FTA BUS SAFETY

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• FTA BUS SAFETY SECURITY PROGRAM
• Overview of
• TRANSIT BUS SAFETY, SECURITY, EMERGENCY
  PREPAREDNESS

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Program BACKGROUND

• How did the program evolve?
• History of Bus Program
• NTSB Recommendations to US DOT
• Initial Model Program Development
• Difficulties with Initial Model Program
• New Bus Program Initiative

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Specific NTSB Recommendations to US DOT

• Develop implement oversight program to assess
  ensure safety of transit bus operations that
  receive Federal funding (H-98-43)
• Collect accurate, timely, sufficient data so
  thorough assessments can be made relating to
  transit bus safety (H-89-44)
• Evaluate collected data to identify underlying
  causes of transit bus accidents which lead to
  identification of safety deficiencies at transit
  agencies (H-98-45)
• Develop, in cooperation w/ APTA, CTAA, AASHTO,
  model comprehensive safety program(s) provide
  to all transit agencies (H-98-46)

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Initial Model Program Development

• Memorandum of Understanding for Model Program
  Development (H-98-46) was signed by FTA APTA,
  CTAA, AASHTO
• A Model Program was drafted which set forth
  core enhanced program elements

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Difficulties with Initial Model Program

• Single model developed for all transit agencies
  regardless of size or operating characteristics
  one size did not fit all
• Core enhanced elements of Model were difficult
  for transit systems to interpret apply to their
  individual operating realities
• Coordination with involvement of State DOTs in
  addressing Model Program implementation for small
  urban rural transit agencies was limited
• Model Program never moved out of draft stage

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New Bus Program Initiative

• FTA re-birthed re-energized its Transit Bus
  Model Program in 2005
• Established Working Group of MOU partners
  industry stakeholders to assist in Program
  design/development
• Renamed program FTA Transit Bus Safety and
  Security Program since no single model will be
  offered

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New Program Initiative contd
New Bus Program Initiative

• New Program tasked with providing voluntary
  guidelines for safety, security emergency
  preparedness that are flexible beneficial to
  all size transit agencies
• New Program is dynamic, ongoing designed to be
  responsive to changing needs in the transit
  safety security environment
• New Program is focused on needs of rural small
  urban transit while still embracing larger bus
  agency mission

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Program FOUNDATION

• What is the Program infrastructure?
• Scope of New Program
• Program Building Blocks
• Make up of Working Group
• Responsibilities of Working Group
• Program Guideline Elements
• Technical Assistance Info Database

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Scope of New Bus Safety Security Program

• Establish Working Group of MOU partners key
  stakeholders
• Research bus transit industry safety, security
  emergency preparedness needs
• Develop guidelines for bus safety, security
  emergency preparedness excellence
• Identify safety/security gaps between guidelines
  existing performance within small, medium,
  large transit operations

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Program Scope contd
Scope of New Bus Safety Security Program

• Collect and/or develop technical assistance
  information/materials to fill identified
  safety/security gaps
• Create mechanisms for agencies to access
  technical assistance information
• Monitor Bus Transit Safety Security Program
  outcomes on ongoing basis re-engineer needs,
  guidelines technical assistance information as
  necessary

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Bus Program Building Blocks
Bus Program Building Blocks

• Utilize Working Group to assist in creation of
  general template for safety, security emergency
  preparedness activities involving transit systems
  of varying sizes operating characteristics
• Create set of comprehensive flexible guidelines
  for elements that individual transit agencies
  should address in their safety, security
  emergency preparedness programs
• Create questionnaire for identifying best
  practices gaps during voluntary on-site reviews
  of individual transit agency safety, security
  emergency preparedness activities

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Building Blocks contd
Bus Program Building Blocks

• Research existing transit operation materials
  including policies, procedures, protocols, forms,
  handbooks, lesson plans, other technical
  assistance materials to identify useful templates
  
• Utilize Working Group to provide input on
  technical assistance material review selection
• Develop new technical assistance materials to
  fill gaps identified when researching existing
  industry materials
• Construct information technology mechanism to
  house technical assistance materials allow
  access to materials by transit providers

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Bus Safety Security Guidelines

• Elements of Bus Safety Security Excellence
• Management
• Equipment, Systems Operation and Maintenance
• Human Resources
• Safety Activities
• Security Activities
• Emergency / All-hazards Management

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Program DELIVERY

• How is the Program accessed
• Voluntary On-site Reviews
• Self Assessment Tool
• Web Site Resource Library
• Workshops, Training Outreach
• State DOTs
• Transit Associations

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Voluntary On-Site Reviews
Voluntary On-site Reviews

