Mode
NTD gathers information based on transit 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, technology and operational features.
The glossary at the end of this manual contains the detailed NTD modal definitions. There is also a discussion of deviated bus service, which has characteristics of both bus and demand response modes.
The
NTD Rural reporting system uses the following modes of public transit service:
|
Bus (MB)
The most prevalent mode in the country, and is powered by a motor and fuel contained within the vehicle. |
Demand Response (DR)
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. |
Vanpool (VP)
A commuting service operating under pre-arranged schedules for previously formed groups of riders in vans. |
|
Intercity Bus (IB)
Regularly scheduled public service using an over-the-road bus that operates with limited stops between two urbanized areas or connecting rural areas to an urbanized area. Intercity bus; (IB) mode is only used by private, intercity bus providers.
|
Other |
Route-Deviated Service
Route-deviated
service has operating characteristics of both bus (MB) and demand response (DR)
modes. Route-deviated service operates as a conventional bus route, but permits
the bus to deviate from the route and serve destinations within a prescribed distance
(e.g., ¾ mile). Report this service as bus mode.
Submit NTD Rural Reports via the Internet at the project’s website, http://www.NTDProgram.gov by clicking on the Internet Reporting Login link.
FTA assigns each state or Indian Tribe an NTD analyst to assist reporters throughout the year. At the beginning of the reporting cycle, your analyst will call you to introduce her / himself. Please feel free to contact your analyst if there are any questions, or if FTA can do anything to assist you in reporting.
NTD Rural Internet Reporting
Overview
Transit agencies must use the National Transit Database (NTD) Internet Reporting system to provide their data 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 Rural report. Separate instructions for NTD Annual and Safety and Security Internet Reporting are in the Annual Reporting Manual and the Safety and Security Reporting Manual.
What Has Changed from Prior Year
Additional access levels (Director of Transit Unit and Editor) are now available.
Reporters can add, activate and deactivate subrecipients via the Sys Admin tab.
Detailed financial, vehicle fleet, and service data information has been added to the RU-20.
Internet Reporting System Security
FTA
implemented numerous measures to ensure that all data entered into the Internet
Reporting system are safe and available only to those with proper access. A firewall
secures the NTD servers and network. The website operates the secured web protocol,
https, and the entire site is password-protected. Additionally, multiple server
and database protection layers protect the database files.
Accessing the NTD Rural Internet Reporting System
Access the NTD Rural Internet Reporting System is accessed through the NTD Homepage.
To access Internet Reporting:
-
Connect with the Internet via your Internet service provider (ISP)
-
Access the NTD Project website (www.ntdprogram.gov)
-
Click on the Internet Reporting Login link
-
Enter your User Name (Rural identification number) and Password.
Connecting to the Internet
Use your Internet service provider to connect to the Internet. NTD Internet Reporting requires the Internet Explorer web browser that is at least a 6.0 version.
If you don’t have the latest version of Internet Explorer, go to Microsoft.com to download the latest version free of charge.
Verifying Your Internet Browser Settings
Verify that your browser is set to check for newer versions of stored pages with each visit to the page.
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, Glossary, 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, Glossary, an overview of 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, Glossary, Newsletters, Safety and Security FAQs, an overview of reporting changes and highlights, reporting manual archives, etc.
- Rural
Reporting: Access to the
Rural Reporting Manual, Glossary, 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, Profiles, National Transit Summaries and Trends, as well as NTD databases and historical data.
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 National Transit Database (NTD). 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
- Accessibility.
-
Accessing the NTD Report
Clicking the Internet Reporting Login link will open the Internet Reporting Login page. Enter your user name and password to gain access to NTD Rural Reporting.
Levels of Access
Internet Reporting provides three levels of access to the Rural Report:
-
Director of Transit Unit access: Edit forms (data entry), submit extension requests, and submit report
-
NTD Contact Person access: Edit forms (data entry) and submit report (administrator)
-
Editor access: Edit forms (data entry), cannot submit report
Entering Username and Password
The username determines the system access level. 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 three types of user names corresponding to the three access levels available within the NTD Report:
- Director of Transit Unit - DIRxxxx
- Contact person - RURxxxx (for Indian Tribes, TRxxxx)
- Editor - EDTxxxx
FTA e-mails 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. Passwords expire every ninety
days.
