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
National RTAP Salary Ranges Database Updated
Submit Nominations for National RTAP Tribal Transit Champions and Systems Awards
Grants for Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas Notice of Funding Availability
Tribal Transit Symposium Presentations Published
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National RTAP Salary Ranges Database Updated
National RTAP's updated Salary Ranges for Transit Jobs database is based on its biennial salary survey of rural and tribal public transit agencies. In 2022, 257 agencies, located within the ten FTA regions, provided annual salary ranges for a variety of transit related jobs. The downloadable spreadsheet contains the data and a summary table. The data file can be filtered and sorted by clicking on the arrow to the right of the column title. The data can be filtered by FTA Region, job title, type of organization, type of service provided, how service is managed, union/non-union, CDL/Non-CDL, and full-time/ part-time.
Updates to the database include new job title descriptions and accompanying salary ranges, such as fare revenue specialist and route planner. The new database also includes a sheet displaying percentages of full- and part-time drivers receiving benefits, such as health insurance and paid time off. Another new sheet shows the percentages of drivers, maintenance providers, and administrators receiving salary increases from 2021-2022.
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Nominations are Open for the Tribal Transit Champions and Systems Awards
The National RTAP Tribal Transit Champions and Systems Awards honor innovation, efficiency, commitment, and performance in the tribal transit industry. Awards will be presented at the National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference: Navigating the Tides of Change for Rural and Tribal Transit, December 3-6, 2023 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The two awards recognize challenges overcome and best practices that raise the bar for tribal transit. The recognition distinguishes the award recipients as champions in this industry. The deadline for nominations is October 20, 2023.
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Upcoming National RTAP Events
In support of the forthcoming National Transit Database (NTD) reporting requirements for General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) for fixed and deviated fixed route service, National RTAP is offering free, live GTFS support Thursdays between 1:00-1:30 PM ET. Meet with our instructor, share your screen, and ask questions. Use this link to join the Zoom meeting – no preregistration is needed. GTFS support is also available Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET by contacting info@nationalrtap.org.
We are holding a Successful Strategies for Hiring Rural and Tribal Transit Operators webinar on June 15, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The webinar will provide strategies for the recruitment and hiring process that can increase your applicant pool. David Stephen of the Transit Workforce Center will identify some of the reasons behind the current workforce shortage and effective strategies to increase awareness and interest in your job openings. Julia Castillo of HIRTA Public Transit in Iowa will speak about the changes her agency has made to its policies and procedures that have widened the applicant pool and made it easier for people to apply.
On June 22, 2:00-3:00 PM, Sean Oswald, Chief of Operations and Director of Drug & Alcohol Initiatives RLS & Associates, Inc., will lead a webinar on U.S. DOT Drug & Alcohol Regulation Update (49 CFR Part 40) - Oral Fluid Drug Testing & More! U.S. DOT's Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance published a final rule updating and changing 49 CFR Part 40, the regulation for U.S. DOT's drug and alcohol testing program. The changes are effective June 1, 2023. The webinar will cover what changes have occurred and how these updates will impact transit agencies' drug & alcohol testing programs and compliance.
Our next State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable will be held on July 18, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. This is an informal session for State RTAP Managers to meet with their peers for a discussion of issues of interest to them. One issue we will be discussing will be the implementation of and training on the new NTD GTFS requirements.
Our Books in Transit Discussion Group has selected I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman as our next book to read. A mother and daughter travel in a bus full of strangers for a college tour all along the east coast. Register for our meeting on August 22, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The author will be joining us!
RideSheet Pilot Program Informational Webinar Recording Published
RideSheet is a free and open-source web application. National RTAP held a RideSheet Pilot Program Informational Webinar on May 31, 2023 to seek agencies to participate in a RideSheet Pilot Program. Attendees explored the opportunity to use it for their agencies. During the webinar, presenters discussed the successful implementation of RideSheet in Lake County, Oregon, and how it can improve productivity and professionalism for rural providers. Access the webinar recording and slides.
AASHTO MTAP Publishes Article about Rural iNTD
The Winter/Spring 2023 Network News from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Multi-State Transit Technical Assistance Program (AASHTO MTAP) features an article written by National RTAP about the Rural Integrated National Transit Database (Rural iNTD). Read the excerpt and the full article (starting on page 2) and access Rural iNTD.
Minnesota RTAP Publishes Article on National RTAP's Rural Transit Managers Forum
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National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences
We're presenting and exhibiting at the following conferences and meetings:
National RTAP Older Adults Topic Guide Updated
Call for Student Posters for the National RTAP 2023 Conference
Enter the National RTAP 2023 Photo Contest: This is Rural Transit
Our National RTAP 2023 Photo Contest – This is Rural Transit – is all about the “rural” in rural transit. We’re looking for photos that showcase the beauty and uniqueness of rural areas and tribal lands and highlight what makes small towns special. Does your area have rolling hills, peaceful streams, bustling Main Streets, or fun summer community events? We want to see them! Entries must include a photo of the bus, bus stop, driver, and/or riders. Each transit agency can enter up to three photos by August 21, 2023.
