CTA Membership Update: Enhancements, New Offerings, and Benefits

As we continue our commitment to ensuring our support meets your needs and provides value for money, we're excited to share the outcomes of our recent CTA membership review and the developments we're introducing to our member benefits. Your feedback has been invaluable in shaping these changes, ensuring that our services align more closely with your needs and aspirations.

Listening and Improving: What's New?

In response to your input, we're excited to announce several initiatives, we are launching later this year aimed at enriching your experience as a CTA member:

1. Commercial Affiliation Offer: Connecting members to essential commercial services they need for their operations.
2. Enhanced Website and Members Area: Easy access to additional resources including media content like CT specific images for better engagement and learning.
3. Online Permit Application Process: Launching April 24, streamlining the permit application process for convenience, with a refreshed online portal planned for later this year.
4. New Permit Information Sessions: Offering opportunities for knowledge building, including Q&A sessions with the Office for the Traffic Commissioner (OTC).

Revised Membership Types and Benefits

To cater to the diverse needs of our members, we're introducing changes to our membership types:

1. Full Membership: Providing access to all services and benefits.
2. *New* Permit-Only Membership: Tailored for not-for-profit providers and schools, granting access to S19 and S10B permits, along with specialised support in permit-related matters.

What is Permit-Only Membership

We recognise that some charities and education bodies require transport purely to enable their beneficiaries to access their services and therefore their services are closed to the wider community and so wouldn’t fall into a wider definition of providing community transport.  For this group of organisations that still require a permit and advice on how to operate transport safely and legally, we have developed a permit-only membership.

With this membership an organisation would be able to apply for S19 and S10B permits from CTA and access any training related to safe and legal operation that CTA provides for members.

CTA Permit only membership is only available to:

• Schools or Education providers who only transport their students
• Not-for-profit or charities that are secondary providers and only use transport on a limited basis with a closed membership just for their beneficiaries e.g. Scout groups, Air Cadets

Public Sector Membership

Local, regional and national governments are key stakeholders in the community transport sector.  As members of CTA, you can access advice and support on legislation and the safe operation of community transport services. We can guide you on how to integrate CT into your local transport offer making the most effective use of local and national funding to support a sustainable sector.

Your membership will also provide you with the opportunity to contribute to influencing industry standards, policy recommendations, and advocacy efforts, fostering a sustainable, equitable, and well-integrated community transport system.

Group Membership - for Community Transport Providers within your place.

There are many ways that a council can support their local community transport sector, one of those is ensuring that they have access to expert high-quality advice to ensure safe and legal operation.  To support with this CTA can offer a group membership with can cover specified not-for-profit community transport providers within your place.

The price for this is dependent on your place and is open to any public sector organisation whether you are a town council, local authority or Sub National Transport Body– enquire about this now.

How to change to a Permit-Only Membership

Existing members can switch their membership type at renewal. Instructions on how to request this change will be provided when your current membership expires.  See the Permit-Only Membership Benefits here.

Full Membership Benefits

Our revamped membership benefits encompass:

• Advice and Support: Tailored guidance from dedicated Development Officers, unlimited access to specialist advice services, peer support opportunities, and relevant templates.
• Policy and Research: Exclusive access to members-only events, priority participation in campaigns and research projects, and opportunities to influence industry standards and policy recommendations.
• Training: Free/discounted access to events, introduction to CT training programs, and reduced costs for MiDAS Driver Assessor certification.
• Commercial Opportunities: Access to commercial discounts with CTA partners, S19 and S10B permits, and eligibility to apply for annual CTA Awards.

See the full list of member benefits here.

Join Us in Shaping the Future

We're committed to fostering a thriving community transport movement, and your involvement is crucial. Together, we can influence policy, drive positive change, and ensure a sustainable, equitable transport system for all.

Thank you for your continued support and participation.