eNews - February 1, 2024

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

Upcoming National RTAP Books in Transit Discussion Group Meeting: A Purposeful Path

Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Contracting with Private Providers

New FTA Circular on Joint Development

Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act Signed into Law

Executive Order on Tribal Nation Sovereignty and Autonomy

Updated National RTAP Technical Brief on Contracting with Private Providers



National RTAP updated its technical brief on Contracting with Private Providers. The brief provides suggestions about how a transit system can efficiently hire and manage private contractors. The update includes case studies on Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) and Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA).

National RTAP is grateful to the following individuals for their contributions and reviews: Moses Stites, General Manager, and Janelle Del Campo, Operations Manager, FCRTA; Tina Cote, Administrator, FRTA; and Jonnie Kusek, Director of Transportation, Open Plains Transit.

U.S. DOT published a new Project Readiness Checklist to help project sponsors and grant applicants develop projects that are well-positioned to receive federal funding. The checklist provides guidance on factors to consider for project readiness, working through federal environmental and other compliance requirements, and positioning organizations to manage the project and federal grant processes. 

U.S. DOT also published its Federal Transportation Funding: Discretionary Grant Preparation Checklist for Prospective Applicants. This checklist provides guidance on 10 tasks that applicants should perform when preparing discretionary grant requests.

U.S. DOT is offering grants through its new Mobility Equity Research Initiative, which seeks to advance research and technologies that support U.S. DOT's goal of expanding accessibility and mobility to underserved communities, including people with disabilities, older Americans, and rural and disadvantaged communities. Applications are due by March 5, 2024.

In preparation for the next Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program funding opportunity, the U.S. DOT is hosting technical assistance office hours to answer any questions applicants may have. 

FTA published its January 2024 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter. The issue includes safety training opportunities available from FTA and its partners, including Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies, Enhanced Transit Safety and Crime Prevention Initiative Related Training, and a Transit Supervisor Certification Course.

U.S. DOT posted a webpage on Frequently Asked Questions on Incorporating Accessibility in Transportation Projects. The page includes guidance on ADA Transition Plans, public involvement accessibility requirements, and other topics.

On January 30, 2024, FTA issued a new Circular 7050.1C to address joint development projects using FTA funds or FTA-funded property. It provides guidance to recipients on how to use FTA funds or FTA-funded real property for joint development – the coordinated development of transit facilities with non-transit commercial and residential projects. This proposed guidance contains a change to fee collection for zero-emission vehicle charging equipment. It will supersede Circular 7050.1B, once finalized. The proposed guidance is open for notice and comment until March 31, 2023.

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is holding a Mobility Management Connections: Manna Food Center Breaking Down Barriers to Food Access Webinar on February 12, 2024 from 12:00-1:00 PM ET. The webinar will include information on Manny (the food bus): pop-up pantry and mobile kitchen and other ways the Manna Food Center coordinates access to healthy food.

BusRide Maintenance is holding a Preparing Your Transit System for a Changing [EV] Fleet Webinar on April 18, 2024 between 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET. Trainer Halsey King, who presented at the 2023 National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference, will conduct the training.

The Chaddick Institute at DePaul University is holding an Outlook for the Intercity Bus Industry Webinar on February 22, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 PM. The webinar will highlight information in the soon-to-be-released report On the Bus: 2024 Outlook for the Intercity Bus Industry in the United States.

The National Transit Institute (NTI) has resumed a limited set of courses for in-person training and is looking to partner with agencies to serve as hosts. If you think your agency would be a good fit to host, please complete the online Host Request Form and someone from NTI will reach out to you.

TRB published a new Snap Search on Resilience. Resources listed include Investing in Transportation Resilience: A Framework for Informed Choices, Integrating Resilience Concepts and Strategies into Transportation Planning: A Guide, and Workshop on Building More Resilient Supply Chains. 

