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Examination of Passenger Assaults

On Bus Transit Systems

FDOT Task Work Order #943-26

University Master Agreement BDV25

FINAL REPORT

December 2015

PREPARED FOR

Florida Department of Transportation

Office of Freight, Logistics and Passenger Operations

Final Report i

Examination of Passenger Assaults On Bus Transit Systems

Final Report

Funded By:

FDOT Project Manager:

Victor Wiley, Transit Safety Programs Manager


605 Suwannee Street, MS-26

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450

Prepared By:

USF Center for Urban Transportation Research

Lisa Staes, Program Director – Transit Safety and Workforce Development

Jan Davis, Deputy Director – Transportation Finance, Management and Administration

Contributor: Jodi Godfrey, Research Associate

December 2015

Final Report ii

Disclaimer

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts

and the accuracy of the information presented herein. This document is disseminated under

the sponsorship of the Florida Department of Transportation, in the interest of information

exchange. The Florida Department of Transportation assumes no liability for the contents or

use thereof.

The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the

authors and not necessarily those of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Final Report iii

Technical Documentation Page

1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle:

Examination of Passenger Assaults on Bus Transit Systems 5. Report Date December 2015

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)

Lisa Staes, Jan Davis, Jodi Godfrey

8. Performing Organization Report No. BDV25 Task Work Order #943-26

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

National Center for Transit Research

Center for Urban Transportation Research

University of South Florida

4202 E Fowler Avenue, CUT 100, Tampa, FL 33620-5375

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

FDOT BDV25-943-26

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address


605 Suwannee Street, MS-30

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450

13. Type of Report and Period Covered Research Report September 2014 – December 2015

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

N/A

15. Supplementary Notes

16. Abstract This research provides a status report on the state of the industry and current conditions under which Florida

public transportation systems are operating, and the type, severity, and prevalence of passenger assaults on

these systems. The project team will review the time of day assaults are most prevalent; type of services on

which they occur most frequently (i.e., paratransit, fixed-route, commuter/express route; and location (i.e., on

board, transfer locations, bus stops).

The goals of this research effort are to:

1. Identify the prevalence of assaults on bus transit passengers.

2. Identify the time of day within which the assaults are occurring

3. Identify the locations where assaults are occurring (i.e., on board, transfer stations, bus stops)

4. Identify any other environmental factors which may contribute to an increased occurrence of assaults

5. Identify any mitigation measures transit agencies have employed to reduce the incidence rate of these

assaults

6. Identify any mitigation measures that may not be currently utilized by Florida’s public transportation

agencies that may be deemed relevant and successful in curtailing assaults on transit passengers.

17. Key Words public transit, passenger assault, bus driver assaults, bus

operator training, transit safety

18. Distribution Statement

19. Security Classification (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classification (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

115

22. Price

Final Report iv

Metric Conversion

SI* Modern Metric Conversion Factors as provided by the Department of Transportation,

Federal Highway Administration http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/aaa/metricp.htm

LENGTH

SYMBOL WHEN YOU

KNOW

MULTIPLY BY TO FIND SYMBOL

in Inches 25.4 millimeters mm

ft Feet 0.305 meters m

yd Yards 0.914 meters m

mi Miles 1.61 kilometers km

AREA

SYMBOL WHEN YOU

KNOW


in2 square inches 645.2 square millimeters mm2

ft2 square feet 0.093 square meters m2

yd2 square yard 0.836 square meters m2

ac Acres 0.405 hectares ha

mi2 square miles 2.59 square kilometers km2

LENGTH

SYMBOL WHEN YOU

KNOW

MULTIPLY

BY

TO FIND SYMBOL

mm millimeters 0.039 inches in

m meters 3.28 feet ft

m meters 1.09 yards yd

km kilometers 0.621 miles mi

AREA

SYMBOL WHEN YOU

KNOW


mm2 square millimeters 0.0016 square inches in2

m2 square meters 10.764 square feet ft2

m2 square meters 1.195 square yards yd2

ha hectares 2.47 acres ac

km2 square kilometers 0.386 square miles mi2

*SI is the symbol for the International System of Units. Appropriate rounding should be

made to comply with Section 4 of ASTM E380.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/aaa/metricp.htm

Final Report v

Acknowledgements

This research report was prepared by the Center for Urban Transportation Research for the

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Office of Freight, Logistics, and Passenger

Operations.

The Research Team would like to express our appreciation to FDOT Project Manager, Victor

Wiley for his oversight, management, and support of this research effort. We would also like

to recognize and offer our thanks to the members of Florida’s Transit Safety Network who

provided valuable input in the scoping of this project and review of information and data

collected for this research. Finally, we would like to express our appreciation and gratitude

to the many public transit agencies that graciously responded to our inquiries and provided

input and data for this effort, including:

Broward County Transit (BCT)

Charlotte County Transit Division (CCTD)

Collier Area Transit (CAT)

Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS)

Good Wheels, Inc.

