Transit Bus Safety Oversight Program Federal Transit Administration

1. Transit Bus Safety Oversight ProgramFederal Transit Administration Orientation Seminar April 2, 2014 Presenter: Ream Lazaro

2. Seminar Agenda • Welcome and Introductions • FTA Bus Safety Program Background, Mission, & Elements • MAP-21 and Safety Management System (SMS) Overview • VoluntaryBus Safety Guidance Part I • Voluntary Bus Safety Guidance Part II • Demonstration of Bus Program website • Closing Remarks

3. Seminar Overview An effective mechanism to • Present background of Bus Safety Oversight Program • Explain Safety Management System (SMS) objectives • Provide SMS based safety guidance • address needs of transit bus agencies regardless of size, level of funding, or service characteristics • Demonstrate and stimulate use of Bus Safety Program website • Presents opportunity for face-to-face dialog on safety challenges

4. Bus Safety Oversight Program Overview

5. Bus Program Background • Voluntary oversight program • Developed in collaboration with industry partners • Objective – improve safety for passengers, employees, and all that share roadways with transit buses • Initial focus on small urban and rural bus transit systems • Now includes large urban bus transit systems and bus rapid transit (BRT)

6. Bus Program Origins • NTSB recommendations • NTSB investigations determined there were substantial safety deficiencies and insufficient oversight in bus transit industry • Issued recommendations in 1998 to encourage creation of safety standards and practices • FTA responded with “Model Program”

7. Bus Program Partners • MOU signed by Bus Program Partners in 2003 • Federal Transit Administration (FTA) • American Assoc. of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) • American Public Transportation Assoc. (APTA) • Community Transportation Assoc. of America (CTAA) • MOU defined core and enhanced elements of “model program”

8. Major Bus Program Elements • Resource website • Voluntary onsite reviews • Orientation seminars • Ongoing outreach

9. Resource Website • Library of 1300 resources • Self-assessment tool • Helps transit agencies identify safety gaps • Case studies • Support emergency planning and decision-making • Safety news and events • Registering gets you more • Currently in redesign • E-learning modules http://bussafety.fta.dot.gov/

10. Voluntary Onsite Reviews • Scheduled by requests from transit agencies, state DOTs, FTA regions • Onsite for 1 – 3 days • Voluntary in nature and designed to provide safety guidance • Post site visit report and technical assistance safety materials • Also shared with key FTA regional or DOT stakeholders

11. Orientation Seminars • Co-sponsored by state DOTs / state transit associations • Publicizes Bus Program / encourages attendees to use Program resources • Provides safety training, guidance, technical assistance • Demonstrates Bus Program website • Allows dialogue on transit safety needs

12. Program Outreach • Initiatives include: • Presentations • CTAA EXPOs • FTA regional conferences • National Rural Conferences • MTAP/SCOPT annual meetings • Tribal transit conferences • State transit association conferences • Blast emails • Panels at conferences • Outreach to transit associations

13. Beneficiaries of FTA Bus Safety Program Individual transit agencies • Program provides mechanism to: • evaluate current safety activities • Identify strengths / needs • assist in SMS implementation Transit employees • Resources to enhance individual technical skill sets and safety professionalism Transit passengers • Assists in decreasing operational safety risks to passengers Communities transit serves • Emphasizes importance of transportation readiness to respond to community emergencies; provides tools for carrying out response

14. Beneficiaries of FTA Bus Safety Program FTA and US Dept. of Transportation • Meets NTSB recommendations • Encourages achieving safety excellence within SMS guidelines Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other Federal agencies • Mechanism for FTA to partner with other federal agencies State DOTs • Provides guidance/support on SMS implementation Transit associations • Template for designing safety conference / workshop presentations and technical assistance activities

15. MAP-21 and SMS

16. MAP-21 • Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act signed into law July 2012 • Includes Section 5329 – Public Transportation Safety Program • Creates a national safety program • National Safety Plan • Transit Agency Safety Plan • Safety Certification Training Program • State Safety Oversight (SSO) Program (rail)

17. The National Safety Program • The National Safety Program includes four distinct components, three of which are:

18. National Safety Plan • At a minimum, the National Safety Plan will include: • Safety performance criteria • Definition of State of Good Repair • A public transportation safety certification program • Minimum vehicle standards • Data analysis will be used to identify national trends that suggest: • gaps in safety performance • common hazards • leading practices for risk control

19. Safety Performance Criteria • FTA will set safety performance criteria for all modes • Criteria will support analysis and risk evaluation • As a result, transit agencies will become more proactive in safety risk management

20. Minimum Vehicle Safety Standards • FTA’s priority is to issue a proposed rule to establish a bus testing pass/fail standard • Rule will determine usage of FTA funds for bus purchase • Performance standards define an end result, but allow flexibility on how that result is achieved • Congress did not intend FTA to replicate a regulatory model, with highly prescriptive regulations • FTA will consider leading industry practices and National Transit • Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations

21. Transit Agency Safety Plan • The Transit Agency Safety Plan will demonstrate: • Compliance with the National Safety Plan • Implementation of SMS; scalable and flexible • Agencies must establish and certify this comprehensive plan within a year of the final rule • States may draft and certify Agency Safety Plans for rural areas and for small public transportation providers in urban areas

22. Safety Certification Training Program • The Safety Certification Training Program focuses on: • Competencies and training outcomes • Certification training for those responsible for the safety oversight of rail transit, as an initial effort • Interim Provisions will soon be published in Federal Register

