Recent NTD Developments - Frequently Asked Questions
Please refer to this page for links to the most recently published Federal Register Notices pertaining to NTD reporting.
- What is the difference between a Major and a Non-Major Assault on a Transit Worker?
- What is the difference between a physical and non-physical assault?
- We are a reduced reporter with our next report due in the fall. Will this safety data need to be provided on that report? On what date should data collection begin?
- How do I know if I'm required to submit WE-20 data?
- How do I report for Vanpool modes for the WE-20 form?
- Do I report on a weekly basis for WE-20 Weekly Reference Reporting?
- Does the GTFS link need to be static GTFS or GTFS-RT feeds?
- Do the GTFS feeds need to be updated whenever we have service changes throughout the year?
- Would microtransit be considered Demand Response (DR) for purposes of the Geographic Area Coverage B-15 Form?
- Does the emergency contact on the P-10 Form need to be a single individual or could the contact represent a position such as Emergency Operations Center Director?
Topics by Section
Assault on Transit Workers
- When is the requirement effective for data collection and data entry?
- Does FTA prescribe or constrain methods for collecting information on assaults on transit workers?
- Can FTA define the difference between Vandalism (System Security Event) and Assault on a Transit Worker when the vandalism impacts the transit worker? Is there one event type that trumps?
- Does the location of the assault matter?
- As intent to endanger and/or reckless disregard for the safety of human life is part of what constitutes an assault, how should agencies reasonably determine if this was met if a) police are not called and b) it is non-physical and c) the transit worker is not injured. How much should agencies look into the details to see if it meets the reporting threshold?
- How will the data be used?
- Does it matter who the assailant is?
- What is the difference between a Major and a Non-Major Assault on a Transit Worker?
- Does it matter if the transit worker initiated the event?
- What is the difference between a physical and non-physical assault?
- Are volunteers or contractors considered transit workers for the purpose of this data collection?
- What resources can be provided to actually start gathering data on the forms before data entry?
- Should I report an assault on a transit worker as a major event only if someone involved in the event is transported away from the scene? And a non-major event otherwise?
- Will the monthly S&S-50 need to be filled with zeroes if we have no data to report?
- Do asset-only reporters only have to report assaults on transit workers? Or do they also need to report major events, injuries and fatalities?
- Are there fields to report if an assault resulted in a contacting the police and receiving a police report?
- What are examples of Major Events involving assaults on transit workers where there is a mental health component (e.g., trauma)? What about Non-Major Events?
- We are a reduced reporter with our next report due in the fall. Will this safety data need to be provided on that report?
When is the requirement effective for data collection and data entry?
For Full Reporters, the effective date for data collection and reporting of assault on transit worker events is April 2023. For example, an event occurring in March 2023 would not need to be classified as an Assault on a Transit Worker by the agency. An event occurring in April 2023 would need to include the detail of whether the assault was against a transit worker, and the reporting system has been updated to accommodate it. However, agencies may voluntarily choose to report events occurring in previous months in 2023.
For Reduced and Rural Reporters, the effective date for reporting of assault on transit worker events correspond to the annual reporting deadline of each agency for Report Year 2023.
Does FTA prescribe or constrain methods for collecting information on assaults on transit workers?
FTA does not prescribe methods of data collection other than the data must meet the requirements set forth by the 2023 Safety & Security Reporting Policy manual. Per guidance regarding Event Description, the report should contain enough detail to verify that a transit worker has been assaulted. Examples of data collection methods can include police reports, reports or statements by passengers, or reports by transit workers.
How to make local stakeholders who are not involved in NTD reporting aware of the change is not in the domain of the NTD, but agencies can follow any best practices provided by FTA or recommended by the Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS) in this document.
The presence of an assault trumps reporting the event as vandalism. In other words, vandalism to transit property may happen during an Assault on a Transit Worker. These details should be described in the Event Description. If there was an attempt to vandalize property but no attempt to assault a worker and no direct endangerment to the worker or interference with the worker's duties, generally this can be reported as Vandalism.
Does the location of the assault matter?
Yes. Occupational safety events occurring in administrative buildings are generally not reportable to the NTD. This would include workplace violence events occurring solely within these buildings.
Agencies should use a reasonable level of effort to determine the reportability of an assault on a transit worker. Reports or statements by passengers or patrons are sources, as are CCTV, cell phone videos or pictures, or operator/worker account of the event. Best practices to respond to reports of assaults are identified in this report.
