Transit Manager's Toolkit

Each Tribe’s governmental entities and governance structure are unique. Meaningful engagement with and between Tribes requires demonstrated respect of each distinct Tribe’s sovereignty as recognized by the state and/or U.S. federal government. More than anything else, this requires sustained Tribal inclusion in decision-making processes that will impact each Tribe’s interests. Transit policies and practices must be tailored to ensure effective partnership with each distinct Tribe.

There are multiple levels of benefits when transit systems engage with each other. The mechanics of the 5 Cs when there are Tribal implications will be discussed in greater detail later in this section. The following lists offer thoughts and ideas about the very real and intrinsic benefits to be realized in the process of engaging with Tribes and Tribal Transit Programs.

Grasping the value of engagement is particularly important when rural and Tribal communities are experiencing gaps or overlaps in transit coverage. The overlap or duplication might be between two Tribal systems or between a Tribal and non-Tribal system. 

Communication - Sharing information about respective rural and Tribal transit programs and services is the first step to helping more people access transportation to health care, employment, education, and other basic needs. However, communication goes both ways so receiving information from the Tribe or rural system is just as important as sharing information.

• Obtaining Tribal citizens’ input on how local transit services could result in more effectively meeting community transportation needs and reducing transit system gaps and overlaps. 
• Meaningful communication can create pathways towards generational healing between communities and governmental systems.
• Cross-cultural, historic, and political exchange, mutual respect and dialogues may nurture relationships and refine intergovernmental communication.

See the section below, Tribes Engaging with States, Counties, and Local Governments, Fundamental Principles for the Development of Tribal Consultation Policies, and Best Practices for Tribal Consultations and Meetings, for additional guidance around Tribal consultations and meetings.

Collaboration and Coordination are particularly important in challenging service areas with little in the way of transit resources. Working together affords the greatest opportunity for increased ridership.  Here are some examples (Also, see case studies below.):

• Writing grants in a collaborative manner is a major selling point and two Tribes and/or Tribes and non-Tribal systems working together makes a strong statement.
• Improving transportation equity and social justice within the existing transit system.
• Eliminating duplicative services reduces costs and allows for other improvements.
• Improving transit system sustainability/longevity by sharing costs and pooling financial resources for service provision (e.g., partnerships can reduce administration and/or training costs to both rural and tribal transit systems).
• Cross-jurisdictional coordination and engagement to enhance regional transit and grow collaborative systems with shared system investments.
• Shared maintenance resources can go a long way to keeping funds local and within the Tribal entities.
• Increased access to grant funds (i.e., rural transit grant applications become more competitive when funding requests are for service provision to a broader population).
• Coordination of support functions like driver training, maintenance, group procurements and other non-threatening functions are to everyone’s benefit.
• Providing a firm foundation for additional future intergovernmental partnerships to achieve numerous common multidisciplinary goals.

Connectivity, Consolidation, and Operations - The ability of Tribal and non-Tribal systems to connect and work together on regional goals offers opportunities for all systems to improve their operations. Here are some examples (Also, see case studies below.):

• Connections to the intercity bus and rail network allow residents to travel across the country.
• Added transit system connections to cultural, historic, and tourism sites.
• Allowing riders to travel beyond jurisdictional lines as needed, seamlessly increasing access for all riders.
• Working together on maintenance and training allows opportunities for specialty work that small systems can’t afford. 
• Potential to administer the tribal portion of a rural regional transit system, if the Tribe is too small to take on transit administration or desires Tribal transit service provision but prefers not to self-administer the service. 
• Eliminating costly duplication of services, where possible, enabling greater service and ridership for residents and visitors.
  

Communication is the key to unlocking the many benefits of collaboration, coordination, connectivity, and consolidation. 

Listen to the Community - Regular communication with riders, potential riders, and other stakeholders is always an important element of a transit manager’s job. Often the manager and staff know when problems are occurring.  Perhaps riders or vehicle operators complained, the rate of late trips went up, a drop in ridership, or any number of warning signs. 

