Federal Transit Administration 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to submit applications for the Bus Safety and Accessibility Research Program for up to $10,000,000 under the Public Transportation Innovation Program in multiple fiscal years. The strategic goal for this program is to make existing and new buses safer for their operators and vulnerable road users, and safer and more accessible for their passengers. The Bus Safety and Accessibility Research Program seeks proposals to research standard bus designs, safety innovations and systems, and bus compartments that support these safety and accessibility goals. Additionally, this NOFO will require the development of detailed design specifications and production of a prototype that is available through a retrofit on existing buses and for installation in new buses.

This notice provides information regarding FTA's finding that it is appropriate to grant a Buy America nonavailability waiver to the Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC) for the procurement of special trackwork turnout switch components needed for the DTC's People Mover that are not manufactured in the United States. Specifically, this waiver covers one pair of EN60E1A1 switch point rails and all appurtenances associated with its installation.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is publishing a final rule for minimum safety standards for rail transit roadway worker protection (RWP) to ensure the safe operation of public transportation systems and to prevent safety events, fatalities, and injuries to transit workers who may access the roadway in the performance of work. This final rule applies to rail transit agencies (RTAs) covered by the State Safety Oversight (SSO) program, SSO agencies (SSOAs), and rail transit workers who access the roadway to perform work. This final rule sets minimum standards for RWP program elements, including an RWP manual and track access guide; requirements for on-track safety and supervision, job safety briefings, good faith safety challenges, and reporting unsafe acts and conditions and near-misses; development and implementation of risk-based redundant protections for workers; and establishment of RWP training and qualification and RWP compliance monitoring activities. RTAs are expected to comply with these Federal standards as a baseline and use their existing Safety Management System (SMS) processes to determine any additional mitigations appropriate to address the level of RWP risk identified. This final rule requires SSOAs to oversee and enforce implementation of the RWP program requirements.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as lead Federal agency, and the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit), as local project sponsor and joint lead agency, issue this notice to advise the public that they intend to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Ballard Link Extension Project (Project) located in the City of Seattle, King County, Washington.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is publishing a final rule for State Safety Oversight (SSO). This final rule implements new requirements of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)), removes outdated references, and simplifies notification requirements.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regarding the Carteret Ferry Terminal project, Borough of Carteret, Middlesex County, New Jersey. The purpose of this notice is to publicly announce FTA's environmental decisions on the subject project, and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has finalized an updated circular, to assist recipients in their implementation of the Rural Areas Formula Program and the rural component of the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. The update and consolidation of the circulars incorporates provisions from the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act; the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL); the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Federal awards to non-Federal entities; and current FTA policies and procedures. This notice responds to the comments FTA received on the proposed circular, which was published in the Federal Register on April 4, 2024.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has finalized a new circular entitled, "Urbanized Areas Formula Grant Programs Guidance," which consolidates and replaces the circulars for the Urbanized Area Formula Grants Program (FTA Circular C 9030.1), the State of Good Repair Grants Program (FTA Circular C 5300.1), and the Urbanized Area formula component of the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program (FTA Circular C 5100.1). The update and consolidation of the circulars incorporate provisions from the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act; the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Federal awards to non-Federal entities; and current FTA policies and procedures. This notice responds to the comments FTA received on the proposed circular, which was published in the Federal Register on July 12, 2023.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is issuing a General Directive to address the significant and continuing national-level safety risk related to assaults on transit workers. The General Directive requires each transit agency subject to FTA's Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) Final Rule to conduct a safety risk assessment, identify safety risk mitigations or strategies, and provide information to FTA on how it is assessing, mitigating, and monitoring the safety risk associated with assaults on transit workers. Each transit agency serving a large urbanized area must involve the joint labor-management Safety Committee when identifying safety risk mitigations.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regarding the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor Project, Cities of Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, South Gate, Downey, Paramount, Bellflower, Cerritos, and Artesia; County of Los Angeles, California. The corridor is also known as the Southeast Gateway Line. The purpose of this notice is to publicly announce FTA's environmental decisions on the subject project, and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received a request from the Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC) for a Buy America nonavailability waiver for the procurement of special trackwork turnout switch components needed to keep the DTC's Elevated Guideway in a state of good repair. FTA is providing notice of the nonavailability waiver request and seeks public comment before deciding whether to grant the request. If granted, the waiver would apply for the switch components identified in the waiver request.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is seeking comment on an extension of its existing partial general nonavailability waiver for mass-produced, unmodified, non-ADA accessible vans and minivans. Following review and consideration of comments, FTA will determine whether to extend the waiver, modify the waiver, or allow the waiver to lapse.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will hold a public roundtable meeting concerning bus operator visibility. Transit bus manufacturers will present their research and actions to improve bus operator visibility through vehicle design. This roundtable will be a forum for discussion of bus safety design elements that impact operator visibility, including mirror size and placement and A-pillar design. Participants will also discuss opportunities for manufacturers to standardize safety features. The meeting will include time for public comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a request for an extension without change to an existing information collection: Survey of FTA Stakeholders.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Requirements (ICRs) abstracted below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describe the nature of the information collection and their expected burdens.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $2.5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Technical Assistance and Workforce Development funds through a competitive cooperative agreement award to establish a Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) National Technical Assistance Center (CCAM TA Center) that supports CCAM members, Federal agencies, their grantees, partners, and stakeholders in improving transportation access for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals of low income. The overarching mission of this new center is to promote and facilitate human services transportation, public transit, and non- emergency medical transportation (NEMT) coordination that advances people's access to everyday destinations.

