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National RTAP Launches eLearning Portal to Deliver Free Online Training and New Top Shops Online Course

National RTAP eLearning portal

National RTAP's newest training product, the National RTAP eLearning portal or learning management system (LMS), provides access to free online training that will greatly enhance access to training for rural and tribal transit providers.

The LMS hosts self-guided, online courses on topics like emergency management, refresher training, and problem passengers. Other training resources are also provided, such as videos, PowerPoints, and outside websites.  More will be added to the LMS over time.

The typical end user of the LMS will be transit agency staff, like drivers, maintenance personnel, dispatchers, and managers. Managers will have the ability to add learners, track learner progress, and access reports to document employee training.

To learn more about the LMS, download the  eLearning Technical Brief or visit the National RTAP eLearning webpage.

To get started, managers should first read the  Team Admin Getting Started Guide, with guidance on how to set up their team, register learners, access trainings, and generate reports and transcripts.

Head to elearning.nationalrtap.org to register and get started on the new National RTAP eLearning portal today!

New Top Shops online course

National RTAP is excited to release its newest training, Top Shops: Emergency Management in Vehicle Maintenance Facilities, which covers all aspects of preparing for, preventing, and responding to various emergencies that may arise in a maintenance facility.  

While the course is intended for maintenance staff, supervisors, and contractors, it would be beneficial for the staff of any transit facility.

The course consists of six online modules, plus one for managers; resource documents with sample forms and links to additional training and resources; and an optional, flexible instructor-led training (ILT). 

The ILT is meant to complement, not replace, the online course and is for learners to apply what they learned online to their facility. It includes Learner/Instructor Guides and PowerPoints for the six units.

To learn more, download the Top Shops Technical Brief. To enroll in the course, register on the LMS above. For the ILT materials, download them in the LMS or order them in the Resource Library.
National RTAP Peer Call: Title VI Plans

The next National RTAP Peer Call  will be held on Wednesday, September 16th at 2:00PM ET and will be an opportunity for transit managers, DOT staff, and other peers to discuss their experiences designing and implementing Title VI plans, including reasonable accommodations for Limited English Proficiency speakers and other groups. Register now!

National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference

Tuesday-Friday, October 27-30, 2015 in Denver, Colorado

Registration: Register now for the conference and reserve your Westin Denver Downtown hotel room on our Conference Website

Here is the draft agenda, though sessions and times are still subject to change.  When registering, also be sure to sign up for one of the following free Tuesday afternoon workshops: 
  • AARP Pedestrian (Livability Index) Workshop
  • Intercity Bus Route Development 
  • National RTAP Web Apps - GTFS Builder
  • National RTAP Web Apps - Website Builder
  • Tribal Transit Assessment Workshop
Vendors: Interested in exhibiting?  Contact us for more information.
Federal Transit Administration and US DOT Updates

Interested in the FTA's new proposed Public Transportation Safety Program? Attend one of the two webinars regarding the new rules. The sessions are September 17 or September 18, both at 1pm ET. You can also read about the proposed rule in the Federal Register or view the SMS Framework the FTA released.

How does your system calculate paratransit fares? The FTA is requesting comments until September 21 on a proposed rule which would allow providers to create a "two-tiered" fare system.  

Full FY15 apportionments were announced in the Federal Register.

Secretary Anthony Foxx announced $9.5 million in workforce grants in 13 states to support careers in Public Transit. Read more about the funding, including some of the projects selected, on FTA's website.
Resources and News

Publications

How much information does your organization lose when someone leaves? A Guide to Agency-Wide Knowledge Management for State Departments of Transportation by  NCHRP is a great resource for what your organization can do to become more resilient.

News

Communicating with customers with disabilities is an important part of providing customer service and transit operations. Read helpful ideas about improving your communication in this METRO article. 

Do your passengers use a bike to get to bus routes? Check out how MARTA is making multimodal transit better by adding bicycle repair stations to its bus stations in this press release.

Blogs

Sometimes it's easier to just take a picture. The FTA's #ShowUsYourInfraWear Instagram campaign continues with people all around the country submitting pictures of infrastructure wear in their area. View all the pictures or read the Fast Lane blog post.

Opportunities

On September 8th, TRB hosts Bridging the Gap - Pillars to Build a New Future to discuss women's issues in transportation, including transport policy, patterns, and transportation impacts on careers.


September 3, 2015
Events
Transportation Research Board (TRB)
Bridging the Gap - Pillars to Build a New Future
September 8
2-3:30PM

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Telling the Performance Story
September 8
2-3:30PM

Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Design, Engineering, and Management Planning Workshop for Major Capital Projects
September 15-16
San Francisco, CA

Easter Seals Project ACTION Consulting Introduction to Travel Training Workshop 
September 15-17
Washington, D.C.

National RTAP
Peer Call: Title VI Plans
September 16
2:00PM

18th Annual National Tribal Transportation Conference (NTTC)
September 21-24
Myrtle Beach, SC

Transportation Research Board (TRB)
Putting Transportation Asset Management Into Practice in a State Department of Transportation 
September 24
Webinar

National Transit Institute (NTI)
Transit Trainers' Workshop
October 11-13
New Orleans, LA

Transportation Research Board (TRB)
The Vital Role of Operations and Maintenance in Supporting and Enhancing Sustainability 
October 15
1:00-3:00PM
Webinar

National RTAP
Reaching New Heights in Rural and Tribal Transit
October 27-30
Denver, CO

For a listing of all National RTAP and other national events, view our Calendar. If you'd like to submit an event, please email [email protected].

All event times listed as Eastern Time
National RTAP Website Change
Please note that we have made a few changes to our website to add new pages regarding the new  National RTAP eLearning portal.

There is now a Training tab and the 2 The Point Training page has moved to become a page under that tab in the top menu toolbar.
Resource Spotlight
Check out National RTAP's most recent technical brief on Oversized Wheeled Mobility Devices which covers issues related to transporting mobility devices and offers best practices for securing devices.

Visit the News tab of our Website for our current best practices article on Fuel Efficient Driving as well as archived articles on Safety, Employee Wellness, Used Oil Recycling, and Bike Share programs. 
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.: 50 F Street NW, Suite 7020, Washington, DC 20001