Sec. 3009. Technical assistance and workforce development
1,796 words·~8 min read·
/bill/114/hr/22/eah/section-3009A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Section 5314 of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: The Secretary may make grants and enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and other agreements (including agreements with departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government) to carry out activities that the Secretary determines will assist recipients of assistance under this chapter to— more effectively and efficiently provide public transportation service; administer funds received under this chapter in compliance with Federal law; and improve public transportation. The activities carried out under subparagraph
(A)may include— technical assistance; and the development of voluntary and consensus-based standards and best practices by the public transportation industry, including standards and best practices for safety, fare collection, intelligent transportation systems, accessibility, procurement, security, asset management to maintain a state of good repair, operations, maintenance, vehicle propulsion, communications, and vehicle electronics. The Secretary, through a competitive bid process, may enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and other agreements with national nonprofit organizations that have the appropriate demonstrated capacity to provide public-transportation-related technical assistance under this subsection. The Secretary may enter into such contracts, cooperative agreements, and other agreements to assist providers of public transportation to— comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq. ) through technical assistance, demonstration programs, research, public education, and other activities related to complying with such Act; comply with human services transportation coordination requirements and to enhance the coordination of Federal resources for human services transportation with those of the Department of Transportation through technical assistance, training, and support services related to complying with such requirements; meet the transportation needs of elderly individuals; increase transit ridership in coordination with metropolitan planning organizations and other entities through development around public transportation stations through technical assistance and the development of tools, guidance, and analysis related to market-based development around transit stations; address transportation equity with regard to the effect that transportation planning, investment, and operations have for low-income and minority individuals; facilitate best practices to promote bus driver safety; meet the requirements of sections 5323(j) and 5323(m); assist with the development and deployment of zero emission transit technologies; and any other technical assistance activity that the Secretary determines is necessary to advance the interests of public transportation. Not later than the first Monday in February of each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that includes— a description of each project that received assistance under this subsection during the preceding fiscal year; an evaluation of the activities carried out by each organization that received assistance under this subsection during the preceding fiscal year; a proposal for allocations of amounts for assistance under this subsection for the subsequent fiscal year; and measurable outcomes and impacts of the programs funded under subsections
(b)and (c). The Government share of the cost of an activity carried out using a grant under this subsection may not exceed 80 percent. The non-Government share of the cost of an activity carried out using a grant under this subsection may be derived from in-kind contributions. The Secretary may undertake, or make grants and contracts for, programs that address human resource needs as they apply to public transportation activities. A program may include— an employment training program; an outreach program to increase veteran, female, individual with a disability, minority (including American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and Hispanic) employment in public transportation activities; research on public transportation personnel and training needs; training and assistance for veteran and minority business opportunities; and consensus-based national training standards and certifications in partnership with industry stakeholders. The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program to assist the development of innovative activities eligible for assistance under subparagraph (1). A program eligible for assistance under subsection
(a)shall— develop apprenticeships for transit maintenance and operations occupations, including hands-on, peer trainer, classroom and on-the-job training as well as training for instructors and on-the-job mentors; build local, regional, and statewide transit training partnerships in coordination with entities such as local employers, local public transportation operators, labor union organizations, workforce development boards, State workforce agencies, State apprenticeship agencies (where applicable), and community colleges and university transportation centers, to identify and address workforce skill gaps and develop skills needed for delivering quality transit service and supporting employee career advancement; provide improved capacity for safety, security, and emergency preparedness in local transit systems through— developing the role of the frontline workforce in building and sustaining safety culture and safety systems in the industry and in individual public transportation systems; specific training, in coordination with the National Transit Institute, on security and emergency preparedness, including protocols for coordinating with first responders and working with the broader community to address natural disasters or other threats to transit systems; and training to address frontline worker roles in promoting health and safety for transit workers and the riding public, and improving communication during emergencies between the frontline workforce and the riding public; address current or projected workforce shortages by developing career pathway