Succession Planning 101 is a new National RTAP eLearning course that will help transit management at all levels to create and implement a succession plan to smooth the transition from outgoing to incoming employees. At the end of this course, you will create a usable succession plan for one or more positions with a Word or Excel template, which are also available in our Resource Library.

Our next State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable will be held on January 9, 2023 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. State RTAP Managers need to register for this informal discussion (please note that there are separate roundtables for transit managers - this one is just for State RTAP Managers). Topics to be discussed include state initiatives to combat human trafficking, property-related projects, and electric vehicle sharing.

FTA's TAM Performance Tool presents TAM summary statistics (condition and performance) and aggregated information on asset inventories based on filter selections such as reporter type and TAM tier. The peer comparison component provides a means of searching for peer agencies based on comparable performance measures.

FTA published Standards Development Program: Transit Bus Operator Temporary Barrier to Reduce COVID-19 Exposure. This project demonstrated a durable physical temporary barrier between the front and rear passenger compartments of a transit bus to

reduce the exposure risk to COVID-19 for the operator and passengers and performed an air flow test of the temporary barrier. The study resulted in Air Flow Management Objectives and Configuration Settings that transit bus systems may implement.

U.S. DOT published its Research, Development, and Technology Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022 – 2026: Building a Better Transportation Future for All. Goals and objectives include expanding accessibility and mobility to underserved communities, including people with disabilities, older Americans, and rural and disadvantaged communities, and developing and promoting effective methods to assess and address traffic safety risks in rural and underserved communities.

U.S. DOT's Charging Forward: A Toolkit for Planning and Funding Rural Electric Mobility Infrastructure includes sections on EV partnership opportunities, EV infrastructure planning, funding, and financing for rural areas, related environmental statutes and executive orders, and additional resources. The toolkit is also available as a full-text PDF document.

The deadline to apply for funding through FTA's Standards Development Program is January 23, 2023.

National Transit Institute (NTI) has a number of upcoming virtual courses for transit professionals, including Transitioning From Frontline Employee to Frontline Supervisor, Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations, Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Program with Lifecycle Management, and Crisis Communications for Transit Managers.

Easterseals Project Action provides a Certified Volunteer Transportation Manager (CVTM) Program. The program consists of foundation courses, webinars, and required elective courses. The curriculum includes developing high-quality volunteers and evaluating and sustaining the program.

The University of Montana Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities published America at a Glance: An Update on Rural-Urban Difference in Disability Rates. The research found that disability rates are higher in rural areas across all disability types and that people in rural areas report disabilities about 10 years earlier than people in urban areas.

A new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, Evaluation of Utah’s .05 BAC Per Se Law, validates an NTSB safety recommendation that lowering the blood alcohol concentration limit from .08 to .05 will save lives and increase road safety.

TCRP's Assessing Equity and Identifying Impacts Associated with Bus Network Redesigns documents the current practice of how transit providers are defining, assessing, and addressing the equity impacts of bus network redesigns, including and beyond the Federal Transit Administration’s Title VI regulatory requirements.

The International Transportation Learning Center's (ITLC) Providing Training for Zero Emission Buses: Recommended Expanded RFP Language can be used for agencies to tailor their training procurement to suit their specific needs. The language was developed as the result of multiple interviews with the leadership and staff of many organizations, including National RTAP.

Infogram/Copilot provides a sortable and searchable list of the states with the most alternative fueling stations. Data includes total chargers, level 1-2 chargers, and DC fast chargers.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) offers Cleansed Data From Transit Passenger Studies and Surveys. Data can be searched by keyword, date, state, mode, and other metrics. Types of surveys include customer satisfaction, attitude and awareness, commuter parking, and many other topics.

FMCSA provides a searchable calendar of Daily Summary of Motor Carrier Applications, Decisions, and Notices, as well as one with Notices and Daily Decisions. The daily decisions include information on certificates of authority, transfers, registration, reinstatements, and additional categories.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the phaseout of 3G Cellular Networks and Services, which varied by the carrier. Many older cell phones, tablets, and other connected products that relied on 3G are now unable to make or receive calls and texts or use data services. 4G devices will continue to work, and FCC has an FAQ page for the 5G transition.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and the U.S. Department of Defense Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a new recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private-sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.

