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Surveillance Program Best Practices Article

Check out our new Best Practices Spotlight article on the topic of installing onboard cameras for the safety and security benefits, financial benefits, training opportunities, and more. 

The article highlights the Southern Nevada Transit Coalition's new Safety Assurance and Award Program, which uses surveillance for a safety program that also involves training and staff appreciation. By choosing the drivers randomly and rewarding those with successful reviews, it takes what could be seen by as punitive surveillance and turns it into an opportunity for improvement and recognition.

The article also references the recently published TCRP Synthesis 123: Onboard Camera Applications for Buses, which provides practical examples, challenges, and lessons learned from small, medium, and large agencies nationwide.
2016 National RTAP Annual Photo Contest

The theme of this year's photo contest is Rides to _____: What is public transit used for? Photos should reflect the ways public transit is utilized in your community, for example:
  • Rides to wellness/healthcare
  • Rides to work
  • Rides to school
  • Rides to shopping/groceries
  • Rides to recreation
  • Rides for socialization on the bus
The deadline is Friday, July 15. First prize is a top-of-the-line digital camera and the runner up receives a $250 gift check. To view photos from previous contests, visit our Facebook page!
Rural INTDAS is now Rural iNTD!

Rural iNTD is the new name for the Rural Integrated National Transit Database Analysis System (INTDAS), which was released last June. Developed by Florida International University for National RTAP, Rural iNTD integrates multiple years of NTD data, with performance measures at different levels. Users can easily analyze data from 5311 recipients and subrecipients. There is also an Urban iNTD. 

Visit the Rural iNTD webpage to learn more and get started.
Federal Transit Administration and US DOT Updates

FTA and FHWA published the Final Rule on Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning and Metropolitan Transportation Planning. A webinar about the rule will be held on July 13 at 1:00pm ET.

FHWA and FTA announced the opening of the 2017 Transportation Planning Excellence Awards Program which provides an opportunity to recognize outstanding transportation planning by planners and decision-makers in communities across the country. Any individuals or organizations that received FHWA and/or FTA funding to develop a plan, project, or planning process are eligible. The deadline is July 1.

The Volpe Center's Future of Transportation: Safety, Opportunity, and Innovation speaker series kicks off with Secretary Foxx on June 27 at  11am ET. 

FHWA requests safety data for a Tribal Transportation Survey, ending June 26. The information will be used for two reports required by the FAST Act, which may influence future federal programs. 

Reminder: FTA is conducting a National Online Dialogue on preventing and mitigating transit worker assaults until July 25.
Resources and News

Opportunities

Register now for the 22nd National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation to be held in Asheville, NC October 2-5, 2016. The Early Bird rate ends on June 30.

The National Transit Institute (NTI) is holding an Introduction to Transit Service Planning July 18-20 in Madison, WI.

Easter Seals Project Action Consulting held a live Facebook video event on June 22. This short, informational video explains what travel training is and the importance of access to transportation for people with disabilities and older adults. Easter Seals also offers a Travel Training Certification online course. 

Resources

Looking to hire a Mobility Manager? Check out NCMM's compilation of Mobility Manager job descriptions from around the country.

Reports

The GAO released a report on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): Urban and Rural Transit Providers Reported Benefits but Face Deployment Challenges, based on a recent survey. Also check out the trainings on the ITS Joint Program Office website here.

Blogs

Interested in integrating technology into your transportation program? Check out the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center's (NADTC) blog post.
June 23rd, 2016
Events
FTA/FHWA
Statewide & Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning/Metropolitan Transportation Planning Final Rule
July 13, 1:00pm

LTAP/TTAP
2016 National Conference
July 18-21
Madison, WI

WVPTA
Annual Conference
July 27-29
Wheeling, WV

PPTA
2016 Summer Conference & Roadeo
August 5-8
Scranton, PA

CTAA
Small Urban Network (SUN) Conference 
Denver, CO
August 10-12
Conference

AASHTO/APTA/CTAA
Midwest Transit and
State Public Transportation Partnerships Conference
August 14-16
Kansas City, MO

CTAV
Expo & Conference
August 16-18
Virginia Beach, VA

NCRRS
National Working Summit on Transportation in Rural America
September 7-9
Denver, CO

DTA
Roadeo and Fall Conference 
September 10-14
Spearfish, SD
Conference

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
Don't have your route and schedule data in GTFS?

Check out National RTAP's new Why GTFS? Technical Brief, or dive right in with our free GTFS Builder software!
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