Applications are now closed for new online course "Excellence in Service for Paratransit Managers" is the title of Easter Seals Project ACTION's new eight-week online course to be offered free of charge beginning Oct. 1. While no more applicants can be accepted for this course, watch for future opportunities in ESPA's distance learning offerings.
Plans for 2009 MPS institute to be announced this fall The next ESPA Mobility Planning Services Institute will take place in July 2009. Announcement of event details and the application process is expected in October. It is never too early, however, to become acquainted with this opportunity, to decide if it is a good one for your community, and to identify potential team members who will use the MPS experience to improve accessible transportation.
Now available: Transcript (PDF) of Aug. 7 distance learning event "On-Time Performance in ADA Paratransit" was the subject of the August audio conference featuring Marilyn Golden, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), Berkeley, Calif., and Russell Thatcher, TranSystems, Boston, Mass. A transcript (PDF) of their presentation is now posted, linked through the event's announcement and resources page.
It's here! Find "Status Report" in the ESPA Clearinghouse Project ACTION has published its "Status Report on the Use of Wheelchairs and Other Mobility Devices on Public and Private Transportation." This 86-page publication presents current issues and promising practices, serving as a tool and guidance for transportation providers, disability advocacy and service organizations, manufacturers, regulatory and funding agencies and others. As with all ESPA products, this report is available free of charge and can be ordered as an actual print document or downloaded from the Web site.
News of federal and association partners FTA's Office of Civil Rights to conduct trainings The Federal Transit Administration is scheduling three-day trainings on FTA's civil rights requirements in FTA regional office cities. The training will review federal laws, regulations, executive orders, and guidance covering the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program. Participants will also have the opportunity to provide FTA with feedback on challenges and opportunities that they have experienced in implementing federal civil rights requirements and to share examples of effective or promising practices that could be adopted by transit agencies or community-based organizations. The next training will be in Washington, D.C., Oct. 21-23.
Deadline approaches for 2009 Paul Hearne Award of AAPD The American Association of People with Disabilities is accepting applications from emerging leaders with disabilities for the 2009 PAUL G. HEARNE LEADERSHIP AWARD. The deadline is 5 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday, Sept. 30. AAPD will recognize three Hearne Award recipients at a Leadership Gala in Washington, D.C. Each winner will be presented $10,000, and the honorees will be included in AAPD’s 2009 Leadership Initiatives. The 2009 Hearne Award Announcement and Application Instructions are available on the AAPD Web site and can also be obtained as an emailed Word document.
TCRP Synthesis 74 addresses paratransit demand TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 74: "Policies and Practices for Effectively and Efficiently Meeting ADA Paratransit Demand" highlights policies and practices that transit agencies may be able to apply to their own paratransit services, often without the need to devote significant funds, personnel, or other resources. The report also examines certain practices and technologies that are still under development or have not undergone extensive testing.
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Assistance derived for Easter Seals Project ACTION through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration