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New Guide to Alternative Funding for Transit
 
Transportation For America has produced Thinking Outside the Farebox: Creative Approaches to Financing Transit Projects, a guide to alternative funding for transit systems. The publication explores the loss of many traditional types of funding, including federal grant money, and the increasing demand for transit. Practical approaches to funding transit in non-traditional ways are presented, as well as case studies for such projects. The guidebook serves as an excellent resource to explore a long list of funding options, and evaluates the feasibility of each. You can access Thinking Outside the Farebox through our Resource Library. 
Clean Fuels Grants Announced

The Department of Transportation has announced its FY2012 Clean Fuels Grant Program recipients. Distributing $59.3 million, the DOT will fund 27 projects that will reduce emissions, improve fuel economy, and lower operating costs. To view a map of selected projects, click here, or view a table of the projects.
NCHRP Releases Research Results Digest 376, Data Needs for Assessing Rural Transit Needs

The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) has released Research Results Digest 376: Data Needs for Assessing Rural Transit Needs, Benefits and Levels of Service. This report examines data that can be collected in order to assess rural transit in a better way by "(1) review[ing] the data elements currently reported in the Rural National Transit Database (NTD) and identify[ing] data elements that are needed to record pre- and post-service change information; and (2) identify[ing] potential levels of service (LOS) options that are more accurate or useful for future evaluation of rural service." The full report can be read at 
Last Chance to Nominate for National RTAP Review Board
 
The National Rural Transit Assistance Program (National RTAP) is soliciting nominations for National Review Board members until September 30th. National RTAP has several upcoming vacancies on the National RTAP Review Board. The term of office is for three years beginning in the spring of 2013. 
 
National RTAP is soliciting nominations for several state transit officials only; positions for rural or tribal transit providers are not available. Section 5311 or RTAP managers are eligible to be nominated. Any group or individual involved in rural transit is encouraged to nominate a representative to the Board. An individual may also nominate him/herself for consideration. The deadline for submitting nomination forms is September 30, 2012. For more information about the responsibilities of Review Board members and the selection process, and to download the nomination form (scroll to the bottom of the following link), please click here.
September 20, 2012
Events
September 30-
October 3 
Seattle

TRB Current Transportation Issues in Indian Country
October 11
Online

Rural Public & Intercity Bus Transportation Conference
October 14-17
Salt Lake City

ESPA Introduction to Travel Training
October 24-26
Phoenix

DOT AERIS (Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Systems) Webinars
October 17-March 3, 2013
Online

NTI Transit Trainers' Workshop
October 28-30 
Dallas


If you have a relevant event you would like us to feature, email info@nationalrtap.org. 

Product Spotlight
New Resources Added to the National RTAP Resource Library 

by National RTAP
 
by National RTAP
National RTAP is a program of the Federal Transit Administration dedicated to creating rural and Tribal transit solutions through technical assistance, partner collaboration and FREE training materials.