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART)

Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)

Lakeland Area Mass Transit District (Citrus Connection)

Lee County Transit (Lee Tran)

Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, dba, LYNX

Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT)

Miami Dade Transit (MDT)

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners (Palm Tran)

Pasco County Public Transportation (PCPT)

Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA)

Polk County Transit Services Division (PCTS)

Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT)

City of Tallahassee (Star Metro)

Transdev (Hardee, Highlands, Okeechobee, and Desoto counties)

Volusia County Transit System (VOTRAN)

Final Report vi

Table of Contents

List of Tables .......................................................................................................... viii

Acronyms ................................................................................................................. ix

Executive Summary ................................................................................................... xi

Chapter 1 – Trends in Passenger Assaults ..................................................................... 1

Background and Scope ............................................................................................. 1

Literature Review .................................................................................................... 4

Research Process .................................................................................................... 4

Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries ........................................................................ 5

Nationwide & Florida Trends – National Transit Database, 2008-2015 ............................ 5

Florida Trends – Aggregated Agency Incident Data ................................................... 9

Chapter 2 – Florida Transit Agency Procedures and Practices ......................................... 13

Profiled Florida Transit Agencies – Site Visits and Interviews ....................................... 13

Broward County Transit, Pompano Beach, FL ......................................................... 14

Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, dba, “LYNX,” Orlando, FL .............. 16

Charlotte County Transit, Punta Gorda, FL ............................................................. 18

Collier Area Transit, Naples, FL ............................................................................. 21

Gainesville Regional Transit System, Gainesville, FL ................................................ 23

Good Wheels, Inc. Fort Myers, FL ......................................................................... 26

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Tampa, FL ......................................... 29

Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL ............................................. 32

Lakeland Area Mass Transit District, d.b.a., Citrus Connection, Lakeland, FL .............. 36

Lee Tran, Ft. Myers, FL ........................................................................................ 39

Manatee County Area Transit, Bradenton, FL .......................................................... 42

Miami-Dade Transit, Miami, FL ............................................................................. 44

Palm Tran, West Palm Beach, FL ........................................................................... 47

Pasco County Public Transportation, Port Richey, FL ................................................ 50

Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, St. Petersburg, FL ............................................ 53

Polk County Transit Services Division, Bartow, FL ................................................... 55

Sarasota County Area Transit, Sarasota, FL ........................................................... 57

Star Metro, Tallahassee, FL .................................................................................. 60

Transdev, Sebring, FL ......................................................................................... 63

Votran, South Daytona, FL ................................................................................... 65

Final Report vii

Chapter 3 – Summary of Highlighted Practices ............................................................. 68

Training ............................................................................................................... 68

Customer Service .................................................................................................. 69

Incident Response & Investigations ......................................................................... 70

Corrective Actions ................................................................................................. 70

Safety Campaigns ................................................................................................. 70

Chapter 4 – Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................... 72

Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 72

Recommendations ................................................................................................. 73

References .............................................................................................................. 74

Appendix A – Literature Review ................................................................................. 77

Appendix B – Passenger and Operator Incidents & Assaults Transit System Questionnaire . 87

Final Report viii

List of Tables

Table 1. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015.............................................. 2

Table 2. Florida Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015 ................................... 2

Table 3. Percentage of Assault-related Fatalities/Injuries ................................................. 3

Table 4. Percentage of Florida Assault-related Injuries by Category of Injured, Florida

Agencies, 2008-2014 .................................................................................................. 3

Table 5. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015, All Agencies ........................... 6

Table 6. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015, Florida .................................. 6

Table 7. Type of Assault-related Injuries by Location, 2008-2015, All Agencies .................. 6

Table 8.Type of Assaulted-related injury by Location, 2008-2015, Florida .......................... 7

Table 9. On-vehicle Assault-related Injuries, 2008-2015, All Agencies .............................. 7

Table 10. On-vehicle Assault-related Injuries, 2008-2015, Florida .................................... 7

Table 11. Assault-related Injuries by Day of Week & Location, 2008-2015, All Agencies ...... 8

Table 12. Assault-related Injuries by Day of Week & Location, 2008-2015, Florida ............. 8

Table 13. On-vehicle Assault-related Injuries by Day of Week, 2008-2015 ........................ 9

Table 14. Conduct-related Incidents, 2013-2015 .......................................................... 10

Table 15. Conduct-related Incidents by Month, 2013-2015 ............................................ 10

Table 16. Conduct-related Incidents by Day of Week, 2013-2015 ................................... 11

Table 17. Conduct-related Incidents by Time of Day, 2013-2015 .................................... 12

