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National RTAP hosting webinar on the FTA Agency Safety Plan NPRM and Proposed National Safety Plan

Join National RTAP and FTA's Office of Transit Safety and Oversight for the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan NPRM and Proposed National Public Transportation Safety Plan Webinar on Monday, March 7, 2:00-3:30pm ET.  The FTA will discuss the provisions of both the proposed rule and plan, and how industry stakeholders can get involved in the regulatory process.  A Q&A will be held at the end.  If you can't attend, see FTA's calendar for other upcoming webinars and listening sessions on the NPRM and plan.
Upcoming Peer Call about TCRP Research

Register now for our next Peer Call - TCRP Research Needs: Reports and Priorities on Tuesday, March 15, 2:30-3:30pm ET. Hop on this call with National RTAP and Stephan Parker to learn about the Transportation Research Board's upcoming initiatives, and how to get involved or get resources. This call is an opportunity to talk to your peers and provide feedback directly to the TRB. Help us bring rural and tribal viewpoints to the forefront by participating!
Have you used the Marketing Transit Toolkit templates, photos, or graphics?  

National RTAP's newest toolkit was launched in October and we want to know how it is being used so far. It was designed to help small systems - particularly those without marketing staff - develop or enhance marketing plans and implement various strategies. If you haven't checked it out yet, the  Marketing Toolkit is available online.

 

We would love to hear success stories or see  marketing materials created using the tools, especially the templates.  Please send examples (PDFs preferred) to etaylor@nationalrtap.org  and let us know if we can show them on our website or during presentations. Other feedback about the toolkit is also welcome!

Federal Transit Administration and US DOT Updates

FTA's ADA Webinar Series continues on Wednesday, March 16 at 2:00-3:00pm ET on the ADA and Transportation Facilities. Register now - space is limited. See FTA's Civil Rights Training page for recordings and slides from past webinars and other training materials.

TIGER grants are now available. Interested parties can view the full Notice of Funding Opportunity, and may want to attend one of the upcoming webinars regarding how to compete for these grants. 
TrAMS Training is ongoing! The FTA is providing many sessions to help grantees transition to the new platform. Take a look at the TrAMS Training page for upcoming webinars and past recordings.

The FTA issued a proposed rule for the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (Agency Safety Plan) and a proposed National Public Transportation Safety Plan (National Safety Plan) and are requesting comments on both plans. Read the FastLane post and visit the Agency Plan and National Plan to help shape upcoming policy. National RTAP will host a Webinar on this topic on March 7 from 2-3:30. Comments are due April 5, 2016.

The FTA has announced its FY2014-2015 Public Transportation on Indian Reservation Project Selections, view the announcement in the Federal Register
Resources and News

Opportunities

Registration for the National Tribal Transportation Conference in Anaheim this October 3-6 is now open. See the website for more.

The National Transit Institute is holding a Procurement for Small and Medium Transit Systems course on May 9-10 in Arlington, VA.

TRB's Straight to Recording for All: Breaking Down Barriers - Funding and Finance Issues and Innovations in Public Transportation recordings are now available. In February 2016 the TRB held discussions that examined new approaches to funding and financing transit projects and how transit agencies have addressed these issues. The videos are available online at no cost.

The Midwest Transportation Workforce Center is hosting a webinar on  Developing the Transportation Talent Pipeline on March 15, 2:00-3:30pm ET. This discussion will help leaders from business, economic development, education, and workforce development learn about proven strategies for enhancing employer competitiveness and profitability through improved access to skilled workers.

Resources

The FHWA's Stakeholder Partnering Resource Library provides examples of successful practices, resources, web links, and contact information to assist State Transportation Agencies (STAs), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and Local Public Agencies (LPAs) in improving or establishing their own stakeholder partnering initiative.
Has your agency partnered with advertisers or local organizations on bus wraps for additional revenue?

If so, contact us to share your experience and be included in a future Best Practices Spotlight article!  We are also interested in agencies who have brought some or all of their vehicle maintenance in-house. 

Check out our previous Best Practices articles on our website.
March 3rd, 2016
Events
National RTAP
FTA Agency Safety Plan NPRM and Proposed National Safety Plan
March 7
2:00-3:30 PM

FTA
How to Compete for TIGER Discretionary Grants - All Applicants
March 8
1:30-3:30 PM

National RTAP
March 15
2:30-3:30 PM

FTA
How to Compete for TIGER Discretionary Grants - Rural and Tribal Applicants
March 22
1:30-3:30
Webinar

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

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

CalACT
2016 Spring Conference
March 28-31

FTA
The ADA and Vehicles
March 30
2:00-3:30 PM

FPTA
Florida Triple Crown Bus Roadeo
April 1-2
Fort Myers, FL

NTI
Understanding ADA
April 22
Hartford, CT

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
Make safety a priority for your drivers every day. Keep our 2 The Point Training cards in your break room and incorporate them into your regular refresher training program. 

These cards are quick and easy ways for drivers to brush up on topics from customer service to defensive driving to ADA sensitivity. Read more on our website for ways to use the cards!
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