MTA Spring Training Conference and Vendor EXPO
Billings, Montana

Billings Hotel & Convention Center
1223 Mullowney Lane
Billings, MT 59101
(406) 248-7151

May 12-16, 2025
Tentative Agenda

Conference Sponsors

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Monday, May 12 _ Driver Training - CLASS IS FULL
7:30 - 8:00am          Registration 
8:00 - Noon             PASS Training -downloadable course                                    description above
Noon - 1:00 p.m.     Lunch - on your own
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.       Assault Awareness and Prevention for Transit
                                Operators
1:00 - 5:00 p.m.       PASS training cont'd

Tuesday, May 13 - Driver Training

8:00 - Noon              PASS Training cont'd

Noon - 1:00 p.m.      Lunch - on your own

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.        PASS training concludes
TRIBAL TRAINING
4:00- 5:00 p.m.     Tribal Transit Basics - Warren Blackman - Blackfeet
                                        Transit; Corky Sias - CSKT Transit; Chuck Nelson - Davey Coach;
                                         Eddie Thomas - Insurica Insurance; Ann Beauvais - Region 8
                                         Procurement COOP  and Lyn Hellegaard -MTA.
                                        This session will give you the basics of running a transit system. 
                                         The panel should be able to answer most of your questions or
                                          know where to find the answers for you.
                                         Tribal Transit is unique, not only in the transit industry, but also    
                                         among each tribe. Learn the lingo, concepts and strategies to
                                         meeting your riders and community needs.       

Wednesday, May 14 - Driver Training
8:00 - 10:00 am  Q'Straint Wheelchair Securement Training
                          - Lisa Nippolt - Q'Straint  - Learn how to properly
                             secure any mobility devise. Tricks to help you
                             provide exceptional service to your riders.
10:00 - 11:00 am  Davey Coach Lift Troubleshooting - This session will
                              help drivers troubleshoot their lifts while out in the
                              field. If you have questions or concerns about your
                              lift - bring them we're sure the  Chuck will have the
                              answer.
11:00 - Noon         Proper Wheelchair Etiquette: While AMF Bruns
                              America’s Protektor Series retractors secure the
                              wheelchair and occupant, proper wheelchair
                              etiquette during transportation is equally important
                              via communication with occupant and respecting
                              personal space.


Wednesday, May 14 - Agency Training
7:30 - 8:00 am    Registration
8:00 - 8:15 am    Conference Welcome - Rusty Logan, MTA President

8:15 - 9:45 a.m.     OMB's Revised Grant Guidance: What  
                       Program Managers Need to Know - Bob Lloyd -
                              Federal Fund Management Advisor
                                   Grants management subjects are addressed in a recent revised policy
                                   document issued by the Office of Management and Budget and known
                                  as the "uniform guidance" which every federal grant making agency
                                  adopted effective October 1, 2024. This session will provide program
                                  directors and staff with a comfort level about the requirements to
                                   enable them to effectively collaborate internally with administrative
                                   staff and communicate externally with awarding agency officials.
 9:45 – 10:00 am   Break
 
10:00 – 11:30 am  Subrecipient vs Contractor: Making .  Bob Lloyd
                            Since OMB says that pass-through entities should "exercise
                                      judgement" when they make the required determinations, this
                                     session will take a fresh look at all of the factors that might affect the
                                      decision, including some that aren't include in OMB's guidance
                                      document. We will examine the requirements from the differing
                                      perspectives of the federal awarding agencies, the pass-through
                                      entities and the sub-grantees that are receiving awards.
 
11:30 – 1:00 p.m.   Vendor EXPO and Networking Luncheon
 
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.  Indirect Cost Recovery for Nonprofit
                        Organizations: Some Assembly Required - Bob
                                      Lloyd
                                     This session will translate into understandable terms the federal
                                      instructions on how nonprofit organizations can prepare a
                                      successful indirect cost rate proposal. We'll cover:
                                     * What do the federal rules say about who makes decisions to charge
                                        costs indirectly?
                                     * What are the realities of federal agency indirect cost cognizance?
                                     * Under what circumstances are federal agencies and pass-through
                                        entities forced to recognize federally negotiated rates?
                                     * What kinds of discretion do pass-through entities have about
                                         indirect cost rate negotiation?
                                     * What options are available to nonprofit organization subrecipients
                                        to recover their indirect costs?
                                     * What are the procedural steps involved in developing and
                                         presenting defensible rate calculations?
                                    * How does the de minimus indirect cost rate work, and what are the
                                       advantages and disadvantages?
                                   * What role does an organization's single audit report play in indirect
                                      cost recovery?
 