Get Ready for Rural Transit Day
Our fifth #RuralTransitDay Twitter Chat will be held July 14, 2023, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. (Rural Transit Day is always July 16, which is a Sunday this year.) This is an event where participants share thoughts about the benefits of rural transit, along with challenges and solutions. The chat will be moderated by Stephanie Lewis, Instructional/Multimedia Project Manager, Florida RTAP, Paula Smith, Executive Director, Tri River Transit, and National RTAP staff. RSVP for an invite.
We added a new section to our Rural Transit Day webpage. Click on the "Ideas for Rural Transit Day Celebrations" button in the top righthand section of the page for ways to honor your staff and riders and celebrate with your community.
We're starting a Rural Transit Day time capsule! This year we are collecting bus passes. If you have one (even if you don't use bus passes anymore), please mail it to Cara Marcus, National RTAP, 5 Wheeling Ave., Woburn, MA 01801 by July 7, 2023.
National RTAP Helped Guide Rural Transportation Issues: Research Roadmap
NCHRP's Rural Transportation Issues: Research Roadmap is designed to assist state departments of transportation and other public agencies and help inform policy–driven investment decisions. It includes information on rural transportation projects in progress or recently completed and fourteen fact sheets on themes including workforce development, access and mobility, and other topics. National RTAP Executive Director Robin Phillips served on the project panel for the report.
Welcome New Connecticut RTAP Manager
National RTAP extends a warm welcome to new Connecticut RTAP Manager Michael Guerrera, who manages the program along with RTAP Manager Sara Radasci. If you would like to get in touch with them or any other RTAP Managers, visit our Directory of State RTAP Managers.
1st International Conference on Harmony and Reconciliation (ICHR) Included National RTAP Article
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FTA is seeking comments through July 24, 2023 on extending the information collection of the New Freedom Program. The program was appealed in 2012, but FTA must continue to collect information until the period of availability expires, the funds are fully expended, the funds are rescinded by Congress, or the funds are otherwise reallocated.
FTA published all presentations from Day 1 and Day 2 of its Tribal Transit Symposium, which was held on May 24-25, 2023.
FTA invites public comment on a proposed update to the National Public Transportation Safety Plan through July 31, 2023. Proposed updates include adding safety performance criteria for vehicular collisions, providing voluntary standards for bus transit, and establishing performance measures for Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) risk reduction programs.
The U.S. DOT Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) program provides a Rural Funding Eligibility Tool. The tool helps potential applicants verify whether their region would qualify as urban or rural for various U.S. DOT funding programs.
The FTA Drug and Alcohol Project Office is now offering scheduled 30-minute sessions with a member of the FTA Drug and Alcohol Project team for discussion or training on a specific topic. To schedule a session, please email fta.damis@dot.gov with your availability and what you would like to discuss.
The U.S. DOT Discretionary Grants Dashboard provides communities with an overview of discretionary grant opportunities that can help meet their transportation infrastructure needs. The Dashboard also includes Federal grant programs outside of U.S. DOT that may be of particular interest to rural communities. It is also available in CSV format.
The U.S. DOT Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office (JPO) has launched the Smart Community Resource Center (SCRC). The SCRC serves as a compilation of resources that can be used by practitioners to advance ITS and smart community transportation projects and programs.
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The Transit Workforce Center (TWC) offers a Train the Trainer Level 1 program that improves the effectiveness of trainers and the material they present at a time when agencies need to vastly improve the skills and knowledge of their frontline workforce and a Train the Trainer Level 2 program that gives experienced trainers the skills to define, design and develop an effective and engaging training course and accompanying courseware and assessments.
Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA) is holding an RTAP Scholarship Informational Meeting on Zoom for its members where they can ask questions about the scholarship process. This is an excellent way for subrecipients to find out how to apply for RTAP scholarships.
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National Aging and Disability Transportation Center's (NADTC) The Grant Lifecycle: From Application to Sustainability will help potential grantees find grant opportunities, be prepared to apply for discretionary and other federal, state, and local grants, manage grants when received, and sustain a project after the grant is complete.
In Transportation Equity for Older Adults, the RAND Corporation researchers discuss transportation equity challenges, provide a chart for frequency of use of travel modes by age group (including bus, car, bike, etc.), provide a planning framework, and give examples of solutions, such as public transit ambassadors.
The Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) published a case study on how the Crawford Area Transportation Authority (CATA) formed a non-profit organization to enhance regional mobility and bring bikeshare to the City of Meadville, a rural community in Northwest Pennsylvania: Meadville, Pennsylvania - A Grassroots Approach to Rural Bikeshare.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers found that by the third quarter of 2022, an estimated 96.4% of persons aged ≥16 years had SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) antibodies from a previous infection or vaccination. |
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The AARP Livable Communities Map is an interactive map and database of AARP involvement in communities to make them more livable. The data can be filtered by transportation, smart cities, diversity and inclusion, and other topics.