NTD Rural Reporting includes the following tabs:
- Home: The starting point when entering the NTD Rural Report. It displays the reporter's NTD analyst information and any project related announcements.
-
e-File: A listing of all general correspondence and current year report stages. This screen provides a means for a transit agency to view the text of existing general correspondence, and to add documents via a file attachment or by modification of a pre-existing template. Submit all correspondence and documents to NTD from this screen.
-
Annual: A listing of the forms and provides access to the specific forms necessary to complete the NTD Rural Report. It is from this screen that the transit agency submits the NTD Rural Report.
- Notes: Displays all the Form Notes added to the transit agency's report. Internet Reporting allows the user to create Form Notes to provide additional information applicable to the overall form / report.
- Issues: Future deployment. Once developed any Issues generated for the report will be accessed from this tab.
- Reports: Print and export reports. The user can print each form (report) without altering print settings to fit a form on the page.
- Communications: The Communications screen 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.
-
Sys Admin: Change NTD passwords-Director of Transit Unit, NTD Contact Person, and Editor. You may only change your password. If you need assistance, contact your NTD analyst. The Sys Admin screen is also used to add new subrecipients, activate a subrecipient who was deactivated, and deactivate a subrecipient who is no longer providing service to the state.
- Help: The Help screen provides a link to an online version of the NTD Rural Reporting Manual and Glossary.
Home: The NTD Rural Report Home Page
Go to the Home tab to access the NTD Rural Reporting System. To return to the Home tab view from any other area click the Home tab near the top of any screen.
e-File: Communicating with FTA
The e-File screen displays the status of your report and any correspondence between your agency and the NTD including waiver and filing extensions. Click on the e-File tab to open the e-File screen.
Report Stage
The NTD Rural Reporting System incorporates several stages of report status:
-
Working Data: The state agency is able to enter and edit data only when the report is in Working Data status. Prior to submission, the report is in Working Data status.
-
Original Submission: After completing and saving each form, the state agency submits the report to FTA by clicking on the Submit button on the Annual tab view. Once the state agency submits the report, the report is in Original Submission status. The state agency or FTA may review the data review at any time. The state agency cannot alter any data in Original Submission status.
-
Submission Revision: After review of the submission by the analyst, the report is available in Working Data status again for further revision by the reporting state agency. After revising and saving forms in Working Data status, the state agency submits a revised report to FTA by clicking on the Submit button on the Annual tab view. The data is then frozen in sequentially numbered Submission Revision status..
-
Closeout: Closeout status is the final report status.
Forms: Providing Data to the NTD
Click on the Annual tab to open the Forms Summary screen.
The Forms Summary screen provides links to the forms your agency will complete for NTD Rural Reporting.
Initially,
the Forms Summary screen provides access to the State Agency Identification
form (RU-10). The State Summary form (RU-30) and Add Form button
will be viewable after submitting the RU-10. The Forms Summary screen
allows the State agency to add a Rural General Public Transit Service form
(RU-20) after a new subrecipient is added and assigned a subrecipient identification
number via the Sys Admin tab. To add an RU-20, click on the Add
Form button at the bottom of the screen. The list of added subrecipients
will appear; select the new subrecipient from the Drop-Down menu.
The new subrecipient RU-20 form will appear on the Forms Summary
screen highlighted in yellow.
All
form-by-form instructions and reporting details are in the form specific
sections of this manual. The Forms Summary screen provides access
to the required forms for your transit agency. For each form, the Forms
Summary screen identifies the update user and update date.
Submitting Your Report
To submit your report to the NTD, upon completing the required NTD Rural forms and reviewing and saving the RU-30, return to the Annual tab, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Submit Report button.
Notes: Providing Additional Information
Click on the Notes tab to open the Notes Summary screen. The NTD Rural Reporting System allows the state agency reporter to create form notes for additional information applicable to the overall form.
Creating a Form Note
To create a form note 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 will pre-fill the form type and recipient (if applicable) for which the note is created. The transit agency completes 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 Notes
Click on the Notes tab to view the Notes Summary screen. You can review the notes associated with a specific form or all notes for the report. While working in a form, click on the Notes tab to access the Notes screen for the form. Internet Reporting displays the form name just beneath the tabs.