Final Report ix

Acronyms

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

APTA American Public Transportation Association

ATU Amalgamated Transit Union

AVL Automatic Vehicle Location

BCT Broward County Transit

CAD Computer Aided Dispatch

CAP Corrective Action Plan

CAT Collier Area Transit

CBA Collective Bargaining Agreement

CBT Computer Based Training

CCTD Charlotte County Transit Division

CDL Commercial Driver’s License

CEO Chief Executive Officer

CFO Chief Financial Officer

CFRPC Central Florida Regional Planning Council

CMV Commercial Motor Vehicle

CTC Community Transportation Coordinator

CUTR Center for Urban Transportation Research

DHS Department of Homeland Security

EAP Employee Assistance Program

ES Executive Summary

FAC Florida Administrative Code

FAMU Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

FDOT Florida Department of Transportation

FHP Florida Highway Patrol

FON Florida Operation Network

FS Florida Statutes

FSU Florida State University

FTA Federal Transit Administration

FTE Full Time Equivalent

FTSN Florida Transit Safety Network

GPS Global Positioning System

GM General Manager

HART Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority

JSO Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

JTA Jacksonville Transportation Authority

LAMTD Lakeland Area Mass Transit District

LCB Local Coordinating Board

LEETRAN Lee County Transit

MCAT Manatee County Area Transit

MDC Miami Dade County

MDT Miami Dade Transit

MVR Motor Vehicle Records

NCTR National Center for Transit Research

NSC National Safety Council

NTD National Transit Database

PALM TRAN Palm Beach County Surface Transportation

PBC Palm Beach County

PCPT Pasco County Public Transportation

PSTA Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority

Final Report x

PCTS Polk County Transit

RTS Gainesville Regional Transit System

SCAT Sarasota County Area Transit

SCSO Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office

SMS Safety Management Systems

SPP Security Program Plan

S&S Safety and Security (NTD reporting forms)

SSPP System Safety Program Plan

SSTO Safety, Security and Training Officer

SWAT Special Weapons and Tactics

TCRP Transit Cooperative Research Program

TD Transportation Disadvantaged

TOC Transit Operations Coordinator

TPD Tallahassee Police Department

TPO Transportation Planning Organization

TRID Transport Research International Database

TSA Transportation Security Administration

TSI Transportation Safety Institute

TWU Transport Workers Union

US United States

USC United States Code

USF University of South Florida

VIPR Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response

VOTRAN Volusia County Transit

WC Workers’ Compensation

Final Report xi

Executive Summary

Background

Florida’s public transit systems, as well as those across the United States (U.S.), have a

critical obligation to ensure the overall safe operation of their systems, as well as the

personal safety of transit customers, employees, and the public. Behavior ranging from

assaults, armed robbery, and vandalism to verbal abuse and intimidating and threatening

behavior has the potential to impact the physical and mental well-being of passengers and

drivers. The prevalence of assaults is a significant threat to transit safety, not only to the

safety of transit bus operators, but also to the safety of transit bus passengers.

The tables below reflect the total number of fatalities and injuries resulting from assaults

categorized as major incidents that were reported to the National Transit Database (NTD)

from 2008 through May 2015 for bus service. NTD defines an assault as “an unlawful attack

by one person on another.” Assaults are categorized within NTD as personal security events,

and must be reported to NTD as a “reportable incident” when “the event is related to or

affects revenue service, or affects persons engaged with the transit system, and meets one

or more NTD reporting thresholds.” The NTD data do not include assault-related injuries

that failed to meet the reportable-incident criteria.

Both nationally (Table ES-1) and in Florida (Table ES-2), assault-related injuries of transit

vehicle riders are notable, while fatalities resulting from assaults appear to be rare.

Nationally, there is an upward trend in assault-related injuries of transit vehicle riders with a

downward trend in assault-related injuries of transit vehicle operators. In Florida, assault-

related injuries of both transit vehicle riders and operators have declined, since a peak in

assault-related injuries in 2013.

Table ES-1. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, by Category, All Agencies, 2008-2015

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total

Fatalities – Transit Vehicle Rider 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2

Fatalities – People Wait or Leave 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 3

Fatalities – Other 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1

Total Fatalities 0 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 6

Injuries –Transit Vehicle Rider 56 64 103 159 226 204 221 79 1,112

Injuries – People Waiting or Leaving 38 20 26 49 58 63 63 17 334

Injuries – Transit Vehicle Operators 119 107 110 140 144 145 120 54 939

Injuries – Transit Employees 17 6 14 16 16 16 16 0 101

Injuries – Pedestrian Not in Crosswalk 0 1 3 1 2 2 2 0 11

Injuries – Pedestrian in Crosswalk 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Injuries – Occupant of Other Vehicle 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

Injuries – Other Worker 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 3

Injuries – Other 3 4 3 2 3 2 3 0 20

Total Injuries 233 202 259 368 449 433 428 150 2,522

Source: National Transit Database (NTD), Safety & Security (S&S) 40 Form (Major Incidents), 2008-2015;

2008-2015; *2015 data represent January through May of 2015

Final Report xii

Table ES-2. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries by Category,

Florida Agencies, 2008-2015

To provide insight into classifications of individuals at risk of injury from an assault, Table

ES-3 presents the nationwide percentage of total assault-related fatalities/injuries

represented by each category of injured person for the NTD reporting period from 2008

through 2014. Nationally, injuries to transit vehicle operators, as a percentage of the total,

generally exceeded the rate reported in Florida (Table ES-4), while injuries to Florida’s

transit vehicle riders, as a percentage of the total, consistently exceeded the percentage

reported nationally. At the national level, assault-related injuries to people waiting or

leaving, as a percentage, exceeded the Florida percentage.

