PASS Training is Now Available Online!

The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) is excited to announce PASS Basic, the online alternative to its passenger assistance training. Simply by going to http://training.ctaa.org you can access the virtual classroom experience through six audio/visual modules which will prepare your drivers to attend the hands-on aspect of PASS training and attain full PASS driver certification.

• PASS Training Online

This Toolkit provides information for communities interested in working together-whether locally, regionally or statewide-to develop a one-call or one-click service for transportation. Communities can choose to start small, follow one of a number of different models, and develop technologically and functionally from information and referral to reservations, dispatching, and more. The Toolkit will empower communities to select the right fit for their own circumstances.

The Toolkit is a set of on-line tools, including A guide for beginning one call-one click transportation services, results from a survey of existing one-call services, advice from the one-call services field, local profiles and videos, and factsheets, a glossary, and links to more information.

• One Call-One Click Transportation Services Toolkit
• Exploring One-Call, One-Click Services Webinar Playback

The Partnership for Mobility Management is a joint effort of national organizations that work with national, local, state and regional leaders and organizations to realize the possibilities of improving transportation options for all Americans wherever they live and to assist those especially in need of alternative transportation options.

Mobility management is innovation in transportation service and coordination. It's local and regional solutions to fit community needs and visions. Mobility management is assisting transportation-challenged populations -- youth, people with disabilities, older people and people with low incomes -- to get where they need to go so they can live fruitful lives in their communities. It is easy information and referral to assist individuals in learning about and accessing community and regional transportation services. Mobility management is a shared table of transportation providers, planners, and community stakeholders to collaborate, plan, implement and maintain a family of transportation services.

• Partnership for Mobility Management

RAIL 29: Innovative Investment Strategies

In our second edition of Digital RAIL, we consider new and innovative strategies to support passenger rail systems and projects. From conceptual approaches such as America Fast Forward to working with the private sector to attract outside investment, RAIL #29 investigates how passenger rail projects can transition from plans to reality more rapidly and efficiently, especially when public investment streams are more difficult to secure.

In an edition devoted to Innovative Investment Strategies, we find it important to revisit the America Fast Forward approach to passenger rail infrastructure investment. By fast-tracking locally committed investment, this concept would inject the type of funding needed to build major capital projects like rail.

Learn about federal efforts to streamline the project delivery process for passenger rail projects, and listen to our audio interview with Barry Goodman, where he discusses innovative investment strategies for passenger rail, with a focus on such vital topics as investment tax credits, value capture, tax increment financing and much more.

• Rail 29: Innovative Investment Strategies

The Insurance Store at CTAA

As part of what we do, we try not just to represent our members in Washington, but we also try to help them and part of our help is to try to make complicated parts of our business simpler and better. One of the greatest challenges for all parts of our membership is insurance protection, a subject that is made more difficult because our membership base is so diverse. The Insurance Store at CTAA is our way of helping with the complicated insurance situation.

Developed in partnership with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., our Store has the ability to match products in the insurance world with the individual needs of our members. Whether you're a governmental agency, a nonprofit corporation or a small business, the insurance Store can be your one-stop resource on all insurance needs and services.

• For more information, visit The Insurance Store at CTAA

Transportation to Work Toolkit for the Business Community: Get Started

First and foremost among many Americans' daily transportation needs is getting to and from work. Accessible, reliable, and affordable transportation is key to maintaining employment and thus a critical component of America's economic recovery. Furthermore, for members of the community with specialized transit needs, such as people with disabilities, older workers, youth, and low-income earners, such transportation is the link that actually makes employment possible.

The Transportation Toolkit for the Business Community gives businesses the information they need now to assist their employees in achieving a timely, cost-efficient commute that promotes productivity and job satisfaction. Explore the toolkit's flyers, fact sheets, resources and examples of transportation initiatives undertaken by employers nationwide. Each approach is straightforward to launch and simple to manage.

• The Transportation Toolkit for the Business Community

Long Term Technical Assistance for Rural and Tribal Transit

The Community Transportation Association is accepting applications for long term technical assistance for rural and tribal transit planning due by February 7, 2012.

The Tribal Passenger Transportation Technical Assistance Program helps Native American tribes enhance economic growth and development by improving passenger transportation services and facilities. Technical assistance provides planning to support transit service improvements and expansion, system start-up, facility development, development of marketing plans and materials, transportation coordination, training and other public transit problem solving activities.

The Rural Passenger Transportation Technical Assistance Program helps rural communities enhance economic growth and development by improving passenger transportation services and facilities. Technical assistance provides planning to support transit service improvements and expansion, system start-up, facility development, development of marketing plans and materials, transportation coordination, training and other public transit problem solving activities.

• Long Term Tribal Technical Assistance Application (PDF)(28 KB)
• Long Term Rural Technical Assistance Application (PDF) (84 KB)

Community Transportation and Commuter Vanpooling

A new partnership with VPSI Inc., the nation's largest provider of public vanpool services, affords CTAA members and their constituents a new option for the expansion of cost-effective commuter services.

The FTA Capital Cost of Contracting Policy is designed to allow the capital-eligible components (depreciation, interest, maintenance, spares) of a private provider's service to be subsidized via federal capital funding. In rural areas, nonoperating expenses (insurance, management, marketing and overhead) may also be subsidized via federal capital funds. All operating expenses (fuel, profit, taxes and other) are covered via passenger fares...so 100% operating cost recovery! Appropriate written cost information and documentation is required, in advance, by the FTA.

• For more, visit Community Transportation and Commuter Vanpooling

The Competitive Edge: Making Community and Public Transit the Best Alternative for Medical Transportation

Today there is never-before-seen complexity in the non-emergency medical transportation field. Limited funding combined with growing patient loads has states seeking intermediaries that can control costs through competition.

Community and public transportation providers must become efficient, safe, cost-effective and accountable to maintain these important medical transportation services. The Community Transportation Association, in response to requests from its members, is introducing a new initiative this fall -- the Competitive Edge -- which will give community and public transit providers the tools, resources and benefits they need to make them central players in this new medical transportation environment.

• Competitive Edge: Making Community and Public Transit the Best Alternative for Medical Transportation