NTD data are used in the formula allocation of Federal transit funds for the Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5307) and for the Fixed Guideway Modernization Program (§5309, in part). The NTD data are also used in the formula allocations of Federal transit funds. Prior to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), only NTD data for urbanized areas with populations of 200,000 or more were used. With the passage of SAFETEA-LU, NTD data for urbanized areas with populations fewer than 200,000 are also used in the allocation of Federal transit funding.
SAFETEA-LU provides for one-percent of the funds in the Section 5307 to be allocated according to the Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) formula. Under the formula for STIC, funds are apportioned to UZAs with populations less than 200,000 that meet or exceed the average level of service for all UZAs with populations between 200,000 and 1,000,000. Three of the average level of service measurements in the formula allocation relies on passenger mile data. Because transit agencies in these smaller UZAs also depend on the data reported to the NTD for formula funding, following the 2008 mandatory sampling year for all transit agencies, those transit agencies not required to sample annually will be required to sample every three years. There will no longer be a five-year cycle.
For more information on SAFETEA-LU, contact your regional administrator or go to www.fta.dot.gov.
To facilitate reporting to the NTD, the National Transit Database (NTD) Reporting Manual is divided into four reporting modules, each comprised of a series of data modules, as described below:
In its ongoing efforts to improve upon the NTD Internet Reporting system and to be responsive to the needs of the transit agencies reporting to NTD and the transit community, FTA continues to refine and clarify reporting requirements and Internet Reporting.
Reporting changes for the 2010 NTD are highlighted below. Specific changes are discussed in detail in the applicable sections of this manual.
The following exhibit describes changes by reporting form.
Transit providers, States, or Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) that receive Urbanized Area Formula Program (§5307) grants, or that directly benefit from these grants, must report to the NTD or coordinate the submittal of data to the NTD on their behalf. The requirement to report begins in the year after you apply for a §5307 Grant, or in the year in which benefits are first received from a §5307 grant, whichever is sooner. The reporting requirement lasts for as long as the §5307 remains open, or through the minimum useful life of any capital assets purchased with §5307 grant funds, whichever is later.
Please note that this means that you may be required to report in year in which no §5307 grant funds were received. An NTD reporter that is no longer required to report to the NTD, should continue to file NTD reports if that reporter intends to apply for a §5307 or a §5311 grant in the future.
Recipients or direct beneficiaries from Other than Urbanized Area Program (§5311) grants are also required to report to the NTD, under the streamlined Rural NTD reporting requirements. Please consult the Rural NTD Reporting Manual for more information on these requirements.
A complete understanding of who must submit an NTD report requires an understanding of the following:
The NTD generally does not recognize agreements or memorandums of understanding between two public agencies as "purchased transportation services." In these cases, the two public agencies should agree which of them will report the service to the NTD, and report the service as directly operated (DO).
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 UZA.
FTA encourages all providers of transit service in urbanized areas to report to the NTD, regardless of whether they are public or private, and regardless of whether or not they receive or benefit from §5307 grants. To be accepted as a voluntary reporter in the NTD, you must be a provider of transit services in at least one urbanized area (UZA), and be able to comply with all of the NTD reporting requirements and the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA.) All urbanized area NTD reporters are required to comply with all NTD requirements for the Annual, Monthly, and Safety & Security Modules. Please refer to the Monthly Reporting Manual and the Safety & Security Reporting Manual for information on the reporting requirements of those modules.
All
agencies are required to submit data on a monthly basis. The following exhibit
presents a summary of NTD Monthly reporting requirements.
Unlike
the NTD Annual report, which covers the 12-month fiscal year period, the data
in the NTD Monthly report covers a 12-month period corresponding to the calendar
year.
This
section describes the following:
- NTD identification number (NTD ID)
- Internet reporting
- Reporting format
- Purchased transportation (PT).
The
NTD Identification Number
Each reporter is assigned a unique four-digit NTD, which is to be used in all NTD reports and correspondence. The first digit of the NTD ID corresponds to the FTA Region where the reporter is located (e.g., 9### indicates Region IX).
Internet Reporting
All required forms are completed using Internet Reporting which is accessible from the NTD website at www.ntdprogram.gov. Completing the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) automatically generates the required Ridership Activity forms (MR-20) for the transit agency.
This manual contains all information necessary to complete the NTD Monthly report using Internet Reporting. See the Internet Reporting section of this manual for specifics. FTA provides Internet Reporting user names and passwords to transit agencies.
Reporting Format
Transit agencies must submit their reports via the Internet Reporting system. A transit agency must file a complete report by the report due date. See the When to Report section below to determine your due date.
General Formatting Rules
Data reported must adhere to the following rules:
- Follow rounding directions for each form
- Unless otherwise indicated, report data as whole numbers
- Use four digits for year entries.
Internet Reporting incorporates these rules, formatting data automatically when you complete a cell entry.
Reporting Purchased Transportation
Purchased transportation (PT) service is service provided to a public transit agency or governmental unit from a public or private transportation provider based on a written contract. A contractual relationship exists only if all the following criteria are met:
-
The seller is obligated in advance of the time the service is furnished to provide the operations for which the operating statistics are being reported for a specific monetary consideration.
-
A written agreement exists that specifies the contractual relationship for the time period and the specific service generating the operating statistics included in the NTD Annual report.
-
The written agreement is signed by authorized representatives of both the buyer and the seller, and should detail the services to be provided, and the nature and amount of the monetary consideration.