Iowa DOT developed a statewide Transportation Map. The PDF maps are geospatially referenced and allow the application's location-based tools to be used. Users can determine their current location shown as a dot on the map, find places, and mark waypoints. Websites listed on the maps include public transit and intercity transportation.
AECOM has developed Fund Explorer and Fund Matcher modules that allow users to review over 500 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) programs and grants and upload projects to receive preliminary matches of the projects to potential funding programs using Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot technology. The tool offers an initial Justice40 screening using geospatial analytics. |
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The Common Counsel Foundation and Native Americans in Philanthropy Native Voices Rising 2023 grant pool is open through July 7, 2023. Funding topics include environmental and climate justice, health and healing, and intergenerational engagement.
The Excellence in Regional Transportation Award, a program of NADO’s RPO America and the NADO Research Foundation, recognizes noteworthy projects and practices in rural and small metropolitan that help meet regional needs. Apply through June 24, 2023.
Participate in a Public Engagement State of Practice Survey, in partnership with TRB, AASHTO, ARC, and NADO, to provide an annual snapshot of current practices, challenges, and trends in public engagement. The survey is open through June 16, 2023.
FHWA issued a Request for Nominations for state and local officials to nominate new Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFC) for designation. The application cycle closes on June 13, 2023.
The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is creating a database of
Mobility Management Job Descriptions. If you have one that you would like to share, fill out a survey.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seeking comments on its Human Trafficking Prevention Framework through June 9, 2023. The framework contains strategies and approaches to prevent human trafficking and its recurrence while increasing the capacity to identify and reduce the harm caused by human trafficking.
TCRP announced its 2023 Synthesis Study Topics and is seeking panel nominations through June 30, 2023. Topics include severe weather events, nighttime ridership, the impact of substance abuse and fentanyl on transit, and other topics. |
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FMCSA is planning a new information collection on the Study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Causation. FMCSA will collect information on existing crash data collection processes, systems, and resources and commercial motor vehicle enforcement funding mechanisms and sources. Comments are due by June 26, 2023.
The White House released a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. The document covers safe and effective systems, discrimination protections, data privacy, and other topics.
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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.
Iowa Public Transit Association (IPTA)
Coralville, IA, June 7-9
Please Visit our Table!
Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC)
June 8, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
National RTAP
June 8, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC)
June 8, 1:00-2:00 PM
TRB
June 8, 1:00-2:30 PM
Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
June 8, 2:00 PM
National Transit Institute
June 8, 2:00-3:30 PM
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and Mexico's La Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO)
June 8, 5:30-7:00 PM
Drug and Alcohol Testing Institute
Colorado Springs, CO, June 12-13
FORTH
June 13, 1:00-2:00 PM
TRB
June 13, 1:00-2:30 PM
National RTAP
June 13, 2:00-3:00 PM
NCHRP
June 13, 2:00-4:00 PM
White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
Phoenix, AZ and Virtual, June 13-15
Intelligent Transport
June 14, 12:00 PM
U.S. DOT
June 14, 1:00-3:00 PM
ITS America
June 14, 2:00 PM
National RTAP
June 15, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National RTAP
June 15, 2:00-3:15 PM
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
June 15, 3:00-4:00 PM
U.S. DOT
Washington, DC, June 20, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
AARP
June 21
Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR)
June 21, 12:00-1:00 PM
Ohio DOT
June 21, 2:00 PM
Q'STRAINT Training Academy
June 22, 12:00 PM
National RTAP
June 22, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National RTAP
June 22, 2:00-3:00 PM
U.S. DOT
June 23, 1:00-3:00 PM
Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium (SGCETC)
Tulsa, OK, June 26-29
Michigan DOT
June 27, 2:00 PM
State Smart Transportation Initiative
June 28, 1:00 PM
TRB
June 28, 3:00-4:30 PM
National RTAP
June 29, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Transit Mobility Program, Co-hosted by National RTAP and SUMC
June 29, 2:00-3:30 PM
National RTAP
July 6, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National Transit Institute
July 6, 2:00-3:30 PM
Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)
Los Angeles, CA, July 8-11
FTA
Boston, MA, July 9, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Q'STRAINT Training Academy
July 11, 12:00 PM
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
New Orleans, LA, July 11-12
National RTAP
July 14, 2:00-3:00 PM
Rural Transit Day, July 16, is on Sunday this year
National RTAP
July 13, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
USAging
Salt Lake City, UT, July 16-19
National RTAP
July 18, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
National RTAP
July 20, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
TRB
Richmond, VA, July 23-26
U.S. Access Board
Baltimore, MD and Livestreamed, July 25, 1:30-3:30
National RTAP
July 27, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
APTA
Anaheim, CA, July 30 - August 2
National RTAP
August 3, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National RTAP
August 10, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
WSTA/OTA
Please visit our table!
National RTAP
August 17, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
National RTAP and SUMC
August 17, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
National RTAP
August 22, 2:00-3:00 PM
National RTAP
August 24, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD)
Orlando, FL, August 29-30
We're participating
National RTAP
August 31, 1:00-1:30 PM
No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting
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