Table ES-3 –Percentage of Assault-related Fatalities/Injuries

By Category of Injured, All Agencies, 2008-2014

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total

Total Fatalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Injuries –Transit Vehicle Rider 2 6 4 6 6 7 4 3 38

Injuries – People Waiting or Leaving 1 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 6

Injuries – Transit Vehicle Operators 4 0 1 1 3 4 1 2 16

Injuries – Transit Employees 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Injuries – Occupant of Other Vehicle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Injuries – Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Injuries 7 7 8 7 9 12 5 5 60



2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Fatalities – Transit Vehicle Rider 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 50.0% 0.0%

Fatalities – People Wait or Leave 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 0.0% 100.0%

Fatalities – Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 0.0%

Injuries –Transit Vehicle Rider 24.0% 31.7% 39.8% 43.2% 50.3% 47.1% 51.6%

Injuries – People Waiting or Leaving 16.3% 9.9% 10.0% 13.3% 12.9% 14.5% 14.7%

Injuries – Transit Vehicle Operators 51.1% 53.0% 42.5% 38.0% 32.1% 33.5% 28.0%

Injuries – Transit Employees 7.3% 3.0% 5.4% 4.3% 3.6% 3.7% 3.7%

Injuries – Pedestrian Not in Crosswalk 0.0% 0.5% 1.2% 0.3% 0.4% 0.5% 0.5%

Injuries – Pedestrian in Crosswalk 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.2%

Injuries – Occupant of Other Vehicle 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.2%

Injuries – Other Worker 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.3% 0.0% 0.2% 0.2%

Injuries – Other 1.3% 2.0% 1.2% 0.5% 0.7% 0.5% 0.7%

Source: National Transit Database (NTD), Safety & Security (S&S) 40 Form (Major Incidents),

2008-2015.

Final Report xiii

Table ES-4 – Percentage of Assault-related Fatalities/Injuries

By Category of Injured, Florida Agencies, 2008-2014

In an effort to identify more accurately the extent to which passenger and bus operator

assaults are prevalent in Florida, the research team determined that further investigation

would be required to establish the magnitude of assaults that do occur, but fail to meet NTD

reportable criteria. The results of this investigation are contained within this report and

summarized below.

Scope of Study

The goals of this research effort are to:

1. Identify the prevalence of assaults on bus transit passengers – both those meeting

the thresholds for a NTD major incident, as well as those incidents that transit

agencies are recording and tracking that may be at thresholds significantly less than

those that would prompt an incident to be reported as a NTD major incident.

2. Identify the time of day within which the assaults are occurring.

3. Identify the locations where assaults are occurring (i.e., on board, transfer stations,

bus stops).

4. Identify any other environmental factors which may contribute to an increased

occurrence of assaults.

5. Identify any mitigation measures transit agencies have employed to reduce the

incidence rate of these assaults.

6. Identify any mitigation measures that may not be currently utilized by Florida’s

public transportation agencies that may be deemed relevant and successful in

curtailing assaults on transit passengers.

Research Methods Utilized

A literature review was conducted to provide a solid and necessary foundation for this

research (Appendix A). It includes the review of literature identified through a search of the

Transport Research International Database (TRID), Google, and other internet search tools

that address the complexity and relevance of assaults on transit passengers.

This literature review also includes an examination of formal publications, and newspaper

and online news articles; guidelines and recommended practices developed by industry

groups, including the American Public Transportation Association (APTA); and other

research reporting sources.

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014






Injuries – Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%


2008-2015.

Final Report xiv

The review identifies representative work that addresses the prevalence or increasing

incidences of threats to transit passengers, and includes relevant studies from other

transportation modes and outside the transportation industry, where applicable.

Finally, the review explores elements that some consider to be pre-determinates in bus

operator and passenger assaults. Further examination of these elements could provide a

platform not only for additional research, but also the potential development of tools or

other resources to assist public transit agencies in mitigating bus operator, passenger

assaults, and other aggressive behavior.

The literature review was followed by a comprehensive examination of bus transit safety

data on passenger assaults. This examination began with a desk exercise utilizing NTD data

to frame general baseline data and issues. It was followed by an extensive effort to extract

incident data directly from a number of Florida’s transit properties.

Based on the review of agency and NTD data, a status report was developed that included

the state of the industry and current conditions under which Florida public transportation

systems are operating, as well as the type, severity, and prevalence of passenger assaults

on these systems. The project team reviewed the type of services (i.e., demand response,

demand response-taxi, fixed route bus) on which assaults occurred most frequently; the

location of the assault (i.e., on board, transfer locations, bus stops); the day of the week

assaults occurred; and, the time of day assaults occurred.

In addition, this research included site visits to the 20 Florida public transit properties

identified below, and corresponding examination of incident reports from those systems.

