A small bus from the rural transit assistance program drives down a country road surrounded by fields, wooden fences, and distant barns, with tall, snow-capped mountains and a blue sky in the background.
  Case Studies  Montana Rural Transit Assistance Program Study

Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) Study

Montana Department of Transportation (MDT)

Needs Study

2024

Montana (Statewide)

Three blue circles, symbolizing consulting transportation, are arranged in a triangular formation and connected by faint curved lines forming a circular pattern on a light gray background.

Overview

Complete a training needs assessment and annual work plan for the Rural Transit Assistance Program for the State of Montana.

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Challenge

Create a roadmap for an effective MDT RTAP by thoroughly assessing the training and technical assistance needs of the Montana transit systems, analyzing the effectiveness of current training efforts, and crafting a path forward through a detailed work plan.

Three blue circles, symbolizing consulting transportation, are arranged in a triangular formation and connected by faint curved lines forming a circular pattern on a light gray background.

Collaborators

Big Sky Public Relations

Overview

Montana Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) Study

DRB conducted a statewide Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) needs study for the Montana Department of Transportation to support the development of a more effective, responsive RTAP program. The project focused on understanding the training and technical assistance needs of Montana’s rural transit systems and translating those insights into a clear, actionable annual work plan.

Project Rundown

  • Project Name: Montana Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) Study
  • Client: Montana Department of Transportation (MDT)
  • Project Budget: $89,880.34
  • Location: Helena, MT (Statewide)
  • Start Date: June 3, 2024
  • End Date: December 31, 2024
  • Service Type: Needs Study

Scope of Work 

The project centered on developing a training needs assessment and annual work plan to guide future program delivery. DRB’s scope included:

  • Assessing training and technical assistance needs across Montana’s rural and Tribal transit systems
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of existing RTAP training efforts
  • Developing a detailed, data-informed work plan to guide future program delivery
  • Delivering a final plan document and presenting the findings

Project Outcomes

The project resulted in a comprehensive training roadmap that reflects the unique challenges and strengths of Montana’s rural and Tribal transit providers. The final deliverables provide MDT with a clear foundation to strengthen its RTAP and better support transit agencies statewide.

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