In Interest in Shared-Use Mobility Services in Tribal Communities, researchers from the Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility explored the use of shared-use mobility in Tribal areas. They found that microtransit and carshare services seemed to be more favored and more relevant shared-use mobility services available to meet the unique transportation needs of tribal communities. 

FMCSA updated its Medical Examiner's Handbook, which includes updates to the Medical Advisory Criteria published in the Code of Federal Regulations.  FMCSA added that individuals may request a second opinion and physical qualification examination from another medical examiner if they choose but are expected to provide the same medical information to both medical examiners.

National Aging and Disabilities Transportation Center's (NADTC) Coordination Case Studies profile four projects that result in improved, accessible transportation, including Age Friendly Arizona's Rural Transportation Incubator and the Virginia Rural Microtransit Project.

AASHTO published the latest AASHTO Salary Survey. This report provides job classifications and salary information on positions used by the transportation industry. Data includes a description, number of incumbents, salary range, benefits, and salary. 

The University of New Hampshire Technology Transfer Center's Winter Storm Response Tracker is an Excel workbook intended to help small municipalities track product cost and use, labor costs, and other storm data for winter operations. 

The Mineta Transportation Institute developed a survey instrument available in 11 languages for collecting information from public transit passengers about the extent, location, and characteristics of any street harassment they experience.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) updated its National Transportation Statistics (NTS). Updated data tables include ADA Lift- or Ramp-Equipped Transit Buses, Fuel Consumption by Mode of Transportation in Physical Units, and other data.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s new interactive map and dashboard shows where federal discretionary grants were awarded to communities, municipalities, and Tribes across the state. Data points are color-coded by federal agency.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, in partnership with FHWA, FTA, and EPA, offers free technical assistance on the planning, deployment, operation, and maintenance of a national network of electric vehicle chargers, zero-emission fueling infrastructure, and zero-emission transit. Technical assistance is available to states, communities, Tribal Nations, and transit agencies.

Transportation Funding Opportunities for Tribal Nations by FHWA is a resource for the 574 federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, and state and local governments that support Tribal leaders in addressing transportation needs.

The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is accepting applications for transit agencies to receive one-on-one technical assistance through the Center's Strategic Technology Technical Assistance Teams. N-CATT will work with transportation providers to navigate a technology challenge or opportunity that results in a useful starting product for the agency. Submit an application in PDF format to carpenter@ctaa.org.

AASHTO Technical Training Solutions is looking for opportunities to expand its training curriculum. If anyone has an idea for a course or has course materials to contribute, they can suggest a course.

USDA Rural Business Development Grant applications are due on February 28, 2024. The purpose of the program is to promote economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of grant funds to eligible entities. Applications

will compete in two categories, business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community projects that serve rural areas.

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is giving up to 50 nonprofit, transportation-related organizations access to Candid’s Foundation Directory at no cost. The Directory provides detailed grant information, including recipients, descriptions, and types of support, and answers questions. If you are interested in applying for NCMM/Candid access, fill out this survey.  

Through the Local Infrastructure Hub, small and mid-sized municipalities can receive an expert suite of supports to develop strong, competitive grant applications through pro-bono technical training and grant-writing Bootcamps. Grants the Bootcamps support include the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A), the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program, and others.

The second round of funding from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program will make grant funding available on Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian lands for deployment of Internet infrastructure and other purposes. Applications must be submitted by March 22, 2024.

The National Rural Health Association's (NRHA) and The John A. Hartford Foundation's National Rural Age-Friendly Initiative is producing a compendium of rural healthy aging initiatives and best practices. If your organization has programs, models, or policies aimed at enhancing the quality of aging in rural communities, consider submitting them by February 8, 2024.

H.R. 2872, the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, was signed into law on January 19, 2024. The Act provides fiscal year 2024 appropriations to federal agencies for continuing projects and activities funded in four of the 12 annual appropriations bills through March 1, 2024. For the remaining eight annual appropriations bills, it provides funding through March 8, 2024.