Granting a transportation provider permission to operate certain services through a franchise or license does not, in itself, constitute PT. Also, management services contracts, in which all or some personnel or services are provided to manage or operate the transit agency, are not PT. Generally, the service is part of the public transit agency's DO service.
Cooperative agreements between public transit agencies or governmental units should not be reported as PT services.
When
to Report
Exhibit 3 - NTD Monthly Requirements
and Timelines |
Form
Name |
Form
Purpose |
Reporting Frequency |
Forms Submitted |
Mode
Service Operated form (MR-10) |
Gives NTD the information needed to generate the ridership activity forms the transit agency will need to complete for the reporting year. |
Annually (January) and when a mode or type of service is added or deleted |
One per transit agency |
Ridership
Activity form (MR-20) |
Provides NTD with monthly information on service provided by the transit agency. |
Monthly |
One per mode / type of service (TOS) combination |
Monthly
Reporting Due Dates |
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December |
Due
Date
February
28
March
31
April
30
May 31
June
30
July 31
August
31
September
30
October
31
November
30
December
31
January 31 of following year |
Failure
to Report or Late Report
NTD requires transit agencies to submit complete reports according to the due date schedule. Delinquent reports results from not submitting a report, submitting a late report, or not responding to validation inquires. Incomplete reports can no longer be submitted. As a result, your transit agency's data may not be included in the NTD. Furthermore, FTA may declare your transit agency ineligible to receive any Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) grants during an entire Federal fiscal year. This ineligibility applies to all transit agencies, regardless of the size of the urbanized area (UZA) served.
A report is considered late if it is not submitted by the due date. Refer to Exhibit 3 - NTD Monthly Requirements and Timelines for due dates.
The
system will auto-generate a series of three e-mails sent per reporting due date:
1. A
reminder will be sent to the NTD Contact 10 days prior to the due date.
2. A
second reminder will be sent to the NTD Contact and CEO one day following the
due date if no report has been received.
3. A
late notice will be sent to the NTD Contact and CEO three days following the due
date if no report has been received.
4. A Delinquency Notice will be sent to the NTD Contact and CEO fifteen days following the due date if no report has been received.
Please do not respond to these e-mails. These notices are auto-generated by the system the morning it is sent out, and should be disregarded if you submitted your report within the last few hours.
Transit agencies are required to respond to validation inquiries. Failure to respond within the prescribed timeframe may result in a delinquent status, which may affect your Urbanized Area Formula Program (UAF) funding eligibility and the amount of funding the UZA receives. If your transit agency serves a UZA with a population of 200,000 or more, data will not be entered into the formula for selected formula statistics.
Where
to Report
Transit agencies submit all NTD reports via Internet Reporting at the project's website, www.ntdprogram.gov.
FTA assigns an NTD analyst to each reporting transit agency to assist reporters throughout the year. Please feel free to contact your NTD analyst if there are any questions, or if FTA can do anything to assist you in reporting.
Exhibit
4 — NTD Contact Information |
| Mailing
Address You
can write to the FTA NTD Project Office at the following address:
Federal
Transit Administration
National Transit Database
P.O.Box 10967
Rockville, MD 20849
Please use the U.S. Postal Service for deliveries to this
P.O. Box. | Telephone Your
NTD analyst and other NTD staff can be contacted by telephone on weekdays. For
telephone information and assistance, call the FTA NTD Project Office at:
1- 866-349-1427
The
FTA NTD Project Office Help Desk is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (Eastern Time). If your
NTD analyst is unavailable, you may use the voice-mail system and your call will
be returned, or you may forward your call to another NTD analyst. |
| Express
Delivery Address Express
deliveries can be made to the following address:
Federal
Transit Administration
National Transit Database
1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 425
Rockville, MD 20850
|
E-mail You
can contact your NTD analyst by using the e-mail address located on the Transit
Agency Home tab at:
www.ntdprogram.gov >Internet Reporting Login > Announcements
Or
contact your NTD analyst for individual e-mail addresses. |
| Fax
All official correspondence should be scanned and submitted to the NTD via the e-File tab in Internet reporting. If you must fax, the NTD Project Office also maintains a 24-hour FAX service:
301-258-5630
Upon sending faxes to the NTD, please call your NTD validation analyst to verify that the fax has been received. In addition, keep all fax confirmation slips on file at your agency. | Internet
The FTA NTD Project Office manages a website at the following address:
www.ntdprogram.gov
You may e-mail comments, questions or suggestions to the NTD by clicking on the NTD Feedback link.
NTD publications, data and reference documents are available on the FTA NTD website by using the NTD Reference Materials and Access NTD Data links.
|
Data Validation Tools and Validation Checks
A form script is triggered if there is missing data when the Submit button is clicked. The agency is required to provide all missing data in order to submit the NTD Monthly report.
Beginning with the 2009 calendar year, validation checks have been incorporated into the Monthly module. These validation checks are designed to flag:
- Monthly variations in the data outside the ranges derived from the historic data reported by the agency (data outliers).
- Identical data for successive months.
You can access these validation checks from the Issues tab. You will be required to either correct the data or explain why the data should be acceptable in order to submit your monthly report.
In addition, a report comparing Monthly data with the most recent submitted Annual data is available from the Reports tab.
