NJ-2026-001

APPLICATION PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE ONGOING EFFORTS OF THE NATIONAL TRANSIT INSTITUTE (NTI). THE NATIONAL TRANSIT INSTITUTE (NTI) IS CODIFIED UNDER 49 U.S.C. 5314 (C) WHERE ITS DUTIES ARE DEFINED AS: IN COOPERATION WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES AND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ENTITIES THE INSTITUTE ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) SHALL DEVELOP AND CONDUCT TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR FEDERAL STATE AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES UNITED STATES CITIZENS AND FOREIGN NATIONALS ENGAGED OR TO BE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT-AID PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WORK. NTI IS HOUSED AT AND ADMINISTERED BY RUTGERS UNIVERSITY. THE NTI MISSION STATEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS: THE NATIONAL TRANSIT INSTITUTES MISSION IS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EDUCATION SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES. WE IDENTIFY INDUSTRY NEEDS. WE PROMOTE DEVELOP AND DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS THROUGH COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS. WE CATALYZE THE ENHANCEMENT OF SKILLS AND PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THIS STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) WILL COVER APRIL 1 2026 THROUGH APRIL 30 2028 EXPENDING FY 2024 FEDERAL FUNDING PURSUANT TO 49 U.S.C. 5338 (A)(2)(H); ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: NTI PROGRAM GOALS ARE:1.HIGH-DEMAND REGIONAL TRAINING INITIATIVE - SUPPORT GROWING INDUSTRY NEEDS BY OFFERING ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR HIGH-DEMAND TRAINING TOPICS IN TARGETED FTA REGIONS.2.COURSE MATERIAL DESIGN INITIATIVE - DESIGN AND DEVELOP NEW COURSE MATERIAL TEMPLATES THAT ALIGN WITH INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN BEST PRACTICES AND INDUSTRY STANDARDS TO SUPPORT NTI IN-PERSON COURSE DELIVERIES MEETING THE ADMINISTRATIONS PRIORITIES. 3.E-LEARNING COURSE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE - ADVANCE NTI COURSE OFFERING WITH THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN E-LEARNING COURSE.4.NTI INSTRUCTOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A FORMAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NEW AND EXISTING NTI INSTRUCTORS TO ADVANCE THEIR FACILITATION SKILLS. 5.INITIAL BUS OPERATOR CDL TRAINING STUDY - CONDUCT A STUDY THAT WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STANDARDIZED EVIDENCE-BASED FRAMEWORK FOR TRAINING NEW BUS DRIVERS THAT WILL RESULT IN A NEW NTI COURSE THAT WILL TRAIN TRANSIT AGENCY INSTRUCTION DEPARTMENTS ON HOW TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A NEW BUS OPERATOR TRAINING PROGRAM UTILIZING AN EFFECTIVE FRAMEWORK.6.INDUSTRY FEEDBACK INITIATIVE - DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A FORMAL PLAN TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK ON TRANSIT INDUSTRY TRAINING NEEDS.7.ADVISORY BOARD REDESIGN AND MEMBER OUTREACH - DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO REDESIGN NTIS ADVISORY BOARD AND RECRUIT QUALIFIED AND ENGAGED BOARD MEMBERS TO BETTER ALIGN THE BOARD WITH GUIDANCE IN 49 U.S.C. 5314 (C)(2)(A) AND MEET THE CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS OF THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY.8.ADVERTISING AND OUTREACH - PROMOTE NTIS TRAINING PROGRAMS THROUGH STRATEGIC OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION LEVERAGING DIGITAL PLATFORMS PARTNERSHIPS AND TARGETED CAMPAIGNS TO BROADEN REACH AND SUPPORT ENROLLMENT GROWTH. NTI WILL COORDINATE WITH AND OBTAIN FTA CONCURRENCE PRIOR TO ATTENDANCE AT CONFERENCES AND EVENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALLOWABLE EXPENSES AND ENSURE THAT ALL EXPENDITURES SUBMITTED FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THIS GRANT ARE CONSISTENT WITH APPLICABLE LAW (49 U.S.C. 5314(C)) FEDERAL COST PRINCIPLES (2 CFR PART 200 SUBPART E) AND FTA CIRCULAR 6100.1E.9.BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - DEVELOP AND EXECUTE A BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT INCLUDES A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES AND REBRANDING OF NTIS IMAGE AND STANDING IN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY TO ALIGN WITH THE GOAL OF BEING A PREMIER AND INDUSTRY-LEADING TRANSIT TRAINING ORGANIZATION. TO MEASURE THE PROGRAMS EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EACH GOAL WILL BE TRACKED AND ANALYZED. THE INDICATORS ARE LISTED IN EACH SECTION OF THE STATEMENT OF WORK.