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:
Rural Transit Day Events
New National RTAP GTFS Builder Guidebook and Videos
Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL) Survey
Upcoming Busing on the Lookout Human Trafficking Webinar Series
TCRP Workforce Management Survey & Public Transit as a Climate Solution Webinar
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Get Ready to Celebrate Rural Transit Day on July 16, 2021 |
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Get ready for Rural Transit Day, July 16, 2021, by taking the Rural Transit Day Pledge to show your commitment to rural transit. For Rural Transit Day 2020, 66 agencies from 22 states (45 Rural, 7 State, 8 Community, 4 Intercity, and 2 Tribal Transit Agencies) took the pledge. We are aiming for 100 pledges by Rural Transit Day 2021.
Send a Rural Transit Day Hero card. Download an MS Word Rural Transit Day Hero card with two designs: Card 1 and Card 2. The card will download to the bottom left of your screen. Open the document and click on the silver frame in the middle of the card to insert a photo of your hero. Edit the Name, Organization, and Date to personalize the card. Print out or email your card to your hero and make their (Rural Transit) Day!
Join our #RuralTransitDay Twitter Chat on July 16, 2021 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET, moderated by Angie Jones, District Manager, Grant County Transportation District (People Mover), Tyler Bender, Ohio RTAP Manager, and Paula Smith, Executive Director, Tri River Transit Authority. RSVP for an email invitation. |
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Time to Offer On-Line Trip Planning? National RTAP Can Help
National RTAP has refreshed its GTFS Builder application and training materials. Our new GTFS Builder Guidebook offers step-by-step instructions with links to new videos for additional instructions and examples. And as always, we offer personalized assistance from downloading the application to uploading your data to your trip planner of choice (Google/Apple Maps, TransitApp, Moovit, etc.)
Apache Transit just published their services on Google Transit using GTFS Builder. We can do the same for you!
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Intercity Bus Peer Roundtables: Join our Upcoming Session and View the June 2021 Panel Presentation
National RTAP will be hosting an Intercity Bus Peer Roundtable on August 19, 2021, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The panel presentation for the Intercity Bus Peer Roundtable co-sponsored by AASHTO MTAP that was held on June 23, 2021 has been posted.
State RTAP Manager's Toolkit Update Webinar Recording Posted
We've posted the recording and presentation slides for the State RTAP Manager's Toolkit Update webinar. The Toolkit includes a new full-text PDF of the entire toolkit, training plans and videos, technical assistance case studies, scholarship management tips, RTAP Manager Succession Planning information, and various new sample documents and templates.
National RTAP Participation in Upcoming Conferences
We are excited to announce our participation at the following in-person and virtual conferences:
State RTAP Manager's Peer Roundtable Next Week
Join your peers for an informal discussion of issues relevant to State RTAP Managers. No registration required; join the Roundtable on July 12, 2021 from 2:00-3:00 PM. Discussion topics include electric bus cutaway specifications, consultant labor rates, and Title VI. We are excited to announce that a number of U.S. Territorial RTAP Managers have RSVP'd. RSVP for a calendar invitation.
Today's Transportation Librarians Roundtable Will Feature National RTAP, Resource Share and TACL
All are invited to join the Transportation Librarians Roundtable today, July 8, 2021 at 2:00-3:00 PM ET, for an introduction to the National RTAP website update, Resource Share, and TACL, the Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library. |
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Join our Books in Transit Discussion Group
The National RTAP Books in Transit Discussion Group's first meeting will be held on August 18, 2021, 2:00-3:00 PM ET, to discuss John Steinbeck's novel The Wayward Bus. Participants may buy or borrow the book anytime before the meeting. Register for the meeting.
National RTAP Transit Asset Management Topic Guide Updated
National RTAP continues our annual update of topic guides. Our Transit Asset Management Topic Guide was updated in June 2021. Transit asset management prioritizes funding based on the condition and maintenance of transit assets, such as vehicles, equipment, and/or facilities. New resources include:
Take an Interactive Tour of the National RTAP Resource Library
We've created an interactive tour of the National RTAP Resource Library so you can visit the library virtually and find out about our products, services, and ways to connect with us. Once you're on the page, mouse over or click on any of the interactive icons to learn more.
Results of National RTAP eNews Survey Posted
We posted the results of the survey we disseminated to eNews readers during Spring 2021. The article also includes actions we are taking as a result of reader recommendations, such as color changes, new articles, and listing highlights at the top of the newsletter.
Enter the National RTAP 2021 Buses are Beautiful Photo Contest
Is your bus sparkling, sleek, colorful, and altogether gorgeous? Show it off in all its glory in the National RTAP 2021 Photo Contest – Buses are Beautiful! We’re looking for photos that showcase how special and unique your bus is, and how it adds to the majestic landscapes of rural communities and tribal lands.
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The FTA June 2021 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter was published. The issue announces that Gail Lyssy will be serving as Acting Associate Administrator, gives an update on FTA Transit COVID-19 Response Program information collection, and provides an FTA Drug and Alcohol Program National Conference recap with links to materials.
