MATBUS has posted a highlight video of the 2012 APTA Public Transportation & Universities Conference in Fargo, ND. The conference was hosted by MATBUS, SURTC, and NDSU and was the first APTA conference ever held in North Dakota. Watch the video below.
You can also find this and other MATBUS videos on their YouTube page.
SURTC staff will be heavily involved in the 20th National Conference on Rural Public and Intercity Bus Transportation, held October 14-17 in Salt Lake City, UT. This conference, held every two years, focuses on the latest in best practice and current research in rural public and intercity bus transportation.
Director Jill Hough is serving on the conference planning committee and will moderate and participate in a session on transit workforce development. Keven Anderson, training coordinator, will also participate in that session. Hough’s presentation is titled “Mentoring the Next Generation of Public Transit Workers” and Anderson’s is “Succession Planning and Mentorship.”
Carol Wright, associate director of training and outreach, will present “Addressing Language Barriers for Passengers, Drivers, and Dispatchers” in a session on effective communications for rural transportation, and she will present “Development and Assessment of Agency Policies and Practices for Civil Rights” in a session on civil rights. Wright and Anderson will also team to make a presentation on tribal transit.
Researchers Jeremy Mattson and Del Peterson will be participating in a session on how technology is improving operations. Mattson will present results from a study on the use of alternative fuels and hybrid vehicles by small urban and rural transit systems, and Peterson will present research on the use of effortless passenger identification systems.
Peterson and Mattson will also give a presentation, titled “Transit, Technology & Public Participation,” that will present findings from research on the use of new technologies to improve public participation in transit planning. This session focuses on how technology is facilitating dialogue between providers and the community.
Visit the conference website for more info: www.ribtc.org
For the first time in their collective histories, Metro Area Transit (MATBUS) and North Dakota State University (NDSU) will host the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) 2012 Public Transportation and University Communities Conference, June 16-19. This national conference is expected to bring almost 150 attendees to Fargo.
The purpose of the conference is to study and analyze the unique needs of university communities and the populations they serve. From land use development to marketing, this conference promises to bring transit, university and student leaders to Fargo to exchange ideas and see the successful collaborations between MATBUS and North Dakota State University.
Following a competitive review process, Fargo was chosen as the host of this conference because of its strong and successful transit partnerships with NDSU. Julie Bommelman, Transit Administrator for the City of Fargo, states, “We consider it a privilege and a unique opportunity to host a conference of this caliber in Fargo. The ever-increasing importance of transit will be showcased during this APTA conference.”
The Small Urban and Rural Transit Center (SURTC) of NDSU is a conference co-host. Jill Hough, Program Director & Advanced Research Fellow for SURTC, states, “APTA is the premiere organization representing public transportation interests across the nation. SURTC has been fortunate to have a long-standing involvement with APTA and MATBUS. This conference is a wonderful opportunity to showcase MATBUS and the extraordinary relationship they have with NDSU.”
Gregg Schildberger, Transit Planner for MATBUS, states “Hosting an APTA conference is a tremendous honor for MATBUS and our entire community. We extend a warm welcome, to the Fargo-Moorhead community, to our guests from APTA and transit agencies across the United States.”
“I applaud MATBUS and NDSU for hosting the conference, which will provide a forum to share practices in planning, implementing, and operating campus transit service,” says American Public Transportation President and CEO Michael Melaniphy. “College and university public transportation contributed to a tremendous surge in public transit ridership in the first quarter of this year. I especially commend MATBUS, whose service has grown significantly, boasting over 2.1 million riders annually, making university transit a vital and integral part of the regional transit service.”
MATBUS is the largest rideshare program in the area, offering 25 fixed routes in Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo and Dilworth, in addition to MAT Paratransit door-to-door services. In 2011, MATBUS provided a total of 2,159,697 passenger rides. The operation of MATBUS requires a $6.5 million annual investment and 104 employees, which includes administrative staff, bus operators and technicians.
Attend the 2012 Public Transportation & Universities Conference June 16-19 at the Ramada Plaza & Suites in Fargo, ND.
