Archive
The Beginnings of a Californian EXPO
Communications Specialist Taylor Klocke will be posting a three-part blog series on her first time at CTAA's EXPO held this year in Palm Springs, Calif. In this second piece, she discusses the first two days of EXPO, where participants attended a variety of informative and social events. Find the first part of this blog series here.
It was my first roadeo
Communications Specialist Taylor Klocke will be posting a three-part blog series on her first time at CTAA's EXPO. In this piece, she discusses the Roadeo weekend that kicks off EXPO week and what happens at this event held this year in Palm Springs, Calif.
The End of a California Dream
Communications Specialist Taylor Klocke posted a three-part blog series on her first time at CTAA's EXPO held this year in Palm Springs, Calif. In this third, and final, piece, she discusses the last two days of EXPO, where participants attended a variety of informative and social events. Find the first part of this blog series here, and the second part here.
Late Summer Travels to South Carolina
As part of CTAA's Technical Assistance effort in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, staff worked with the Lowcountry Council of Governments on the development of a new fixed route transit service in the City of Walterboro. The service would connect local residents to employment and job training centers in and around Walterboro. CTAA provided guidance on routing and schedules, and developed a marketing and outreach plan including a logo and brand for the service.
Training for Transit Excellence in the Electric City
Chris Zeilinger traveled to the training room of the COLTS Lackawanna Transit Center in downtown Scranton, Pa., and taught "Preparing for the CTAA Management Certification Test" course to 21 of Pennsylvania's best transit managers.
AV Myths, Truths and Matters for Debate
When we focus on automated vehicles (AVs), there is so much disinformation, conflating of topics, and lack of consistent standards, that we must first distinguish apples from oranges. Recent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation findings following a fatal Tesla crash and recent legislative proposals demonstrate that companies and the federal government need to operate very differently when dealing with the apples of partial automation and the oranges of full AVs. Let's clear up some myths look at the safety implications that confusion causes.
Uber & Lyft: A Picture Coming into Focus, and Growing Murkier Simultaneously
They've been portrayed as both transit saviors and villains, shrewd capitalists and snake oil salesmen. They like to call themselves disruptors, but some say they're taxis with better technology. Uber and Lyft are very likely a combination of all of the above descriptors.
24 Hours in Cleveland - Meandering in Library Land
Although I made a presentation yesterday at the Special Libraries Association Conference, I feel that I took away more than I gave. I learned about the rich, in-depth universe of knowledge and expertise of special libraries and I discovered that I wanted much more than 24 hours to spend in the city of Cleveland.
CTAA Joins Collaborative Countering Opioid Epidemic
CTAA Proudly Joins the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. The number of opioid-related deaths - from both prescription opioids and illegal drugs including heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil - has quadrupled in the last 20 years. At present, the opioid epidemic claims 130 lives every day. To provide an opportunity for organizations to discuss and share plans of action, the NAM recently called for and has collected statements describing current work and future goals to counter the opioid epidemic. By making a visible commitment to combating the opioid crisis, these groups, including CTAA, joined the action collaborative as network organizations.
rural wisconsin
Charles Rutkowski traveled to northern Wisconsin where he visited rural transit assistance projects at the St. Croix Indian Tribe of Wisconsin in Siren, Wis., the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in Odanah, Wis., and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in Red Cliff, Wis.
Summer Visits with the Seneca Nation and Mobility Management Teams in New York
Over the course of July, Charlie visited with the Seneca Nation of Indians to launch a Tribal Technical Assistance Project. He also visited with staff of Mobility Management of South Central New York in (MMSCNY) in Binghamton, New York as part of CTAA's Technical Assistance Project to help develop employment transportation services in the Southern Tier of New York.
Automated Vehicles: States Engage in Nationwide Conversation
States are currently deploying a range of approaches and pilot projects to incorporate AV technology in response to varying needs. This spring update examines state AV legislative activity and the potential consequences for CTAA members.
Spring Brings Tribal Transit Expansion to Michigan's Upper Peninsula
In much of the US, the first day of spring conjures images of flowers, sunshine and verdant rejuvenation. When you're on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the first day of spring is a sign that the winter's packed, gritty snow will be melting someday. But for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, a different kind of spring - a springtime for tribal transit - began to emerge on this vernal equinox.