23. Safety Management Systems (SMS) • Published policy to adopt SMS in May 2013 • Essential building blocks of a successful SMS already exist • Each transit agency to develop processes to implement SMS • Safety Management System is: • Scalable and flexible to support transit systems of all sizes • Proactive method for managing system safety • A way to ensure data-driven safety decision making • Focused on the overall safety performance, not compliance with regulation and requirements

24. SMS Framework • Safety Management Policy • Safety Risk Management • Safety Assurance • Safety Promotion

25. Safety Management Policy • Accountable Executive • Roles and responsibilities • Management commitment • Integration with existing programs • Documentation

26. Safety Risk Management • Hazard identification and analysis • Risk assessment and mitigation

27. Safety Assurance • Safety performance monitoring • Management of change • Continuous SMS improvement

28. Safety Promotion • Competencies and training • Safety communication

29. SMS Summary • SMS is scalable and flexible and recognizes that one size does not fit all • All transit agencies, regardless of mode, size or operating characteristics will be required to develop Transit Agency Safety Plans • States may help develop and certify Transit Agency Safety Plans for Small Providers • FTA is developing bus testing pass/fail standards

30. 4 questions that SMS will facilitate answering • What is most likely to be the cause of your next accident or serious incident? • How do you know that? • What are you doing about it? • Is it working?

31. The Bus Program and MAP-21 • Bus Program enters into transition period • Moving from totally voluntary guidance and technical assistance program to include safety oversight • Provide information on and guide transit industry through SMS implementation process • Continue orientation seminars / presentations • Continue onsite safety reviews • Redesigned website

32. Voluntary Safety Guidance

33. Voluntary Guidance Elements • Safety Program Management • Operations Management • Maintenance Management • Human Resource Management • Public Safety Management • Emergency Response Management • Safety Hazard Management • Safety Performance Management

34. 1. Safety Management • Management Commitment and Responsibility • Safety Leadership Accountability • Key Safety Personnel • Safety Culture • Safety Plan and Safety Documentation

35. 1A - Management Commitment and Responsibility • Safety policy • Safety objectives • Communication of safety objectives • Commitment of resources to mitigate hazards

36. 1B - Safety Leadership Accountability • CEO safety accountability • Safety as top priority • Management roles and responsibilities • Chain of command • Reporting of safety issues

37. 1C - Key Safety Personnel Individual responsible for safety / Safety Officer Makes preventable / non-preventable determinations Manages hazard identification / mitigation process Identifies safety training requirements Holds safety meetings and briefings Documents / analyzes safety data for trends • Reports directly to CEO • Qualified / trained for job • Advises staff on safety issues • Promotes safety awareness • Oversees accident / incident handling and investigation • Develops safety reports

38. 1D - Safety Culture • Employee orientations on safety responsibilities • Safety incentive or award programs • Safety information dissemination • Employee input on safety concerns • Transit “just culture” and non-punitive reporting

39. 1E - Safety Plan and Safety Documentation • Safety Plan consistent with Safety Policy • Authorized by oversight authority and transit CEO • States agency’s safety mission, values, goals • States employee safety responsibilities /accountabilities • Addresses coordination with security & emergency preparedness plans • Communicated to employees • Reviewed annually

40. 1E - Safety Plan and Safety Documentation Safety Plan should address: Accident & incident emergency response Accident & incident investigation Change management / system modification Safety related training Safety related communication Employee safety performance monitoring • Safe delivery of transit services • Transit vehicle maintenance requirements • Transit facility maintenance requirements • Safety data acquisition & analysis • Safety hazard identification, reporting, analysis, mitigation

41. 2. Operations Management • Service design • Service delivery • Customer service • Vehicle size & configuration • Vehicle inspection • Onboard safety equipment

42. 2A - Service Design • Fixed route evaluations • Bus stop safety evaluations • Evaluation of demand response / paratransit pick-up and drop-off times • Operator / driver relief time

43. 2B - Service Delivery • Radio coverage within service area • Radio protocol • Child safety seats • Transporting unaccompanied children

44. 2C - Customer Service • Passenger assistance policy • Customer service policy includes • restrictions on carry-on items • restrictions on onboard activities • right to refuse service based on unsafe behavior

45. 2D - Vehicle Size & Configuration • Vehicle procurement • Consider safety records of vehicle prototypes • Consider safety related vehicle configuration / specification issues • seating configuration • lift placement • exit points • fire suppression systems

46. 2E - Vehicle Inspection • Pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections • formal policy • standardized form • time allotted

47. 2F - Onboard Safety Equipment • Fire extinguisher • First aid kit • Biohazard kit • Web cutter • Reflective triangles • Flashlight • Reflective vest • Listed on pre-trip form

48. 3. Maintenance Management • Vehicle maintenance planning • Vehicle preventive & corrective maintenance • Alternative fuel vehicles • Maintenance shop safety • Facility maintenance • Hazardous materials

49. 3A – Vehicle Maintenance Planning • Formal maintenance plan • Manufacturers warranty requirements • Preventative maintenance scheduling / tracking

50. 3B – Vehicle Preventive / Corrective Maintenance • Preventive maintenance checklists • Vehicle defect documentation • Wheelchair lift maintenance • Individual vehicle maintenance files • Inspect vehicles after outsourced maintenance