This notice summarizes and responds to comments the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received in response to an August 15, 2023, Federal Register notice, a September 25, 2023, in-person consultation session, and a November 2, 2023, virtual consultation session regarding how the FTA Tribal Transit competitive program and technical assistance should be provided to Tribes.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of $10,496,164 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 funding under the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning (TOD Pilot Program). As required by Federal public transportation law and subject to funding availability, funds will be awarded competitively to support comprehensive planning or site-specific planning associated with new fixed guideway and core capacity improvement projects. FTA may award additional funding that is made available to the TOD Pilot Program before the announcement of project selections.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of a Programmatic Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transit Projects (Programmatic Assessment). On September 25, 2023, FTA announced in the Federal Register the availability of the draft Programmatic Assessment and requested public comment. FTA received six comment letters and presents its responses to those comments in this notice.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is publishing a final rule for Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP). This final rule includes requirements for Agency Safety Plans (ASP), Safety Committees, cooperation with frontline transit worker representatives in the development of ASPs, safety risk reduction programs, safety performance targets, de-escalation training for certain transit workers, and addressing infectious diseases through the Safety Management System (SMS) process. This final rule also finalizes revisions to the regulation to coordinate and align with other FTA programs and safety rulemakings.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) invites public comment on revisions to the agency's policy guidance for the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program. These revisions are intended to amend FTA's CIG Policy Guidance last published in January 2023 and are a comprehensive update of the CIG Policy Guidance for notice and comment, incorporating feedback FTA received in response to its Request for Information published in the Federal Register in July 2021. The proposed guidance has been placed in the docket and posted on the FTA website. This policy guidance continues to complement FTA's regulations that govern the CIG program. FTA is also posing questions concerning the CIG New Starts and Small Starts Land Use and Economic Development Project Justification Criteria.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is proposing minimum safety standards for rail transit roadway worker protection (RWP) to ensure the safe operation of public transportation systems and to prevent accidents, incidents, fatalities, and injuries to transit workers who may access the roadway in the performance of work. This NPRM would apply to rail transit agencies (RTAs) covered by the State Safety Oversight (SSO) program, SSO agencies (SSOAs), and rail transit workers who access the roadway to perform work. It would set minimum standards for RWP program elements, including an RWP manual and track access guide; requirements for on-track safety and supervision, job safety briefings, good faith safety challenges, and reporting unsafe acts and conditions and near-misses; development and implementation of risk-based redundant protections for workers; and establishment of RWP training and qualification and RWP compliance monitoring activities. RTAs would be expected to comply with these Federal standards as a baseline and use their existing Safety Management System (SMS) processes to determine any additional mitigations appropriate to address the level of RWP risk identified. SSOAs would oversee and enforce implementation of the RWP program requirements.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regarding the METRORapid University Corridor Project, Houston, Harris County, Texas. The purpose of this notice is to publicly announce FTA's environmental decisions on the subject project, and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is issuing a new Circular 7050.1C to address joint development projects using FTA funds or FTA-funded property. The purpose of these changes is to incorporate changes made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), implemented as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, that amended the definition of a ``capital project.''

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the renewal of the Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS) charter. The current TRACS charter expires on February 2, 2024. The U.S. Department of Transportation and FTA are committed to ensuring the safety of the Nation's public transportation systems and reducing the safety risk to both riders and transit workers. The Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) has determined that renewing TRACS is necessary and in the public interest.