BAD RIVER TRANSIT IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN
CTAA's work with the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa leads to stronger connections to work and essential services.
Medical Transportation in the Qualla Boundary (N.C.)
Conversations with Cherokee Transit Management staff provide valuable information on the agencies medical transportation services, including current challenges and ideas for the future.
Working with Toyota in Tupelo (Miss.) and the Catawba Indian Nation (S.C.) to Develop Public Transit Options
In January of 2019, Charlie Rutkowski visited Tupleo, Mississippi along with CTAA colleague Andrew Carpenter and Toyota representative Riley Keen. He also visited with the Catawba Indian Nation near Rock Hill, South Carolina. In both visits, he worked closely with CTAA partners to develop community and public transit options for local residents.
tupelo, mississippi
Beginning in 2016, the Community Transportation Association of America in partnership with the Social Innovation Division from Toyota North America worked with elected officials, community groups, and others in Tupelo to study the need for transit service and develop plans for implementing service. In June of this year, the Tupelo City Council voted to supply matching funds to secure 5311 funding from the Mississippi Department of Transportation. For the first time in more than three decades, the residents of Tupelo, Mississippi now have bus service available to meet their mobility needs.
western maine
CTAA CEO Scott Bogren traveled to CTAA member Western Maine Transportation Services to discuss community and public transportation with an ideal mix of transit operators, local elected officials, state elected officials, state DOT leadership, local business leaders, workforce development advocates and even passengers and transit users.
Spring Brings Tribal Transit Expansion to Michigan's Upper Peninsula
In much of the US, the first day of spring conjures images of flowers, sunshine and verdant rejuvenation. When you're on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the first day of spring is a sign that the winter's packed, gritty snow will be melting someday. But for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, a different kind of spring - a springtime for tribal transit - began to emerge on this vernal equinox.
Tribal Transit in Wisconsin and Minnesota
This year, two of CTAA's Tribal Technical Assistance Projects are with the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's, also in Wisconsin. In February, Charlie Rutkowski travelled to the Badger State to facilitate stakeholder workshops with each of the Tribes to help identify unmet mobility needs among tribal members.
CTAA's 2019 AV Crystal Ball
What can we expect for 2019? CTAA is peering into its crystal ball and we see a switch from state experimentation to federal oversight and support for innovation as well as greater encouragement of the nascent AV industry.
What You Should Know About the USDOT Automated Vehicles Demonstration Grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced the availability of Automated Driving System Demonstration Grants, which it will be employing as a path to innovate and improve mobility for transportation-challenged populations, specifically mentioning older adults, people with disabilities, and rural residents.
New House Members Announced on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Ranking Member Sam Graves announce the members of the committee for the 116th Congress.
TRB: It Happens Every Year
Every January here in Washington, the transportation research and consultant community throws itself a four-day party known as the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. It's a major event on the transportation calendar with upwards of 14,000 attendees and hundreds of sessions, committee meetings, poster presentations and more.
FOR ST CROIX NATION, FIRST STEPS TOWARD TRIBAL TRANSIT
While the St. Croix nation provides its residents and its neighbors with businesses, employment opportunities and social services, they are located in an area of Wisconsin that has no public transportation, neither tribal nor non-tribal. That's the negative space that CTAA is beginning to explore with the St Croix nation, with support that we receive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
Tribal Transit Technical Assistance Visit: Maine
We are working with the Tribe and ARTS to develop additional services focused on the specialized needs of tribal members and that would attract more tribal ridership. The project emerged from an earlier Tribal Transit Program planning grant from FTA. Our work there is supported through the Tribal Passenger Transportation Technical Assistance Program.
tribal transit in maine
We know that to truly understand the issues, challenges and problems confront small transit programs, we need to see them ourselves. Although we live in an era of instantaneous electronic communications, it cannot replace the face to face conversations that we have with transit managers during our site visits. Our reputation has been built upon the close relationships we have built during visits to rural and tribal America.
The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) and its members believe that mobility is a basic human right. From work and education to life-sustaining health care and human services programs to shopping and visiting with family and friends, mobility directly impacts quality of life.