Agencies are encouraged to make changes to the data for any month(s) in the current calendar year, as necessary, to ensure that the best available data is reported. Changes can be made without requesting permission from FTA. A change to a prior year's data requires authorization from FTA.
This
section contains two items necessary to understanding NTD reporting:
- Transit terminology and parameters
- Reference documents.
Transit
Terminology and Parameters
Reporting
data for the NTD requires an understanding of the following transit concepts and
terms:
- Public transportation
- Mode
- Type of service (TOS)
- Transit Agency
- Area definitions
- Maximum service vehicles.
Each
of these terms is described in further detail in the sections that follow.
Public
Transportation
The NTD is established by law as a repository of information on public transportation. The term public transportation is synonymous with the terms transit and mass transportation and is defined by law at 49 U.S.C. 5302(a) (10).
(10) PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. - The term "public transportation" means transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public, but does not include schoolbus, charter, or intercity bus transportation or intercity passenger rail transportation provided by the entity described in chapter 243 (or a successor to such entity).
Transit must be open to the public. Transit must also comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Services that are only open to specific groups of people are excluded. Examples of excluded services include:
- A bus system sponsored by a university that is only open to students, faculty, and staff of the university;
- A vanpool sponsored by an employer that only provides service to employees of the employer;
- An automated guideway in an airport, which only provides services to customers of the airport.
Transit includes special transportation, such as complimentary paratransit required by the ADA. Transit also includes other shared-ride demand response services, including both sponsored and unsponsored trips.
Transit excludes schoolbus service. At the time of this writing, FTA has invited public comment on a revised definition of schoolbus service in the Federal Register. The NTD will adopt the new definition of schoolbus service, if and when it is finalized.
Transit excludes charter service. In accordance with FTA's Charter Rule, any service reported to FTA's charter registration website must not be treated as public transportation in NTD reports.
Transit excludes sightseeing service. Sightseeing service is provided primarily for the enjoyment of sights and sounds during the ride, or for enjoyment of the ride itself. Sightseeing service includes services that have narration and services where passengers primarily make round-trips without disembarking the vehicle.
Transit excludes Intercity service. The NTD defines an intercity service as service where a majority of passengers are not making a same-day return trip. Thus, for public transportation, a majority of passengers across the totality of the service (i.e. all runs on all days of the week) must make a same-day return trip. On public transportation, a majority of passengers use the service three or more times a week.
Transit excludes Amtrak (the entity described in chapter 243.) NTD reporters must demonstrate that they are organizationally separate from Amtrak. This exclusion does not apply to cases where Amtrak is the supplier of purchased transportation for commuter rail service.
Mode
A
variety of transit modes are operated in the United States. The NTD reporting
system groups transit modes into two broad categories — rail
modes and non-rail modes — as follows:
| Rail | Non-Rail |
|
Alaska
railroad (AR)
Automated guideway (AG)
Cable car (CC)
Commuter rail
(CR)
Heavy rail (HR)
Inclined plane (IP)
Light rail (LR)
Monorail
(MO) |
Aerial
tramway (TR)
Bus (MB)
Demand response (DR)
Ferryboat (FB)
Jitney
(JT)
Publico (PB)
Trolleybus (TB)
Vanpool (VP)
Other (OR) |
Type
of Service (TOS)
Public
transportation can be provided in two ways:
- Directly operated (DO) service - the NTD reporting agency, usually the public transit agency, uses its own employees to operate the transit vehicles and provide the transit service.
- Purchased transportation (PT) service - the NTD reporting agency, usually the public transit agency, contracts with a public or private provider to operate the transit vehicles, employ the operators, and provide the transit service.
TOS is an important element of NTD reporting. On most reporting forms,
transit agencies are required to report data by TOS.
Transit Agency
A transit agency is responsible for the provision of public transportation service. The transit agency can provide the service using its own employees to operate the vehicles (DO service) or contract with a public or private provider to operate the transit vehicles and employ the vehicle operators (PT service). With some exceptions, transit agencies typically are public bodies and generally are the NTD reporting agencies for their DO and PT services.
Area Definitions
The NTD reporting system uses two definitions of area:
- UZA, and
- Service area.
UZA is defined by the US Census Bureau based on incorporated places (e.g., cities, towns, villages) and their adjacent areas that together form a densely populated area of at least 50,000 persons. UZAs do not conform to congressional districts or any other political boundaries.
The most current UZA designations are based on the 2000 census. The NTD reporting system assigns a unique number to each of the UZAs in the country. All transit providers reporting to the NTD must serve at least one UZA; many reporters service multiple UZAs, as well as rural areas (non-UZAs) of less than 50,000 persons.
The Census-defined UZAs are an important part of NTD reporting requirements. Reporters must report selected data by UZA number on two forms - the S-20 and the FFA-10. Transit agencies serving UZAs of 200,000 or more population must report security data on the Reportable Incident Report form (S&S-50). Finally, UZA size determines the sampling requirements for passenger miles traveled (PMT) data reported on the S-10.
Service area is a measure of access to transit service in terms of population served and area coverage (square miles). The reporting transit agency determines the service area boundaries and population for most transit services using the definitions contained in the ADA.
For most transit agencies, the size of the UZA is different from the size of the service area. In many instances, the size of the service area will be smaller than the UZA served. In other cases, where there is broad public support for transit, the size of the service area is greater than the size of the UZA. These differences can cause confusion, since a transit agency's NTD reporting requirements are based on the size of the UZA served and the data reported are for the transit agency's service area.