The properties were selected to ensure equitable consideration of operating location and

system size. The results of the on-site interviews, as well as aggregated agency data and

supporting documentation provided by the agencies, are included in this research report.

Broward County Transit Manatee County Area Transit

Charlotte County Transit Division Miami-Dade Transit

Collier Area Transit Palm Tran

Gainesville Regional Transit System Pasco County Public Transportation

Good Wheels, Inc. Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority Polk County Transit Services Division

Jacksonville Transportation Authority Sarasota County Area Transit

Lakeland Area Mass Transit District Star Metro

Lee County Transit Veolia/Transdev

LYNX Votran

Organization

The report is organized into four chapters, as follows: Chapter 1 details trends in

passenger and bus operator assaults identified from NTD and transit agency data; Chapter 2

provides an overview of each of the 20 agencies with a discussion of the agency’s

procedures and practices, training, customer service, incident response and investigations,

Final Report xv

corrective actions, and safety campaigns; Chapter 3 provides a summary of highlighted

practices (care was extended to ensure that specific assault data and sources of aggressive

behavior on transit buses for individual agencies remained anonymous); and Chapter 4

details conclusions and recommendations.

Research Summary

Trends in Passenger and Bus Operator Assaults

Both nationally and in Florida, assault-related injuries of transit vehicle riders are notable,

while fatalities resulting from assaults appear to be rare. Nationally, there is an upward

trend in assault-related injuries of transit vehicle riders with a downward trend in assault-

related injuries of transit vehicle operators. In Florida, assault-related injuries of both

transit vehicle riders and operators have declined, since a peak in assault-related injuries in

2013. Most assault-related injuries nationally (81.5%) and in Florida (86.7%) occurred on

the bus rather than at another location. Florida’s total transit injuries mirror nationwide

injuries, but show a greater incidence of injuries specifically to transit riders. Nationally,

while more injuries occurred on Friday, there is minimal difference in injuries by the day of

the week. Florida, on the other hand, shows substantial difference in the number of injuries

by day of the week, with more than a fourth of all injuries occurring on Thursdays.

Fifteen of the 20 Florida transit agencies that participated in the project provided conduct-

related data – incidents that transit agencies record and track that are at thresholds less

than those that would prompt the incident to be reported as an NTD major incident. These

data were aggregated (4,406 incidents) and analyzed to identify common characteristics,

such as the location of the occurrence, the day of the week on which incidents occurred, and

the time of day when most incidents occurred. All of the incidents examined occurred

onboard the bus.

Disorderly conduct/onboard disturbances accounted for 36 percent of all incidents, followed

by passengers being assaulted by passengers (12.1%). Fare evasion/disputes represented

8.7 percent of all incidents. Slightly more on-vehicle incidents were reported during the

month of April, with vandalism to the bus slightly higher-than-average. More incidents were

reported on Wednesdays, and were driven by higher-than-average passengers assaulting

passengers and incidents of theft. Slightly more incidents were reported during afternoon

and evening hours, with objects thrown at the bus and passengers assaulting passengers

slightly higher-than-average.

Summary of Florida Transit Agency Procedures and Practices

Eighteen of the 20 agencies included in the site visits directly operate and/or purchase bus

service. Agencies turn to the NTD glossary as the defining source for terms, such as assault,

which means an unlawful attack by one person on another, including spitting. The source of

the conflict that generates an assault, while not identified as a factor or term in the NTD,

can sometimes be gleaned from the description of the incident. Figure ES-1 details the

source of the conflict for the 35 assaults against Florida passengers, reported in NTD, 2008-

2015.

Final Report xvi

Figure ES-1 Source of Conflict for Florida Assaults, NTD 2008-2015

Fixed route bus operators at twelve of the agencies are represented by a union with picks

that range from two to four times a year and are almost always based on seniority. Bus

operator lunch and bathroom breaks are rarely scheduled, so most operators must rely on

recovery time at the end of the route for relief.

Agencies typically provide three types of training: new operator, refresher, and remedial. All

agencies offer new operator training that consists of classroom instruction and on-the road

training ranging from one to in excess of eight weeks. De-escalation techniques, conflict

resolution and avoidance, basic body language, and fare handling are common topics. The

use of Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) instructor training, the Smith System for

defensive driving, and in-service training with experienced drivers are commonplace, but

the use of training simulators is rare. Refresher training is often presented on an annual

basis and focuses on several topics specific to corrective action and critical points. A few

agencies indicated that they avoid the use of remedial training. Agencies that do incorporate

its use find it helpful following serious collisions, unsafe driving habits, or customer

complaints. Some agencies require remedial training after every accident.