• Solicit volunteer transit agencies of varying
  sizes, operating characteristics locations to
  participate in on-site reviews
• Conduct on-site review of volunteer agency
  safety, security emergency preparedness
  activities using assessment questionnaire as
  catalyst for discussion
• Develop post-site review report identifying
  agency best practices gaps. Include
  recommendations for improvement.
• Provide technical assistance materials to agency
  from Program resource library as may be
  appropriate / helpful

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Self Assessment Tool

• Consistent with on-site review findings, define
  categories of transit agency activity in safety,
  security emergency preparedness that lead to
  performance excellence
• Create on-line assessment instrument, based on
  defined categories, for individual transit
  agencies to identify their safety, security
  emergency preparedness best practices, gaps,
  needs.

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Self Assessment Tool

• Link post-self assessment identification of gaps/
  needs to appropriate web site resource library
  materials to assist agency in filling those gaps
  / needs.
• Encourage transit agencies, in lieu of on-site
  review, to utilize this tool as mechanism for
  achievement of safety, security emergency
  preparedness excellence.

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Web Site Resource Library

• Create web site for electronic access of
  technical assistance information of transit
  safety, security emergency preparedness best
  practices.
• Construct log on methodology to capture
  individual transit system operational
  characteristic baseline information.
• Assign password for ongoing agency access to web
  site resource library.

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Web Site Library contd
Web Site Resource Library

• Direct transit agencies to web site Self
  Assessment Tool to complete a safety, security
  emergency preparedness self assessment.
• Link post-assessment results to technical
  assistance materials to assist filling gaps/needs
  identified during self assessment process.
• As best practices/needs in transit industry
  evolve, continuously add to, update, develop Web
  Site Resource Library technical assistance
  materials, including policies, procedures,
  protocols, forms, handbooks, lesson plans, other
  appropriate / helpful information.

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Workshops, Training and Outreach

• Held State DOT Invitational Workshop. Other
  attendees - FTA headquarters/regional staff,
  Working Group members, other key industry
  stakeholders.
• State regional workshops co-hosted by FTA state
  DOTs to orient all state transit agencies on FTA
  Program.
• Develop / deliver regional specialized training
  workshops for appropriate transit agency staff on
  high priority safety, security emergency
  preparedness topics.
• Aggressively pursue opportunities for outreach to
  transit industry on bus transit safety, security,
  emergency preparedness concerns

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Beneficiaries of FTA Bus Program

• Individual transit agencies
• Program provides mechanism to evaluate current
  safety, security emergency preparedness
  activities identify gaps/needs access
  technical assistance to meet gaps/needs to
  improve mission accomplishment
• Transit employees
• Program provides resources to assist in
  enhancement of individual technical skill sets
  safety, security emergency preparedness
  professionalism
• Transit passengers
• Program assists in decreasing operational safety
  risks to passengers while enhancing their
  security when using transit
• Communities transit serves
• Program emphasizes importance of transportation
  readiness to respond to community emergencies
  provides tools for carrying out that response

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Beneficiaries of FTA Bus Program

• FTA and US Dept. of Transportation
• Program meets NTSB recommendations encourages
  achievement of safety, security emergency
  preparedness excellence within framework of
  nationally standardized guidelines
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other
  Federal agencies
• Program provides mechanism for FTA to partner
  with other federal agencies
• State DOTs
• Program provides guidance/support to state DOTs
  to assist in elevating level of safety, security
  emergency preparedness of bus transit agencies
  in their state
• Transit associations
• Program provides template for associations n
  designing safety, security emergency
  preparedness conference /workshop presentations
  technical assistance activities

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• STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF FTA BUS SAFETY
  SECURITY PROGRAM
• EXCELLENCE ELEMENTS

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Steps for Implementation

• Using self-assessment instrument, evaluate agency
  safety, security emergency preparedness
• Strengths
• Gaps and needs
• Prioritize gaps needs to establish practical
  flexible action plan based on
• Criticality of identified gaps / needs
• Impact of gaps/needs on employees, passengers,
  community
• Reality of hazards, risks, threats within
  operating environment
• Limitations of budget, staffing, resources
• Utilize FTA Program website to download resources
  that assist filling gaps needs

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Steps for Implementation

• Build action plan utilizing web resources that
  fill prioritized gaps needs to create
• New plans, policies and procedures
• New operating and maintenance protocols
• New documentation templates
• New employee training programs
• New human resource management practices
• New relationships with external stakeholders
• Carry out action plan, monitor progress,
  reengineer approach, as may be necessary

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• THANK YOU VERY MUCH