1
National Transit Institute (NTI) Course Options
and a Course Idea from Host Charlotte Area Transit System
APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference
May 15-18, 2016 ● Charlotte, NC
September 2, 2015
Recent History
2015 "Bus" Fort Worth TX:
 Saturday afternoon - Understanding ADA (25 in attendance / 4.4 rating on a
scale of 1-5, with 5 being "excellent")
***This 4-hr course will be offered in 2016.***
 Monday morning & afternoon for roadeo operators - Assault Awareness
(morning 81 / 4.0, afternoon 41 / 3.7)
 Tuesday morning - Leading as a Mid-Manager (25 / 4.5)
***This 4-hr course will be offered in 2016.***
 Wed. afternoon & all day Thursday - Title VI and Public Transit (36 / 4.5)
2014 "Bus" Kansas City, MO:
 Tuesday afternoon - Leading as a Mid-Manager (18 / 4.3)
2016 NTI Course Ideas for “Bus” (usually 1 ½ days)
Subcommittee to rank the top three, please.
Title VI and Public Transit
http://www.ntionline.com/courses/courseinfo.php?id=273
Offered last year. Can offer at bus OR rail, not both. Was given at “bus” last year.
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
http://www.ntionline.com/courses/courseinfo.php?id=9
Paratransit Management & Operations
http://www.ntionline.com/courses/courseinfo.php?id=12
Management of Transit Construction Projects
http://www.ntionline.com/courses/courseinfo.php?id=11
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Title VI and Public Transit
Description:
This course will help practitioners appreciate the importance of transit equity considerations during the dayto-day life of transit planning, management, and operations. It is designed to provide accurate information on
a variety of equity considerations an agency is exposed to on a daily basis.
Audience:
Regional/Metropolitan Planning Organization, State Department of Transportation, and transit agency staff.
Objectives:
Understand the historical background of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the environmental justice
movement; understand the Federal Laws, and regulations and guidance of Title VI, environmental justice,
NEPA and LEP; and receive resources to address these requirements.
Goals:
Use this course, subsequent case studies, and exercises as planning tools to identify potential impacts
of proposed actions on low-income and minority populations, as well as other disadvantaged groups
(e.g., elderly, disabled, youth).
Understand how equity issues in transportation planning and operations will lead to better service,
planning, and delivery.
Apply course content to help ensure equitable distribution of public transportation resources; thus,
public transportation providers and users will benefit.
Length:
2 days
Fee:
$600.00 for Consulting, Contractor, Non-Profit (USA only), Non-USA Transportation or Government Agency,
Other.
Free for all others.
CEU's: 1.20
Telephone:
848.932.6592
Email:
gstern@nti.rutgers.edu
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Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Description:
Every transit agency receiving funding from FTA must comply with DOT's DBE regulations. Transit grantees and
others involved in the application and the administration of the DBE requirements should have a complete
understanding of these requirements and engage in the best practices with regard to encouraging participation by
DBE's.
This training is designed to assist DBE transit agency staff and FTA regional staff with developing and implementing
policies and procedures consistent with US DOT's revised DBE regulations, 49 CFR Part 26, and DOT guidance.
This course will provide a basic understanding and working knowledge of the US DOT DBE regulations and DOT
guidance. Attendees will be provided with the tools necessary to design and implement a DBE program in their
organizations or agencies.
Topics:
Federal requirements regarding DBE's
Setting annual DBE goals
Accounting for and reporting DBE participation
Certification of DBE's
Agency specific DBE requirements
FTA's role in the DBE process
Disputes and appeals under the DBE requirements
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: This class is oriented towards Federal Transit Administration grantees and
focuses on transit related DBE issues. Non-transit grant recipients and non-transit modal operators may not receive
the specific technical assistance related to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) DBE issues.
Audience:
DBE Managers, General Managers, Procurement Managers and their staff of state DOT`s, transit agencies, and
Metropolitan Planning Organizations and transit vehicle manufacturers.
"FHWA and FAA both provide DBE training opportunities. To learn more about FHWA and FAA DBE trainings
oportunities, please contact FHWA's or FAA DBe program managers: www.dot.gov/osdbu/disadvantaged-businessenterprise/state-dbe-liasions-and-certification-officers
Length:
3 days
Fee:
$450.00 for Contractor, Consulting, Non-USA Transportation or Government Agency, Other.
Free for all others.
CEU's: 2.00
Telephone:
848.932.6040
Email:
msirleaf@nti.rutgers.edu
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Paratransit Management & Operations Course
Description:
The goal of this course is to teach transit professionals the skills needed to effectively manage and operate
paratransit services. Topics include:
History of demand response service and where the industry is today
The relationship between managing and providing paratransit service
Developing policies and procedures for your paratransit department
Management functions needed to operate paratransit service, including planning, resource availability, staffing,
scheduling, budgeting, and performance evaluation
Operating techniques to provide paratransit service, including contracting vs. in-house, brokerages and call center
operations, route deviation, taxi supplements, and feeder service
Scheduling techniques that are based on your agency''s resources and local transit environment
Controlling costs and billing methods
Technology's role in paratransit service
Customer service throughout the paratransit department
The course is facilitated by industry professionals with extensive experience in paratransit service and the ADA.
Audience:
This course is intended for people who manage or operate paratransit services. This is a comprehensive course. The
content is geared for people who have experience working with paratransit services.
Length:
2 days
Fee:
$300.00 for Contractor, Consulting, Non-USA Transportation or Government Agency, Other.
Free for all others.
CEU's: 1.00
Telephone:
848.932.6040
Email:
msirleaf@nti.rutgers.edu
5
Management of Transit Construction Projects
Description:
This course will explore best practices to Manage Transit Construction Project successfully. FTA capital construction
projects ranging in cost from a few million dollar to billion dollar major capital projects, which all use certain
fundamental practices covered during the course. Federal laws require transit major capital investment projects
(>$100 million) to have a Project Management Plan (PMP) approved by the FTA. The course will explain how the
PMP tool can be beneficial on all size capital projects. The course covers the basics of good project
management and encourages discussion of real world every day transit construction problems among
participants. Depending on the projects of interest to the class, emphasis will be on either the requirements in the
FTA-Project and Construction Management Guidelines or the FTA Construction Project Management
Handbook. Upon completion participants will have a better understanding of what is required to effectively manage
a transit construction project.
Topics:
Purpose of Project Management Planning
Organization
Project Management and Control
Procurement
Public Involvement
Managing Risk
Managing Design
Managing Construction
Quality Assurance & Quality Control
Managing Testing and Start-up
System Operational & Construction Safety
Audience:
Managers,planners and engineers involved in all phases of the management and construction of FTA-Funded
projects. Any recipient of FTA funds who is involved in the planning, design, construction, and post construction
phases of major and non-major capital project, will find this course essential to their success.
Length:
3.0 Days
Fee:
$450.00 for Contractor, Consulting, Non-USA Transportation or Government Agency, Other.
Free for all others.
CEU's: 2.20
Telephone:
848.932.6040
Email:
msirleaf@nti.rutgers.edu
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Idea from Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) for a four-hour course
Ready, GO, Set – Internal Operational Audit Basics
Benchmarking: metrics and best practices
Agenda:
1. Internal Auditing