While customer service provisions vary from agency to agency, most agencies immediately

investigate complaints, review available video, meet with operators, and track progress in

resolving outstanding issues. One agency has a specific system devoted to customer

complaints. Another agency has a policy requiring that no passenger be left behind - a

Nature of Florida Assaults, 2008-2015

Assaults against Passengers

Operator assaulted passenger (after confrontation)

Passenger (intoxicated) assaulted passengers (2 female teens)

Passenger (male) assaulted passenger (female)

Passenger (teenage girl) assaulted passenger

Passenger assaulted passenger-11 incidents

Passenger assaulted passenger (after slurs)

Passenger assaulted passenger (argument)

Passenger assaulted passenger (elderly)

Passenger assaulted passenger (ex-boyfriend)

Passenger assaulted passenger (conflict over female)

Passenger assaulted passenger (with pepper spray)

Passenger assaulted passenger (students)

Passenger assaulted passenger (with handbag)

Passenger assaulted passenger (with metal baton)

Passengers (2 youths) assaulted passenger

Passengers (3 males) assaulted passenger (male)

Passengers (3 males) assaulted passenger

Passengers (3 youths) assaulted passenger

Passengers assaulted passenger

Passengers assaulted passengers

Passengers fighting-4 incidents

Passengers fighting (10 teenagers/adult male)

Final Report xvii

passenger who is by-passed and calls the agency will be picked up and driven to his

destination. Support vehicles are equipped with bike racks and lifts to facilitate transport.

One agency recently hired new service managers and stationed them strategically to assist

customers and minimize complaints. An agency developed a Customer Service Review

Committee that meets once a week to address both complaints and commendations. Other

agencies have dedicated customer call-in lines, use courtesy cards, and encourage

customers to post comments on Facebook.

All agencies provided detailed guidelines for responding to accidents, incidents, and

complaints. Procedures are detailed in agency System Safety Program Plans (SSPPs),

Employee Handbooks, Driver Manuals, and general agency guidelines. While many of the

procedures are quite similar, agencies have incorporated unique aspects that apply to

special operating procedures within their agency and are designed to ensure the safety of

transit system users, employees, operators, and the general public. Few agencies employ a

security force; however, it is not uncommon for agencies to contract with private security

firms, local law enforcement, and off-duty local law enforcement officers to provide security

at transfer centers and stations, and to ride particular routes when there are issues. All

agencies rely on local law enforcement, when necessary.

While safety officers play a major role in accident, incident, and complaint investigations,

they receive a great deal of assistance in the conduct of investigations not only from transit

supervisors, many of whom have received TSI accident investigation training, but also from

risk management. It is not uncommon for risk management to handle all accidents and

workers compensation, maintain a database of accident-related data, and provide an

agency with a trend analysis of specific incidents. Fifteen agencies indicated they have video

in all vehicles and most transfer centers. Video and audio are reviewed for every accident,

incident, and complaint.

Most agencies incorporate retraining and progressive discipline for incidents involving bus

operators. Route and shift changes were agency-specific. One agency will modify a route if

an operator feels threatened or will place a supervisor or police at stops along the route.

Another agency changed a route to ensure that a specific operator would not transport a

specific customer due to personal conflict between the two individuals. One agency will

modify a route temporarily for specific issues, but not a specific operator. Several agencies

indicated they would modify a driver’s route assignment to ensure a driver’s safety.

A majority of the agencies are authorized to use restricted access (trespass) for unruly

customers. Two agencies will restrict access if there is video evidence of an assault. In most

cases, the trespass is requested by the agency, but is actually issued by the appropriate law

enforcement jurisdiction. The length and scope of the restricted access varies by agency,

and can range from one-day at the point of contact to one-year system-wide. Most agencies

have a prescribed appeal process that identifies the person responsible for hearing the

appeal, and the time frame for consideration of lifting the restriction. Two agencies have

three-member groups that make the appeal decision. For at least one of the agencies, the

restricted access can only be lifted by the issuing law enforcement agency.

Final Report xviii

The majority of the site visit agencies identified two groups (homeless persons and

alternative schools) that challenge their mission to provide safe, high quality, on-time

transit service. The most significant problems with homeless persons include loitering at

transit centers and bus stops, particularly during off-hours; remaining on the bus during

service hours; personal hygiene; and personal belongings. Agencies have posted guards at

transit centers at night when transit service is not operating; instituted police patrols;

required payment at the end of each route; limited personal belongings brought onboard;

and referred individuals to local social service providers, such as the public health center

and local Council on Aging, as appropriate. One agency expanded services to the homeless

shelter. Several agencies provide cold-weather transports to shelters.

Agency efforts to improve relationships with alternative schools have been quite successful.

Agencies reached out to the schools and developed cooperative relationships that benefited

transit, the schools, and the students. One school staggered student release times to

minimize the size of groups boarding the bus. Several agencies established regular

meetings with schools, and school administrators now visit the transit agency on a regular

basis. One agency took a bus and staff to a school for the day to educate students on all

aspects of transit. The school issued student IDs, which the school can withdraw for

inappropriate behavior.

Summary of Highlighted Practices

During the conduct of the literature review and site visits with agency staff, a number of

comprehensive programs were identified that transit agencies have implemented to enhance

safety and reduce or minimize the likelihood of assaults on transit passengers and

operators. Areas of focus include training, customer service, incident response and

investigation, corrective actions, and safety campaigns.