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: NTI EXPECTS THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES FOR EACH OF ITS NINE STATEMENT OF WORK GOALS: GOAL#1 - HIGH DEMAND REGIONAL TRAINING - TOTAL COURSES ADHERENCE TO WORK PLAN INCREASE NTI STAFFING COURSE COMPLETION RATES PARTICIPANT SATISFACTION SCORES INSTRUCTOR PERFORMANCE SCORES REPEAT PARTICIPATION RATEGOAL#2 - NTI COURSE MATERIAL TEMPLATE DESIGN - NEW NTI BRANDED COURSE TEMPLATES ARE DEVELOPED FOR IN PERSON COURSE OFFERINGS CURRENT COURSE CONTENT FOR ALL COURSES ARE UPDATED UTILIZING NEW COURSE TEMPLATES DEVELOP AND LAUNCH AT LEAST FOUR NEW COURSES ANNUALLY ADDRESSING EMERGING INDUSTRY NEEDSGOAL#3 - E-LEARNING COURSE DEVELOPMENT - DEVELOP AND LAUNCH AT LEAST ONE NEW E-LEARNING COURSE THAT ADDRESSES AN INDUSTRY NEEDGOAL#4 - NTI INSTRUCTOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - DEVELOP AND LAUNCH AN NTI INSTRUCTOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING INITIATIVEGOAL#5 - INITIAL BUS OPERATOR CDL TRAINING STUDY - CONDUCT STUDY DEVELOP FRAMEWORK FOR TRAINING NEW BUS DRIVERS DEVELOP TRAINING GUIDE AND TRAINING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN PROVIDE TRAINING TO AGENCIES FOR TRANSIT AGENCIESGOAL#6 - INDUSTRY FEEDBACK INITIATIVE - INDUSTRY FEEDBACK OBTAINED FROM ALL REGIONS OF TRANSIT INDUSTRY NEW BOARD MEMBERS SELECTED FOR ADVISORY BOARD FACILITATE ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGGOAL#7 - ADVISORY BOARD REDESIGN AND MEMBER OUTREACH - DEVELOPMENT OF NTI ADVISORY BOARD CHARTER NEW NTI ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS SELECTED FACILITATE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING ACCORDING TO NTI ADVISORY BOARD CHARTERGOAL#8 - ADVERTISING OUTREACH - NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS ESTABLISHED STAKEHOLDER SATISFACTION ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE BOOST ONLINE TRAFFIC TO THE NTI WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THROUGH ANALYTICS DEMONSTRATE GROWTH OF COURSE REGISTRATIONS AND INCREASED COURSE DELIVERIES THROUGH TARGETED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS AND USE OF NEW LOGO AND MATERIALSGOAL#9 - BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - STRATEGIC PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED WITH KPIS PROCESS DOCUMENTS DEVELOPED FOR ALL NTI PROCESSES THAT CAN BE USED TO TRAIN NEW AND EXISTING EMPLOYEES NTIS BRAND IS RE-ESTABLISHED AND THE ORGANIZATION IS RECOGNIZED AS THE TRANSIT INDUSTRYS PREMIER TRAINING PARTNER; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE NATIONAL TRANSIT INSTITUTE (NTI) DEVELOPS AND PROVIDES CLASSROOM-STYLE AND VIRTUAL COURSES AND TRAINING EVENTS TO ENHANCE THE SKILLS AND CAPACITY OF STAFF PERSONS AT TRANSIT AGENCIES METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS (MPOS) STATE DOTS AND OTHER TRANSIT-OPERATORS; TRANSIT SERVICE PLANNING; AND TRANSIT FUNDING ENTITIES; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NTI SUBRECIPIENTS INCLUDE FIRMS AND SOLE PROPRIETOR CONSULTING COMPANIES THAT SERVE AS TRANSIT RELATED SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. THESE SUBRECIPIENTS SERVE AS COURSE CONTENT DEVELOPERS AND COURSE INSTRUCTORS

The State University Of New Jersey Rutgers

ENHANCE ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS BY SUPPORTING TRANSIT ENTITIES WITH WORKFORCE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 2. SUPPORT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF URBAN SUBURBAN TRIBAL AND RURAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ENTITIES IN THEIR MISSION TO RECRUIT HIRE TRAIN AND RETAINS THE DIVERSE WORKFORCE FOR NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

20.531 - Technical Assistance and Workforce Development

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) [DOT]

FTA Office of Budget and Policy [DOT - FTA]

New Jersey United States

State-Wide

NOT APPLICABLE