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National RTAP Peer Call: Transit Manager 101

You woke up one morning and you were a transit manager!  What saved your life when you first started running the show, hiring staff, managing your vehicles, and writing your grants?  

National RTAP's Review Board identified developing a "Welcome To Your Job" kit for transit managers as a priority. We are gathering the information and will be integrating your ideas into our welcome wagon package. Tell us your story and the tip that helped you get on the right track. 

The Peer Call Series is an initiative for our Peer-to-Peer Program. The calls are an opportunity to share challenges, solutions, and questions about issues in rural and tribal transit with your peers. They are not formal presentations by experts, but a time for information sharing and discussion. Join us for this call on January 27th at 2:30PM EST.

Registratants are encouraged to send questions for the call to info@nationalrtap.org in advance. Register Now.
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. 

Robin Phillips, Executive Director, will provide a brief overview of National RTAP web tools and training materials.  Denise Tyler (DE), Curtis Sims (SC). and Justin Neidel (OK) will talk about their training programs and using National RTAP tools and materials to support their programs and sub grantees.

Join us Tuesday, January 19th at 2:00-3:30pm ET.  Register today!
Reminder: START Online Course Now Available

START Online is a new e-learning version of our Safety Training and Rural Transit (START) instructor-led course, developed in partnership with the Center for Transportation e-learning (CTEL).
 
START Online provides the START content (updated in 2015) in eight lessons, along with the four original videos. It uses the latest technology to enhance and reinforce learning through scenarios, games, quizzes, and a final exam.  

Other benefits of e-learning include cost and time savings, the learner's ability to go at their own pace and revisit content as needed, and the tracking of learner progress and results.
 
START Online is hosted on CTEL's learning management system (LMS). Like all of our products it is free of charge. Get started today by registering on CTEL's LMS and enrolling in the course!
Federal Transit Administration and US DOT Updates

As we look back on 2015, celebrate the FTA's accomplishments in improving America's transit system.

The DOT has released a free connected vehicles course targeted at transportation planners, managers, and engineers who are interested in learning more about connected vehicles.

The NHTSA is seeking commentary on the economic impact of its vehicle safety standards on small businesses. Comments are due by February 22nd. The announcement can be found in the Federal Register.

2014 statistical summaries for the FTA are now available via their website.
Resources and News

Publications

Are you prepared for an emergency? UGPTI prepared a quick list of questions to evaluate your emergency preparedness. Be sure to check out all of their Safety Talk resources.

Opportunities

NJDOT is soliciting grant applications for infrastructure projects related to the Safe Routes to School program. Projects include the planning, design, and construction or installation of sidewalks, crosswalks, signals, traffic-calming, and bicycle facilities. Read the full announcement.

NTI is holding NTD 2016 Changes in Safety and Security Reporting - A webinar designed to update users already proficient in NTD reporting about changes to the system and standards. Read more on the NTI site.

News

U.S. average price for a gallon of gas falls below $2 for the first time since 2009, via AASHTO
January 7th, 2015
Events
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