Transcript Slide 1
Transit Bus Safety and Security
Program
Federal Transit Administration
2010 MTAP/SCOPT ANNUAL WINTER MEETING
Savannah, Georgia
Presented by
Ream Lazaro
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
AND
OVERVIEW
Slide 2
FTA Bus Program initially developed in response to NTSB
recommendations to USDOT
Created as a result of MOU partnership with
- FTA - APTA
- CTAA
- AASHTO
Initial Model Program never left draft stage due to series of
issues / approaches requiring revision
FTA revised / re-energized Transit Bus Safety Program in 2006
Newly revised Program focuses on small urban and rural
transit
Based on philosophy of “one-size does not fit all”
Program is voluntary and focused on providing technical
assistance in safety, security and emergency preparedness
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
MAJOR PROGRAM COMPONENTS
Working Group of Industry Stakeholders
• Assist in providing Program direction
“Roadmap for Excellence”
• Provides specific guidance to transit agencies in building safety,
security and emergency preparedness infrastructure
Orientation Seminars
• Held in partnership with state DOTs
• Provide guidance, technical assistance, opportunity for dialogue with
small urban and rural transit agencies
Voluntary Onsite Reviews
• Provide transit agencies with technical assistance for mission
achievement
• Keeps Program firmly founded in operational reality
Web site – www.bussafety.fta.dot.gov
• Immediate access to safety / security technical assistance resources
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
PROGRAM SUCCESSES
Slide 6
ORIENTATION SEMINARS
20 Seminars held in partnership with State DOTs as of 12/2010
Allowed face to face dialogue on safety, security, emergency
preparedness with over 600 participants from rural and small
urban transit agencies
Participant evaluations of Seminar helpfulness
• averaged a positive 4.7 out of a possible 5.0
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
VOLUNTARY ONSITE REVIEWS
34 transit systems from over 26 states reviewed as of 12/2010
Mid-sized urban, small urban, and rural agencies
Technical assistance materials delivered
• Written report of recommendations for improvement
• On average, provided over 20 documents per agency to support
recommendations
Participant evaluations as to helpfulness of review process
• Averaged a positive 3.5 out of a possible 4.0
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WEB SITE
Over 700 individual registered users representing over 500
transit agencies (as of 12/2010)
Users downloaded over 70,000 technical assistance
documents (as of 12/2010)
• Includes policies, procedures, protocols, forms, templates
Registered users receive timely information on critical safety,
security and emergency preparedness issues via
blast emails
web site postings
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
Slide 9
TRANSIT SYSTEM
SAFETY & SECURITY CRITICAL CHALLENGES
ILLUMINATED THROUGH
PROGRAM SEMINARS,
ONSITE REVIEWS &
WEB SITE DOWNLOADS
Slide 10
MANAGEMENT
Formally designating individual(s) responsible for safety,
security, training, and emergency preparedness activities
Developing system specific Safety Program Plans and/or
Security Program Plans
Ensuring Mission Achievement and Business / Strategic
Planning Processes are based on measurable safety/ security
goals and objectives
Ensuring a formal methodology for gathering input on
safety/security concerns from passengers and community
Creating a positive organizational safety culture with
empowered front line employees
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
MANAGEMENT
(cont’d)
Integrating safety / security concerns into facility design and
vehicle procurement processes
Formally delineating and monitoring contractor activities
related to safety, security, and training issues
Resolving question of insurance coverage and liability
concerns when using transit vehicles in community
emergency response
Building collaborative processes within Collective Bargaining
structure to positively impact employee safety/security
performance
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
OPERATIONS and MAINTENANCE
Knowing where and how to access safety / security related
regulatory standards
Ensuring fixed route service design can be operated on
schedule without encouraging unsafe driver performance
Ensuring parameters of demand response / paratransit service
are supported by formal policies defining assistance level that
are strictly enforced, e.g., curb-to-curb vs. door-to-door
Developing formal policies governing transport of children
Formalizing specific policies covering such areas as oxygen
tanks, service animals, and passenger emergencies
Developing a comprehensive vehicle maintenance plan
Appropriately documenting preventive and corrective
maintenance
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
OPERATIONS and MAINTENANCE
(cont’d)
Ensuring drivers, including relief drivers, perform documented
vehicle inspections
Clearly marking vehicles for identification from the ground
and roof decals if appropriate