Maximum Service Vehicles
The maximum service operated during the year is an important determinant of a transit system's size and resulting performance. Transit agencies are required to report data on two measures of maximum service:
- Vehicles operated in maximum service (VOMS)
- Vehicles available for annual maximum service.
VOMS is a count of the revenue vehicles scheduled for the peak day and operating period of the peak service season or schedule of the year. The revenue count is the typical number of vehicles operated and does not consider the number of vehicles operated on atypical days such as holiday celebrations (e.g., Fourth of July), or one-time special events (e.g., World Series celebrations, political conventions).
Vehicles available in annual maximum service are a count of the revenue vehicles available to meet the maximum service requirement (revenue vehicles necessary to meet peak demand) for the fiscal year. This count of revenue vehicles includes:
- VOMS
- Spare vehicles - revenue vehicles used to accommodate routine maintenance and repair operations, and to replace vehicles in scheduled service that breakdown or are involved in accidents.
The count of vehicles does not include:
Reference
Documents
The FTA Uniform System of Accounts (USOA) and Final Rule (49 CFR Part 630) are essential to understanding the forms and instructions presented in this manual. You can obtain these documents, as well as the other reference documents listed in Exhibit 5 NTD Reference Documents below, by visiting the NTD Project website at www.ntdprogram.gov or calling the NTD Project Office at 866-349-1427
Exhibit
5 - NTD Reference Documents |
The Reference document listed below are available from for downloading or viewing from the NTD website:
- Current Reporting Manuals
- Annual
- Safety and Security
- Monthly
- Rural
- NTD Final Rule (49 CFR Part 630
-
Uniform System of Accounts (USOA)
-
Government Auditing Standards
-
Fully Allocated Cost Analysis
-
OMB Circular A-87 (Revised 5/10/2004)
-
National Incident-Based Reporting System, Vol 1: Data Collection Guidelines, US. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Aug 2000
-
UMTA C 2710.1A - Sampling Procedures for Obtaining Fixed Route Bus Operating Data Required Under the Section 15 Reporting System, July 18, 1988.
-
UMTA C 2710.2A - Sampling Procedures for Obtaining Demand Response Bus System Operating Data Required Under the Section 15 Reporting System, July 22, 1988.
-
UMTA C 2710.4A - Revenue Bases Sampling Procedures for Obtaining Fixed Route Bus Operating Data Required Under the Section 15 Reporting System, July 22, 1988.
-
UMTA C 2710.6 - Section 15 Accounting and Reporting Release Number 1, July 1, 1988.
- MTA C 2710.7 - Section 15 Accounting and Reporting Release Number 2, July 1, 1988
|
Internet
Reporting
Transit agencies must use the National Transit Database (NTD) Internet Reporting system to provide their data via reports to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). NTD Internet Reporting is the online means for transit agencies to enter, save, review and revise data, and submit reports. It provides for timely and accurate reporting as all tasks and requirements for the NTD can be fulfilled via this system.
This section provides Internet Reporting information for the NTD Monthly report.
Internet
Reporting System Security
Many measures have been taken to ensure that all data entered into the Internet reporting system are safe and available only to those with proper access. The NTD servers and network are secured behind a firewall. The website is password protected. Additionally, multiple server and database protection layers protect the database files.
Accessing
Internet Reporting
Internet reporting is accessed from the NTD Homepage.
To access Internet reporting:
- Connect to the Internet via your Internet service provider (ISP)
- Verify your Internet browser settings
- Access the Internet reporting website at www.ntdprogram.gov
- Access your transit agency's NTD report via the Internet Reporting Login link.
Connecting
to the Internet
You should use your ISP to connect to the Internet. Internet reporting requires a web browser that is at least a 6.x version (e.g., Internet Explorer 6.0).
If you don't have the latest version of the browser, go to Microsoft.com to download the latest version free of charge.
Verifying
Your Internet Browser Settings
You should verify that your browser is set to check for newer versions of stored pages with each visit to the website.
In Internet Explorer, this is done by accessing Tools / Internet Options / General / Temporary Internet Files Settings / Every Visit to Page.
The
National Transit Database Website
The
NTD Home Page offers the following information and data for reporters and
others interested in the NTD:
- Internet Reporting Login link.
- What is the NTD? An overview of the NTD program, milestones
in transit history, how to obtain an NTD ID number and an overview of the NTD
reporting forms.
Reporting
Manuals
- Annual Reporting: Access to HTML and PDF versions of the
current Annual Reporting Manual, an overview of reporting changes and highlights,
reporting manual archives, etc.
- Monthly Reporting:
Access to HTML and PDF versions of the
current Monthly Reporting Manual, an overview of the reporting changes and highlights,
reporting manual archives, etc.
- Safety and Security Reporting: Access to HTML and PDF versions of the current Safety and Security Reporting Manual, Newsletters, Safety and Security frequently asked questions (FAQ), an overview of reporting changes and highlights, reporting manual archives, etc.
- Rural Reporting:Access to HTML and PDF versions of the current Rural Reporting Manual and Excel spreadsheets, an overview of reporting changes and highlights, reporting manual archives, etc.
Data,
Publications and Reference Materials
- NTD Glossary: HTML version of the NTD Glossary of transit
terms.
- NTD Reference Materials: NTD reference materials such as
the Uniform System of Accounts, FTA Circulars and Federal Register Notices.