Training

Numerous agencies, including Broward County Transit (BCT), LYNX, Hillsborough

Area Regional Transit (HART), Lee Tran, Pasco County Public Transit (PCPT), Pinellas

Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), and Votran, incorporate de-escalation techniques

in their new operator and refresher training programs. De-escalation techniques and

active shooter training are examples of the training provided in two-hour segments

during LYNX quarterly safety meetings.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) called on the Jacksonville Sheriff’s

Office (JSO) to provide training to their operators, who responded very favorably to a

presentation on basic body language (posturing, threatening vs non-threatening),

how to get yourself away from an attack, and verbal judo.

Citrus Connection developed and maintains an Operator Development Training

Program for new hire training and testing of employees that includes conflict

resolution and avoidance.

Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) initiates refresher training for complaints

in lieu of discipline or termination.

HART provides an increased level of sensitivity training to demand response

operators.

Both Palm Tran and PCPT developed specific fare handling policies designed to

reduce conflict. In fare disputes at Palm Tran, with the first occurrence, drivers are

Final Report xix

trained to simply “state the fare” and let the customer ride; the second time they let

them ride; the third time, a supervisor is dispatched. At PCPT, operators are trained

to issue change cards that can be used at a later date, which has become a great

customer service issue, because passengers often leave their change for someone

less fortunate.

Two special training campaigns include JTA’s “would you let this guy on your bus at

11:30 pm if you are alone?” and PCTS’s “Hang Up and Drive – the Jacy Good Story”

video with comprehensive assessment.

Customer Service

Collier Area Transit (CAT) subscribes to the policy that “no passenger is left behind,”

and will actually transport someone who missed the bus and calls. Support vehicles

are equipped with bike racks and lifts for transport.

At Lee Tran, if a passenger has a complaint with the driver, the bus, or with Lee Tran

in general, the passenger is separated from the driver to control the situation and

offer reasonable resolutions to both the operator and the passenger. Unruly

passengers, if removed from the bus, may be given a ride to their destination (one

time only per passenger), to give the supervisor the opportunity to discuss the

incident and remind the passenger of Lee Tran policies.

Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) allows operators to “challenge the policy,” in

two specific areas. The MCAT Bikes on Buses Policy (each bus has only 2 bike racks)

allows an operator to challenge the policy and allow folding bikes on buses if the bike

rack is full. Similarly, if all wheelchair slots are in use, the operator can call dispatch

and request that paratransit respond to the site to accommodate a wheelchair

customer.

Votran established a Customer Service Review Committee that meets once a week to

address both complaints and commendations.

Incident Response & Investigations

Lee Tran established mutual aid agreements with police jurisdictions, which has a

created a proactive atmosphere. Lee Tran allows police to use their new transit

facility for various activities, which strengthens their relationship and increases the

police presence in the neighborhood.

Use of Corrective Actions

If a BCT operator feels threatened, the agency will place a supervisor or police at

stops along the operator’s route.

Citrus Connection uses security on random bus routes to monitor teenagers fighting.

Lee Tran will contact and counsel disruptive passengers regarding their behavior, if

requested by the driver.

JTA met with school administrators, and they are working together to solve issues.

One thing they have been able to do that seems to have helped is modified school

release times to allow for staggering. This prevents large groups congregating at

bus stops and seems to reduce incidents. JTA, the Department of Juvenile Justice,

and JSO went to the school and discussed consequences of the students’ behavior.

JTA said that these external stakeholder partnerships are crucial.

Final Report xx

Star Metro began regular meetings with the school administrator to resolve conflicts,

and, as a result, the school withdraws passes from problem students.

To diffuse the situations with disruptive students, Sarasota Count Area Transit

(SCAT) took buses to the school and spent a day with the students familiarizing them

with transit and SCAT bus policies.

Votran works closely with the Council on Aging, makes referrals to the Volusia

County Health Department, and provides cold weather movement to homeless

shelters.

Safety Campaigns

RTS developed a number of communications devices, including: stall memo

(described as “highly successful” by RTS staff); bulletin board; digital signs;

newsletters; mail box inserts; posted customer compliments (city linked); City

Manager meets with employees annually; locked drop box for comments,

suggestions, or other communication; “FYI” for drivers (drivers consider FYI to be

formal communication with a required timeline for response). RTS’s General

Manager makes a concerted effort to have dialogue directly with drivers during in-

service and annual training to obtain feedback.

HART facilitated ergonomic changes to the drivers’ compartment that included the

installation of adjustable accelerator and brake pedals and upgraded seats to a more

expensive model that includes better padding and lumbar support. HART bus

operators were involved in these modifications, as well as in the design and layout of

the driver cockpit. In an effort to improve the pool of bus operators hired, and

therefore ensuring better success for the agency’s drivers, HART’s Human Resource

Department is actively involved in the hiring process, including the use of ergo

metric testing to identify those with higher customer service skills scores.