Editing Notes
You can edit Notes only in the Working Data stage. Click on the Edit Note link in the far right column on the Notes screen. Once the state agency submits the NTD Rural Report, Internet Reporting prevents any editing of the notes.
Printing Form Notes
Form notes are printed as part of each form’s report that is generated using the Print button at the bottom of each form.
Reports: Viewing, Printing, and Exporting Reports to Assist in Preparing the NTD Report
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 report.
Before a report can be successfully opened the Crystal Reports Viewer must be downloaded to your personal computer (PC). Please refer to the section on Printing for instructions on downloading this viewer and also for viewing, printing and exporting a report.
To open a report click the corresponding link on the Reports screen.
All Portrait Form Reports
Click on the All Portrait Forms link to open all of the Rural report forms. You will not need to alter your printer orientation settings, as these will be set automatically.
The individual form reports included in the All Portrait Form reports include:
- State Agency Identification form (RU-10)
- Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20)
- Statewide Summary form (RU-30).
The
form notes associated with each form are not included in these reports.
(They are, however, included on the individual form reports generated as
a result of clicking the Print button on each form screen.)
All Form Notes Report
Click on the All Form Notes Report link to print all of the form notes associated with the NTD Rural report viewed on the Form Notes screen.
Printing a Form Report from a Form Screen
Click on the Print button at the bottom of the form screen to display the report in Adobe Acrobat Viewer. Click the Print button in the upper left corner of the viewer. Then click the Okay button on the resulting Print window.
Note: Only forms for 2006 or later will print using the Adobe Acrobat Viewer. Previous years' forms will print using the Crystal Reports Viewer and function the same as forms printed from the Reports tab.
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 NTD program. Transit agencies can view correspondence by communication types.
Sys Admin Tab: Changing Passwords, Adding or Deactivating Subrecipients
The Sys Admin screen provides the ability to change your NTD password, as well as add, activate and deactivate a subrecipient.
Changing Your Password
-
Passwords are a minimum of eight characters and be a combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers. Do not use dictionary words.
-
Change passwords at least every 90 days. Do not repeat passwords. NTD will change any compromised passwords immediately.
Adding a Subrecipient
To add a new Subrecipient that was not reported in the previous year's report, click on the Add Subrecipient link on the Sys Admin tab. On the Add Subrecipient screen, enter the Subrecipient name on line 01, select the type of recipient (Tribal or non-Tribal) and click Save to create new subrecipient ID. You will be taken back to the Forms Summary screen. Click the Add Form button to generate a Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20) and select the new subrecipient ID from the drop-down. Click the Generate Form button and the new subrecipient's RU-20 form will appear highlighted in yellow.
Activating a Subrecipient
To activate a Subrecipient that did not report in the previous year's report but will be included in the current year's report, click on the Activate Subrecipient link on the Sys Admin tab. On the Activate Subrecipient screen, select the subrecipient's name from the drop-down and click Update to activate the Subrecipient ID. Click the Save button, and you will be taken back to the Forms Summary screen. Click the Add Form button to generate a Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20) and select the activated subrecipient ID from the drop-down. Click the Generate Form button and the activated subrecipient's RU-20 form will appear highlighted in yellow.
Deactivating a Subrecipient
To deactivate a Subrecipient who reported in the previous year's report but will not be included in the current year's report, click on the Deactivate Subrecipient link on the Sys Admin tab. On the Deactivate Subrecipient screen, select the Subrecipient name from the drop-down on line 01 and click Update to deactivate them. If a Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20) was created and data entered for the subrecipient, it will be deleted and all data will be lost when the subrecipient is deactivated. This data cannot be activated or retrieved once it has been lost.
Note: To reactivate a Subrecipient who was previously deactivated, or deactivated in error, do not use the Subrecipient Management Tool. Contact your Analyst to reactivate a Subrecipient.
Help: Obtaining More Information
Click on the Help tab to open the Help screen. The Help screen provides access to the Rural Reporting Manual for additional help in completing the appropriate forms. The Help screen displays the table of contents for the Rural Reporting Manual with links to each section of the manual.
