CTAA's Charles Rutkowski, Technical Assistance Programs Director

In 23 years, CTAA's Charles Rutkowski has helped develop rural transit systems and solutions in more than 200 communities and in conjunction with 50 tribes. In this rural transit-focused edition of the CT Podcast, Mr. Rutkowski discusses some of what he's learned in working with so many rural areas about how to develop transit solutions that meet local needs and that build local community support.

Listen Here (21:55)

Jeff Meilbeck, GM, NAIPTA, Flagstaff, Ariz.

Jeff Meilbeck, General Manager of the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) in Flagstaff, Ariz.,  joins the CTPodcast to discuss NAIPTA and its tremendous growth — from 100,000 rides 13 years ago, to 1.8 million today. NAIPTA, like many other small-urban transit systems, is thriving, but needs sufficient federal bus and bus facility investment to maintain its services and meet burgeoning local demand. Given Flagstaff's current bus and bus facility formula allocation, it will take 48 years, according to Meilbeck, for the agency to have enough investment to build the facility the system and community needs. In this conversation, Jeff also explains the importance of the Small Transit Intensive City program and urges its expansion.

Meilbeck is a leader with CTAA's Small Urban Network (SUN). For more information on the SUN click here. He presented at the SUN Legislative Staff Briefing, those materials are available here.

For the latest information on MAP-21 reauthorization, click here.

LISTEN HERE: (13:04)