update national rural transit assistance program -...
TRANSCRIPT
Update – National Rural Transit
Assistance Program
Robin Phillips
Executive Director
National RTAP Summer MTAP Update
Detroit, Michigan
June 2017
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Transit Administration
National RTAP Mission
• Address the training and technical assistance needs
of rural and tribal transit operators and support the
state RTAP programs.
• Provide technical support to tribal and rural programs
in order to:
– maintain existing transit capacity,
– develop services in response to community needs, and
– manage compliance and safety programs.
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National RTAP 2017
• Products
– Outreach and Activity Report
– Update Financial Management Training with RLS/ Rich Garrity
– Update Problem Passengers, with ZipLine, new videos and some additional content
– New 2 the Point and Spanish Translation
– Procurement Pro update
– LMS Usage
Teams
Users
• Activities
– Outreach Activities
– 2017 Technical Assistance Program
– 2017 National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference
– Webinars and Peer Calls
– Participation in TCRP Research Panels; J-01; J-11, G-16, H-55
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Product Status Updates
• Resource Share
• Update Financial Management Training with RLS/ Rich Garrity
• Update Problem Passengers, with ZipLine, new videos and some additional content
• New 2 the Point and Spanish Translation
• Procurement Pro update
• LMS Usage
– Teams
– Users
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Resource Center Use and Analytics
• Info request numbers counts only those that involve some work to fulfill, not
routine questions or forwarded questions (e.g., ProcurementPRO or LMS).
• Info requests vary from relatively mundane (looking for a form or template) to
higher-impact questions about service planning, procurement, or other issues.
Month Orders Website Sessions Info Requests
November 6 2,045 1
December 7 1,752 3
January 5 2,235 2
February 5 1,151 4
March 19 1,715 3
Average 8.4 1,779 2.6
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Financial Management Training Update
• Update to Financial Management
Training (2006)
• RLS, Rich Garrity selected kicked-off
in May
• Review Board workgroup
• Update with new regulations and
circulars, change branding, make
format more useful / user-friendly
• Recommend content to be included
in a future eLearning version
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Problem Passengers Training Update
• ZipLine S
• Project workgroup will be needed
• Goals/Outcomes:
– Review existing material for errors or
changes in best practices
– Address current concerns regarding driver
assault and domestic security
– Update outdated video
– Improve aesthetics and ensure compliance
with National RTAP Branding Guidelines
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Technology Update
Nationalrtap.org
Due to some technical issues this year, the National RTAP website
infrastructure was upgraded from DNN 7 to DNN 9. At the same time,
we upgraded the server hardware.
• Outcomes:
– Better Website Stability
– Faster Load Times
– Better Website Security
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Technology Update
Website Builder
After upgrading Nationalrtap.org, we are working to assist our Website
Builder clients with updating their own sites.
• Website Builder currently has 62 live sites and 94 sites ‘under
development.’
• Upgrading websites may require changing some of the templates used and
additional formatting.
• This work is being handled by DevObal’s webmasters at no additional
charge.
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ProcurementPRO Update
ProcurementPRO update will be the next major project
after current commitments
• Goals:
– Improve stability and address issues in the existing code
– Re-examine the design and functionality prior to updating the application
• Feedback
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Transit Manager’s Toolkit Updates
• KFH updated the Procurement section in October 2016:
– Day 1 and Day 2 pages – basics of what you really need to know with links to references and resources
– Includes changes from Super Circular, Best Practices Procurement Manual, FAST Act, etc.
• Updates to other sections ongoing, due to changes in circulars
and regulations
• New planning-related content is still being developed from TA
Projects and Planning Workgroup
• DBE content may be updated
• Tribal Transit Section is being enhanced
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2 the Point Training Updates
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People First Language Updates
Cards were reviewed for consistency with people first
language by subject matter professionals/experts
Updates were made based on the recommendations
Spanish Translation
Requested quotes for translation services
Review/Launch – Summer 2017
National RTAP eLearning Update
• eLearning portal was launched on Sept 3, 2015
• License renews on April 30th
– Increased license to 1,500 Active Learners (currently at 764)
– 90 Day Active Learner Window added
• 394 Learning Teams
• 3,778 Registered Users as of April 4, 2017 (47 States and PR)
• 12 Learning Folders, 103 Learning Elements
– SCORM modules (Substance Abuse Awareness, START, 2 the Point, Top Shops, etc.)
– Videos
– PowerPoint Presentations
– PDFs (Certificates, Circulars, Workbooks, Templates, etc.)