TCRP is seeking qualified individuals to serve as panel members on FY 2023 Projects. Individuals can nominate themselves or others at MyTRB by February 3, 2023.

The application deadline for FHWA's Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund is January 15, 2023.

Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) is accepting nominations for its annual Harriet Tubman Award to honor members of the trucking and bus industry whose direct actions impacted those victimized by human trafficking.

H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, was signed into law on December 29, 2022. $13,634,000,000 was appropriated to FTA.

The U.S. Census Bureau updated its urban area concept and criteria: it increased the minimum population threshold to qualify as urban from 2,500 to 5,000 and added an alternative: instead of qualifying based on population size, areas can now qualify based on a minimum housing unit threshold. The changes also use housing unit density instead of population density and no longer distinguish between different types of urban areas. For more information about the Census, visit FTA's 2020 Census webpage.

S. 1617, the Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act, which authorizes the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to declare a disaster, under certain circumstances and for purposes of providing disaster assistance loans, in a rural area for which a major disaster was declared by the President and for which individual assistance was not authorized, became law on December 20, 2022.

S. 3875, the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022, which requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to continue to maintain a natural hazard assessment program, requires FEMA to designate community disaster resilience zones based on census tract hazard risk ratings and authorizes FEMA to provide an increased Federal cost share to those communities, became law on December 20, 2022.

The Department of Labor announced the applicable minimum wage rate for workers performing work on or in connection with federal contracts covered by Executive Order 14026. Beginning January 1, 2023, that rate will generally increase to $16.20 per hour. Organizations should also check the new minimum wage increases that went into effect in many states.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking a renewal of its information request for the Motor Vehicle and Engine Compliance Program Fees. Manufacturers and importers of covered vehicles, engines, and components are required to pay the applicable certification fees prior to their certification applications being reviewed. Comments are due on January 26, 2023. EPA also seeks comments through February 10, 2023 on its Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2023–2025 and Other Changes proposed rule.

FMCSA is planning a study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Causation. For this study, FMCSA must collect information from States and local jurisdictions to understand their interest or ability to participate in the study, existing crash data collection processes, systems, and resources, and commercial motor vehicle enforcement funding mechanisms and sources. Comments must be received by February 27, 2023.

An Information: Policy on Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Resources to Build a Better America memo issued by the FHWA in December 2021 to provide guidance to states for the allocation of federal infrastructure funds has been declared a rule after review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The document prioritizes transit options that increase safety, accessibility, and/or connectivity.

January 5, 1:00-3:00 PM

January 6, 2:00-4:00 PM

Washington, DC and virtual, January 7

Washington, DC, January 8-12

January 9, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 9, 2:00 PM

January 11, 1:00-2:00 PM

Orlando, FL, January 11-14

January 12, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 18, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 18, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

January 24, 12:30-2:00 PM

January 24, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 24, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 24, 2:00-3:30 PM

January 24, 3:00 PM

January 25, 2:00-3:00 PM

Myrtle Beach, SC, February 1-2

Detroit, MI, February 4-7

February 7-9

Hollywood, FL, Feb 7-9

February 9, 1:00-5:00

Washington, DC, February 12-15

February 13-16, 1:00-3:30

February 14, 10:00-11:00 AM

February 16, 12:00-1:30 PM

February 16, 2:00-3:00 PM

February 20-23, 1:00-5:00

February 22, 1:00-3:00 PM

Aurora, CO, February 22-25

Las Vegas, NV, February 26 - March 1

March 9, 1:00-5:00

March 14, 10:00-11:00 AM

March 14-15, 1:00-4:30

March 20-23, 1:00-5:00

March 27-30, 1:00-5:00

Anchorage, AK, March 28-30

For a listing of all National RTAP and other national events, view our Calendar. Also, see the FTA Events Calendar. To submit an event, email info@nationalrtap.org.