Thanks to all who submitted their top 3 training needs! We will take those suggestions under consideration in talking about future training modules. Some of the topics suggested are already covered by National RTAP training modules. Below is a list of the training modules corresponding to the most common suggestions, which you can download from the National RTAP Resource Library, or order at no cost.

Boards That Perform addresses the roles, issues and responsibilities involved in being a transit board member.

Customer Driven Service trains staff to provide excellent customer service in a variety of situations.

Emergency Procedures for Rural Transit Drivers offers basic tools to prepare for and confront on-the-road emergencies.

Introduction to Preventive Maintenance provides case studies, checklists, and schedules for preventive maintenance programs.

Problem Passengers, Challenging Situations offers guidance to drivers for handling difficult passenger situations safely.

Roles and Responsibilities of Transit Managers helps managers achieve more cooperation, better teamwork, better attitudes, and effective results.

Scheduling and Dispatching for Rural Transit Systems describes the scheduler's and dispatcher's roles and responsibilities, and introduces ITS technologies. 

START Safety Training and Rural Transit focuses on safety for rural providers.

Transportation Coordination (bottom of list) discusses benefits of coordination and provides examples of various approaches to partnerships.

Methods for Forecasting Demand and Quantifying Need for Rural Passenger Transportation guides users in estimating need for rural passenger transportation, and subsequent demand once the service is in place. 

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) has issued an RFP for the Transit Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) Program. Awards are made up to $100,000 for early development and testing of cutting-edge and unproven concepts and ideas that will advance the transit industry. The due date for submitting Transit IDEA proposals has been extended to May 10, 2013. 

March's National Tribal Transportation Summit in Norman, OK, hosted by Southern Plains TTAP at Oklahoma State University, has been recapped. View photos from the event, presentations, and a summary.