- Access to NTD Data:
HTML and downloadable PDF publications, including the Data Tables (also available as MS Excel self executable files), Profiles, National Transit Summaries and Trends, as well as Annual, Monthly and Historical databases (MS Excel self executable files) and other data products.
NTD Resources
- FTA / NTD Presentations, Announcements and Updates: FTA / NTD presentations, new and useful information, interim updates to reporting requirements, etc.
- NTD Feedback: The mailing address, telephone number and fax number for the NTD Project site as well as an opportunity to provide comments or suggestions regarding the NTD Program.
- Seminars and Training: NTD Reporting Seminars and In-house Training information and registration.
- Transit Agency Listing by Region and External Links: Contact information for transit agencies reporting to the NTD listed by UZA and State. Links to:
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- FTA Safety and Security Office
- U. S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)
- National Transit Library
- American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
- Accessibility.
Accessing the NTD Report
Clicking the Internet Reporting Login link will open the Internet Reporting Login page. You must enter your user name and password to gain access to NTD Report Home.
Levels
of Access
Internet Reporting provides four levels of access to the NTD Monthly Report:
- CEO access: Edit forms (data entry), approve Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Certification and submit report
- Contact Person access: Edit forms (data entry) and submit report (administrator)
- Editor access: Edit forms (data entry), cannot submit report
- Viewer access: View only including forms, issues, notes and correspondence.
User
Names and Password
The system access level is determined by the user name. The first three characters of the user name define the access level and the last four digits represent the transit agency's NTD ID. There are four types of user names corresponding to the four access levels available within the NTD Report:
- CEO - CEO####
- Contact person - NTD####
- Editor - EDT####
- Viewer - VWR####
Each transit agency is e-mailed this set of user names with a password for each. Transit agencies determine access within their organizations and distribute user names and passwords accordingly.
A user can change his / her password at any time. Refer to Sys Admin: Changing Your Password for additional information on this topic. Users should be aware that passwords expire every ninety days.
The CEO and NTD Contact Person use their individual passwords for all report areas. The CEO and NTD Contact person access all reporting areas (Annual, Monthly and Safety and Security) from the Home tab.
Monthly
Reporting includes the following tabs:
- Home: The starting point when entering the NTD report. It displays the transit agency's NTD analyst information and any project related announcements.
- e-File: The e-File screen provides for processing and tracking and Monthly report.
- Safety and Security: Access to the Safety and Security forms.
- Annual: Access to the Annual reporting modules and forms.
- Help: Online version of the Monthly Reporting Manual.
- Sys Admin: Change NTD passwords-CEO, NTD Contact Person, Editor and Viewer. You may only change your password. Should you need assistance, contact your NTD analyst.
- Communications: Lists a record of the report submissions the agency has made to NTD, including any comments from the agency and the review status of the report.
- Monthly: This screen provides access to the NTD Monthly reporting forms for editing and submitting your report to FTA. Form-by-form instructions and reporting details for the Monthly Module are included in the NTD Monthly Reporting Manual. The NTD contact person is responsible for submitting Monthly data to the NTD.
- Issues: Displays all the Issues generated for the transit agency's Monthly report. Issues highlight potential problems with specific data items (specific data which fall out of a typical range of values) and are generated each time the transit agency saves a form or submits the NTD Monthly report. To correct an Issue, the transit agency may either change the data item on the appropriate form or attach a Comment to the individual Issue and explain. You should use this screen to review the Issues for report prior to submitting your current NTD Monthly report. All issues must be addressed prior to submitting the following month's data.
- Reports: Print and export reports. All reports have been developed to allow the transit agency to print each form or report without altering print settings to fit a form on the page. The reports listed will vary depending on access level.
- Notes: Internet Reporting allows the transit agency to create Form Notes to provide additional information applicable to the overall form. Displays all the Form Notes added to the transit agency's report.
Home:
The Monthly Report Homepage
After
completing the logon process you will be taken to the Report
Homepage. Click the Home tab near the top of any screen to return to
the Home tab from another area.
e-File
The e-File tab is located between the Home tab and the Annual tab. The e-File tab is a centralized area in which to compose, organize and track agency correspondence with the NTD program.
Annual
These forms have been completed by the NTD contact person. These forms are not editable.
Safety & Security
This screen provides access to the Safety and Security Module forms for editing and submitting your reports to FTA.
Form-by-form instructions and reporting details for the Safety and Security Module are included in the Safety and Security Reporting Manual.
Help: Obtaining More Information
Click on the Help tab to display the Help screen. The Help screen provides access to the 2008 Monthly Reporting Manual for additional help in completing the NTD report forms. The Help screen displays the table of contents for the Monthly Reporting Manual with links to each section of the manual.
Communications Summary: Viewing a History of Correspondence with NTD
The Communications tab gives transit agencies a centralized area in which to view past correspondence with the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) National Transit Database (NTD) program. In addition, the correspondence view can be filtered to show only certain processes or communication types.
Sys Admin: Changing Your Password
The Sys Admin screen provides the ability to change your NTD password.
All passwords expire every ninety days. You can change your password at anytime on the Sys Admin screen by specifying your current and new password. To be valid, a password must be at least eight characters long and contain at least one letter and one number. It cannot contain spaces. Passwords are case-sensitive. If you do not update your password within the ninety-day term, you will be forced to update your password when you first access the system once the ninety-day period has expired. The screen is similar to the one available on the Sys Admin screen and the same password rules apply.
