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| Volume 16, Issue 3 | Fall 2004 |
Congratulations Bruce Fuchs!Bruce Fuchs will represent North Dakota for three years as one of four new members on the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Rural Transit Assistance Program's (RTAP) National Program Review Board. Bruce joined new members Michael Frisch, Crookston, MN; Debra Gleason, Steuben, NY; and Betty L. Newell, Harrisonburg, VA, for board orientation on Oct. 21, 2004, in Roanoke, VA. The National Review Board was established in 1987 to guide the RTAP national program in developing its products and services to support state RTAP programs. It is comprised of five state transit officials and six rural transit operators and meets in an official capacity twice a year. As board member, Bruce is required to work for a state transit agency that administers federal rural transit assistance funds. He must have the flexibility to attend the two official meetings of the board held each project year. Board members shall 1) provide the National Program with guidance on priorities in the areas of training materials development, information dissemination, and technical assistance; 2) Oversee the quality of National Program products and services; and 3) Promote the National Program to state RTAP's and local operators. Board Members will often serve as subject matter experts to committees of the board established to review and comment on specific National Project materials under development. Rick Thoms, Souris Basin Transportation, Minot, ND, was a previous member, and Barb Cline of Prairie Hills Transit, Spearfish, SD, is a current member. Cline Elected to CTAA Board of DirectorsBarbara Cline, transportation director for Prairie Hills Transit in Spearfish, SD, was elected to the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) Board of Directors. Cline was elected by her peers in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming to serve as Upper Midwest delegate. Cline previously served the association and represented her state as South Dakota state delegate. "We are pleased to welcome Barbara to the Board," said CTAA Board of Directors President David White of Ansonia, Connecticut. "Barbara represents a vital part of the community transportation network — one for which this association has worked tremendously hard — and we look forward to her expertise on rural and senior transportation issues." Cline will serve a three-year term with the CTAA Board of Directors. The CTAA is a national membership organization composed of more than 5,000 organizations and individuals dedicated to bringing innovative transportation options to every community in the nation. Transitions in TransitMinneapolis hosted the Minnesota Public Transit Association (MPTA) Conference "Transitions in Transit," in which MPTA celebrated 30 years of promoting public transit and its value to the state. Representatives from North and South Dakota included Ron Baumgart and Kevin Disburg, River Cities Transit, Pierre, SD; Bruce Fuchs, North Dakota DOT, Bismarck, ND; Jackie Matthews and Melissa Schofield, South Dakota DOT, Pierre, SD; Carol Wright, James River Transit, Jamestown, ND; Del Peterson, Small Urban & Rural Transit Center, Fargo, ND; and myself. The conference was held at The Depot, the site of the former Milwaukee Railroad train depot downtown. Sessions attended by the Dakota delegation included Coaching for Results, Rules for Rivals, and Fleet Maintenance. The most interesting session was on Transit Security which has four main components: 1) Prepare 2) Prevent 3) Respond 4) Recover. How do you prepare? Identify your participants and keep a list of employee's names and numbers in one location. Also include emergency personnel numbers, protocol in case of emergencies and a comprehensive list of assets. How do you prevent? What training has or should take place? Who do we train? Are you connected to your county plan? Is there a communication network established? How do you respond? Clarify your chain of command, share your lists and be prepared to provide the needed transportation - whether it is an evacuation demand or shelter-type emergency. How do you recover? Assess and plan for the future. Ask questions like, "Could we simplify anything the next time?" Minnesota will have a workshop on emergency preparedness for rural transit systems in February. Attendance is recommended for those who do not have a system in place. More information is available at www.dot.mn.us. Perhaps North and South Dakota may want to conduct a similar workshop. Thanks to the MPTA for inviting us. The hospitality was magnificent and a rewarding experience was had by all.
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