For more information or to register, visit: http://www.apta.com/mc/university/Pages/default.aspx
The conference will address the special transportation needs of university communities and offers a rare opportunity to see how a successful university-transit partnership works. Learn how this partnership has evolved to boost ridership.
The conference agenda includes sessions on:
The program also includes networking opportunities, a minor-league baseball game, a chance to explore Fargo’s revitalized and hip downtown, and a private screening at the historic Fargo Theatre.
Register now at: http://www.apta.com/mc/university/registration/Pages/default.aspx
On March 28, 2012, SURTC partnered with CTAA and the Northern Plains Tribal Technical Assistance program to present a webinar on Tribal Transit & Prospects for Future Funding.
SURTC researcher Jon Mielke presented the findings of a recent study regarding the impacts of the 5311(c) tribal transit program that was created in 2005 by the SAFETEA-LU federal highway and transit funding bill. The study also identified future funding requirements based on varying levels of tribal participation and the availability of funding from other sources.
Jim Glaze, a tribal transit attorney and partner with the Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson, & Perry, LLP, law firm briefed participants on the status of various versions of pending federal reauthorization. The timing of Mr. Glaze’s presentation was especially timely given legislation that is currently pending before Congress.
Registration is open for the 2012 Public Transportation & Universities Conference. This conference, hosted by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), is scheduled for June 16-19, 2012 (Saturday-Tuesday), at the Ramada Plaza & Suites in Fargo, ND. North Dakota State University and Metro Area Transit (MATBUS) are co-hosting the event. The early fee deadline for registration is May 11.
The preliminary program has been posted. Visit the conference website for more information. The biennial Public Transportation & Universities Conference focuses on the unique needs of university communities and the population they serve.
SURTC researchers Jeremy Mattson and Del Peterson will be presenting findings from their Transit, Technology & Public Participation Study during a webcast Thursday April 5th at 11am CDT.
The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) will be hosting the presentation as part of their online webcast series.
The objective of this project was to evaluate the benefits of employing an integrated system of technologies and practices to improve public participation in the public transportation planning process. A demonstration project was developed in the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area addressing the issues of limited agency resources, individual participation barriers, and the technology divide, among others. A combination of on-vehicle rider surveys, transit-oriented social networks, electronic transportation surveys, and public meeting webcasts were designed to mitigate these issues. For more information the project website can be found here.
SURTC will be represented at the upcoming 53rd Annual Transportation Research Forum in Tampa, FL. Del Peterson will present his Ride or Relocate study which highlighted senior transportation and housing options in North Dakota.
SURTC is sponsoring a free webinar March 28 on tribal transit and prospects for future funding. Pre-registration is required. Details are shown below.
Title: Tribal Transit and Prospects for Future Funding
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 1:00 pm Central Time
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: Free
Overview
What is the status of the tribal transit industry?
How has it grown?
How has it performed?
What are its funding needs?
What are the prospects for future funding?
Presenters
Kelly Shawn – Community Transportation Association of America
Jon Mielke – Small Urban & Rural Transit Center
Jim Glaze – Partner, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP
Sponsors
Small Urban & Rural Transit Center
Community Transportation Association of America
Northern Plains Tribal Technical Assistance Program
To register
Go to http://www.instantpresenter.com/PIID=EA55DD86874F
The entire registration process takes less than a minute. You will receive an e-mail confirmation once you have registered.
Participants will use their computer’s speakers to hear webinar presentations – there is not an access number to dial into. Questions may be asked through the chat feature of the webinar service.
Questions
Contact Jon Mielke at jon.mielke@ndsu.edu if you have content questions about the webinar and Denise Brown at denise.brown.1@ndsu.edu if you have technical questions.
Please pre-register by Friday, March 23
SURTC will be active in the upcoming Transportation Research Board’s 91st Annual Meeting, January 22-26 in Washington, DC. Director Jill Hough will be involved in the Rural and Intercity Bus Public Transportation Committee and the Rural and Intercity Bus Conference Planning Subcommittee, and researcher Jeremy Mattson will be giving three presentations at the conference, as shown here:
