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Visit www.facebook.com/NationalRTAP to view our page. We will keep you updated about resources, events, and training tips relevant to you. Take a look, start a conversation with us, and be kept in the loop! 
What's New in the National RTAP Resource Library?

SWTA Accessible Meetings Guide is a collection of tips and best practices for making conferences, training, and other meetings accessible. Presented in a brochure format, the publication includes information on training staff, making physical spaces accessible, and allowing potential attendees to feel welcome.

Transit Bus Operator Distraction Policies aids transit agencies in developing distracted driving policies and programs. 

...and Other Resources of Interest

 

NEMT Coordinators in Minnesota: A Survey of How Minnesota Counties Use Coordinators to Deliver Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, follows the ways that several Minnesota counties work with transportation coordinators to administer NEMT services under the fee-for-service structure.  

 

National Center on Senior Transportation (NCST) has a new website! Take a look at their Modes and Services Information Brief Series, including a brief on Volunteer Transportation. Keep an eye out for the webinar recordings for the online mini-course, "Don't Gamble on Senior Transportation Funding: Winning Local Match for Federal Grants," which is in progress over the next few weeks.

Federal Transit Administration Updates

 
Reminder: Comments are due by November 25th, 2013 for the Formula Grants for Rural Areas (Section 5311 Program) proposed circular. Please pay special attention to the newly updated sections of the circular, including (among others):
  • New eligible activities and new apportionment formula (Chapter III)
  • New Appalachian Development Public Transportation Assistance Program (Chapter VII) 
  • Intercity Bus (Chapter VIII) 
  • Updates to the Tribal Transit Program (Chapter X)
Submit a formal comment online on the Federal Register Notice page, or read the first section of the proposed circular notice for other ways to comment.
 
Reminder: ANPRM for Transit Asset Management is accepting comments through January 2nd, 2014.
 
Find all open FTA Federal Register Notices here. (This links to a search result, so you can bookmark and continue to visit this page).
 
FTA Updated the one-day Drug and Alcohol Training page with additional dates.
Call for Presentations and Student Submissions for 21st RIBTC
 
Two prizes, one for graduate students, and one for undergraduates, will be awarded for the student paper competition, "Setting Our Course for the Future" at the 21st Rural Public and Intercity Bus Conference (RIBTC) in Monterey, CA. The deadline for submissions is March 7, 2014. 
 
Presentation proposals are also being accepted for a January 10th, 2014 deadline. Presentations should fall within one of the five routes: planning, design and research; policy, funding and finance; rural transportation today; technology, and special issues. Special focus for this agenda is on mobility management, rural/community transportation, intercity transit, national parks, tribal transit, and veterans' transportation.
 
The 21st RIBTC will take place from October 26-29, 2014. For more information about the student competition or submitting an abstract, visit http://www.ribtc.org/. 
October 17, 2013
Events
CUTR
Potential Impacts of Federal Health Care Reform on Public Transit
October 17
12PM 

ESPA
Employment and Transportation: Ensuring People with Disabilities Have Equal Access to the Workforce
October 23
2-3:30PM

TTAP
National Tribal Transportation Conference 2013
October 28-November 1
Prior Lake, MN

ESPA
Developing Effective Practices for Snow Removal
December 4
2-3:30PM

RIBTC
21st National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation
October 26-29, 2014
Monterey, CA

For a listing of all National RTAP and other national events, view our new EventShare Calendar!

All event times listed as Eastern Time
Resource Spotlight
Service Contracting and Vehicle Sharing

We've had several requests over the past months about policies and information for independent contractors. Here are a few resources:
 
Service Contract Fact Sheet from Illinois Rural Transit Assistance Center

Montana Coordinated Transportation Handbook from Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Western Transportation Institute

Human Service Transportation and Vehicle Resource Sharing from the Federal Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility

Kansas Rural Transit Provider Handbook Chapter on Vehicle Sharing and Leasing Equipment
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.

Contact us:
Main: 5 Wheeling Avenue, Woburn, MA 01801, 888-589-6821
Washington, D.C.: 1050 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-772-2039