Issue 2 September 2011

Get Connected, Stay Connected Wisconsin Rural Transit Assistance Program Issue 2 September 2011 Inside this issue: New RTAP Website Now On-Line! RTAP Scholarship Program 2 The new Wisconsin RTAP website is now live and already receiving a significant amount of traffic. If you haven’t done so, check it out at www.wisconsinrtap.com. The website will con- Dear RTAP 3 tinue to be a work in progress as more resources and information become available, and it will soon be linked to the National RTAP resource library, which will significantly expand the cata- WisDOT News & Notes 4 log of available resources. While we are excited about this National RTAP link, we are often asked for “local” examples Peer Connection 6 that can be used as a guideline for developing a specific policy or procedure. Consequently, the RTAP staff is looking for policies, procedures, and other types of resources that can be added to the website as “best practices.” Some of these may include: • Bloodborne Pathogens policy • Cell Phone Use policy • Job descriptions • Driver manuals • Pre-Trip Inspection Form A quarterly newsletter, Wis- consin RTAP is published If you believe you have a good policy, form, or other document that you are willing to share under contract with the Wis- with your fellow transportation providers, please submit it for consideration to the Wisconsin consin Department of Transpor- RTAP staff of Vicky Warner ([email protected]) or Julie Schafer tation from a grant received from the Federal Transit ([email protected]). WisDOT and RTAP staffs will review submissions for inclusion Administration under 49 U.S.C. on the website. Section 5311– Formula grants for other than urbanized areas Regular program updates and training will also be added to the website on an on-going basis. Be (CFDA 20.509). sure to check the website often to keep current with the latest news, information, and resources The newsletter is published by: available through your Wisconsin RTAP Program. RLS & Associates, Inc. 3131 S. Dixie Hwy, Suite 545 Needs Assessment Results Dayton, OH 45439 In the last issue of the Wisconsin RTAP newsletter, a needs assessment was conducted to assess (855) 299-1460 the value of services provided by the Wisconsin RTAP program and identify the training and (937) 299-1055 (Fax) [email protected] technical assistance needs of Wisconsin’s transportation providers. To date, 46 individuals have responded to the survey and provided information that will be valuable in the on-going imple- mentation and administration of the Wisconsin RTAP program. Already identified in the survey results is the need for on-going training programs. First priority was Passenger Assistance Techniques (PAT), followed by Passenger Sensitivity, Safety and Security, and Employee Substance Abuse Awareness. Pre-trip Inspections, Defensive Driving, and Emergency Procedures were also noted as training needs. Over two-thirds of respondents (69.5%) indicated a preference for regional training sites; Wednesday and Thursdays were indicated as the most popular training days. Most respondents indicated in-person training was pref- erable, however, a desire for web-based training was also identified. Continued on page 5 Training and Scholarship RTAP Scholarships in Action—A Report From CTAA Scholarship Recipients Carrie Porter back to the transportation community and work towards Transportation Specialist, Older Americans Act Con- improving mobility for all. sultant, Greater WI Agency on Aging Resources Whether it is an in-state training or the opportunity to go Lynda Wilke to a national conference, RTAP allows small, rural transit Mobility Manager –Vernon County Unit on Aging agencies to send staff to expand their knowledge and use I was very fortunate to have been a recipient of a RTAP it to create better programs locally. scholarship to the 2011 CTAA Expo in Indianapolis. Had it not been for that scholarship, I would have been unable Having used RTAP scholarships for several years, I have to attend and would have missed so much. As a Mobility been able to attend in-state training and national events Manager in rural Wisconsin, the conference enabled me like the Community Transportation Association of Amer- to network with other Mobility Managers and transporta- ica (CTAA) Mobility Management Conference in June tion providers from across the country; to share ideas and 2011. Although there are exceptional opportunities for resources which allow me to more effectively serve the webinars and long distance learning, the hands on train- public with their transportation needs, striving to reach ing and networking is what keeps the transportation com- our goals and develop new objectives. Topics covered at munity connected and growing. the conference ranged from financing/funding, market- ing, and travel training to developing partnerships, all The resources gained, the contacts made throughout the topics which were of interest to me. United States and abroad, and the best practices learned all contribute to the success of programs locally. I am a