Regular contact with the community, especially when assessing service is critical.  Meetings can help to bring management and the community together.  As an example, the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) 2018 Passenger Transportation Study (PTS) included a series of public meetings to gather input for the study: “The consultants for the project, KFH Group and Southwest Planning and Marketing, along with NACOG staff, held a series of five public meetings to gather input on the Passenger Transportation Study in June 2018. Called “Meetings on a Bus”, this community outreach consists of parking a bus in a busy parking lot and inviting people to talk about transit needs in the region. The public could tour the buses, ask questions, and fill out a survey. At the end of the day the consultants conducted a 1.5-hour focus group on each bus. The “Meetings on a Bus” were held in Show Low, Tuba City, Window Rock, Winslow, and Page.” 

Coordinating outreach venues with Tribal leaders and ensuring that all events are scheduled at locations that are known destinations or gathering spots for Tribal citizens are essential components to a successful Tribal community outreach plan. The Hopi Senom Transit Short Range Transit Plan prepared for Hopi Senom Transit and the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (2023) also contains specific guidance and insights into a productive community outreach process. Several outreach events, including Meetings on a Bus, were held on the reservation to gather input from Hopi Senom Transit riders and the community at large. Interviews with and surveys of key stakeholders, management, riders and the general public are highlighted in this report as well. 

Maintain Regular and Open Conversations – The importance of building and maintaining opportunities for engagement and strong community partnerships cannot be overstated. Regular and open conversations between Tribal transit systems, neighboring Tribal or non-Tribal transit systems, and health and human service agencies is one step that any rural transit program can take to ensure that planning conversations bring both local and regional passenger transportation needs to the table. Building and maintaining strong community partnerships will add to the spirit of community, as stakeholders work together to ensure a strong network of transportation services for all residents and visitors. 

Some suggested practices that can help rural Tribal and non-Tribal transit managers initiate or maintain meaningful engagement include:

• Ensure that Tribal leaders and government officials are made aware of and are invited to participate in every step of any transit project or planning action that may have Tribal implications. For additional guidance, see the section below, Tribes Engaging with States, Counties, and Local Governments: Fundamental Principles for the Development of Tribal Consultation Policies and Best Practices for Tribal Consultations and Meetings. 
• Reach out to another transit manager and suggest an informal in-person meeting or video conference. Managers of neighboring systems often face the same challenges and can work together to solve them.
• Learn who the primary contacts and champions are (e.g., Tribal Transit Program, Community Health Representatives (CHRs), Indian Health Services (IHS), Tribal Health Authority, Tribal Transportation Program Director, Tribal Transportation Program Planner, etc.). Non-Tribal contacts could be local elected officials, transit board members, local and regional planners, Councils of Governments, Regional Planning Commissions, human service representatives, advocates, and others).
• Contact FTA Regional Tribal Liaisons, Tribal and non-Tribal transportation associations and organizing bodies, or State DOT transit programs to learn about transit in the state.
• Convene regularly scheduled meetings to identify common goals, overlaps and gaps in services, connection points and shared funding opportunities.
• Collaborate with Tribal partners to draft Memorandums of Agreement (MOA), Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), or Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA) to define or formalize service collaborations and mutually beneficial program supports.
• Garnering transit board, committee, task force and/or Tribal Council support and approval may be required to ensure outcomes reflect all parties’ best interests.
  

Once identified, addressing a transportation access issue may be accomplished with direct coordination and collaboration between one transportation provider and another. Other transportation issues may be more complicated and need attention from multiple community partners, stretch across county or jurisdictional lines, or require regular ongoing contact among stakeholders. In such cases, Tribal consultations or meetings, formation of a task force, committee, advisory group, or other ongoing mechanisms to facilitate ongoing communication and coordination will be needed. Again, every effort should be made to ensure that Tribal leaders and government officials are made aware of and are invited to participate in every step of any transit project or action planning that may have Tribal implications.

Start small, initiate discussions, and identify common issues and problems that can be solved mutually. A way to gain trust is through identifying mutual needs. Many Tribal systems are small and do not have the funds or resources to expand or develop their own systems. Even collaborations on small projects can have a major impact and even reduce costs while improving quality. 

A variety of coordination scenarios are possible for Tribal systems: Single Tribe, Tribal to Tribal, Tribal to Non-Tribal (urban or rural), and Tribal to Health and Human Service Organizations. Training and maintenance are great ways to initiate coordination that are non-threatening and can make a difference in the cost and quality of service. Coordination between systems or health and human service entities may be operational and non-operational. 