Effective January 19, 2024, FMCSA updated the Medical Advisory Criteria published as an appendix in the Code of Federal Regulations. The appendix provides guidance for medical examiners listed on FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners on the applicability and interpretation of the physical qualification standards for operators of commercial motor vehicles.

Effective March 22, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will adopt rules in accordance with section 60506 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that established a framework to facilitate equal access to broadband Internet access service by preventing digital discrimination of access.

FMCSA published a notice of the proposed removal of medical examiners who do not comply with the Login.gov requirement in the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. The notice goes into effect on February 23, 2024.

An Executive Order was signed on December 6, 2023 on Tribal Nations’ sovereignty and autonomy. The Order requires federal agencies to take action to ensure federal funding for Tribes is accessible, flexible, and equitable; establishes the Tribal Access to Capital Clearinghouse; and directs the White House Council on Native American Affairs, the Office of Management and Budget, and the White House Domestic Policy Council to measure the chronic funding shortfalls of existing federal funding for Tribes and develop recommendations for what additional funding and programming are necessary.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deferred the start of the next five-year deployment obligation term for legacy rate-of-return carriers receiving Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support until January 1, 2025.

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 Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)

Don't Forget about the Sidewalk in Community Coordination Webinar

February 1, 12:00-1:00 PM 

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

February 1, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

Real-world Applications of Optimization and Data Analytics in Transportation and Logistics Seminar

February 2, 12:00-1:00 PM

International Motorcoach Group (IMG)

2024 Maintenance and Safety Forum (M&SF) 

Raleigh, NC, February 2-4

Southwest Transit Association (SWTA) 

2024 SWTA Annual Conference & Expo

Tulsa, OK, February 4-7

We're participating

United Motorcoach Association (UMA)

UMA Motorcoach EXPO

Raleigh, NC, February 4-7

AASHTO

AASHTO Washington Briefing

Washington, DC, February 5-8

Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED) Division of Economic Development (DED)

Indian Business Incubators: From Start to Finish, Analyzing Tribal Business Webinar

February 6, 3:00 PM

Native Learning Center

6th Annual Renewable Energy & Sustainability Conference 

Hollywood, FL, Feb 6-8

FHWA Office of Realty 

Uniform Act Virtual Conference

Phoenix, AZ, February 6-8

FHWA and FTA

Integrating Asset Management into the Transportation Planning and Programming Process Webinar

February 7, 1:00-2:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

February 8, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP and NADTC

Learn About TACL, The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library

February 8, 2:00-3:00 PM

FTA

Asset Disposition Guidance Webinar

February 8, 2:00 PM

Transportation Energy Partners (TEP)

2024 Energy Independence Summit

Washington, D.C., February 11-14 

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Marketing, Communications & Customer Experience Workshop

New Orleans, LA, February 11-14

National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)

NCMM - Mobility Management Connections: Manna Food Center Breaking Down Barriers to Food Access Webinar

February 12, 12:00-1:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Program with Lifecycle Management Virtual Course

February 12-14, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

Procurement II - Risk Assessment and Basic Cost or Price Analysis Course

Birmingham, AL, February 12-15

National Transit Institute

Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making Virtual Course

February 12-15, 1:00-5:00 PM

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Equity Guide Webinar

February 13, 12:00-1:00 PM

FORTH

Accelerating the Used EV Market Webinar

February 13, 1:00-2:00 PM

U.S. DOT

USDOT Navigator February Webinar

February 14, 1:00 PM

Native Learning Center

Advanced Storytelling: How to Tell Stories Across All Types of Grants Webinar

February 14, 2:00 - 3:30 PM

FORTH/Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership (EVAL)

EVAL Information Session

February 14, 3:00-3:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

February 15, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

Books in Transit Discussion Group Meeting - A Purposeful Path

February 15, 2:00-3:00 PM

Complete Coachworks (CCW)

Electric Bus Technology & Symposium

Riverside, CA, February 15-16

This event is being rescheduled. New date TBD.