In general, NTD data is used as a source of published public information for any number of uses, supports the formulation of national policy, and aids in the appropriation FTA formula funds to transit agencies. This Assault on Transit Worker data collection directly supports the requirement for Safety Committees to set targets reducing risk for assaults on transit workers established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). FTA will publish the data within existing safety data products found here.
Specifically, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requires that the Safety Committees of recipients serving large urbanized areas establish performance targets for the safety risk reduction program using a 3-year rolling average of data submitted by the recipient to the NTD.
Does it matter who the assailant is?
Generally, any person can commit an assault on a transit worker.
What is the difference between a Major and a Non-Major Assault on a Transit Worker?
A Major event occurrence of an Assault on a Transit Worker (per definition) are those where one or more transit worker (per definition) are transported for medical attention.
A Non-major event occurrence of an Assault on a Transit Worker (per definition) are those where no injury (transport for medical attention) occurred.
Does it matter if the transit worker initiated the event?
If the transit worker is assaulted (see "Assault" definition) during the encounter, the event is reportable as either a non-major occurrence (no injury) or a major event (if transported for medical attention).
What is the difference between a physical and non-physical assault?
A physical assault is one where the assailant makes physical contact with the worker, including bodily contact (including saliva) or by any object, weapon, or projectile to do so. A Non-physical assault include verbal threats, harassment, or intimidation. For example: a transit rider attempts to strike a supervisor with a metal bar, but no physical contact was made would be categorized as a non-physical assault on a transit worker.
Are volunteers or contractors considered transit workers for the purpose of this data collection?
Yes. These individuals would be considered transit workers if they are volunteering for the agency. "Any employee, contractor, or volunteer working on behalf of the transit agency" would count.
What resources can be provided to actually start gathering data on the forms before data entry?
At this time, FTA does not have a preset template for the S&S-50 or S&S-40 data collection. We are exploring a form template that will hopefully augment data collection in the future. PDF versions of the forms can be found online here.
Yes. The circumstance of transport away from the scene for medical attention determines whether to report a major or non-major event. The only exception is if a serious injury occurs. In that case, you should report a major event regardless of transport away from the scene.
No. You can use the "No Non-Major Assaults to Report" checkbox. You will be asked to confirm there were no Non-Major Assaults for the given month/mode.
Asset-only reporters have to report assault on transit workers data on the S&S-60 form as well as the count of major events, collisions, injuries, fatalities, and non-major injuries.
Not specifically. However, the Event Description field in the Major Event form, and the Additional Details section in the S&S-50 Non-Major form may be used to include this information.
Transit workers may be transported for mental health evaluation following an assault. Transport away from the scene for medical attention for trauma is required in order to report a Major Event with a Non-Physical Assault on a Transit Worker. Circumstances where transit workers who have a mental health evaluation or time off for mental health reasons unrelated to a specific event are not reportable.
We are a reduced reporter with our next report due in Fall 2023. Will this data need to be provided on that report?
Reduced Reporters must include Assault on Transit Workers in their 2023 Annual Reporting Package. If you do not have a process in place to collect this information for FY 2023, you may request a waiver from reporting these data. Please contact your annual NTD analyst to discuss.
Weekly Reference (WE-20) Reporting
- Are the selected reporters for WE-20 all full reporters?
- Does Special Event Service ridership need to be included?
- What if a natural event (i.e. hurricane) occurs for WE-20 week we are supposed to report?
- Is the WE-20 reporting form asking for total unlinked passenger trips recorded in the reporting week, or only the UPTs that are recorded in the random trip samples?
- How do I report for Vanpool modes for the WE-20 form?
- Do I report on a weekly basis for WE-20 Weekly Reference Reporting?
- Do we choose the reference weeks?
- How do I know if I'm required to submit WE-20 data?
- Are demand response and microtransit services included in the WE-20 data?
- If my agency is selected for the first three years of WE-20 reporting, is it possible or likely that we could be selected again in 2026?
- Should the Vehicle Revenue Miles be reported as scheduled or actual?
Are the selected reporters for WE-20 all full reporters?
No, the WE-20 reporting requirement applies to full reporters, reduced reporters, tribal reporters, and rural reporters selected in the sample group.
Does Special Event Service ridership need to be included?
