The Missouri RTAP 2024 second quarter newsletter includes an article about Rural Transit Day (page 4), new National RTAP Review Board member Dion Knipp of OATS Transit and National RTAP participation in the upcoming MPTA Conference.

For over 20 years, Angel Rose has been a driving force behind the Liberty Access Program's success. First as a dedicated bus driver, and now as an incredible transportation coordinator, Rose's commitment, passion and innovativeness shines through in everything she does. She treats every rider like family, creating a welcoming environment for all with her unwavering kindness and patience. She possesses an uncanny ability to juggle rider needs and craft efficient routes, maximizing reach while minimizing mileage. This has been evidenced by a 37% increase in one-way trips with a decrease in total miles driven from 2022 to 2023. Angel is a lifelong learner who actively seeks opportunities to improve the program. She recently completed a course on ensuring Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEI&A) within transportation services. She isn't fazed by new challenges. Whether it's mastering a new software system or taking on a fresh project, she tackles everything with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Rose is more than just a transportation coordinator; she's the heart and soul of the Liberty Access Program. Her dedication, expertise, and passion have been instrumental in the program's remarkable growth.

 We want to hear from you!

InTransit newsletter is our Monthly Transit Agency spotlight recognizing the awesome things that are happening in the organization. If you would like to submit what your agency is doing, whether it's about your service or highlighting a Transit employee, please submit content to Nicholas.volkart@modot.mo.gov.  

FTA Spotlights Mental Health Support in the Transit Industry

In May, as part of Mental Health Awareness Month, FTA hosted a webinar on suicide prevention and mental health crisis intervention in the transit industry. Guest speakers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, San Francisco Suicide Prevention, Bay Area Rapid Transit and Utah Transit Authority shared available resources, experiences and lessons learned from successful interventions.

Take the BUPD challenge

When you get into any vehicle,

buckle up your seat belt.

 If you are in the driver's seat,

put your cellphone down.

Join the 55,526 people who have

taken the pledge so far.

Since January, a monthly volunteer driver article has been part of the newsletter. This installment is a reference guide, so you can find the content as needed. It has been added as a table so you can sort or search by topic and know which month the information was published.

For additional resources use the following links.

*Missouri Department of Insurance; https://insurance.mo.gov

Missouri Secretary of State: Code of State Regulations (mo.gov)

National RTAP - Volunteers in Transportation: Some Issues to Consider

Managing Volunteer Drivers: Best Practices for Nonprofit Organizations : Charity First

Risk on the Road: Managing Volunteer Driver Exposures – Nonprofit Risk Management Center

Independent Sector - A Vital Meeting Ground

The idea for the federal transit program was born with a message to Congress by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 and launched in 1964 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Urban Mass Transportation Act.

Over its nearly six decades, the federal transit program has helped transform transit in America from scattered bus systems and a small number of high-capacity systems to a diverse set of transit providers in thousands of communities. Today, FTA administers a $20 billion annual program with the historic funding provided by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The 60th anniversary of the federal transit program was celebrated on July 9.

Notice of Funding Opportunities

EPA Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grants – July 25, 2024, deadline. Up to $932 million is available to support the replacement of Class 6 and 7 heavy-duty vehicles (which includes some transit vehicles) with zero-emission vehicles. Funding may also be used for refueling infrastructure, workforce development and training and project implementation costs. 

Joint Office Clean Bus Planning Award – rolling basis deadline. The program provides free technical assistance to develop fleet electrification transition plans. Eligible applicants include direct or designated recipients of FTA grants and state entities providing bus services.

Integrating TAM Data into National Transit Database (NTD) Reporting: FTA posted the recording for the April webinar on Integrating TAM Data into National Transit Database (NTD) Reporting, to describe how TAM reporting can be integrated into the comprehensive NTD reporting requirements. The session was part of FTA’s TAM webinar series to help transit agencies incorporate asset management best practices to provide safer, more reliable transit service nationwide while reducing operating costs. 

On June 21, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published three notices in the Federal Register relating to its May 2, 2023, final rule that, among other items, authorized employers to use oral fluid drug testing as an alternative testing methodology to urine drug testing. The three notices are:

•  A series of technical amendments to clarify certain provisions of the rule and address omissions of which we have become aware since the publication of the final rule.
• A direct final rule (DFR) to (a) provide temporary qualification requirements for mock oral fluid monitors, (b) provide for consistent privacy requirements by identifying which individuals may be present during an oral fluid collection and (c) clarify how collectors are to specify that a sufficient volume of oral fluid was collected. Comments are due July 22, 2024.
• A notice of proposed rulemaking containing the same amendments in the DFR that serves as the proposed rule to amend the procedures for DOT’s drug testing program (49 CFR 40) if adverse comments are received on any of the provisions in the DFR.

