eNews - January 4, 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

Transportation Technical Assistance Library (TACL) News and Updates

Updated National RTAP Oversized Wheeled Mobility Devices Technical Brief

Rural iNTD Updated with 2022 Data

Extended Comment Periods for Safety & Hours of Service and Fatigue Proposed Rules

TACL also now includes a new "related resource" button for each resource.

FTA and the Transit Workforce Center (TWC) are this quarter's featured TA Centers with resources shown in a carousel at the bottom right of TACL's homepage.

The next Learn about TACL training will take place on February 8, 2024 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET. The session will instruct on how to use TACL and include a Resource Feature by Jane Mahoney on the NADTC Coordination Committee Toolkit.

Updated National RTAP Oversized Wheeled Mobility Devices Technical Brief



Our updated Oversized Wheeled Mobility Devices technical brief evaluates issues related to transporting oversized wheelchairs and other mobility devices, discusses best practices, and provides recommendations for safely securing and transporting oversized mobility devices. Updates include summaries of examples of guidance from 49 CFR Part 37 technical assistance from the Accommodating Riders Who Use Wheelchairs if the Lift and Vehicle Can Physically Accommodate Them Section of the ADA Toolkit.

Thank you to Deborah Bach, Rural Transit Programs Supervisor, New Mexico Department of Transportation, Transit and Rail Division, for the review of the update.

FTA is extending the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking regarding its State Safety Oversight program to February 15, 2024. FTA is also extending the comment period for the advance notice of proposed rulemaking regarding transit worker hours of service and fatigue risk management to January 29, 2024.

U.S. DOT published a final rule that amended the Transportation Acquisition Regulation (TAR) to provide needed editorial changes, effective December 21, 2023.

U.S. DOT is extending the comment period to February 20, 2024 for its request for information on whether to amend the accessibility requirements for transportation facilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) currently contained in Appendix A.

A final rule, effective December 28, 2023, provides the statutorily prescribed 2024 adjustment to civil penalty amounts that may be imposed for violations of certain U.S. DOT regulations. Violations include hazardous materials transportation law, odometer tampering and disclosure, and others. 

U.S. DOT developed the Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool (VAST) to help organizations implement an indicator-based vulnerability assessment of their transportation assets. FHWA is offering technical assistance on VAST to State DOTs, MPOs, local governments, and others interested in developing vulnerability assessments for their transportation assets. For technical assistance requests, contact Allison Yeh.

U.S. DOT announced the launch of the Transforming Transportation Advisory Committee (TTAC) to provide advice to DOT and the Secretary of Transportation about plans and approaches for transportation innovation.

FTA's December 2023 Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight newsletter lists the Transportation Safety Institute’s (TSI) Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 safety training courses for transit personnel and highlights FTA mental health resources for transit workers.

The FHWA Resource Center’s Air Quality Team will begin delivering MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES4) training through virtual and in-person courses. This training provides an overview of EPA’s MOVES4 mobile source emissions model. Contact Chris Dresser to request a training.

National Highway Institute (NHI) offers Integrating Transportation and Land Use Web-based Training. The course is designed to help practitioners plan multimodal transportation systems that support community development goals and shape land use patterns that support transportation system performance goals. 

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) provides Every Ride Counts Campaign Guidance. This resource builds on NADTC’s Every Ride Counts (ERC) Campaign to offer guidance on effective communication approaches to transportation programs, mobility managers, and information and referral providers.

AARP's Innovations in Rural Public Transportation: Data Standards Undergird Equity discusses two primary types of data shared in a public transportation cloud-based environment: discovery data and transactional data.

MaaS in Minnesota: Developing a Regional Trip Planning Platform by the Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) is a case study about MnDOT's GTFS pilot program with a replicable framework.

A new TRB Snap Search on Risk Management includes reports such as Managing Enhanced Risk in the Mega Project Era; Risk Assessment Techniques for Transportation Asset Management; and Integrating Effective Transportation Performance, Risk, Asset Management Practices; and many others.

Government Technology magazine published a data table showing which U.S. cities have electric buses. The data for each agency also includes electric miles driven and is searchable by state.

A Blind Zone Calculator funded by the Santos Family Foundation under the sponsorship of U.S. DOT provides visualizations of the front, overhead view, and passenger side blind zones for many types of vehicles, including transit vans.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) provides a State DOT ADA Transition Plan and Inventory Mapping Application that shows when plans were last updated in an interactive map. Contact information and online links for plans are listed.

The Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) App now lets users tailor red flag content specifically for transit and has enhanced reporting capabilities for users with geo-location potential and best display call options, including, where available, local hotline numbers.  

TCRP is searching for subject matter experts to participate as panel members on the upcoming FY2024 projects. Topics include persons with disabilities, transit ridership, workplace health and safety, and other topics. Nominations can be completed on MyTRB by February 3, 2024.  TRB is also seeking potential synthesis study topics for the TCRP 2024 Synthesis Program. The deadline is March 29, 2024.

The U.S. Justice Department announced the opening of the 2024 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) period for funding to American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes. CTAS funding supports crime prevention, victim services, and coordinated community responses to violence in Indian Country. The deadline is March 5, 2024.

The Rider's Choice Awards 2024 celebrates the amazing companies in our industry of small electric vehicles. Voting is open through January 24, 2024. Categories include shared-mobility operators, electric bikes, and others.

