WSDOT’s Public Transportation Division provides training and technical assistance resources to rural transits through the Rural Transportation Assistance Program.
WSDOT administers the Rural Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) scholarship program with funding provided by the Federal Transit Administration. The scholarships are available to rural providers through an application process.
Each quarter, a newsletter is issued that contains training resources and other technical assistance tools aimed at rural transportation providers in Washington state. To be added to the mailing list, message the editor at howell@wsdot.wa.gov.
Training courses for public transportation providers are developed and facilitated by WSDOT, Washington State Transit Insurance Pool (WSTIP), Community Transportation Association Northwest (CTANW), and Washington State Transit Association (WSTA).
The WSDOT Public Transportation Division directly provides training to agencies and organizations that are interested in applying for state and federal grants, managing their WSDOT grant, and more.
Examples of the technical assistance WSDOT provides:
This program is available to all public transportation providers in the state. Rural Transportation Assistance Program funds may be available to cover rural agencies' cost of the review.
Participation is voluntary and can focus on the entire agency or only one element, and is initiated by a request to the Public Transportation Division along with a problem statement. Prior peer reviews have included recommendations for safety and training, maintenance shop efficiency, revising the org chart and job descriptions, and moving from general public demand response to fixed route.
For more information, contact Linda Howell, 509-543-3316 or howell@wsdot.wa.gov