U.S DOT proposes a new Entry-Level Driver Training Provider Registry. The records system will allow U.S. DOT to collect and maintain registered training provider and entry-level driver training certification information. The information will be used to establish training provider accounts, act as a central repository for entry-level driver training certification information, and transmit the information to State Driver Licensing Agencies. Comments are due by July 28, 2021.
FTA announced selections for its Fiscal Year 2021 Low or No-Emission (Low-No) Bus Program. Rural and Tribal recipients include East Central Iowa Council of Governments (CorridorRides), Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA), Southeast Iowa Bus (SEIBUS), Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, Thumb Area Transit, and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community's Salt River Transit.
U.S. DOT will award $905.25 million to 24 projects in 18 states under the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. U.S. DOT prioritized funding to rural areas to address historic underinvestment. Approximately 44% of proposed funding will be awarded to rural projects, which exceeds the requirements for rural projects by 19%.
On June 10, 2021, FTA announced Nuria Fernandez was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as their 15th Administrator. Fernandez is also the first Senate-confirmed woman of color to lead FTA and the first confirmed Administrator in over a decade.
The comment period on the U.S DOT’s request for information on Transportation Equity Data has been extended to July 22, 2021.
FTA announced the opportunity to apply for funding for Fiscal Year 2020 and 2021 for the Areas of Persistent Poverty Program. Funds will be awarded competitively for planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans for projects that assist areas of persistent poverty. Proposals must be received by August 30, 2021.
U.S. DOT published the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Fiscal Year 2021 Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment program. The program provides funding to eligible entities to develop model deployment sites for large-scale installation and operation of advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and infrastructure return on investment. The application deadline is August 23, 2021. |
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Busing on the Lookout (BOTL) is hosting a webinar series that will take a closer look at human trafficking with the goal of helping transit professionals develop a more nuanced understanding of the issue and how it intersects with vulnerabilities such as homelessness, immigration status, LGBTQ+ identity, and the child welfare system.
TCRP will conduct a webinar from 1:00-2:30 PM ET on July 21, 2021 featuring research about public transportation’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Drawing on TCRP's An Update on Public Transportation’s Impacts on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, the webinar will cover how the transit industry can contribute to fighting climate change and provide tools that transit agencies can use for low-carbon transportation solutions.
NADTC is holding office hours on Creative Uses of Section 5310 Funding on July 16, 2021, 2:00-3:30 PM. The session will feature a presentation by Jeremy Scalzi of M7, a passenger transportation company specializing in non-emergency medical transportation, followed by peer sharing. If interested in attending, RSVP to Ken Thompson.
Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) is increasing its delivery of virtual classes by adding more course delivery dates and offering Safety Management Systems (SMS) Principles for Transit as a virtual course.
The Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office is hosting a series of Complete Trip ITS4US Deployment Program webinars. A webinar on July 21, 2021, 1:30-3:00 PM ET, focuses on the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency's (HIRTA) proposed deployment: Health Connector for the Most Vulnerable. The deployment integrates the scheduling and management of healthcare appointments and transportation. |
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N-CATT's GTFS Flex: What is it and How is it Used describes how GTFS-Flex works and its applications, and provides case examples. National RTAP's GTFS Builder web app is noted as a GTFS-Flex v2 producer.
FTA and NCMM compiled examples of how transit agencies are partnering to respond to identified community needs during the pandemic in Incidental Uses of Transit Vehicles during the COVID-19 Pandemic with CCAM Partners. The table lists the FTA region, city, agency, partner(s), description of the activity, and contact information.
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NADTC published a table showing Transportation Programs Providing Rides to Vaccination Sites. It lists the name of the program, city/town, state/province, description of the activity, and contact information. Users can click on the view full worksheet icon at the bottom right to open a downloadable spreadsheet.
The Indicators of Broadband Need Map was created by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. There is a layer that shows areas designated as American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Areas.
The Transportation Secure Data Center provides free access to detailed transportation data from a variety of travel surveys and studies conducted across the nation. Data include global positioning system (GPS) readings for millions of miles of travel, along with vehicle characteristics and survey participant demographics. |
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You are invited to participate in a TCRP survey aimed at gathering information about challenges, the state of the industry, and best practices in bus operator workforce management from pre-employment through retirement. The target audience for this survey is supervisors and managers at public and private transit properties or anyone involved with bus operator workforce management and development issues. Responses will be kept anonymous.
The TRB Conference on Advancing Transportation Equity (CATE), to be held virtually September 9, 10, 13-14, 2021, is seeking 1-5 minute videos with closed captioning capabilities, that spotlight equity topics such as people, projects, and policy. If you intend to submit, let [email protected] know your intent by July 16, 2021. Videos are due to the TRB CATE Portal by August 20, 2021.