Coordination within a Tribe – At times, a Tribe operates several different transportation programs, such as transit, medical transportation, and veterans’ transportation. Sometimes these systems do not coordinate service.  By coordinating services or consolidating functions, the savings could be significant, and the service could improve. Please see more information about Medicaid Medical Transportation, Indian Health Services’ (IHS) Community Health Representative (CHR) and Veterans Administration services in the Tribal Administration and Funding section of the Toolkit.

Tribal to Tribal or non-Tribal Transit Coordination – Coordination between Tribal transit programs or between Tribal and non-Tribal programs is often necessary to enhance and improve the quality of service for riders in rural communities. Referring back to the example of a single road running through multiple service areas that was used in the introduction to this section, quite often the elimination of duplication and competition on a route can be the most efficient way to improve service and grow ridership in the rural areas. The rural to urban connection is equally important. A number of Tribal systems lead to urban areas where the ability to connect with such systems extends the opportunity for riders to obtain goods and services found only in the urban areas.

Tribal Transit Coordination with Health and Human Service Organizations - While not all Tribal communities have transit programs in place at this time, most have some form of medical transportation and non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) to which Tribal and non-Tribal transit systems can link. For example, the coordinated development of an effective transit voucher program with Senior Services programs, Indian Health Service clinics and Tribal Community Health Representatives, and Tribal health departments (in many Tribal communities known as Tribal Health Authorities) will bring together local medical support and transportation resources. In addition, coordinated transit and medical programs may provide adjacent rural communities with additional financial support and stability, while enhancing Tribal citizens’ access to essential medical transportation. 

Case Studies: Collaboration and Coordination

The New Mexico DOT and the North Central Rural Transit District (NCRTD) worked together to put all buses from both systems along the same route on the same timetable so that they were at least a half hour apart. The systems were able to complement instead of competing with each other and their riders enjoyed an improved service.

In a similar scenario, communication between the Navajo Transit System and Hopi Senom Transit in Arizona identified opportunities to avoid duplication of service on routes.  Their coordinated response is to plan their individual routes so that they don’t duplicate each other and thus enhance the transit service for both systems. 

Efforts at consolidation that result in increased connectivity and enhanced services can start small and then grow.  Or each consolidation effort can be an end in itself. Using the communication strategies described above, transportation partners may collaborate throughout the transportation planning process and into the operational area. The ultimate in engagement and consolidation is a regional transit district that includes Tribal and non-Tribal governments. The case studies below demonstrate best practices for economies of scale, equitable services, and professionalism. 

Case Studies: Consolidation, Connectivity, and Operations

Community Regional Transportation (CRT) – CRT offers transportation services for members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) and the general public. CRT is known as Choctaw Transit to the Tribe and as Meridian CRT to the neighboring communities, including the City of Meridian, Mississippi. The Tribe has 8 officially recognized Choctaw Indian communities: Bogue Chitto, Bogue Homa, Conehatta, Crystal Ridge, Pearl River, Red Water, Standing Pine, and Tucker.  Jeremy Bell, Interim Director, Choctaw Transit Mississippi, Band of Choctaw Indians, Choctaw, MS shared in an interview that rebranding the Tribal transit system was integral to its success as a Tribal and public transpiration system. According to Mr. Bell, the transit program changed their public facing name to Community Regional Transportation as opposed to Choctaw Transit. But the logo remains a Tribal design and, on the reservation, the system is known as Choctaw Transit. For a more in-depth discussion of CRT’s successes with mobility management collaborative efforts, see the Tribal Operations and Planning section of the Toolkit. 

The North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) – NCRTD was created in 2004 through the collaboration of five Pueblos in North Central New Mexico. With the advantage of a sales tax funded regional transit system, NCRTD began to provide service in 2007. At the time of this writing, NCRTD serves the following Pueblos and Nation: Ohkay Owingeh, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Pojoaque, Santa Clara, Nambé, Picuris, Taos, and Jicarilla Apache Nation. In addition, the communities in Los Alamos County, Taos County, Rio Arriba County, Santa Fe County, and San Juan County are served by NCRTD. The NCRTD Board of Directors continues to represent the diversity of the region. By consolidating their systems, all these communities can take advantage of the excellent service afforded through a sales tax. “Structuring tribal involvement into the RTD organization enables tribes and other governmental entities to collaborate on transportation planning in an ongoing way. NCRTD continues to benefit from taking a regional approach to transit, offering the most efficient service possible to the region’s residents. Tribal leaders recognize NCRTD’s potential to deliver economic and community benefits.” NCHRP Report 690 - A Guidebook for Successful Communication, Cooperation, and Coordination Strategies Between Transportation Agencies and Tribal Communities (2011). Also, see related information about NCRTD in the Tribal Operations and Planning section of the Toolkit. 