– Links to other resources 14
Learner Activity - Spring 2017
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eLearning Team Locations
eLearning Teams by State
State Teams Learners State Teams Learners State Teams Learners State Teams Learners
5311c 15 109 Illinois 7 17 Montana 4 12 Puerto Rico 1 1
Alabama 2 3 Indiana 25 210 Nebraska 6 8Rhode Island 1 1
Alaska 1 22 Iowa 9 33 Nevada 3 8South Carolina 5 9
Arizona 21 114 Kansas 10 20New Hampshire 3 13
South Dakota 7 47
Arkansas 2 3 Kentucky 3 16 New Jersey 1 0 Tennessee 3 4
California 16 61 Louisiana 9 25 New Mexico 3 3 Texas 6 119
Colorado 4 5 Maine 3 5 New York 9 48 Utah 4 4
Connecticut 2 23 Maryland 9 10North Carolina 18 560 Vermont 1 0
Delaware 1 0 Massachusetts 7 21North Dakota 9 47 Virginia 11 143
Florida 15 67 Michigan 10 50 Ohio 13 236 Washington 15 57
Georgia 6 43 Minnesota 12 83 Oklahoma 23 506West Virginia 11 52
Hawaii 3 89 Mississippi 4 61 Oregon 16 99 Wisconsin 8 70
Idaho 1 1 Missouri 3 3 Pennsylvania 8 92 Wyoming 6 9
Grand Total 395 3,242
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Course Catalog
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Learning Element Activity (All Time)
Substance Abuse Awareness eLearning Course
• Officially launched on Aug 31, 2016 based on RLS course
• 60 minutes of training for Safety Sensitive Employees
• More than 1,082 Certificates awarded, 398 in progress
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Substance Abuse Awareness eLearning Course
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eLearning – more to come…
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Substance Abuse Awareness Course
• Tech Brief approved and launched – April/May 2017
• Supervisors Module RFP/RFI – Summer 2017
Wheelchair Securement Training Materials and Videos
• From equipment manufacturers
• RFI launched – April 2017
Product Status Updates
Technical Briefs
• Charter Rule and Charter Case Matrix
• Interstate: Replicating Process in WA
Writing a Good Federal Grant – FTA Request
• Define your goals
• Explain how your actions support your goals
• Describe costs
• Plain language
• Examples
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National RTAP 2017
• Activities
– Outreach Activities
– 2016 Technical Assistance Program
– 2017 Technical Assistance Program
– 2017 National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference
– Webinars and Peer Calls
– Dialysis Research Discussion
– Participation in TCRP Research Panels; J-01; J-11, G-16, H-55
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Recent RTAP Conference Outreach
Louisiana Public Transit Association
South West Transit Association (Baton Rouge, LA)
Texas Transit Association
New Mexico Transit Association
North East Passenger Transportation Association (Providence, RI)
Illinois Rural Transit Assistance Center
Connecticut RTAP
AzTA & ADOT Annual Conference (Marcy Jaffe)
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State RTAP Manager Outreach
State RTAP Manager Calls
Staff divided up states by FTA Region and are in the process of having a
call with each RTAP Manager.
• Questions:
– What are you working on now and what challenges are you facing?
– What is your state’s approach to Safety and Asset Management?
– How are you using technology with your program?
– What training and technical assistance needs are you seeing?
– Are your subrecipients using the National RTAP LMS – why or why not?
– How are your tribal transit grantees? Do they have special training
needs?
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2017 – Photo Contest or Marketing Contest?
Themes: Review Board Vote
• Marketing competition - Brochures (physical or PDFs of brochures)
• Transportation at the Center
• Youth and Transit
• Generations on Transit
• Transit in Transition
• Other?
• Prize - iPad Mini 4?