The Federal Sustainability Plan aims to reach net-zero emissions from overall Federal operations by 2050, including a 65% emissions reduction by 2030. As part of this plan, federal employees will use public transit when conducting local travel or upon arrival at the official travel location.

The U.S. Department of Energy extended the comment period to January 16, 2024 to amend its implementing procedures for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Procedures.

The Office of Personnel Management issued a proposed regulation about bargaining-unit employees, who are detailed or temporarily promoted to higher grade duties of a higher-graded position, should be paid accordingly for the entire time performing these duties, when this action follows a final order by an arbitrator, adjudicative body, or court, under a collective bargaining agreement and the employees were assigned these duties outside of competitive hiring procedures. Comments are due February 26, 2024.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published a final rule to amend its beneficiary travel regulations to establish a new payment methodology for special modes of transportation available through the VA beneficiary travel program. The effective date will be February 16, 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 RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

January 4, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

U.S. DOT

FY 2024 RAISE Location Designations Webinar

January 4, 2:00-3:00 PM

U.S. DOT Climate Change Center 

Cutting Carbon from Transportation: State and Local Best Practices Webinar

January 5, 12:30-2:00 PM

NYU Connected Communities with Smart Mobility to Equitably Reduce Congestion

Leveraging Passively-Collected Mobility Data in Generating Spatially-Heterogeneous Synthetic Population Webinar

January 5, 1:00-2:00 PM

U.S. DOT OST Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE)

ASTE Public Meeting 

January 5, 2:30-4:30 PM

TRB

2024 TRB Annual Meeting

Washington, DC, January 7-11

We're participating

U.S. DOT

Completing the SF 424 and RAISE Project Information Form Webinar

January 8, 2:00-3:00 PM

Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, North Dakota State University, Transportation Learning Network (TLN)

The First 3 Rules of Construction: Document, Document, Document! Virtual Learning

January 9, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Deadline: January 4, 2024

National Transit Institute

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Virtual Course

January 9, 1:00-5:00 PM

Indian Health Service (IHS)

Virtual Tribal Consultation Session: IHS Tribal Consultation Policy - Definition of Indian Tribe

January 9, 3:00 PM

Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) and National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) 

The Role of Person-Centered Planning for Employment Support Webinar

January 9, 3:00-4:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

January 11, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Native Learning Center

4 Steps to Effective Training Webinar Part 1

January 11, 2:00-3:30 PM

American Bus Association (ABA) 

ABA Marketplace

Nashville, TN, January 13-16

Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, North Dakota State University, Transportation Learning Network (TLN)

Documentation for Construction Delays Virtual Learning

January 16, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Registration Deadline: January 11, 2024

National RTAP

State RTAP Manager Peer Roundtable

January 16, 2:00-3:00 PM

FORTH/Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership (EVAL)

EVAL Information Session

January 17, 12:00-12:30 PM

America Walks

The Year Ahead in Transportation Webinar

January 17, 2:00-3:00 PM

National Safety Council

The Top 3 Things to Know When Managing a Fleet Webinar

January 17, 3:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

January 18, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP and Rural Health Information Hub

Resources for Rurals Rural Health Chat

January 18, 2:00-3:00 PM

AT3 Center

Making Videos Accessible Webinar

January 18, 3:00 PM

National Transit Institute

Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Program with Lifecycle Management Virtual Course

January 22-24, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

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

Houston, TX, January 22-25

Appalachian Regional Commission

Getting the Grant Workshop

Asheville, NC, January 23, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

U.S. Access Board

U.S. Access Board Public Meeting and Webcast

January 24, 1:30-3:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

January 25, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Safety Through Disruption (SAFE-D)

Measuring the Safety of ADS: How Safe is Safe Enough Webinar

January 25, 2:30 PM

Appalachian Regional Commission

Getting the Grant Workshop

Birmingham, AL, January 30, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Disability Advisory Committee (DAC)

FCC DAC Public Meeting

Washington, DC, January 30, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

FTA

Virtual FTA MIS Overview

January 30, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

FORTH/Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership (EVAL)

EVAL Information Session

January 31, 1:00-1:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

February 1, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

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

National Transit Institute

Introduction to Paratransit Management and Operations Virtual Course

February 5-8, 1:00-5:00 PM

Appalachian Regional Commission

Getting the Grant Workshop

Portsmouth, OH, February 6, 8:00 AM - 4:00 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

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

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 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

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 Transit Institute

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Virtual Course

February 15, 1:00-5:00 PM

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

Please stop by our booth!

Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)

GHG Emissions Prediction using Machine Learning Webinar

February 16, 12:00-1:00 PM

Native Learning Center

Federal Grants Management for Tribes & Tribal Entities Training

Pala, CA, February 20-21

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

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

National Transit Institute

Principles for Effective Management and Supervision Virtual Course

February 26-29, 1:00-5:00 PM

Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs

2024 Tribal Clean Energy Summit

Temecula, Ca, February 27-28

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

February 29, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 14, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Native Learning Center

Steps to Starting a Tribal Business Training

Hollywood, FL, March 18-19

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

Native Learning Center

Tribal Grant Writing Virtual Training

March 25-28

Smart Growth America

Smart Growth America’s Equity Summit

Washington, DC, March 27-28

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

March 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

National RTAP Rural and Tribal Transit Training - Capital Projects

Spokane, WA, April 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 info@nationalrtap.org.

National RTAP | 888-589-6821 | info@nationalrtap.org | nationalrtap.org