Ensuring vehicles are equipped with basic safety equipment
(fire extinguisher, web cutter, reflective triangles, first aid kit, bio-hazard
kit, flashlight)
Ensuring maintenance shops are equipped with all basic
elements of safety protection
Utilizing safety / security related performance measurements
Ensuring existence of appropriate hazmat plan including
MSDS sheets and spill response if maintenance is in house
Formal radio / cell phone policies to mitigate driver safety risk
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
HUMAN RESOURCES
Creating driver, dispatcher, and supervisor Handbooks that
contain specific guidance for each of the 3 job functions on
standard operating and emergency procedures
Becoming / remaining compliant with Drug & Alcohol program
requirements including when new requirements added
Creating Workplace Violence policies and delivering training
Addressing issue of periodic driver functional medical
examinations when not mandated through the CDL process
Tracking / monitoring driver on-duty and driving hours in
reference to fatigue management concerns
Formally structuring and documenting the employment
interview process
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
HUMAN RESOURCES
(cont’d)
Developing incentive programs that award safe performance
Periodically evaluating and documenting driver behind-thewheel performance
Providing and documenting driver training on:
•
•
•
•
•
security awareness and handling potentially dangerous passengers
responding to suspicious items on or off bus
emergency response procedures, such as for accidents and fires
securing non-traditional and oversize mobility devices
vehicle orientations on all vehicle prototypes required to operate
Creating comprehensive individual training files that
document all training received both in classroom and onvehicle including trainer and trainee signatures, hours, and
dates of training
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
SAFETY ACTIVITIES
Holding periodic formal driver safety meetings with structured
agenda and attendee sign in rosters
Developing a formal documented process for hazard
identification and risk reduction including proactively
soliciting employee input
Developing specific procedures for drivers to use in
responding/reacting to emergency safety / security events on
the bus
Developing a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
Providing training for managers/supervisors on formal
accident investigation
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
SAFETY ACTIVITIES
(cont’d)
Creating a process for determining preventable vs. nonpreventable accidents and issuing discipline
Formally capturing accident / incident near miss data for
trending and service modification
Conducting and documenting periodic facility safety audits
using a standardized OSHA type checklist
Conducting periodic and documented operational safety
audits of contractors using a standardized checklist
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
SECURITY ACTIVITIES
Conducting threat & vulnerability assessment as tool for risk
mitigation
• Include input from emergency management / first responders
Ensuring buses in revenue service are locked or kept under
driver control at all times
Utilizing tools such as lighting, fencing, and cameras to
enhance security of vehicle storage areas
Using tools such as cameras and controlled access systems to
enhance security of transit facilities
Developing formal policy for revenue handling / transfer to
maximize fare and employee security
Formally capturing security related near miss data for trending
and threat mitigation
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
EMERGENCY / ALL-HAZARDS MANAGEMENT
Working in conjunction with local / regional emergency
management to specifically and realistically define transit’s
role in emergency community response
Ensuring that appropriate transit staff are National Incident
Management (NIMS) certified
Developing a post community emergency recovery strategy to
guide system re-start
Developing and instituting an emergency information
dissemination policy that guides key staff on information
release
Developing emergency communication protocols for use
between driver and dispatch in case of on-vehicle security
related event
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
Slide 20
EMERGENCY / ALL-HAZARDS MANAGEMENT
Ensuring transit has opportunity to participate in Local
Emergency Planning Committee meetings (LEPC)
Building a strong working relationship with local / regional
emergency management and police / fire first responders
Working with emergency management to assist in
identification and location of individuals with access and
functional needs who may require evacuation assistance
Familiarizing police / fire first responders on transit vehicle
operation, including lifts
Ensuring transit’s involvement in community emergency drills
/ simulations / exercises
Federal Transit Administration
Transit Bus Safety and Security Program
Slide 21
This concludes the presentation on the:
FTA TRANSIT BUS SAFETY & SECURITY PROGRAM
THANK YOU
Slide 22