To learn more about these notices, view the documents at: https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/frpubs

FTA’s Enhancing Mobility Innovation program supports research projects that will improve customer convenience, such as creating easier ways to pay for transit and enhancing transit schedules based on rider demand. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), FTA will allocate funding to support rider-centered research projects in two categories: 

• Innovations that focus on new service delivery models, creative financing, novel partnerships and integrated payment solutions.
• Software solutions that improve ways to provide demand-response public transportation service.

Eligible applicants include transit agencies, state or local departments of transportation, Indian tribes, private and nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities and state and local governments, including metropolitan planning organizations. This is the second round of funding for enhancing mobility innovation. In August 2022, FTA selected nine projects in six states to support mobility and innovation. View the list of past projects.

Instructions for applying and eligibility information can be found on FTA’s website and on GRANTS.GOV (solicitation number FTA-2024-010-TRI-EMI). Complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the GRANTS.GOV “APPLY” function by Aug. 30.   

USDOT 2024 RAISE Grants Announced

USDOT announced the recipients for the 2024 RAISE discretionary grant program. Attached is the 2024 Fact Sheet of projects. Notes have been made of state DOT projects with a transit, shared use or other multimodal component. Transit is also a component or focus of many projects awarded to local governments and agencies. Congratulations to the 2024 RAISE recipients.

RAISE 2024 Fact Sheets

Virtual Courses after Sept. 30 will be announced at a later date.

Please stay tuned! 

The following courses will take place live and online via Zoom and are now open and available for registration:



·   Advanced Title VI

·   Assault Awareness and Prevention for Transit Operators

·   Business Writing: Write It Right

·   Crisis Communication for Transit Managers

·   Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Plan with Lifecycle Management

·   FTA Uniform Act Basics for Transit Agency Personnel

·   Intro to Paratransit Management and Operations

·   Intro to Transit Asset Management

·   Intro to Transit Service Planning

·   Overview of Title VI and Public Transit

·   Principles for Effective Management and Supervision

·   Project Management for Transit Professionals

·   Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making

·   Transportation Planning Process

·   Understanding ADA

·   Violence in the Transit Workplace

with more to come!

Please click the button below for a complete list of available course dates and registration status/availability.

Which state had the first electric traffic light?

A.  Brooklyn, New York

B.  Cleveland, Ohio

C.  Boston, Massachusetts

Answer is below 'Upcoming Conferences' section

August

Annual Vehicle/Mileage Reporting (Section 5310/5311) Due Aug. 1

Annual Insurance Certification (Section 5310/5311) Due Aug. 1

Annual Agency Contact Update (Section 5310/5311) Due Aug. 1

Annual Ridership (METHAP/Section 5310 and Public Transportation) Due Aug. 15

November

NTD Reporting (Section 5311)

Trivia Answer: B. Cleveland, Ohio

National RTAP: https://www.nationalrtap.org/

Missouri RTAP: https://mltrc.mst.edu/mortaphome/

National Transit Institute (NTI) https://www.ntionline.com/

National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM) https://nationalcenterformobilitymanagement.org/

Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA): https://ctaa.org/

USDOT Drug and Alcohol: https://www.transportation.gov/odapc

FTA Drug and Alcohol: https://www.transit.dot.gov/drug-alcohol-program

FMCSA Drug and Alcohol: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/drug-alcohol-testing-program

FTA Webinars and Trainings Homepage

National Transit Institute’s Current Course Schedule of Upcoming Training

FTA-Sponsored Training Courses Homepage | FTA Safety Training Page & Enhanced Safety Trainings

TSI Public Transportation Catalogue | TSI Course Schedule PDF

National RTAP Upcoming Webinars

CTAA Training Calendar

APTAU Learning Homepage

NCMM e-Learning Catalogue

Easterseals Project Action Course Schedule

Mineta Transportation Institute Upcoming Webinars



SUMC MLC Learning Modules

For additional questions or concerns:

Administrator of Transit

Christy Evers

573-751-2523

MoTransit@modot.mo.gov

Missouri Department of Transportation | (888) 275-6636

P.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102

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