Monthly: Providing Ridership Data to NTD
Click on the Monthly tab to locate the Monthly forms that your agency is required to complete.
At the beginning of each calendar year the Monthly tab only provides access to the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10).
When you have completed, reviewed and saved the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) Internet reporting will automatically generate the Ridership Activity form(s) (MR-20) for each mode / type of service your agency operates.
Issues
You access the Issues screen by clicking the Issues tab. This screen highlights potential problems with specific data items identified through the NTD validation process.
The NTD validation process ensures that NTD reporting requirements are met and that the reported data fall into reasonable ranges and make sense.
NTD validation is an interactive, iterative process with two alternating phases:
- Pre-submission (working data report stage) validation — automatic review prior to submission of the NTD Monthly report
- Post-submission (the original submission or a revision report stage) validation — review by your assigned NTD analyst after submission of the NTD Monthly report.
In support of the NTD validation process an NTD analyst is assigned to each transit agency. NTD analysts are available to assist transit agency personnel and may be contacted at the NTD Help Desk. Direct contact information for each analyst is available from the Home tab in the Announcements section (NTD Contact Information) Refer to the exhibit in the Introduction section of this manual for general NTD contact information (mailing addresses, hours of operation, etc.).
Pre-Submission Validation
Internet reporting automatically performs issue checks after a form is saved. The issue checks help you assess the completeness and reasonableness of your data prior to submission to FTA.
Issues are classified by issue type according to severity and action required in order to submit the NTD Monthly report:
- C (Critical): The transit agency is not able to submit the NTD Monthly report until all Critical issues are corrected.
- I (Important): The transit agency is not able to submit the NTD Monthly report until all Important issues are corrected or explained through a Comment associated to the issue. Comments are added to a particular issue via the Add Comments link located adjacent to each issue on the Issues Summary page.
You can access the complete listing of issues for the specific form by clicking on the Issues tab while viewing the form.
Prior to the original submission, issues are deleted as you correct the data and resave the forms. Important issues that remain when the NTD Monthly report is submitted will continue to be available for review on the Issues tab. Any corrections or explanations subsequent to the original submission will be recorded and are available for review by you and the NTD staff.
As with Form Notes, the issues are frozen with each submission, and can not be altered until the report is returned.
Post-Submission Validation by NTD Analysts
After the transit agency submits the NTD Monthly report the report is frozen as the Original Submission report stage. At this point in the process the data cannot be edited by the transit agency. This is also true of each re-submission (revision).
The issues undergo a series of reviews by NTD staff during which the issue status may be changed. At each stage, you should revise forms as necessary, review issues, respond to the issues, save and re-submit the report. The status of an issue is not considered to be final until the Closeout letter has been approved.
Reports
Click on the Reports tab to display the Reports screen. This screen provides access to several reports available to assist you in preparing your NTD Monthly report. Most notably, the Ridership Activity Summary Report. We suggest that you run this report after saving but prior to submitting your data each month.
Please refer to the section on Printing for instructions on viewing, printing and exporting a report.
To open a report you should click the corresponding link on the Reports screen and the report will open Adobe Acrobat Viewer. You can print the report by clicking the Print button 
in the upper left corner of the viewer and click the Okay button on the resulting Print window.
You can also review selected reports associated with prior submissions for the current Report Year (i.e., 2008) and prior Report Years i.e., 2009 and earlier). To view current or prior year's reports, click on the Report drop-down menu located above the tab line, and select the year and report stage that you wish to view.
Notes: Providing Additional Information
Click on the Notes tab to open the Notes Summary screen. Internet reporting allows the transit agency to create a Form Note for information applicable to the overall form.
Creating a Form Note
To create a form note, you should click on the Add Form Note link at the top right of the form you are editing or viewing. Internet reporting will take you to the Form Notes screen for the specific form. Internet reporting pre-fills the mode and TOS (if applicable) for which the note is created. You must complete the note comment.
To save a form note click on the Save button at the bottom of the screen. To return to the form being edited without saving the note, click on the Cancel button.
Reviewing Form Notes
Click on the Form Notes tab to view the Form Notes screen. You can review the form notes associated with a specific form or all form notes for the report. While working in a form click on the Form Notes tab to display the Form Notes screen for the form. The form name, mode and TOS will be displayed just beneath the tabs.
You also can review form notes associated with prior submissions for the current Report Year (i.e., 2009) and prior Report Years (i.e., 20087 and earlier). To view current or prior year's form notes, click on the Report drop-down menu located above the tab line, and select the year and report stage that you wish to view.
Editing Notes
While you are in the Working Data report stage, you can edit a form note after it has been created by clicking on the Edit Note link in the far right column on the Form Notes screen. Once the NTD report is submitted the notes are frozen and cannot be edited. Notes can only be edited while in the report status is Working Data which is displayed at the top of screen in the Report menu.
Notes are frozen with each submission. If the report is sent back to the transit agency and notes are reviewed or added, the previously submitted notes will not be affected.
Printing Form Notes
You can print all form notes from the Reports tab by clicking the Notes and Issues Report link.
Issues: Validating Data
You access the Issues screen by clicking the Issues tab. This screen highlights potential problems with specific data items identified through the NTD validation process.