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
Use the Save button provided at the bottom of each form. When entering information into a form we strongly recommend 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. We strongly recommend 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
For trouble-shooting information refer to the Announcement section of the Home tab.
Downloading the Adobe
Acrobat
In order to facilitate viewing and printing forms Internet Reporting utilizes the Adobe Acrobat downloadable viewer. Internet Reporting will prompt you to download the Adobe Acrobat Viewer free of charge the first time you try to print a report. Click the Print button on a form page to download the Adobe Acrobat Viewer. This download occurs only once and is absolutely necessary to view or print a report.
To Print a Form Report from a Form Screen
Click
on the Print button 
at
the bottom of the form screen to display the report in the Adobe Acrobat
Viewer. Click the Print button in the upper left corner of the
viewer. Then click the Okay button on the resulting Print
window.
State Agency Identification form (RU-10)
The State Agency Identification form (RU-10) collects contact information for the reporting State agency or Indian Tribe. The form includes agency identification information, transit unit director information, and NTD contact person information. Internet Reporting pre-fills for 2007 the report year 2006 form information. Update any information that has changed. Saving this form will generate your option to add forms Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20) and the Statewide Summary form (RU-30).
Rural General Public Transit form (RU-20)
The Rural General Public Transit form (RU-20) collects key financial and non-financial operating information on each rural (§ 5311) general public transit provider. Items include transit provider name and information, modal classification, service area, volunteer resources, number of vehicles and characteristics, number and ownership of maintenance facilities, annual operating expenses, operating revenues, annual capital costs, sources of capital funds, annual vehicle revenue miles, annual vehicle revenue hours, annual unlinked passenger trips, and safety information, as well as information on intercity bus and Indian Reservation services.
Complete a separate RU-20 form for each rural provider of general public transit service within the State, Indian Tribe, or direct recipient. Report all available data for each provider, even if it is less than the data requested on the form. However, subrecipients must develop and implement procedures for complete data reporting in 2008.
Statewide Summary form (RU-30)
The Statewide Summary form (RU-30) summarizes the key financial and non-financial operating information for all rural transit services reported. The form automatically calculates the total for each data element reported for each rural transit service provider (State subrecipients). Items include the number of vehicles, annual operating expenses, operating revenues expended, annual capital costs, sources of capital funds, and service data for annual revenue vehicle miles, annual revenue vehicle hours, annual unlinked passenger trips, asset/infrastructure information for vehicles and maintenance facilities, and safety information.
Additionally, this form provides for the reporting of two statewide data items:
- The number of counties within the State
- The number of counties with transit service funded, in whole or in part, with FTA Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Program funds (§ 5311).
State Agency Identification form (RU-10)
The State Agency Identification form (RU-10) collects contact information for the reporting state agency or Indian Tribe. The form includes agency identification information, transit unit director information, and NTD contact person information. Internet Reporting pre-fills for 2007 the report year 2006 form information. Update any information that has changed. Saving this form will generate your option to add forms (Rural General Public Transit Service form RU-20) and the Statewide Summary form (RU-30).
What Has Changed from Prior Year
There are no changes for the 2007 report year.
Upon entering the NTD Rural Reporting system for the first time, you will be taken to the Home screen. Your rural identification number and the State or Indian Tribe appear at the top of the screen. In the upper right corner, the Report field indicates that you are accessing the 2007 Working Data.
To begin the 2007 report, click on the Annual tab to access the Forms Summary screen. Click on the State Agency Identification (RU-10) link to open the form.
Review and
complete the State Agency Identification form (RU-10) following the instructions
in this section.
Rural NTD Identification Number
The rural NTD identification number (ID) is the unique alphanumeric number FTA assigned to your State or Indian Tribe (e.g., #R##). It is pre-filled and cannot be altered.
Agency Identification Information
Report the agency name, mailing address, city, county state, and zip code for the agency submitting the report. Also report the agency acronym, URL (if applicable) and the FTA designated recipient ID number.
The agency name is the full legal name of the agency submitting the NTD Rural Report. The agency acronym is the trademark or familiar name. This acronym may be used in selected FTA publications.
The FTA recipient identification number is the four-digit number assigned to your agency for the FTA electronic grant making system — TEAM (Transportation Electronic Award and Management). If you have a question regarding this number, please contact your agency’s grant manager.