Pelivan Transit and the Northeast Oklahoma Tribal Transit Consortium (NEOK) - Pelivan Transit is an integrated rural and Tribal transit system that provides public transportation services to all people in the seven counties and ten Tribal jurisdictional areas in northeastern Oklahoma. 

“Pelivan Transit has developed and formed two consortiums with ten tribes in northeastern Oklahoma. This integration of a rural public transportation program (Section 5311) and two tribal transit programs (5311 c) was established with the Cherokee Nation from one grant and two other grants with the Nine Tribes of Northeast Oklahoma Consortium consisting of the Eastern Shawnee, Miami, Modoc, Ottawa, Peoria, Quapaw, Seneca-Cayuga, Shawnee, and Wyandotte tribes of Oklahoma.” (Pelivan Transit, About Us)

Pelivan Transit provides Tribal Transit services on behalf of the area Tribes. In what may be noted as another incentive to collaborate, shared logos and Tribal seals are displayed on some of the vehicles purchased by the tribes and leased to Pelivan for transportation services. 

Makah Public Transit System (Makah Reservation, Neah Bay, Washington) connects with Clallam Transit in Clallam County, Washington three times daily on Monday thru Friday. Located on the Olympic Peninsula’s northwest tip at Neah Bay, the Makah Reservation is 60 miles from the closest town of Forks, 75 miles from Port Angeles, and 150 miles from Seattle. Clallam Transit provides residents with links to Port Angeles, and Forks. The collaboration and interconnectivity of the two services helps Makah riders overcome the transportation challenge of living in such a remote area. 

Helping Hands Agency, Inc. is a human service agency in Page, Arizona, which operates the Helping Hands Express, a public transit system with routes into the Navajo Nation communities of Tuba City, Cameron, Kaibito, and Shonto, Arizona.  Helping Hands Express connects Page riders to Navajo Nation businesses, medical providers, behavioral health organizations, educational institutions, and social service agencies while enabling Tribal citizens to have access to the numerous services and opportunities in the larger community of Page. 

Open Plains Transit (OPT), a division of Senior Services, Inc., is a nonprofit organization located in the Nebraska Panhandle region that works with the regional Panhandle Public Health District, Community Action Partnership’s Minority Health Services, area hospitals and Indian Health Services to connect passengers with needed health and dental care on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Through their demand response and intercity bus operations, travelers are able to travel between the two states to reach needed care, obtain medications, connect with family members and friends and conduct business at the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Pine Ridge, SD. Future visions include seeking opportunities for collaboration, planning and partnerships to provide connections between Nebraska and the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, north of Valentine, NE.

Tribal governments play an important role in the success of individual Tribal transit systems. While the transit needs in many Tribal communities may be similar, the policies and processes that govern individual Tribes and Tribal communities may be very different. Care should be taken to ensure that Tribal leaders and government officials are made aware of and are invited to participate in every step of any transit project that may have Tribal implications. In addition, non-Tribal entities desiring to provide services to or coordinate with existing Tribal transit services should be encouraged to take the time to learn how to interact appropriately with local Tribal government and officials. 

Engaging with State Government agencies and their representatives on transit related issues should be fairly straightforward. Most State DOTs have programs in place to work with Tribal governments on federally funded transit projects: Section 5311 and Section 5311(c)(1)(b). For additional information about interaction between states and Tribal governments, refer to the Role of State Departments of Transportation in the Tribal Administration and Funding section of the Toolkit.

In addition, State DOTs, through their relationships with federal funding sources, have a mandated responsibility to establish meaningful consultation processes with Tribes when a project is determined to have Tribal implications. Tribes, counties, and other local governments may also find it helpful to establish such processes for Tribal consultation and joint meetings for local transportation decision making. What follows is an adaptation of the Fundamental Principles and Best Practices for Tribal Consultation Processes as recommended in the White House Council on Native American Affairs’ Best Practices for Identifying and Protecting Tribal Treaty Rights, Reserved Rights, and Other Similar Rights in Federal Regulatory Actions and Federal Decision Making (November 2022). 

