In 2004 we reviewed the policy by which the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5311(b)(2), Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) funds in support of training activities will be utilized. This funding is made available for the training of personnel who provide transportation to elderly or disabled persons for public or non-profit agencies. With the input of our RTAP Advisory Committee, the Department made the following amendments to its policy effective May 1, 2004:

1. Grantees (nonprofit organizations under contract with the NHDOT & direct FTA recipients) will be reimbursed at a 100% rate for all required trainings including the Defensive Driving Courses (DDC) offered by the Safety & Health Council of Northern New England (SHCNNE) and the NH Traffic Safety Institute (NHTSI).
2. Non-grantees (nonprofit organizations not under contract with the NHDOT) are only eligible to utilize RTAP funds for the Defensive Driving Courses (DDC) offered by the Safety & Health Council of Northern New England (SHCNNE) and the NH Traffic Safety Institute (NHTSI). Non-grantees will be reimbursed at a 50% rate for approved defensive driving courses; the SHCNNE and NHTSI will invoice the Department and non-grantee agencies each for 50% of the course cost per attendee.

The RTAP training funds policy and requirements to access these funds for training, as they pertain to grantees and non-grantees, are:

• All trainings must be arranged through the Department’s RTAP training contact Karen Jennison. Karen can be reached at 271-6769 or via e-mail at KJennison@dot.state.nh.us.
• One person from your agency should be charged with the task of acting as your training liaison with the Department. This training liaison should contact Karen to communicate your agency’s training needs, request trainings, and work out the logistics of scheduling approved trainings.
• Only those staff members responsible for transporting elderly or disabled persons are eligible to utilize training funds.
• Eligible personnel can attend “public” defensive driving courses, including the six-hour course (DDC-6) and the attitudinal course (DDC-ADD), which are offered on a regular basis statewide by the SHCNNE and NHTSI. In this instance, your training liaison will contact Karen Jennison, at least 48 hours prior to the class, to sign up your staff and the SHCNNE or NHTSI will invoice the Department the proper amount (100% for grantees and 50% for non-grantees).  Do not assume that there is space available or that your agency will be reimbursed for attendance after the course.  You need pre-approval to attend.  If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail or phone call, please do not send personnel to a course.
• If an agency makes a request to the Department that an additional defensive driving course be scheduled at its agency/location, the only course that the Department will support will be the four-hour course (DDC-4). Additionally, the SHCNNE and NHTSI requires a minimum attendance of 10 people at these “private” courses. Again, the SHCNNE or NHTSI will invoice the Department the proper amount (100% for grantees and 50% for non-grantees). Requests for these "private" courses must be at least 30 days out so that the Department can approve and advertise the availability of this course to other grantees and agencies. Failure to request courses at least 30 days out may result in your request being denied by the Department.
• If Defensive Driving trainings are set up without official Departmental approval, the Department will NOT process the invoice for payment and you will then be charged the full cost of the course by the SHCNNE or NHTSI.
• Courses that are requested solely for the staff of one agency are subject to a co-pay by the requesting agency. If an agency requests a course and asks that no outside staff be permitted to attend, the Department will only pay a portion of the fees associated with the course.
• Check the RTAP Training Calendar online to view what courses are already scheduled and determine if additional classes are necessary to meet your training needs.