A universal resource locator (URL) is the address of the state’s website; e.g., www.ak.state.gov. Please do not include http://.
State/Indian Tribe Fiscal Year End
Once a State or Indian Tribe enters their fiscal year end for first time, the field is locked. If the fiscal year end changes or the fiscal year is incorrect, contact your analyst to make changes. This is the State's or Indian Tribe's fiscal year end and not when the program is administered in your state.
Director of Transit Unit
Report the name, title, mailing address, city, state, zip code, phone, fax, and e-mail address for the director of the State or Indian Tribe transit unit.
NTD Contact Person
Report the name, title, mailing address, city, state, zip code, phone, fax, and e-mail address for the State's or Indian Tribe's designated rural contact person. The contact person is the individual responsible for coordinating the NTD Rural Report. The contact person receives all NTD correspondence and any questions that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) may have concerning the report.
Form Notes
You
can attach form note to any form
to explain unusual circumstances or data discrepancies that impact the data being
submitted to NTD. 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.
Completing the State Agency Identification form (RU-10)
From the Forms Summary screen, click on the State Agency Identification form (RU-10) link.
Form Level Help: Click on the Help tab at the top of the screen for form level help. You can attach a form note 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.
Saving or Closing the Form
Click on the Save button prior to exiting the form and continuing with the report. Click on the Close button at the bottom of the screen to close the form without saving.
Completing the Form
Rural NTD ID. Pre-filled and cannot be edited, review for accuracy.
Fiscal Year End. Pre-filled and cannot be edited, review for accuracy. Contact your Validation Analyst for any changes.
Line 01: Agency Identification Information:
- Enter the State agency's or Indian Tribe's full legal name. No abbreviations or acronyms.
- Enter the State agency's or Indian Tribe's mailing address. The street address should always begin on the first line. If the mailing address includes a PO Box, the PO Box should always appear on the second line.
- Enter the State agency's or Indian Tribe's URL.
- Enter the State agency's or Indian Tribe's acronym. This acronym will be used in selected NTD publications.
- Enter the State agency's or Indian Tribe's recipient ID (Transportation Electronic Award and Management (TEAM ID)).
Line 02: Director of Transit Unit:
- Enter the name of the head of the transit unit.
- Enter the title of the head of the transit unit.
- Enter the business mailing address for the head of the transit unit. The street address should always begin on the first line. If the mailing address includes a PO Box, the PO Box should always appear on the second line.
- Enter the business telephone number of the head of the transit unit.
- Enter the FAX number of the head of the transit unit.
- Enter the e-mail address of the head of the transit unit.
Line 03: NTD Contact Person:
- Enter the name of the person responsible for coordinating the NTD Rural Report.
- Enter the contact person's title.
- Enter the contact person's mailing address, if different than the State agency's or Indian Tribe's mailing address.
- Enter the contact person's telephone number.
- Enter the contact person's FAX number.
-
Enter the contact person's e-mail address.
Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20)
This Rural General Public Transit form (RU-20) collects key financial and non-financial operating information on each rural (§ 5311 Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Program) general public transit provider. Items include transit provider name and information, modal classification, service area, volunteer resources, number of vehicles and characteristics, number and ownership of maintenance facilities, annual operating expenses, operating revenues, annual capital costs, sources of capital funds, annual vehicle miles, annual vehicle hours, annual passenger trips, and safety information, as well as information on intercity bus and Indian Reservation services.
Complete a separate form for each rural provider of general public transit service within the State, Indian Tribe, or direct recipient. Report all available data for each provider, even if it is less than the data requested on the form. However, subrecipients must develop and implement procedures for complete data reporting in 2008.
If you are a subrecipient or an Indian Tribe receiving § 5311 funds but have not started transit service, you must complete the financial information on the form. Request a waiver of the other reporting requirements via the e-file tab (see waivers).
Subrecipients who also receive § 5307 funds and submit NTD Annual Reports do not file RU-20 forms.
What Has Changed from Prior Year
Reporters can add, activate and deactivate subrecipients via the Sys Admin tab.
