SURTC – Human

Resource Management Video Conference

The Small Urban and Rural Transit Center (SURTC) will host a video conference, “Human Resource Management,” on Tuesday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mountain Time.  Managing people can be a challenging task.  The interactive video conference will include helpful suggestions to make supervisors more effective, as well as tips on interviewing, employee documentation, and related laws.  Transit managers or human resource directors will benefit from this presentation.

The conference trainers will be Lyn Hellegaard and Carol Wright.  Lyn Hellegaard is Coordinator of the Montana Transit Association, and Director of the Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association in Missoula, Montana.  Lyn has several years experience developing and implementing training programs for adults as an American Institute of Banking instructor.

Carol Wright is President of the Dakota Transit Association Board and Project Director of the James River Transit in Jamestown, North Dakota.  She is currently serving as a panel member for the Transportation Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) on the project Understanding How to Motivate Our Communities to Support and Ride Public Transportation. She has been a director of transportation services for over 11 years.

The cost of the workshop is $25.  You can participate in the workshop at the following six Wyoming locations.

· Basin - Dept. of Transportation at 218 West C Street

· Casper - Dept. of Transportation at 900 Bryan Stock Trail

· Cheyenne - Dept. of Transportation at 5300 Bishop Blvd.

· Laramie - University of Wyoming, Civil Engineering Department at 1000 East University Ave.

· Rock Springs - Dept. of Transportation at 1301 Elk Street

· Sheridan - Dept. of Transportation at 10 East Brundage Lane

For site locations in Montana, Utah, North or South Dakota, and Minnesota, or for more information go to <http://www.surtc.org/training/hrmgmt/>.  You must register online at the address above.  You may contact Gary Heglund at 701-231-6436 or <gary.hegland@ndsu.edu> with questions. 

2005 WYTRANS Bus Roadeo Winner Melvin Tso, right, from WRTA will compete in CTAA’s National Bus Rodeo June 3-4 in Orlando, Florida.  WYTRANS President Sean Solan, left, is WRTA’s Trans- portation Manager.

Local Coordination Transportation Plans

At the February 20th WYTRANS Board meeting in Cheyenne, WYDOT Local Government Coordinator Rich Douglass updated WYTRANS members on several items.  Rich said that FTA Grantees have to complete a Local Coordination Transportation Plan by the beginning of the 2006-2007 fiscal year.  The idea behind the coordination plan is to find out who needs transit services in each community and to determine whether or not those individuals and/or agencies can afford to pay for the rides.  WYDOT will mail information on these plans to all the grantees this spring.  Five regional, half-day meetings will also be held.  Stakeholders will be invited to the regional meetings.

WYDOT will have sample coordination plans available.  Rich said that the intent is to open up communication between transit providers and potential riders.  One part of the plan involves explaining how a transit agency plans to make others aware of its transit services and hours of operation.  Some examples include putting flyers up in local businesses, putting ads on the radio, and making contact with church groups.  The coordination plans are in conjunction with the FTA’s “United We Ride” program.  Rich said to visit the FTA Web site at <www.dot.fta.gov> to get more information about coordinated transportation.

Capital Grants

WYDOT is working with several Wyoming public transit providers on 5309 Capital Grants for either a bus barn or additional vehicles.  The following agencies have turned in applications and WYDOT is waiting for FTA approval.

Rendezvous Pointe Seniors, Pinedale - Bus Garage

Riverton Senior Center - Bus Garage

Seniors of Jackson Hole, Jackson - Bus Garage

Weston County Senior Citizens, Newcastle -

Sprinkler system

Cheyenne Transit - Bus Garage