eNews - October 12, 2023

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 Marketing Transit Toolkit Input Survey

New National RTAP Best Practices Spotlight Article: States Combatting Human Trafficking

Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL) News and Updates

National RTAP Review Board Member Spotlight - Stephanie Bushong

Grants Announced for Tribal Cybersecurity and Safety

National RTAP Marketing Transit Toolkit Input Survey

National RTAP is beginning an update of its Marketing Transit Toolkit. Please share with us your marketing needs and ideas for what to change or add to the toolkit to make it as useful as possible.

The survey deadline is October 27, 2023.

New National RTAP Best Practices Spotlight Article: States Combatting Human Trafficking

National RTAP and Busing on the Lookout (BOTL) collaboratively prepared a Best Practices Spotlight Article on States Combatting Human Trafficking. The article describes the scope of the issue and includes a table that reports on programs and initiatives by state, such as requiring Commercial Drivers License holders to take human trafficking training and adopting trafficking reporting tools.

Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library Updates

The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL) helps rural and tribal transit agencies access information about public transportation coordination, coordinate among federally funded programs, and share resources across agencies to improve transit in their communities. TACL contains reports, training seminars, toolkits, and other materials developed by FTA and its technical assistance centers.

TACL sends thanks to outgoing Task Force member Nate Seeskin for his contributions. TACL welcomes graduate students in Library and Information Science from the University of Michigan who are working on the TACL Utilization Project this semester: Isaac Burgdorf, Kyle Bylin, and Nerissa Godfrey. Heather Edmonds, Program Analyst and FTA Liaison to National RTAP, Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is welcomed to the TACL Task Force.

In October, 6 new resources were added to TACL, including:

• FTA's Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox Demonstration: Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) Public-Private-Partnership for Paratransit, Evaluation Report
• NADTC's Community Coordination Initiative Lessons Learned and Coordination Case Studies
• National RTAP's Challenges and Successes with Shared‐Use Mobility in Rural, Frontier, and Tribal Areas and Intercity Bus 101: State of the Industry
• SUMC's Collaborative Planning: A Look at the Partnership between Metro Transit and Heartland Bike Share in Omaha, NE

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is this quarter's featured TA Center 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.

U.S. DOT joined seven other federal agencies – the Departments of Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, Interior, and Treasury – to release a fact sheet clarifying that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived ancestry or ethnic characteristics and prohibits certain forms of biased behavior in federally supported programs and activities. 

FTA's Accessibility in Transit Bus Automation: Scan of Current Practices and Ongoing Research provides a summary of current accessibility practices among transit bus automation demonstrations and pilot projects. It also discusses ongoing research on technologies that may enhance the accessibility of future automated buses and services, including automated vehicles.

CTAA published the first edition of the 2023 United States Department of Transportation Annual. This report provides information on U.S. DOT's major projects and programs, as well as a directory of DOT leadership positions.

The Volpe Center published Complementary PNT Action Plan: DOT Actions to Drive CPNT Adoption. U.S. DOT is the lead for civil positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) requirements in the U.S. and is responsible for the development, acquisition, management, and operations of the Global Positioning System (GPS). This Complementary PNT Action Plan was developed to drive CPNT adoption.

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) has a new course on operating and working in a transportation call center. The course explains concepts related to creating and operating a transportation call center. It addresses the call center functions, effective communication strategies, and performance measurement.

NCMM will also be holding a webinar on October 13 at 2:00 PM ET so potential applicants can learn more about its Ready-to-Launch Pilot Grants. The webinar will cover the application process, eligible activities for funding, and other topics. Participants will also have time to ask questions. 

The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) will hold Office Hours on Recruiting and Retaining Paid and Volunteer Drivers on October 25, 2023, from 1:00-2:00 PM ET. This session will feature a presentation by David Stephen, Senior Communications Specialist for the Transit Workforce Center (TWC).

Transportation Insecurity in the United States: A Descriptive Portrait by the University of Michigan and Washington Center for Equitable Growth researchers used the Transportation Security Index to find that one in four adults experiences transportation insecurity (a condition in which a person is unable to regularly move from place to place in a safe or timely manner).

AASHTO's Transportation Governance and Finance: A 50-State Review of State Legislatures and Departments of Transportation is a reference on how the fifty states and the District of Columbia provide and pay for their transportation systems. The report details all transportation funding sources and finance tools that are now in use for every mode. It also includes the rates of each state's fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees.

TRB produces a Snap Search on Tribal Transportation. It includes specialty publications like Critical Issues in Tribal Transportation, Web-Only Documents like Integrating Tribal Expertise into Processes to Identify, Evaluate, and Record Cultural

Resources, and upcoming projects like Guide to Supporting and Sustaining Transportation Grant Programs for Local Governments and Tribes.