This was truly a worthwhile conference providing learn- strong believer in continued training, not only for the ing tools for success. educational benefit, but also for the networking. I always come back reinvigorated with all kinds of new ideas. It also helps to know that others are struggling with the As you have read in the above testimonies, RTAP Schol- same issues and that there is someone you can turn to arships offer many opportunities to Wisconsin’s rural who will lend an ear or offer advice, even if they are not transit providers. Many of you are already taking advan- in your own city or state. tage of the scholarship program. At the time this article was written, 70 scholarships had been awarded since July Since there were several Mobility Managers present at 2011. If you have training needs and have not yet taken the 2011 CTAA Mobility Management Conference, we advantage of this great opportunity, please visit the Wis- were able to split up and go to most of the sessions and consin RTAP webpage, www.wisconsinrtap.com, and share what we learned with the others. We were also click on the training box for details. able to use free time to talk about the issues Wisconsin is facing. This led to a meeting with the Executive Director While you are visiting the webpage if you have not al- of CTAA to discuss brokerages in our state. It is an in- ready completed the Needs Assessment Survey, please credible experience to talk with and hear from the leaders take a few minutes to do so. To complete the survey in the field like Doug Birnie, who many consider the fa- now, simply click on this link: www.surveymonkey.com/ ther of Mobility Management; Wisconsin’s United We s/WisRTAP . Completing the survey will assist the Ride Ambassador Roland Mross, who we were able to RTAP staff in providing you the assistance you need. cheer on as he was honored with the CTAA Founder’s Award; and others who have contributed papers, studies, For assistance or questions about the Wisconsin RTAP and reports that have pushed transportation forward. Scholarship Program, please contact Julie Schafer, RTAP Coordinator, at (855)299-1460 or I can honestly say that the training and conferences that [email protected]. RTAP has helped pay for, have helped me contribute Come visit the Wisconsin RTAP booth at the Wisconsin Urban and Rural Transit Association (WURTA) Conference September 26-28, 2011 in Manitowoc, WI. Page 2 Dear RTAP “Dear RTAP” is a feature of the Wisconsin RTAP newsletter for highlighting hot topics specific to public transit systems and private providers serving rural areas. Your questions to “Dear RTAP” are encouraged. To submit a question, contact [email protected]. Questions concerning ADA regulations in the public transit belt and shoulder harness for the wheel- industry are the most frequently asked of the RTAP staff by chair user. Section 38.23(a) requires vehi- transit providers seeking technical assistance or guidance cles over 22 feet in length to have enough for a particular situation that has occurred at their system. securement locations and devices to secure The Federal Transit Administration also addresses several two common wheelchairs, while vehicles important issues regarding common wheelchairs and public 22 feet and under must be able to accom- transit on its website. Those questions are the basis for this modate at least one common wheelchair. issue’s “Dear RTAP.” May a transit operator deny boarding to a rider whose What is a "common wheelchair?" common wheelchair is difficult to secure? Section 37.3 of the DOT’s regulations implementing the No. If the transit operator has a policy that requires secure- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (49 CFR ment, or if a rider asks that the wheelchair be secured, Sec- Parts 27, 37, and 38) defines a "common wheelchair" as a tion 37.165(f) of the DOT’s ADA regulations requires tran- mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four-wheeled sit personnel to use their best efforts to secure any mobility devices, usable indoors, designed for and used by individu- device that meets the regulatory definition of a common als with mobility impairments, whether operated manually wheelchair. Section 37.165(d) states that transit operators or powered. A "common wheelchair" does not exceed 30 cannot refuse to accommodate a common wheelchair — inches in width and 48 inches in length measured two including a scooter or other specialized mobility device that inches above the ground, and does not weigh more than 600 complies with the ADA regulation’s specifications — be- pounds when occupied. cause the wheelchair cannot be secured to the driver’s satis- faction. Given the diversity of "common" wheelchairs, tran- Is an electric scooter or other mobility device a common sit operators should consult with the manufacturers of se- wheelchair? curement devices and wheelchairs, as well as the owner of If an electric scooter or other mobility device meets the the wheelchair, to determine the best means of securement.

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