3:00 – 3:15 p.m.    Break

3:15 - 4:30 p.m.   Montana Needs Assessment Study Focus   
                        Group - Jill  Cahoon & Sloane Stinson, AECOM    
        
 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.   Networking Event - Jazz Jeopardy - A Murder
                              Mystery and Scavenger Hunt/Karaoke. Music
                              provided by Mark Quinlan. 

Thursday, May 15 - Agency Training
 
7:30 - 8:00 a.m.    Late Registration

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.  From Chaos to Clarity – Marianne Renner, Coaching  
                               Solutions
                                       In a world of increasing chaos, uncertainty. and constant change,
                                       it’s hard to feel like you’re moving the needle forward. How do you
                                       show up and bring your very best even during the most trying
                                       times? This presentation will help you gain greater self-awareness
                                       and provide tools to lead yourself well so you can, in turn, lead
                                       others. You'll be inspired to think differently about how you work,
                                      live and lead.
                                In this keynote, learn how to:
                                        * Identify and blast through roadblocks that inhibit performance 
                                        *  Avoid the dangerous allure of distraction.
                                        * Overcome circumstances beyond your control
                                        * Master your self-talk in the face of challenges  
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.        Shark Tank Competition Round-table
10:00 – 10:15 a.m.      Break
 10:15 – Noon                Braving this New World – How to navigate through difficult
                                         change. This engaging workshop will give you tools to navigate
                                         through change with more energy, ease and peace of mind. You’ll
                                         learn how to gain a sense of empowerment and control during
                                         change. You’ll also learn to identify predictable patterns of
                                         behavior during change so you can communicate more effectively
                                         during conflict and difficult transitions.
                                         In this keynote, learn how to:
                                         Understand predictable patterns of behavior during change Raise
                                         your self-awareness around your automatic response to change
                                         Adapt to change more quickly and easily Lead and influence
                                          others through change Apply tools to help you and your teams
                                           navigate through change  
Noon – 2:00 p.m.      Vendor EXPO and Networking Luncheon
2:00 - 2:30 p.m.     Hydrogen Vehicles – Chuck Davey & Comer Hobbs
                                   This session will give you all the information you'll need to integrate
                                   hydrogen vehicles in to your fleet.
2:30 - 3:00 p.m     Introduction to Propane - Chuck Nelson & Randy 
                                   Veenhoven
                                   This session will give you all the information on how to integrate 
                                   propane
3:00 - 3:30 p.m.    Region 8 Purchasing Coop - Ann Beauvais
                             This session will introduce you to procurement coops and their
                                    advantages.
3:30 - 4:00 p.m.   Transit Insurance Options: Eddie Thomas, Insurica Insurance                                   This session will give you the basics of running a transit system
                              
4:00 – 4:15 p.m.       Break
4:15 - 5:00 p.m.       Vendor Updates – Our wonderful vendors
                                       Vendors will update you on industry innovations, future
                                       outlook
 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.      Happy Hour - hosted by Davey Coach     
 6:00 p.m.                   Awards Banquet and Silent Auction (bar open until 6:30 or 7:00
                                     – cash bar)

                      DON'T FORGET YOUR SILENT AUCTION ITEM


Friday, May 16  - Agency
8:00 - 8:30 a.m.      Breakfast
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.       CTAA - An Up-to-Date Look at What's Happening
                               with Transit in DC & What it Means for MT
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.     FTA Update
9:30 - 10:00 a.m.     MDT Update
10:00 - 11:00 a.m    MTA Business Meeting
                                          Election of Officers
                                          Roundtable Discussions
11:00 a.m.                  Adjournment