Attributes and standards - The role of the internal audit

Differences between an internal and an external audit

Agreements - Department/division sample charter

Overview of ISOs – Best Practice Frameworks
2. Contemporary Internal Auditing

Types of internal audits – what are you trying to accomplish?

Economy, efficiency and effectiveness = Sustainability

Why audit?

Benefits of operational auditing – Eyes on the Prize

Steps in the internal audit process: an overview
3. Ready, Go, Set! - Planning and Preliminary Fieldwork

Performance standard for planning the audit

The planning memo - notifying and opening

Case study – a review of well written internal audits

3 phases on an audit plan

Ready - The importance of preliminary work

Set - Business risk control matrices
4. Documenting Internal Controls

Evaluating and documenting the system of internal controls

Performance standard for controls

Methods of documenting internal controls

Flowcharts

Critical control points

Cost/benefit considerations

Case study
5. Audit Programs

Performance standard for engagement objectives and scope

Standard for developing the audit program

Criteria for audit programs

Audit objective, scope, test steps, sample

Case study
6. Fieldwork Techniques

Audit evidence

Handling sensitive information
7. Audit Findings

Performance standards for communicating results and monitoring progress

Attributes of audit findings

Sharing your audit findings

Template for audit findings

Case study
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8. Working papers

Record retention rules

Purpose of audit working papers

Working paper techniques

Electronic working papers – Go Paperless!

Sample audit working paper

Performance standard for quality assurance and compliance
9. Audit Reports

Fundamentals of audit reports

Recommendation options

Strategies for issuing timely reports
10. Effective Audit Communications

Understanding patterns of communications

Possible barriers to overcome in the interview

Interview strategies

Diffusing the difficult interview

Do’s and don’ts of effective interviewing

Closing

Strategies for conducting effective closing conferences

Case study
11. Sampling

What is a sample? Is it bigger than a bread box?

Rule of Thumb and the ANSI Z table

Audit testing

Sampling terminology and methodologies
12. Risk Assessment Strategies

Determining risk – using FMEA

Effects of risk

Identifying auditable activities

Risk criteria

Trends in risk assessment