METRO Magazine is accepting submissions for the 2021 Innovative Solutions Awards. The call for nomination deadline is July 15, 2021. Transit operators that have implemented a new innovation at their operation that has helped to save money, run more efficiently, improve safety before or during the pandemic, streamline operations, improve customer satisfaction, or increase ridership may apply.
Applications are being accepted through July 30, 2021 for the Fleet Safety Award, presented by the American Automotive Leasing Association and Automotive Fleet magazine. Applicants are candidates working with light- and medium-duty fleets.
The U.S. Access Board will hold a virtual forum on its draft Strategic Plan on July 13, 2021, 2:30-4:00 ET, to obtain public feedback on the agency's goals and objectives for the next five years. Individuals who wish to comment on the draft plan should send an email to [email protected] in advance of the meeting with their name, organization, and the portion of the draft plan on which they intend to comment. |
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The Federal Communications Commission published a notice in the Federal Register that their Emergency Alert Reporting System is now open for the filing of State Emergency Alert System Plans. It is a national public warning system used by state, local, federal, Tribal and territorial alert originators to deliver emergency alerts to the public. |
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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
July 8, 1:00 PM
Transportation Librarians Roundtable
July 8, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
Eno Center for Transportation
July 8, 2:00-3:00 PM
Native Learning Center
July 9, 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
National RTAP
July 12, 2:00- 3:00 PM
TRB
July 12-15
SUMC
July 13, 12:00-4:30 PM
National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC)
Jul 13, 1:00-2:00 PM
National Safety Council (NSC)
July 13, 2:00-3:00 PM
U.S. Access Board
July 13, 2:30-4:00
United Motorcoach Association
July 13-15
National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine
July 13, 16, and 21, 11:30 AM - 5:30 PM
FHWA
July 14, 1:00-3:00 PM
U.S. DOT
July 14, 1:30-3:30 PM
Transportation Learning Center/TransitCenter
July 14, 3:00 PM
Q'Straint/Sure-Lok
July 15, 12:00-1:30 PM
National Academies of Engineering, Science and Medicine
July 15, 1:00-2:00 PM
National Transit Institute
July 15, 1:00-4:30 PM
Safe Routes Partnership
July 15, 2:00-3:00 PM
National RTAP
July 16, 2:00-3:00 PM
NADTC
Creative Uses of Section 5310 Funding Virtual Office Hours
July 16, 2:00-3:00 PM
SWTA
Santa Fe, NM, July 18-22
We're exhibiting. Please stop by our booth!
U.S. DOT
July 19, 1:30-3:00 PM
FTA
July 19, 2:00 PM
FMCSA
July 19-20, 9:15 AM - 4:30 PM
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
July 19-22
SUMC
July 20, 12:00-4:30 PM
U.S. DOT
July 20, 1:30-3:00 PM
CTAA
July 20, 2:00 PM
Nebraska Association of Transportation Providers
Lincoln, NE, July 20-21
We're exhibiting. Please stop by our booth!
TRB
July 21, 1:00-2:30 Pm
U.S. DOT
July 21, 1:30-3:00 PM
NADTC
July 22, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
ITS America
July 26, 1:30-3:00 PM
SUMC
July 27, 12:00-4:30 PM
N-CATT
July 27, 1:00 PM
FTA
July 27, 3:00 PM
FTA
July 28, 2:00-3:30 PM
West Virginia Public Transit Association
Roanoke, WV, July 27-30
We're exhibiting. Please stop by our booth!
U.S. DHHS ODPHP
July 28, 1:00-2:00 PM
TRB
July 29, 1:00-2:30 PM
National Transit Institute
July 29, 1:00-4:30 PM
FTA
August 3, 1:00 PM
FHWA
August 4, 1:00-3:00 PM
Busing on the Lookout
August 4, 2:00-2:45 PM
Q'Straint/Sure-Lok
August 9, 1:00-2:30 PM
Q'Straint/Sure-Lok
August 10, 11:00 AM -12:30 PM
TRB
August 10-12
Q'Straint/Sure-Lok
August 11, 1:00-2:30 PM
Busing on the Lookout
August 11, 2:00-2:45 PM
National Transit Institute
August 12, 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Q'Straint/Sure-Lok
August 12, 11:00 AM -12:30 PM
Q'Straint/Sure-Lok
August 13, 1:00-2:30 PM
West Coast Collaborative
Tacoma, WA, August 16-18
National Transit Institute
August 16-19, 1:00-4:30 PM
Busing on the Lookout
August 18, 2:00-2:45 PM
National RTAP
August 19, 2:00-3:00 PM
National Transit Institute
August 23-26, 1:00-3:30 PM
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program
August 24, 2:00–3:00 PM
FHWA
August 25, 1:00-3:00 PM
Busing on the Lookout
August 25, 2:00-2:45 PM
National Transit Institute
August 26, 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
NAFA Fleet Management Association
Pittsburgh, PA, August 30 – September 1
National Transit Institute
August 30 - September 2, 1:00-4:30 PM
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