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Facebook and eNews
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Facebook Page
• 206 ‘likes’ - an increase of 32 since October 2016
• Increase in post ‘likes’ / shares
• Post 2-5 times per week
eNews and Contacts
• Open rate usually around
26-27%
• Sent to 3,152 contacts
Activity Report
• Partnerships
– Partners: NADTC, NCMM, TRB, MTAP, LTAP/TTAP, EPA, AARP
– Tribal Desk Book with NADTC, first Session in June, Overview
– 3rd Biennial National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference in Omaha
• Research Participation – TCRP and NORC
– NEMT H-55, NORC Increasing access to healthcare in rural areas
– TNC and Transit J-11
– Demand Response Discovery and Transaction Data Set G-16
• Rural and Intercity Bus Conference
– Participation in planning the 2018 Conference in Breckenridge, CO
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Peer Calls
Recent:
• NEMT Performance Measures, 10/2016
– Guests: Frank Thomas & Nick Ducote
• Engaging Community Stakeholders, 2/2017
– Guests: Deb Dauenhauer & Ernie Palmer
• TCRP Research, 3/2017
– Guests: Sharon Edg r MTAP, MI DOT, Stephan Parker and Mariela Garcia-Colberg TCRP, Richard Price MTAP
• Fostering a Safety Culture, 5/2017
– Guests: John Filippone & Walt Diangson
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Peer Calls - Highlights
• Most attendees receive an email announcement, or are forwarded
an announcement by a colleague
• Overall survey responses are very positive, with any “disagree” or
low ratings usually coming from a single participant per call
• Participant activity on Peer Calls is growing (slowly)
• Despite being ‘calls’, we receive pushback when there aren’t
“enough” slides as people expect
• Follow-up survey response rates remain relatively low
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Recent Webinars
Estimating Ridership of Rural Demand-Response Transit
– Jeremy Matson, Small Urban and Rural Transportation Center (SURTC)
– November 16, 55 attendees
Introduction to TCRP Research
– Stephan Parker / Mariela Garcia-Colberg, TRB; Sharon Edgar, SCOPT
– February 16, 7 attendees
Kids on Transit
– Three panelists in CO, MA, and WA shared about their youth programs
– March 7, 46 attendees
Fire and Flood: Disaster Planning and Response
– Panelists from WA, LA, and CA to discuss recent disasters and advice
– April 26, 2:30-4:00pm ET, 63 currently registered
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National RTAP Technical Assistance Projects
FY16 Project - Products:
• Tools
– Vehicle Decision-Making Tool - based on Ohio DOT Specialized
Transportation Program Catalog and Selection Guide. Modified for any
state.
– Performance Report Tools – quick snap shoot of how the overall transit
system is performing based on service hours, miles, trips, etc. Tool
specific to fixed route.
– Online Surveys – using Google Forms – Employer Survey and
Community Survey
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National RTAP Technical Assistance Projects
2017 Program – Assistance with Marketing
• Use Marketing Toolkit and National RTAP Web Tools to assist 2+
agencies with marketing and communications
• Assessment of agency’s marketing and communications, develop or
update marketing plan, assist with selected marketing strategies
• Hired Selena Barlow to assist staff with the projects
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National RTAP Technical Assistance Projects
2017 Program – Selected Projects
• Fulton County Transit Authority (FCTA), Fulton, KY
– Marketing plan and strategies to address regional branding challenges
– Updates to marketing materials and help with new website
• Rural Economic Assistance League (REAL), Inc., Alice, TX
– Bilingual / bicultural marketing plan
• Hualapai Transit, Hualapai Tribe, Peach Springs, AZ
– Marketing plan and strategies to build community support
• Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority, Conover, NC
– GTFS Builder and updates to their website
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National RTAP Technical Assistance Projects
2017 Program – Other Potential Projects
• National Parks
– Identifying National Parks to work with as partners
– Agree on a project to showcase GTFS functionality
– Collect pre- and post-data
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Collaboration
– Assist with their Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Projects
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National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference
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• Hilton Hotel, Omaha, Nebraska, October 29-November 1, 2017
• CASTA selected as conference admin in January
• Night out location selected – Joslyn Art Museum
• Vendor prospectus and registration launched
• Attendee registration is open
• CASTA working on www.nationalrtap.org/conference2017
conference website and other marketing efforts
National RTAP Technical Assistance Conference
• Routes
– Administration and Planning
– Operations
– Compliance
– Coordination
– Technology
• Itineraries / Audiences
– Transit Manager
– State Program Manager
– Tribal Transit
– Training / Tools
– Hot Topics
Review current program and potential keynote speakers
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FY17 Outreach Plan – Q4 Ideas
Webinars
– Procurement
– Cost Allocation
– DBE
Peer Calls
– Wheelchair Securement
Tech Briefs and Best Practices Articles
– Interstate Regulations Tech Brief
– DBE Tech Brief Update
– Deviated Fixed Route Implementation Tech Brief
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Contact Information
Robin Phillips, Executive DirectorNeil Rodriguez, Senior Project Manger
888-589-6821 Phone781-895-1122 Fax
[email protected]@nationalrtap.org
nationalrtap.org
Register today for National RTAP’s Technical Assistance Conference!October 29- November 1, 2017 Omaha Nebraskanationalrtap.org/conference2017
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