An article in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, Distance and Transportation Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Rural Community suggests potential solutions to transportation barriers for colorectal cancer screening, such as clinics purchasing vehicles to transport patients and reducing travel distance by bringing gastroenterologists to regions where transportation is available.

Developed by Texas A&M University, the Environmental Defense Fund, and Darkhorse Analytics, the Climate Vulnerability Index maps details from 184 datasets across 70,000 census tracts. Users can see which communities face the greatest challenges from the impacts of a changing climate. 

A new tool from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Fleet Research, Energy Data, and Insights (FleetREDI), provides customized recommendations and analysis for manufacturers and commercial fleets. The tool provides a secure online portal designed to give industry and government partners access to anonymized commercial vehicle data. 

The HHS Office of Climate Change & Health Equity's Climate and Health Outlook Portal lets users view this month's climate-related hazards forecasted in their community including heat, wildfire, and drought, through interactive maps.

Sample transportation survey questions from the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) website can assist transit agencies with creating surveys that elicit feedback on their transportation programs. The questions, derived from the participants in the NADTC Skills Building Course, have been vetted and are categorized for ease of use. The questions are available in PDF and Excel formats.

The following new terms were added to the Transportation Research Thesaurus: Historically marginalized persons, Latinos, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders, Transportation equity, and Underserved communities.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a fraud reporting portal as well as data on fraud reports.

EPA announced two competitions for Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) implementation grants – a general competition for applications from states, municipalities, tribes, tribal consortia, and territories, and a competition only for tribes, tribal consortia, and territories. Applications are being accepted through April 1, 2024.

FEMA published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for its Fiscal Year 2023 Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program. The program will assist tribal governments with managing and reducing systemic cyber risk. This goal can be achieved by implementing or revising Cybersecurity Plans, priorities, projects and addressing program objectives. The closing date for applications is January 10, 2024.

The USDA Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant - Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act 2023 Grant Funds provide funding for training and technical assistance for rural communities, Tribes, and nonprofit organizations to identify and plan for community facility repairs as a result of damages resulting from presidentially declared disasters in 2022. Applications close November 24, 2023.

The FHWA Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund Safety Fund (TTPSF) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted. Projects are chosen whose outcomes will reduce fatal and serious injuries in transportation related incidents, such as motor vehicle crashes. Applications will be accepted through January 15, 2024.

Through November 3, FHWA also will be accepting nominations for its 2024 Environmental Excellence Awards, which recognize outstanding transportation projects, processes, and organizations that incorporate environmental stewardship into the planning and project development processes using FHWA funding sources.

The National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) is accepting applications for its 2024 Ready-to-Launch Grants. These planning grants offer funding plus technical support from NCMM. The goal of the grants is to enable multi-sector community teams to pilot promising mobility solutions, the development of which was inspired and informed by the results of community research. Applications are due on November 17, 2023. 

METRO Magazine is accepting submissions for its 2024 UMA Operator of the Year and ABA Innovative Operator awards through October 16, 2023. The award showcases operators who stand above and beyond both in their service area as well as the industry.

The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is now accepting applications for transit agencies to receive one-on-one technical assistance through the Center's Strategic Technology Technical Assistance Teams (STTATs). Please submit your application in PDF format to Andrew Carpenter.

As part of a settlement with Teva Pharmaceuticals, Tribes are eligible to receive free boxes of the opioid overdose emergency treatment medication Naloxone each year for 10 years. To receive the free Naloxone, Tribes must fill out a Naloxone Interest Form (new accounts, existing accounts) by October 15, 2023. Boxes must be shipped to a Tribal pharmacy, Indian Health Service, or a recipient designated by the Tribe.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeks comments on proposals and issues related to implementing the 5G Fund for Rural America, including defining the areas that will be eligible for 5G Fund support, reassessing the budget for the 5G Fund, and other issues. Comments are due by October 23, 2023.

On September 28, 2023, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance on the Medicaid Transportation Coverage Guide, to serve as a consolidated and comprehensive compilation of both current and new Medicaid transportation policy.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) seeks to request approval for a new information collection related to the nation’s battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Comments must be submitted by November 2, 2023.

The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 5860) was signed into law on September 30, 2023, and provides fiscal year appropriations to federal agencies through November 17, 2023.

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.

Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

Transportation Emissions and Health Equity: Research Perspectives Webinar

October 12, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Volpe Center

Accelerating Project Delivery through Innovative Procurement, Partnerships, and Financing Methods: Part 1 Webinar

October 12, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 12, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Center for Rural Road Safety

Intersection of Transportation with Public Health and Law Enforcement Webinar

October 12, 2:00 PM

ReConnect Rondo 

2023 Inaugural Reconnecting Communities Summit

St. Paul, MN, October 12-14

Native Learning Center

If You Get the Money, Do You Know How to Manage It Webinar

October 13, 2:00-3:30 PM

National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)

Ready-to-Launch Grant Pre-Application Webinar 

October 13, 2:00 PM

Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) 

Transportation Planning in an Aging Society Webinar

October 13, 2:30-3:30 PM

AASHTO

AASHTO TransComm Meeting

Portland, ME, October 15-18

Native Learning Center

Self-Monitoring for Federal Grant Recipients Webinar

October 17 2:00-3:30 PM

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) 

AASHTO Safety Summit

Kansas City, MO, October 17-19

FHWA

Value Capture Strategies and Asset Recycling: Advancing Public Infrastructure in a Time of Funding Uncertainty Webinar

October 18, 1:00-3:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 19, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

LinkedIn Learnalong - Communication Focus

October 19, 2:00-3:00 PM ET

National Safety Council (NSC)

2023 NSC Safety Congress & Expo

New Orleans, LA, October 20-26



FHWA/FTA 

Transit Asset Management Integration Virtual Peer Exchange

October 23, 1:00-4 PM, October 24, 1:00-3:00 PM

WPTA/MPTA

2023 Wisconsin/Minnesota Public Transit Expo

La Crosse, WI, October 23-24

Please stop by our booth!

FTA and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month Webinar

October 24, 1:00-2:00 PM

National Transit Institute

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Virtual Course

October 24, 1:00-5:00 PM

National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC)

NADTC Office Hours: Recruiting and Retaining Paid and Volunteer Drivers

October 25, 1:00-2:00 PM

Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE)

How Advanced Vehicle Technologies Can Improve Pedestrian Safety Virtual Panel 

October 25, 2:00-2:45 PM

EVNoire and Forth

National E-Mobility Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Conference

Washington, DC and Virtual; October 25 - Virtual and October 26 - In Person

U.S. DOT

V2X Summit - Saving Lives with Connectivity

Ann Arbor, MI and Virtually, October 26

Volpe Center

Accelerating Project Delivery through Innovative Procurement, Partnerships, and Financing Methods: Part 2 Webinar

October 26, 1:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

October 26, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Center for Rural Road Safety

Safety Analysis Process Webinar

October 26, 2:00 PM

Louisiana Public Transit Association

2023 Louisiana Public Transit Conference

New Orleans, LA, October 29 - November 1

Please visit our booth!

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database 2023-2024 Data Publications Release Overview Webinar

October 31, 2:00-3:30 PM

California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CALACT)

CALACT 2023 Fall Conference and Expo

Indian Wells, CA, October 31 - November 3

Please stop by our table!

ITS4US Deployment Program 

NFTA ITS4US Webinar: Enabling Indoor Navigation to Support Complete Trips

November 1, 2:00-3:30 PM

University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies (CTS)

2023 CTS Transportation Research Conference

Minneapolis , MN, November 2, 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 2, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Association of Counties (NACo)

Rural Action Caucus/Symposium

White Sulphur Springs, WV, November 5-7

Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Definitions and Data: Changes after the 2020 Census Webinar

November 8, 1:00-2:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 9, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

TRB

Transportation Resilience 2023 

Washington, DC, November 13-15

AASHTO

2023 AASHTO Annual Meeting & Expo 

Indianapolis, IN, November 13-16

FHWA

Value Capture and Debt Financing Strategies: Tax-Exempt Debt Financing Webinar

November 14, 1:00-3:00 PM 

National Transit Institute

FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel Virtual Course

November 14, 1:00-5:00 PM

Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota

2023 Toward Zero Deaths Conference

Rochester, MN, November 14-15

New Mexico Transit Association (NMTA)

National Transit Database Reporting That Includes General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) Starting in Reporting Year 2023 Training

Santa Fe, NM, November 15, 10:00-6:30 PM

To register or for more information, please contact Melissa Drake

Please register by Wednesday, November 8, 2023

National RTAP Presenter

National Transit Institute

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

November 15, 1:00-4:30 PM

NCHRP 

Transportation Emergency Management and Security Summit & Exchange

Washington, DC, November 15-16

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 16, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

November 30, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

5th Technical Assistance Conference: Navigating the Tides of Change with Rural & Tribal Transit

Myrtle Beach, SC, December 3-6

National Transit Institute

Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Program with Lifecycle Management Virtual Course

December 4-7, 1:00-3:30 PM

National RTAP/Transportation Safety Institute

SMS Principles for Transit Training

Myrtle Beach, SC, December 5-7

National RTAP/National Transit Institute 

Rural National Transit Database (NTD) Reporting Training

Myrtle Beach, SC, December 7

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 7, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National Transit Institute

National Transit Database: Annual Reporting for Indian Tribes Course

December 12-13, 1:00-4:30 PM

National Transit Institute

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

December 13, 1:00-4:30 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 14, 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

December 14, 1:00-5:00 PM

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 21, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

National RTAP

GTFS Office Hours

December 28, 1:00-1:30 PM

No preregistration necessary - join at the time of the meeting

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.