The requirements for submitting your agency's first NTD report include submitting a request for an NTD identification number, determining when to file your first report and providing some additional information in the NTD report.

Rural reporters do not need to request an NTD ID. All states have been assigned a unique identifier and passwords.

Who Reports

Transit agencies that receive or benefit from Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) or Other than Urbanized Area Formula Program funds must submit or coordinate the submittal of the NTD reports. These transit agencies or organizations are generally referred to as recipients or beneficiaries. Recipients of UAF funds submit data using the NTD Annual Reporting Module. Recipients of only Other than Urbanized Area Formula Program funds submit data using the NTD Rural Module. Please refer to the separate NTD Rural Reporting Manual for requirements and instructions.

Recipients and Beneficiaries of Urbanized Area Formula Program Grants

Transit agencies that are recipients or beneficiaries of FTA Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) funds and that manage transit activities are responsible for submitting or coordinating NTD reports, regardless of whether they directly operate (DO) or purchase (PT) their transit services. These recipients or beneficiaries can be public entities directly operating services or contracting for all or part of the total transit service provided. The transit agency must report all of the service they provide or purchase, excluding services provided under demonstration grants or test projects funded through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program or other funds transferred into the Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF). The following are typical NTD reporters and requirements for recipients and beneficiaries of Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) funds.

Public Transit Agencies

Public transit agencies must submit a NTD report through the life of the grant and / or the life of the capital equipment obtained through the grant (continuing requirements). If a transit agency does not spend funds from the grant for either capital expenses or operating assistance for the year, the transit agency must still file a NTD report if the grant is still active or capital equipment still has remaining useful life.

Operators of Purchased Transportation Services

Operators of purchased transportation (PT) services (public transit agencies or private carriers) that provide public transportation services under contract to recipients or beneficiaries of Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) funds must report data to the public transit agency for inclusion in the public transit agency's NTD Annual report. The data pertain only to the services under contract.

This applies to almost all private providers. In the past, FTA encouraged large sellers of purchased transportation (PT) that have historically submitted separate, complete NTD reports to FTA to continue to do so. However, there will be a reporting change for the 2007 NTD in reporting purchased transportation service. Buyers of transportation service from private providers will include all the data for these services in their report. These private providers must supply the purchased transportation data to the buyer for inclusion in the buyer's report and will no longer submit a separate NTD Annual report for that data.

For purchased transportation services between two public NTD reporting agencies, the seller of service will include the data in its report as directly operated service. The 2007 reporting manual will provide the detailed reporting instructions.

Consolidated NTD Reporters

Consolidated NTD reporters are a collection of transit agencies filing one report. One reporter may file a consolidated report on behalf of other reporters if it is easier to collect and control the quality of the data. This often occurs when one transit agency coordinates the development and funding of public transportation services in an area. Transit agencies filing a consolidated report must operate within the same urbanized area (UZA).

Transit agencies that wish to file a consolidated report must submit a request to FTA in writing. Such requests for consolidations are subject to FTA approval and must include the following:

• Name of the transit agencies to be included
• Fiscal year end dates for each transit agency
• Previous NTD identification numbers (NTD ID) of the transit agencies
• Date for the first consolidated report.
  

Written Request

New reporters must first submit a written request to FTA for an NTD identification number. The chief executive officer of the transit agency, company, city or other entity that will be filing the report makes the request. The chief executive officer's letter must be on letterhead and should state the following:

• Legal name and mailing address of the transit agency
• Name, title, address, telephone number, facsimile number and e-mail address of the chief executive officer (CEO)
• Name, title, address, telephone, facsimile number and e-mail address of the contact person
• Name, title, address, telephone, facsimile number and e-mail address of the safety contact person
• Name, title, address, telephone, facsimile number and e-mail address of the security contact person
• Fiscal year end date
• Public transit modes operated by type of service (TOS) (directly operated (DO) or purchased transportation (PT))
• Number of vehicles operated in annual maximum service (VOMS) across all modes and types of service (TOS)
• Description of service including route maps, schedules and fare structure
• Date (month and year) of grant request for Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) funds if a designated recipient
• Date (month and year) of expenses first incurred for reimbursement under the Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) funds if a designated recipient
• Any related information or relationships with other NTD transit agencies.
  

New ID requests must also be accompanied by two reporting forms; the Identification form (B-10) and the Contacts form (B-20). Once you have completed the CEO letter and forms necessary for requesting an NTD ID number, simply print the letter (on agency letter letterhead) and the completed forms and mail the package to the NTD project site:

New NTD ID Request
National Transit Database Project
PO Box 457
Merrifield, VA 22116-0457

The information submitted on these forms includes:

• Legal name and mailing address of the transit agency
• Name, title, address, telephone number, facsimile number and e-mail address of the chief executive officer (CEO)
• Name, title, address, telephone, facsimile number and e-mail address of the contact person
• Name, title, address, telephone, facsimile number and e-mail address of the safety contact person
• Name, title, address, telephone, facsimile number and e-mail address of the security contact person
• Mass transit modes operated by type of service (directly operated (DO) or purchased transportation (PT))
• Number of vehicles operated in annual maximum service (VOMS) across all modes and types of service (TOS)

NTD ID Request letter template and forms necessary to obtain an NTD ID Number

First Annual Report Submission

New reporters must first submit a written request to FTA for an NTD identification number (NTD ID). If an incoming request for an NTD ID is approved, the first fiscal year reported is dependent upon when the request was received at NTD, and whether the agency is a designated Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) funds recipient or a voluntary reporter. If the request is received at NTD within the first six months of a fiscal year, the agency will be assigned and ID number and approved to report for the fiscal year. If the request is received during the last six months of a fiscal year, the agency will be approved to report during the next fiscal year. See the Exhibit below.

All applicable forms and declarations summarized in the current Reporting Manual must be contained in the filed report. A transit agency must file a complete report by the report due date.

Annual Reporting Deadlines and Reporting Forms Summary

Annual Reporting Forms Summary

Monthly Reporting Deadlines and Reporting Forms Summary

Monthly Ridership Forms Summary

Safety and Security Reporting Deadlines and Reporting Forms Summary

Safety and Security Reporting Forms Summary

Rural Reporting Reporting Deadlines and Reporting Forms Summary

Rural Reporting Forms Summary

To download and print a copy of the current NTD Reporting Manuals click on the following:

Annual Reporting Manual

Monthly Reporting Manual

Safety and Security Reporting Manual

Rural Reporting Manual

Should you need further assistance please contact the National Database project site at: 703.462.5220.