The NTD validation process ensures that NTD reporting requirements are met and that the reported data fall into reasonable ranges and make sense. These validation checks are designed to flag:
- Monthly variations in the data outside the ranges derived from the historic data reported by the agency (data outliers).
- Identical data for successive months.
Upon saving your most recent report, Internet reporting will notify you if you have issues that you need to address. You will be required to either correct the data or explain why the data should be acceptable in order to submit your monthly report.
In support of the NTD validation process, an NTD analyst is assigned to each transit agency. NTD analysts are available to assist transit agency personnel and may be contacted at the NTD Help Desk. Direct contact information for each analyst is available from the Home tab in the Announcements section (refer to the NTD Contact Information) Refer to the exhibit under Where to Report in the Introduction section of this manual for general NTD contact information (mailing addresses, hours of operation, etc.).
Reports: Accessing Reports to Help Report Monthly Data
Click on the Reports tab to display the Reports screen. This screen provides access to several reports available to assist you in preparing your NTD Monthly report.
Please refer to the section on Printing for instructions on viewing, printing and exporting a report.
To open a report click the corresponding link on the Reports screen and the report will open Adobe Acrobat Viewer. You can print the report by clicking the Print button 
in the upper left corner of the viewer and click the Okay button on the resulting Print window.
Tips for Using Internet Reporting
Navigating Between Screens
Do not use the browser Back and Forward buttons to navigate between screens. Instead, use the Internet Reporting system buttons, tabs and links.
Saving a Form
A Save button is provided at the bottom of each Internet reporting form. When entering information into a form, it is strongly recommended that you save the form frequently. This will prevent the loss of data if your Internet connection is unexpectedly lost.
Also, Internet reporting has an automatic time-out feature which will log you off of the system after a period of inactivity. It is strongly recommended that you save your work every 15 minutes. Otherwise, there is a risk that the next action you take on the system will result in the closure of the screen displayed in your browser and the loss of any data that you had not saved.
Printing
Click on the Print button at the bottom of the Form screen to display the report in Adobe Acrobat Viewer; then click the Print button in the upper left corner of the viewer and click the Okay button on the resulting Print window.
Click on the Print button at the bottom of the Form screen to display the report in the window. Click the Print button in the upper left corner of the viewer. Then click the Okay button on the resulting Print window.
Monthly
Reporting
This
module contains two forms:
- Mode Service Operated form (MR-10)
- Ridership Activity form (MR-20).
The
system will not allow the creation of Monthly forms if the agency has an approved
Nine or Fewer Vehicles Waiver.
Mode Service
Operated form (MR-10)
The Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) is completed once at the beginning of the calendar year and revised only if there is a new mode and type of service (TOS) added or discontinued during the reporting period. This form is used to identify the modes and types of service (TOS) operated by the transit agency. Internet Reporting uses this information to generate the appropriate ridership activity forms for the transit agency.
This form is required for all transit agencies, except those agencies with a Nine or Fewer Vehicles Waiver.
Overview
The Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) is used to identify the modes and types of service (TOS) operated by the transit agency. Internet Reporting uses this information to generate the appropriate ridership activity forms for the transit agency. This form is completed once at the beginning of the calendar year and revised only if there is a mode added or discontinued during the reporting period.
Reporting Requirements and Thresholds
All agencies must complete the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) annually. The exception is transit agencies with a Nine or Fewer Vehicles Waiver, who need not complete this form. Forms will not be generated for agencies that have an approved Nine or Fewer Vehicles Waiver.
What Has Changed from Prior Year
There are no changes to the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) for CY 2010.
The Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) is used to identify the modes and types of service (TOS) operated by the transit agency. The data reported on this form is used by Internet Reporting to generate the appropriate Ridership Activity forms (MR-20) for the transit agency for the calendar year.
Internet Reporting prepares one set of monthly forms for each mode / type of service (TOS) operated by the transit agency.
When the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) is accessed, use the check-boxes to indicate which modes/types of service (TOS) are operated by your agency. Once the form has been saved and submitted, the check boxes are no longer active.
If you need to add or delete a mode or type of service (TOS) during the report year, use the Add / Delete Mode / Type of Service button at the bottom of the screen. Common reasons for a mode / type of service being added or deleted:
- A mode / type of service (TOS) was discontinued,
- A mode / type of service (TOS) was inadvertently reported / omitted on the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10), or
- A new mode / type of service (TOS) began operation during the year.