Yes, if the service is public transit, you should include all Unlinked Passenger Trips in your WE-20 reporting.
What if a natural event (i.e. hurricane) occurs for WE-20 week we are supposed to report?
If your agency is impacted by a natural disaster, please contact your assigned NTD analyst to notify them to discuss implications to reporting.
The WE-20 form should capture total UPT during the reference week.
How do I report Vanpool modes for the WE-20 Form?
Vanpool modes have the option to report Vehicles Operated in Maximum Service (VOMS) in lieu of reporting Vehicle Revenue Miles and Unlinked Passenger Trips.
Do I report on a weekly basis for WE-20 Weekly Reference Reporting?
No, the WE-20 requirement is a monthly submission of one week’s worth of VRM and UPT data.
Do we choose the reference weeks?
No. FTA will choose the reference week and the dates associated with each reference week. This is typically the second full week of each month. These will be provided to agencies required to submit WE-20 forms at least 3 months in advance and published in the NTD Policy Manual.
How do I know if I'm required to submit WE-20 data?
NTD Staff contacted all agencies selected for the WE-20 reporting for the first three-year time period of 2023-2026. If you are unsure if you have been selected, please contact your assigned NTD analyst or email NTDHelp@dot.gov.
Are demand response and microtransit services included in the WE-20 data?
Yes, agencies selected for WE-20 Reporting will be notified of which modes to submit. This may include Demand Response modes.
Yes, it is possible that your agency could be selected again in 2026.
Should the Vehicle Revenue Miles be reported as scheduled or actual?
You should report the actual vehicle revenue miles for the selected reference week.
New 2023-2024 Annual Requirements
- Where can I find a list of census designated places (CDPs) and counties for my state in order to complete the B-15 Form?
- Does the GTFS link need to be static GTFS or GTFS-RT feeds?
- In regions where there is a regional GTFS feed incorporating the service of multiple NTD reporters, would that meet this new requirement, or must the feed incorporate only service reportable by the agency reporting the GTFS feed?
- Do the GTFS feeds need to be updated whenever we have service changes throughout the year?
- Does the GTFS requirement include rural deviated-fixed route service?
- Are there resources available for GTFS development?
- Would microtransit be considered Demand Response (DR) for purposes of the Geographic Area Coverage B-15 Form?
- Does the emergency contact on the P-10 Form need to be a single individual or could the contact represent a position such as Emergency Operations Center Director?
- Where do I report the Fuel Type for rural reporters?
You can find a reference document here for a crosswalk of CDPs to counties by state to review while completing the B-15 form. To visualize CDPs and county boundaries, please refer to the FTA Census Map, which has map layers specific to each category.
Does the GTFS link need to be static GTFS or GTFS-RT feeds?
Only static GTFS links are required to fulfill the reporting requirement. Agencies may provide GTFS-RT feeds, but this is optional.
Regional GTFS feeds will meet the requirement if all services are represented in the feed for each NTD reporting agency.
Do the GTFS feeds need to be updated whenever we have service changes throughout the year?
No, you are only required to certify annually with your NTD report, that your agency’s GTFS feeds are up-to-date.
Does the GTFS requirement include rural deviated-fixed routes?
Yes, any fixed route service, including deviated fixed route, is subject to the GTFS requirement. This includes urban and rural reporters.
Are there resources available for GTFS development?
Yes, agencies can find guidance on GTFS development and best practices at the National Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) website. These resources are available to all transit agencies, not solely rural agencies. Please find the GTFS Builder here and the GTFS Builder Guidebook here. National RTAP hosts live weekly support sessions on Thursdays between 1:00-1:30 ET. For transit agencies located within California, assistance and resources are also available through Caltrans and Cal-ITP.
Would microtransit be considered DR for purposes of the B-15 form?
Yes, in most cases microtransit services are reported to the NTD as Demand Response. If you have any questions about a particular service, please contact your assigned NTD analyst to discuss.
Yes, if any portion of your service is ADA, you should select “Yes” for Question 4 on the B-15 Form.
The emergency contact must be a single person with an associated email and phone number. It should not represent a position or department as a whole.
Where do I report the Fuel Type for rural reporters?
For each vehicle fleet, you will report the associated Fuel Type on the A-30 Revenue Vehicle Inventory Form. The form will have a drop-down selection field for Fuel Type.
The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.