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Happy Holidays from National RTAP!

For our final eNews of the year, here's a look back on some of the key activities and new products from National RTAP in 2015:
We also welcomed five new Review Board members and two new National RTAP staff.  Thanks to all those who helped make this year a success.  Happy Holidays and here's to a great 2016!
National RTAP Seeks Review Board Nominations

National RTAP Review Board members help guide the development of training materials and other tools and resources for rural and tribal transit operators. Among other duties, Board members represent National RTAP's primary customer groups and help determine what products and services would be of the most value to them.  

Know someone who would be a great review board member?  Read more on our website.  Nominations are due Friday, January 29th.
Register now for our next webinar: National RTAP Resources and Website Overview

Join National RTAP and AASHTO's Multi-State Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) to learn about how to best utilize National RTAP's resources and website for your state and subrecipients. Hear from two states on how they did just that. The webinar will be held Tuesday, January 19 from 2:00-3:30 PM Eastern.  Register today!
Reminder: Conference Feedback Survey

Thank you to everyone who attended the National RTAP Technical Assistance conference in Denver. This is a final reminder to fill out the feedback survey, so we can provide the best possible events and services to you in the future. You can access the survey here.

Federal Transit Administration and US DOT Updates

FTA announced the award of $10 million to help tribal governments initiate, improve, and enhance transit service on tribal lands. The money, awarded through FTA's Tribal Transit Program (TTP), provides grants to 55 tribes for 65 competitively selected transit projects in 18 states. The projects will receive awards from a combination of FY14 and FY15 discretionary funds. Read more here.

Read about the new National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, one of FTA's technical assistance centers. NADTC will provide technical assistance, information and referrals, community grants, training, and outreach. It will also focus on leveraging the MAP-21 Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and People with Disabilities formula grants and other transit investments. Read more about the new center in this December 15th press release.

Earlier this month FTA released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program, proposing to adopt the current interim provisions as the initial regulatory training requirements for personnel responsible for safety oversight of public transportation systems. The NPRM defines to whom the training requirements apply, describes recordkeeping requirements, provides administrative provisions, and compliance requirements. Comments are due February 1st.

What happens when the FTA takes on direct safety oversight for a transit?  Read Therese McMillan's FastLane post to understand what the FTA is doing, and why.
Resources and News

Opportunities

Mark your calendars! On February 4th, TRB will hold a webinar titled "Understanding Transportation Safety Risks on Tribal Lands - Learning from a Collaborative Research Project with American Indian Communities in Minnesota." Register for the webinar now.

News

Grantmakers in Aging launch the Rural Aging Initiative to help improve the experience of aging citizens in rural areas. The project focuses on identifying existing resources and improving infrastructure within rural communities. Read the press release for more.

Dude It's Rude - Read about SEPTA's new campaign to address passenger behavior and improve transit experiences via METRO's article.

Publications
Pedestrians and Cyclists: Cities, States, and DOT Are Implementing Actions to Improve Safety, a report by the GAO discusses the state of walking and biking in the U.S. as well as the actions being taken to improve transit for everyone.

Interested in all the changes in transit these days?  New technology is changing the way people move from place to place. Between Public and Private Mobility: Examining the Rise of Technology-Enabled Transportation Services, a report by TRB discusses some of the disruptive effects caused by new technology.

If the TRB report is a bit too much for you, VOLPE has a great blog post about how connectivity is redefining personal mobility.
December 23, 2015
Events
TRB
Annual Meeting
January 10-14
Washington, D.C.

National RTAP and AASHTO's MTAP
National RTAP Resources and Website Overview
January 19
2:00-3:30 PM

Kentuckians For Better Transit
38th Annual Kentucky Transportation Conference
January 20-22
Lexington, KY

SWTA
Freedom Through Transit Conference
February 1-3
Mesa, AZ

TRB
Incorporating Transportation Security Awareness by Providing Interactive Training for All-Hazards Emergency Planning
February 3
2:00-3:30 PM

TRB
Understanding Transportation Safety Risks on Tribal Lands: Learning from a Collaborative Research Project with American Indian Communities in Minnesota
February 4
2:00-3:30 PM

FTA
Drug and Alcohol Conference
March 22-24
Sacramento, CA

CTANW
Mobility Management & NW Travel Training Summit
March 22-24
Fife, WA

CTAA
2016 Expo
May 22-27
Portland, OR

TRB
National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus
October 2-5
Asheville, NC

For a listing of all National RTAP and other national events, view our Calendar. If you'd like to submit an event, please email info@nationalrtap.org.

All event times listed as Eastern Time
Resource Spotlight
Check out our Best Practices Spotlight Articles on our website from 2015 on the topics of: Fuel Efficient Driving, Travel Training, Safety, and Employee Wellness 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