41 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 3/5/21

 

New Transit COVID-19 Response Program Information Collection Tool

 

 

Today, FTA published a Federal Register Notice requesting comment on a new, mandatory reporting requirement for the Transit COVID-19 Recovery Program. FTA will use the information reported to inform FTA actions in support of the transit industry’s COVID-19 recovery efforts and implementation of the Federal mask requirement for public transportation. In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, stakeholders can provide comments on the FRN on or before March 22, 2021.

 

To reduce the burden on reporters, FTA is launching a new application that will leverage FTA’s existing Transit Integrated Appian Development Platform to capture the information, including information on transit workforce counts, service impacts, and transit worker positives, fatalities, and recoveries. Each month, respondents will report 11 data points associated with these topics.  

 

All agencies that currently provide transit service and submit reports to the National Transit Database as urbanized area reporters or tribal transit agencies will report directly to the new application. State recipients of Section 5311 grants will report to the new application on behalf of their applicable subrecipients. The first deadline for reporting is April 16, 2021.

 

FTA has posted resources on its website, including fact sheets for Section 5311 Recipients and Urban and Tribal Transit Providers, and will offer the following training webinars to ensure respondents understand how to report:

 

• Transit COVID-19 Response Program Information Collection Webinar – Urban and Tribal Transit Providers, Monday, March 15, 2021, 2:00 pm–3:00 pm ET
• Transit COVID-19 Response Program Information Collection Webinar – Section 5311 Recipients, Thursday, March 18, 2021, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm ET
• Transit COVID-19 Response Program Information Collection Webinar – Urban and Tribal Transit Providers, Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 3:00 pm–4:00 pm ET
• Transit COVID-19 Response Program Information Collection Webinar – Section 5311 Recipients Thursday, March 25, 2021, 2:00 pm–3:00 pm ET

 Please submit questions to FTASystemSafety@dot.gov.

 

LINKS

FRN 2021-0002

FTA Transit COVID-19 Recovery Program Website

FTA’s COVID-19 Website

FTA’s Federal Mask Requirement for Transit Website

Transit COVID-19 Response Program Information Collection Webinars

Fact Sheet for Section 5311 Recipients

Fact Sheet for Urban and Tribal Transit Providers

Transit COVID-19 Response Program Information Collection User Guide

 

 

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 5/5/21

Federal Mask Requirement Extended for Public Transportation

 

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended the face mask requirement for all transportation networks, including public transportation, through September 13, 2021. TSA’s initial face mask requirement went into effect on February 1, 2021 with an expiration date of May 11, 2021.

 

While this announcement extends the date of enforcement, all other aspects of the requirement remain unchanged, including exemptions and civil penalties.

 

Learn more about FTA’s guidance to the transit industry on the Federal mask requirement for public transit at the FTA Transit Mask Up webpage.

 

Links:
TSA extends face mask requirement at airports and throughout the transportation network (press release)
CDC Travel Information
TSA Face Mask Requirements Memorandum
FTA Transit Mask Up Webpage

 

 

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 6/14/21

New Resource: Transit Workers Vaccine Confidence Guide

 

FTA, in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), published the CDC How to Build Transit Workers’ Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines Guide.

 

The guide is part of the President Biden’s Month of Action, to mobilize an all of America sprint to get 70 percent of U.S. adults at least one shot by July 4, so that more people can get vaccinated and be protected. The guide provides six steps to building vaccine confidence among personnel, a vaccine communication and confidence checklist and a vaccine confidence conversation starter for transit agencies. The ultimate goal is to increase transit workers’ confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines.

 

LINKS

CDC: How to Build Transit Workers’ Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines Guide

 

Fact Sheet: President Biden to Announce National Month of Action to Mobilize an All-of-America Sprint to Get More People Vaccinated by July 4th

 

 

 

 

 

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 7/12/21

Americans Riding Public Transportation in Greater Numbers

 

With traffic returning to America’s roads, more people are riding public transportation nationwide. In some communities, transit ridership is up more than 80 percent over early 2020 levels, according to FTA. Transit riders are getting on board, in part thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s focus on safety and accelerating COVID-19 vaccinations, making travel safer. 

 

The American Rescue Plan and other pandemic relief grants have provided critical funding to transit agencies nationwide, including covering expenses for cleaning and other measures to improve safety. In addition, many agencies have eliminated fares to improve safety for transit drivers and passengers.

 

More people taking transit means reviving connections between people, places and opportunities. FTA will facilitate a America’s Open and Transit’s Open national conversation throughout the summer to help transit agencies across America rebuild and enhance ridership through listening sessions and amplifying best practices from transit agencies that are gaining riders through outreach campaigns and other efforts. More details will be provided as the listening sessions are scheduled.

 

Links:
American Rescue Plan
America’s Open and Transit’s Open

 

[KevinKorell]

Reuters, 8/17/21:

 

 

   U.S. will extend COVID-19 transport mask mandate through Jan. 18    

 

 

President Joe Biden's administration confirmed late on Tuesday it plans to extend requirements for travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains and buses and at airports and train stations through Jan. 18 to address ongoing COVID-19 risks.

