTH
November 15, 1:00-2:00 PM
AASHTO Council on Public Transportation and MTAP
St. Petersburg, FL, November 15-16
Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC)
Memphis, TN, November 16-17
Intertribal Transportation Association (ITA)
Las Vegas, NV, December 6-8
Transit Workforce Center (TWC)
Washington, D.C., December 13-14
National RTAP/AASHTO MTAP/NADTC
December 14, 2:00-3:00 PM
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