States should begin providing reports for § 5311 subrecipients who are intercity bus providers. The reports for intercity bus providers are substantially reduced from those of other § 5311 subrecipients.
Indian Tribes that receive § 5311 grants directly from the Federal Government (Tribal Transit) must report directly to the NTD. States need not provide reports for § 5311 subrecipients that are reporting directly to the NTD.
Detailed financial, vehicle fleet, and service data information has been added to the RU-20.
Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20) Excel Spreadsheets
For the convenience of reporters who must enter data for a large number of subrecipients, there is an Excel spreadsheet version of the Rural General Public Transit Service form (RU-20) on the Rural Reporting Information webpage, as well as the Reports tab. The Rural Contact person may download as many copies of this form as needed, and distribute them to the various subrecipients in the State or Indian Tribe’s report. The subrecipients enter their data on the Excel spreadsheet and send it back to the Rural Contact, who can then enter this data into the Rural General Public Transit Service forms (RU-20) in the Internet Reporting system.
Internet Reporting generates Rural General Public Transit Service forms (RU-20) in three ways:
- Added form for subrecipients who reported last year, as well as new subrecipients
- Activated form for subrecipients who did not report last year, but have been activated for the current report year
- Deleted form for subrecipients who are not reporting in the current report year.
Subrecipients are added, activated or deleted through the Sys Admin tab. See Internet Reporting discussion of Sys Admin tab. Complete one form for each rural provider of general public transit service (subrecipient) within the State. If you are an Indian Tribe as a direct recipient, complete one RU-20 form.
Subrecipient ID Number
The Subrecipient identification number (ID) is the unique alphanumeric number FTA assigns to each subrecipient. For states, the ID begins with the two-letter state abbreviation and for Indian Tribes with the letters TR (e.g., CA### or TR###). It is pre-filled and cannot be altered.
Reporting Period End
Report the end date for the 12-month reporting period (mm/dd/yyyy). It is pre-filled for subrecipients who reported in the previous year and cannot be edited. Contact your Analyst if the reporting period changes.
Agency Type
|
Agency Type menu selections: |
Using the Drop-Down menu, select the agency type of each subrecipient as a public agency (State DOT or not State DOT, or Tribal) or a private nonprofit or private for profit agency. For intercity bus, select Private for profit agency since only the private for profit intercity bus operations are reported.
Subrecipient Basic Information
Report the name of the rural transit provider, mailing address with city, county and state, the acronym used by the provider and URL (website address).
Indian Tribe
If you are an Indian Tribe that is a subrecipient of the state, click yes.
Intercity Bus
|
Subrecipient is Intercity bus provider menu selections: |
Subrecipients who operate intercity bus (IB) mode are not required to file a complete RU-20 form. If you are an intercity bus provider, click yes, Internet Reporting will generate only those fileds applicable to intercity bus providers. Note that once you have saved the form as an intercity bus provider, you will not be able to change the form back to reflect a normal subrecipient - you will have to delete the form and generate a new RU-20 form.
If intercity bus service goes between states, the following rules apply:
- If all § 5311 funds come from one State, then the intercity bus data is reported with that State's report.
- If § 5311 funds come from more than one State, then the intercity provider completes the RU-20 form for each State, with the applicable data for each State.
Note that if you are an Intercity Bus provider under contract to a subrecipient for public transit service, then you file a complete RU-20 form for the contracted service.
Subrecipient Contact Information
Report the name and phone number of the person responsible for the subrecipient's NTD Rural report.
|
Service Area menu selections: |
Service Area
Using the Drop-Down menu, select the type of service area where the rural provider operates. There is a community category for states who do not have counties or parishes, such as Alaska which has boroughs. The county category includes an independent city which is not part of the county, for example, the Commonwealth of Virginia's cities are separate from counties.
| Modal
Classification selections: |
Modal Classification
Rural transit service frequently involves a variety of service types. These services can be classified as transit modes with more detailed service characteristics for transit modes. Check each box that applies for the type of service the rural provider operates.
If you operate bus mode, use the drop-down menu to indicate whether the service is only fixed route, deviated fixed route or both.
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Deviated fixed route or fixed route menu selections: |
If you check the Other box, the Modal Classification - Other Description box will appear on the screen. Use this field to describe the other transit mode provided.