 

Full story

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 8/20/21
 

Subj:  Federal Mask Requirement Extended for Public Transportation

 

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended the face mask requirement for all transportation networks, including public transportation, through January 18, 2022. TSA’s initial face mask requirement went into effect on February 1, 2021 with an expiration date of May 11, 2021 and was then extended through September 13, 2021.

 

While this announcement extends the date of enforcement, all other aspects of the requirement remain unchanged, including exemptions and civil penalties. 

 

Learn more about FTA’s guidance to the transit industry on the Federal mask requirement for public transit at the FTA Transit Mask Up webpage.

 

Links 
TSA: Face Mask Requirement Extension Press Release
TSA: Security Directive 1582/84-21-01
CDC: Requirement for Face Masks on Public Transportation Conveyances and at Transportation Hubs
FTA: Transit Mask Up Webpage

 

 

[CNJRoss]

Metro Magazine, 8/30/21

 

FTA Summit Highlights Best Practices to Increase Transit Ridership

 

 

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) held a National Transit Renewal Summit to summarize the "best of the best" strategies shared by transit agencies, industry partners, and advocacy organizations.

 

The Summit culminated a series of events to promote tools to safely improve ridership on transit systems while continuing to protect riders and workers across the nation. More than 3,000 transit professionals and stakeholders joined FTA’s national conversation held throughout July and August.

 

At the National Transit Renewal Summit, industry leaders discussed best practices, resources, and tools for transit agencies to use to renew ridership as they look ahead to a post-pandemic future. FTA also published a comprehensive report to showcase the wide range of strategies, including ridership campaigns, system design review, restoring public confidence in transit safety, and leveraging partnerships.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 9/7/21
 

FTA Urges Transit Agencies to Continue Emphasizing the Importance of Vaccinations for their Workers and Communities as Vaccination Rates Increase

 

As COVID vaccination rates continue to climb across the country, FTA urges transit agencies to ensure their transit workers and communities have every opportunity to get the vaccine.

 

According to the Mayo Clinic and the CDC, in the past two months, more Americans have begun getting vaccinated against COVID-19. It was during that time that the Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on August 23.

 

Hesitancy toward the vaccine has also plummeted, according to a recent Ipsos poll. Only 14 percent of Americans now say that they are absolutely not likely to get vaccinated.

 

FTA is calling on transit leaders to share this information with employees, and to do all you can to encourage vaccination among your workforces. Some agencies have provided paid time off to receive the vaccine, cash awards, or gift cards to motivate employees to get vaccinated.

 

In addition, for those agencies who have worked hard to encourage vaccination in your community, we hope you will continue those efforts, and begin new ones. More Americans want the vaccine and transit can help them get to appointments or bring vaccination opportunities into their communities. To help share the vaccination message in your community, county-level CDC estimates of vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19 can identify areas within your transit system’s service area that may need extra help reaching the vaccine.

 

Vaccination is the most effective way to protect yourself and those around you from contracting COVID-19. To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, the CDC advises everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible. FTA urges frontline transit workers – and the transit agencies they work for – to make plans to get themselves vaccinated and continue to facilitate access to vaccination sites for members of the community who have yet to get a shot.

 

FTA is supporting transit agency vaccination efforts by awarding grants under the American Rescue Plan to help cover these expenses and encouraging transit leaders to provide services that make it possible for their community, including their workforce, to get their shots. Transit agencies wishing to find more information on funding eligibility should visit FTA's FAQs regarding COVID-19 (see questions CA2, CE14, CE18) as well as a wealth of online resources.

 

FTA also encourages transit agencies to use the CDC, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) toolkit to help increase confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among the transit workforce.

 

Links:
Mayo Clinic US COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
CDC estimates of vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19
CDC/DOT/OSHA: Transit Workers Vaccine Confidence Toolkit
CDC/DOT/OSHA: Transit Workers Vaccine Confidence Spanish Toolkit
FTA COVID-19 Resources
FTA COVID-19 FAQs

 

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 12/3/21
 

 

Federal Mask Requirement Extended for Public Transportation

 

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended the face mask requirement for all transportation networks, including public transportation, through March 18, 2022. TSA’s initial face mask requirement went into effect on February 1, 2021, with an initial expiration date of May 11, 2021. It was first extended through September 13, 2021, and then to January 18, 2022.

 

While this announcement extends the date of enforcement, all other aspects of the requirement remain unchanged, including exemptions and civil penalties.

 

TSA also issued a statement on the face mask extension. Learn more about FTA’s guidance to the transit industry on the Federal mask requirement for public transit at the FTA Transit Mask Up webpage.

 

Links
TSA Face Mask Requirement Extension Press Release
TSA Security Directive
CDC Requirement for Face Masks on Public Transportation Conveyances and at Transportation Hubs
TSA Statement on the Face Mask Extension
FTA Transit Mask Up Webpage

 

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 3/8/22

 

FTA allocates billions in ARP funds for transit service

 

 

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) yesterday announced it will award $2.2 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to 35 recipients in 18 states.

 

SNIP 

 

The recipients that provide rail service and their grant awards announced yesterday include:
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority, $769.2 million;
• Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, $137.4 million;
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, $120.1 million;
• Chicago Transit Authority, $118.4 million;
• Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, $96 million;
• Regional Transportation District-Denver, $53.2 million;
• Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, which operates Caltrain, $38.8 million; and
• Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District in California, $7.47 million.

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