Fundamental Principles for the Development of Tribal Consultation Policies

1. Tribal consultation policies should strive for uniformity, including using common definitions, processes, and time frames, for purposes of consistency, ease of Tribal use, and for promoting a whole-of-government approach.
2. Tribes are sovereign nations with self-governance and self-determination rights.
3. Tribes have a two-way Nation-to-Nation relationship with the United States.
4. Tribal consultation may be initiated at the request of a Tribal government.
5. Tribal treaties are substantive federal law and do not derive from other federal statutes.
6. Treaties, like the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes, are the supreme law of the land.
7. Tribal treaties are binding legal agreements between or among two or more sovereign nations.
8. Tribal consultation should be meaningful. A meaningful consultation is, among other inclusive practices: carried out in a timely, efficient, and responsive manner; transparent, and predictable; accessible, reasonable, flexible, and fair; founded in the principles of good faith and respectful of the sovereignty of Indian Tribes; and includes reasonable accommodation (e.g., changing of timelines, project parameters), where appropriate.
9. Information obtained from Tribes should be given meaningful consideration and Tribal consultation should strive for consensus or a mutually desired outcome. 
10. Include both non-tribal and Tribal officials with decision-making authorities regarding the proposed policy or action that has Tribal implications. 
11. Consider conducting the consultation in a manner that prioritizes participation of official Tribal government leaders. 
12. Be familiar with Tribally enacted consultation laws, statutes, policies, or protocols and, as appropriate, develop mutually agreed upon consultation protocols tailored to the consultation standards of individual Tribes. 
13. Respect and elevate Indigenous Knowledge including cultural norms and practices relevant to such consultations.
14. Identify processes for notifying Tribes of how the Tribal input influenced the decision-making after the consultation has concluded and the decision or action has been made.
15. All of these principles should be applied to the extent practicable and permitted by law.

Best Practices for Tribal Consultations and Meetings

1. Begin Early: Consultations and meetings should begin early in the project development phase, during the initial planning stages. 
2. Establish Protocols: Consultation and meeting protocols should be developed ahead of time. 
3. When to Consult: If there is any question as to whether a proposed project, policy, or other action planning will have Tribal implications, then a consultation or meeting should be conducted. 
4. Identify the Appropriate Decisionmakers: Given the subject matter, all parties should ensure that representatives with appropriate expertise and, to the extent practicable, decision-making authority regarding the proposed policy or action planning are present at a consultation or meeting.
5. Creating Effective Notice: Consultations and meetings should be scheduled such that the Tribe(s) are given timely, adequate notice, absent extenuating circumstances. 
6. Read-Ahead Materials with Notice: All pertinent information about a topic, including an agenda, should be made available at a reasonable time prior to the consultation or meeting.
7. Access: Consultation or meeting opportunities should be accessible and convenient to Tribal participants.
8. Notifying Appropriate Tribal Participants: All potentially affected Tribes should be notified and invited to consult or meet. 
9. Meaningfully Consider Information Received from Tribal Nations: Information obtained from Tribes should be given meaningful consideration; this can happen only if Tribes are both properly informed and Tribal input is solicited early enough in the planning process that it may actually influence the decision to be made.
10. Information from a Non-Tribal Government Official: When agencies receive information during consultation from a source other than a Tribal government official, the agency should ascertain whether that source has appropriate Tribal authority to speak for the Tribal government, by communicating with Tribal government officials.
11. Considering Multiple Perspectives: The existence, nature, or scope of an asserted Tribal right may not be clearly established, or may be disputed by other Tribes, third parties, or others. In these instances, all parties should carefully consider information and views provided during the consultation process and, as appropriate, engage with others with related interests and responsibilities that may be impacted by the decision.
12. Record of Consultation: Maintain a record of the consultation or meeting process that includes: a summary of Tribal input received; an explanation of how Tribal input influenced or was incorporated into the agency action; and the reasoning for why Tribal suggestions were not incorporated into the proposed policy or action or why consensus could not be attained.