Mode
Transit agencies operate one or more modes of transit service. A mode is a system for carrying transit passengers described by specific right-of-way (ROW), technology and operational features. The NTD recognizes the following modes of public transit service:
Aerial Tramway (TR) Non-Rail - Fixed
Guideway |
Automated Guideway (AG) Rail - Fixed
Guideway |
Bus (MB) Non-Rail - Fixed Guideway or Non-Fixed Guideway |
|
|
|
A system of aerial cables with suspended vehicles. |
An
electric railway of guided vehicles that is operated with a computer and
without vehicle operators. |
The
most prevalent mode in the country, and is powered by a motor and fuel
contained within the vehicle. |
Cable
Car (CC) Rail - Fixed Guideway |
Commuter Rail (CR) Rail - Fixed Guideway |
Demand Response (DR) Non-Rail - Non-Fixed
Guideway |
|
|
|
A railway
propelled by moving cables located beneath the street. While popular at the
turn of the last century, the only surviving system is operated in San Francisco. |
Typically operated over old freight railroad lines and is diesel or electric propelled. Usually, the service operates between a central
city and adjacent suburbs. |
Scheduled in response to calls from passengers. Passengers
with similar origins and destinations are often scheduled to ride the same
vehicle. Many transit systems operate demand response (DR) service to meet
the Federal ADA requirements, and expenses and passenger trips are reportable
for DR. |
Ferryboat (FB) Non-Rail - Fixed Guideway |
Heavy Rail (HR) Rail - Fixed Guideway |
Inclined Plane (IP) Rail - Fixed Guideway |
|
|
|
A mode that
carries passengers over a body of water using diesel or steam powered
vessels. |
An electric railway with exclusive or separate right-of-way
(ROW) from other vehicles or foot traffic. It has high passenger carrying capacity
and high platform loading. Most of the nation's subway services are
classified as heavy rail. |
A railway
operating on steep slopes and grades with vehicles powered by moving cables. |
Jitney (JT) Non-Rail - Non-Fixed Guideway |
Light Rail (LR) Rail - Fixed Guideway |
Monorail (MO) Rail - Fixed Guideway |
|
|
|
Operated on fixed routes using passenger cars or vans as
demand warrants without fixed schedules or fixed stops. |
An electric railway that operates in mixed traffic with automobiles
or has grade crossings with automobiles. Typically, light rail (LR) trains
are short and consist of one to two cars. |
An electric
railway that is suspended from or straddles a guideway formed by single beam,
rail or tube. |
Publico (PB) Non-Rail - Non-Fixed Guideway |
Trolleybus (TB) Non-Rail - Fixed Guideway |
Vanpool (VP) Non-Rail - Non-Fixed Guideway |
|
|
|
Operated over fixed routes, but not on fixed schedules. The
service is privately owned and operated, but is regulated by local or state
governments. |
A bus service operated using an electric bus that is powered
by a motor drawing current from overhead wires using trolley poles. |
A commuting service operating under pre-arranged schedules
for previously formed groups of riders in vans. |
Alaska Railroad (AR) Rail - Fixed Guideway |
|
|
|
|
Other - If none of the choices fits your agency, select the
category: Other. Internet Reporting will display a box for you to describe
the other mode. |
A special
railroad that Congress recognized for certain FTA funding that operates in Alaska. |
|
|
Multi-Modal Vehicles
If a vehicle is used for more than one mode, report it under each mode for which it is used and describe the use of the vehicle using the Add Form Notes link.
When all data have been entered into the form and verified for accuracy, click on the Submit Report button to generate the required forms.
Add / Delete Mode / Type of Service
If the agency adds or discontinues a new mode / type of service (TOS) (directly operated (DO) or purchased transportation (PT)), click on the Add / Delete Mode / Type of Service button at the bottom of the form. A new screen will appear. Click on either the Add or Delete Mode / Type of Service button depending on whether a mode / type of service (TOS) is being added or discontinued. Select the mode and type of service from the Drop-Down boxes for the correct line and enter either the new service start date or the out of service date. Save the form by clicking on the Save button. A form note must be created to explain why the mode/type of service needs to be added or deleted. The Validation analyst will either approve or deny the change.
Line by
Line Instructions
Completing
the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10)
From the Monthly tab, click on the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) link.
Form Level Help: Click on the Help tab at the top of the screen for form level help. A form note can be attached to any form. Use the Add Form Note link for relevant information to a specific field, to the entire form or to multiple forms. Click on the Add Form Note link at the top of the screen and enter your note on the Notes screen. You can review and / or edit a form note from the Notes tab. Form notes can be edited or revised until the form is Saved after which new form notes can be added.
Saving
or Closing the Form
Click
on the Submit button to save and submit the form. Click on the Close
button to close the form without saving.
Completing
the Form
Lines 1 - 17, column a: Directly Operated (DO) - Vehicles Operated in Maximum Service (VOMS): Select the Check-Box (es) to indicate which modes are directly operated by the transit system. Select Other if none of the above apply and describe the Other mode in the Describe Other field that appears on the form.
Lines 1 - 17, column b: Purchased Transportation (PT) - Vehicles Operated in Maximum Service (VOMS): Select the Check-Box (es) to indicate which modes are directly operated by the transit system. Select Other if none of the above apply and describe the Other mode in the Describe Other field that appears on the form.
Adding
a Mode / Type of Service
-
From the Monthly tab, click on the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) link.
-
Click on the Add / Delete Mode / Type of Service button to enter new service.
-
In the new window, click on the Add Mode / Type of Service button.
-
Column a: Mode. Select the mode that your agency has begun operating from the Drop-Down menu.
-
Column b: Type of Service. Select the type of service (TOS) that your agency has begun operating from the Drop-Down menu.
-
Column c: New Service Start Date. Enter the date that the new mode / type of service (TOS) began operating.
Deleting
a Mode / Type of Service
-
From the Monthly tab, click on the Mode Service Operated form (MR-10) link
-
Click on the Add / Delete Mode / Type of Service button to delete an existing service.
-
In the new window, click on the Delete Mode / Type of Service button.
-
Column a: Mode. Select the mode that your agency has stopped operating from the Drop-Down menu.
-
Column b: Type of Service. Select the type of service (TOS) that your agency has stopped operating from the Drop-Down menu.
-
Column c: Out of Service Date. Enter the date that the mode / type of service (TOS) was taken out of service.
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