This is the first of six virtual marketing workshops on January 13, 2022 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET geared to rural and tribal public transit providers. The first hour will be a presentation by Selena Barlow of Transit Marketing LLC. During the final 30 minutes, approximately six participants will have the opportunity to share examples of how they are currently creating awareness for their services to share with the class and discuss. If you would like to be one of the participants during the interactive portion of the workshop, please indicate that when you register. Participants will be selected on a first come basis.

FTA is hosting a webinar series designed to help agencies understand how to complete the Recipient Information Request for submission. Presenters will introduce the audience to the Triennial Review/State Management Review process.

U.S. DOT and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) signed an agreement on December 14, 2021 to establish a Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.

Grant applications for FTA's Enhancing Mobility Innovation competitive funding opportunity are due January 11, 2022. This opportunity provides funding for projects that enhance mobility innovations for transit, providing a safe, reliable, equitable and accessible mobility ecosystem that supports complete trips for all travelers.

FTA's December 2021 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter has been published. The issue includes a summary of key areas of the Bipartisan Infrastructure law, data on trends in transit workers and COVID-19, the top ten findings for Triennial Reviews and State Management Reviews, Transportation Safety Administration's (TSA) new Enhancing Public Transportation and Passenger Railroad Cybersecurity requirements.

FTA released a Dear Colleague letter on December 1, 2021 about FTA’s implementation of the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Program and Low or No Emission Program, and provides information in advance of the Notice of Funding Opportunity so applicants may better prepare documentation.

FTA launched its new Practice (R2P) Initiative, administered by CALSTART, that will help convert the best FTA-funded research projects into practice in communities nationwide.

The FTA Guidebook of Best Management Practices for the Development of an Environmental and Sustainability Management System (ESMS) covers legal requirements, developing goals and targets, managing emergencies, appraisal, and more.

On December 7, 2021, the Office of Management and Budget approved FTA's request to continue data reporting requirements for the Transit COVID-19 Response Program. FTA will require that respondents continue to report to the program until further notice.

The Transit Training Network is part of an industry-wide effort aimed at strengthening transit training programs and provides a platform for industry occupational training committee members and local training practitioners to view updated industry training standards, and share and rate courseware developed by committees or agencies.

The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) is providing two new free online courses: Conflict Management and De-escalation for Transit Drivers and Supervisors and Understanding Passengers Who Have Experienced Trauma.

National Transit Institute (NTI) has posted its online courses for the first half of 2022. See the section in our newsletter on Upcoming Events below for links to individual classes with registration available, such as the Assault Awareness and Crisis Communication courses.

The TRB Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Program published New IDEAS for Transit. Topics include an open platform to attract, organize, and coordinate volunteers for rural and small urban transit and smart card automatic fare collection standards for small transit agencies.

Maine Council on Aging published an Anti-Ageism Guide on Language with helpful recommendations, such as asking older people what word they’d prefer to be called and aiming for specificity when possible, such as "people over 60."

SURCOM's Tribal Transit Study: Demographic Needs Indicators, Funding Needs and Livability includes case studies of Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota and South Dakota and Makah Indian Reservation in Washington that identified factors that could be improved to enhance quality of life and showed that transit can play a role.

The Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility (SURCOM) Rural Transit eTool uses agency-level data from the Rural Integrated National Transit Database (Rural iNTD). Statistics are presented by state, FTA region, tribe, and mode, and other agency characteristics.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Forecast of Contracting Opportunities provides a nationwide dashboard of upcoming federal contracting opportunities. Users can filter by agency, state, NAICs code, and estimated award date, and search by keyword.

Bonfire is offering a free database of open access community projects and RFP templates.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides an interactive Percent of Population Fully Vaccinated by Social Vulnerability Index map that provides data on the rural (non-metropolitan) percentage of residents who are fully vaccinated.

Streetmix is an open-access tool that lets users design neighborhood streets that can include bicycle paths, sidewalks, transit shelters, and additional features. Elements can be easily moved to create designs for livable communities.

The Electrification Coalition released SPARK, the State Plug-In Adoption Resource Kit. Resources featured in SPARK’s searchable database include an inventory of fleet transition goals, policy guidance, case studies, legislation, technical support documents, and tools. Each step in the guide features a subset of resources from the database.

TCRP is seeking fiscal year 2022 problem statements for its Legal Aspects of Transit and Intermodal Transportation Program, which reports on legal issues associated with transit and intermodal law. Problem statements are due January 21, 2022.