FTA

State Safety Oversight Reporting (SSOR) Refresher Training Webinar #2 

February 20, 2:00 PM

National Safety Council (NSC)

Future of EHS 2024 

Louisville, KY, February 20-22 

U.S. DOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) 

Small Business Summit: Roadmap to HUBZone Success

Washington, DC, February 21, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Assault Awareness and Prevention for Transit Operators (Train-the-Trainer) Online Course

February 21, 1:00-4:30 PM

Native Learning Center

Developing a Tribal Nonprofit Training

Pala, CA, February 22

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

February 22, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Braunability

DPA-2 Model Lifts Adjustments Webinar

February 22, 1:00-2:00 PM

Native Learning Center

Performance Management: The 30/60/90-Day Evaluation Form Webinar

February 22, 2:00-3:30 PM

Chaddick Institute

Outlook for the Intercity Bus Industry Webinar

February 22, 3:00-4:00 PM 

TRB 

Disruptive Technologies and the Future of the Transportation Agency Webinar

Feb 26, 2:00 - 3:30 PM

U.S. DOT

Virtual Public Involvement Practices in NEPA Webinar

February 27, 2:00 PM, and February 28, 1:00 PM

Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs

2024 Tribal Clean Energy Summit

Temecula, Ca, February 27-28

National Transit Institute

Violence in the Transit Workplace - Prevention, Response and Recovery (Train the Trainer) Online Course

February 28, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

Transit Manager Peer Roundtable - Healthcare Transportation Focus

February 28, 2:00-3:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

February 29, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

GHG Emissions Prediction using Machine Learning Webinar

March 1, 12:00-1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) and the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA) 

2024 NADO & DDAA Washington Conference

Arlington, VA, March 10-13

U.S. DOT Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)

4th Annual Women’s Small Business Transportation Summit

March 12, 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Native Wellness Institute

Being an Ally in Indian Country Online Training

March 12-13 

EPRI

Electrification 2024 International Conference & Exposition

Savannah, GA, March 12-14

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 14, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Texas Transit Association (TTA)

TTA Annual State Conference, Expo, and Roadeo

San Antonio, TX, March 15-20

Please visit our booth!

Native Learning Center

Steps to Starting a Tribal Business Training

Hollywood, FL, March 18-19

National Transit Institute

Assault Awareness and Prevention for Transit Operators (Train-the-Trainer) Online Course

March 20, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Braunability

DPA-2 Model Lifts Maintenance & Certification Checklist Webinar

March 21, 1:00-2:00 PM

Braunability

DPA-2 Model Lifts General Overview Webinar

March 22, 1:00-3:00 PM

ActivEnviro

Active Living Conference

Chattanooga, TN, March 25-28

Native Learning Center

Tribal Grant Writing Virtual Training

March 25-28

National Transit Institute

Violence in the Transit Workplace - Prevention, Response and Recovery (Train the Trainer) Online Course

March 27, 1:00-4:30 PM

Smart Growth America

Smart Growth America’s Equity Summit

Washington, DC, March 27-28

United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc.

2024 USET/USET SPF Impact Week

Arlington, VA, March 27-29

We're participating!

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 4, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Assault Awareness and Prevention for Transit Operators (Train-the-Trainer) Online Course

April 10, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 11, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

Violence in the Transit Workplace - Prevention, Response and Recovery (Train the Trainer) Online Course

April 17, 1:00-4:30 PM

BusRide Maintenance

Preparing Your Transit System for a Changing [EV] Fleet Webinar

April 18, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 18, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

Technology Transfer Symposium: Approaches to Advance Commercial Applications

Washington, DC and Online, April 22, 10:00AM - 5:00 PM

National RTAP

National RTAP Rural and Tribal Transit Training - Capital Projects

Spokane, WA, April 22-24

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

April 25, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

APTA Mobility Conference

Portland, OR, April 28 - May 1

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.

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