partnerships with high schools, community colleges, and other community organizations for recruiting and training underrepresented populations, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and low-income populations as successful transit employees who can develop careers in the transit industry; or address youth unemployment by directing the Secretary to award grants to local entities for work-based training and other work-related and educational strategies and activities of demonstrated effectiveness to provide unemployed, low-income young adults and low-income youth with skills that will lead to employment. To the maximum extent feasible, the Secretary shall select recipients that— are geographically diverse; address the workforce and human resources needs of large public transportation providers; address the workforce and human resources needs of small public transportation providers; address the workforce and human resources needs of urban public transportation providers; address the workforce and human resources needs of rural public transportation providers; advance training related to maintenance of alternative energy, energy efficiency, or zero emission vehicles and facilities used in public transportation; target areas with high rates of unemployment; address current or projected workforce shortages in areas that require technical expertise; advance opportunities for minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, low-income populations, and other underserved populations; and address in-demand industry sector or occupation, as such term is defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( 29 U.S.C. 3102 ). A recipient of assistance under this subsection shall demonstrate outcomes for any program that includes skills training, on-the-job training, and work-based learning, including— the impact on reducing public transportation workforce shortages in the area served; the diversity of training participants; the number of participants obtaining certifications or credentials required for specific types of employment; the percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from any such program; the percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit from any such program; the median earnings of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from any such program; the percentage of program participants who obtain a recognized postsecondary credential, or a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, during participation in or within 1 year after exit from any such program; and the percentage of program participants who, during a program year, are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential or employment and who are achieving measurable skill gains toward such a credential or employment. The Secretary shall make publically available a report on the Frontline Workforce Development Program for each fiscal year, not later than December 31 of the year in which that fiscal year ends. The report shall include a detailed description of activities carried out under this paragraph, an evaluation of the program, and policy recommendations to improve program effectiveness. The Government share of the cost of a project carried out using a grant under paragraph
(1)or
(2)shall be 50 percent. The Secretary may use not more than 1 percent of amounts made available to carry out this section to provide technical assistance for activities and programs developed, conducted, and overseen under paragraphs
(1)and (2). The Secretary shall establish a national transit institute and award grants to a public, 4-year institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001(a) ), in order to carry out the duties of the institute. In cooperation with the Federal Transit Administration, State transportation departments, public transportation authorities, and national and international entities, the institute established under paragraph
(1)shall develop and conduct training and educational programs for Federal, State, and local transportation employees, United States citizens, and foreign nationals engaged or to be engaged in Government-aid public transportation work. The training and educational programs developed under subparagraph
(A)may include courses in recent developments, techniques, and procedures related to— intermodal and public transportation planning; management; environmental factors; acquisition and joint-use rights-of-way; engineering and architectural design; procurement strategies for public transportation systems; turnkey approaches to delivering public transportation systems; new technologies; emission reduction technologies; ways to make public transportation accessible to individuals with disabilities; construction, construction management, insurance, and risk management; maintenance; contract administration; inspection; innovative finance; workplace safety; and public transportation security. Education and training of Government, State, and local transportation employees under this subsection shall be provided— by the Secretary at no cost to the States and local governments for subjects that are a Government program responsibility; or when the education and training are paid under paragraph (4), by the State, with the approval of the Secretary, through grants and contracts with public and private agencies, other institutions, individuals, and the institute. Not more than 0.5 percent of the amounts made available for a fiscal year beginning after September 30, 1991, to a State or public transportation authority in the State to carry out sections 5307 and 5309 is available for expenditure by the State and public transportation authorities in the State, with the approval of the Secretary, to pay not more than 80 percent of the cost of tuition and direct educational expenses related to educating and training State and local transportation employees under this subsection. . Section 5322 of such title, and the item relating to that section in the analysis for chapter 53 of such title, are repealed. The analysis for chapter 53 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 5314 and inserting the following: 5314. Technical assistance and workforce development. .
Connectionstraces to 3
Traces to 3 documents
Citation graph
cites case law
Cites 3Cited by 0 across 0 sources