RHIhub wants to hear about how rural communities, tribes, and others have had to adapt, collaborate, and innovate in the face of disasters and public health emergencies. Examples will be shared in an emergency preparedness toolkit on the RHIhub website.

The National Safety Council (NSC) is accepting nominations for their Green Safety Awards through March 1, 2022. This award recognizes a community partnership, individual or coalition that has made a significant impact on a safety issue by advocating for proven or promising practices to raise awareness or change policy.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the expansion of a partnership to launch a new national Housing and Services Resource Center (HSRC). HSRC aims to facilitate state and local partnerships between housing and service systems (such as transportation) and assist communities in leveraging new housing and service resources.

Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability, Executive Order 14057, was issued on December 8, 2021. The Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of General Services Administration (GSA) shall coordinate with states, Tribes, and local governments to facilitate wider adoption of zero-emission vehicles. Each federal agency’s light-duty vehicle acquisitions shall be zero-emission vehicles by the end of fiscal year 2027 and 100 percent zero-emission vehicle acquisitions by 2035. Each agency with a fleet comprising at least 20 vehicles shall develop and annually update a zero-emission fleet strategy.

On January 6, 2022, compliance is required for certain parts of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 911 Requirements for MLTS – 47 C.F.R. Part 9, Subpart F. This includes direct 911 dialing and notification capabilities in multi-line telephone systems. On-premises, non-fixed devices associated with a multi-line telephone system must provide an automated dispatchable location to the appropriate public safety answering point when technically feasible.

FMCSA invites comments on a new information collection titled Waiver and Exemption Requirements and the burden that applicants incur to comply with the reporting tasks required for requesting waivers and exemptions. Comments must be received by January 18, 2022. FMCSA also requests approval to revise their Motor Carrier Identification Report Information Collection Request, which is used to identify FMCSA regulated entities and for other purposes. Comments on this request are due February 15, 2022.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) seeks to extend its Request for a Medical Exception to the COVID–19 Vaccination Requirement for federal employees beyond May 31, 2022. Comments can be submitted through February 15, 2022.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit dissolved the Fifth Circuit’s stay of the OSHA Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard. OSHA can now once again implement this standard that requires organizations with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated or tested. Comments on the ETS must be submitted by January 19, 2022 to www.regulations.gov in Docket number OSHA-2021-0007.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to modify the 2021 and 2022 statutory volume targets for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel, as well as to establish the 2022 volume target for biomass-based diesel. Comments are due by February 4, 2022.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued new standard mileage rates for operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes in 2022: 58.5 cents per mile for business purposes, 18 cents per mile for medical or moving purposes, and 14 cents per mile for charitable purposes.

January 5, 2:00-4:00 PM

January 6, 1:00 - 2:30 PM

January 6, 2:00-4:00 PM

January 6, 2:00-3:30 PM

January 6, 3:00-4:00 PM

January 7, 2:00-4:00 PM

January 8, 2022

Grapevine, TX, January 9-10

Washington, D.C., January 9–13

January 10-11

January 11, 1:00 PM

January 11, 2:00-4:00 PM

January 11-13, 2022

January 12, 1:00 PM

January 12, 1:00-5:00 PM

January 12, 2:00-4:00 PM

January 13, 2:00-3:15 PM

January 13, 2:00-4:00 PM

January 13, 2022, 2:00-3:30 PM

January 18, 1:00-2:00 PM

January 18, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 19, 12:00-1:00 PM

January 19, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 19, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 19, 6:30-9:00 PM

January 20, 12:00-3:45 PM

January 20, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 20, 2:00-3:30 PM

January 24-27, 1:00-5:00 PM

January 25, 10:00-11:00 AM

January 25, 1:00-2:00 PM

January 25, 1:00-4:30 PM

January 26, 2:00-3:00 PM

January 27, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

January 27, 2:00 PM

January 30

January 31 - February 3, 1:00-3:30 PM

February 1, 2:00-3:30 PM

February 3, 2:00-3:30 PM

Tribal Non-Profits from Beginning to End (4 Part Webinar Series)

February 7, 8, 9, 10, 2:00-3:30 PM (4 separate registration pages)

February 10, 1:00-4:30 PM

February 14-17, 1:00-3:30 PM

February 14-17, 1:00-5:00 PM

February 15, 2:00-3:15 PM

February 15-16, 1:00-4:30 PM

February 16, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Tuscon, AZ, February 21-23

February 21-24, 1:00-5:00 PM

Hollywood, FL (and virtual option), February 22-24

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 [email protected].