Citrus Connection staged a bike safety demonstration and a wheelchair securement

demonstration at the terminal, both of which were well attended and welcomed by

the community

PSTA gives “Customer Service of the Quarter/Year” awards to their drivers and

prominently displays the names of the award recipients on plaques that hang in the

drivers’ lounge.

Conclusions and Recommendations

A series of conclusions or observations has been made as a result of this research, and is

included in the section that follows.

Furthermore, many of the agencies included in the site visits have been proactive in

addressing assault-related incidents and have implemented policy and procedural changes

that have met with success. This includes providing bus operators with the tools necessary

to effectively respond to volatile situations through training, establishing local policies and

procedures to deter assault events, and assisting in responding to events. Some of these

policies and practices were deemed critical to addressing bus operator and passenger

assaults. Specific recommendations based on these findings are also included in the section

below.

Conclusions

Bus operator and passenger assaults continue to occur nationwide and in Florida.

Final Report xxi

Nationally, transit operators are at greater risk for a major assault than transit riders; in

Florida, transit riders face more risk of assault than drivers.

Frequent conduct-related incidents were documented on Florida’s transit systems. While

most of these do not meet the NTD definition of assault, they do represent anti-social

behavior that ranges from assaults, robbery and vandalism to verbal abuse and intimidating

and threatening behavior that impacts the physical and mental well-being of passengers and

drivers.

Summary data collected during the project proved helpful in identifying behavior that

disrupts transit service and poses a threat to operators and passengers.

Recommendations

During the agency site visits, a number of successful practices were identified and are

reflected in the recommendations below.

Recommendation 1: Coordinate agency efforts to codify anti-social and disruptive behaviors

and implement tracking systems that can be shared across agencies to identify trends,

catalogue successful measures used to minimize impacts of the behaviors, and share

findings.

Recommendation 2: Maximize bus operator training – expand the use of de-escalation

techniques, conflict resolution and avoidance, and basic body language (posturing,

threatening vs non-threatening) programs to assist operators in resolving incidents in an

effective way.

Recommendation 3: Develop a guide for best training practices that describes types of

suitable training for de-escalation and conflict avoidance and distribute to transit agencies to

ensure a concerted approach to training.

Recommendation 4: Share agency success stories of programs that have reduced anti-

social behavior on buses.

Recommendation 5: Expand educational endeavors – transit staff and local law

enforcement visit schools to explain the impact of anti-social behavior; develop student

contracts; assign student ID cards; and involve parents and teachers.

Recommendation 6: Evaluate infrastructure improvements, including: the consideration of

driver compartments; installation of video cameras with notices to passengers that cameras

are in use and violators could be prosecuted; and incorporation of panic buttons in

conjunction with a local law enforcement rapid response programs.

Recommendation 7: Continue development of working partnerships with a variety of

organizations, including local government, other transit agencies, local law enforcement,

community groups, social service agencies, and Federal agencies.

Recommendation 8: Work with local law enforcement agencies to improve response times

to acts of anti-social behavior, and target known hotspots for modified services for a

specified amounts of time.

Final Report 1

Chapter 1 – Trends in Passenger Assaults

Background and Scope

Florida’s public transit systems, as well as those across the U.S., have a critical obligation to

ensure the overall safe operation of their systems, as well as the personal safety of transit

customers, employees, and the public. Behavior ranging from assaults, armed robbery, and

vandalism to verbal abuse and intimidating and threatening behavior has the potential to

impact the physical and mental well-being of passengers and drivers. The prevalence of

assaults is a significant threat to transit safety, not only to the safety of bus operators, but

also transit passengers.

Trends in passenger assaults are first discussed relative to major incidents as reported to

the NTD. Recognizing that further investigation is needed to determine the extent of

assaults that occur, but fail to meet NTD’s reportable criteria, this segment is followed by a

discussion of statewide trends based on aggregated data provided by Florida’s public transit

agencies.

The tables below reflect the total number of fatalities and injuries resulting from assaults

that were reported to the National Transit Database (NTD) for all transit systems and for

Florida’s transit systems from 2008 through May 2015 for bus service. NTD defines assault

as “an unlawful attack by one person on another.” Assaults are categorized within NTD as

personal security events, and must be reported to NTD as a “reportable incident,” when “the

event is related to or affects revenue service, or affects persons engaged with the transit

system, and meets one or more NTD reporting thresholds.” The data do not include assault-

related injuries that failed to meet the NTD reportable-incident criteria.

Both nationally (Table 1) and in Florida (Table 2), assault-related injuries of transit vehicle

riders are notable, while fatalities resulting from assaults appear to be rare. Nationally,

there is an upward trend in assault-related injuries of transit vehicle riders with a downward

trend in assault-related injuries of transit vehicle operators. Assault-related injuries of both

transit vehicle riders and operators have declined in Florida, since a peak in assault-related

injuries in 2013.

Final Report 2

Table 1. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015

Table 2. Florida Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015

To provide insight into classifications of individuals at risk of injury from an assault, Table 3

presents the percentage of total assault-related fatalities/injuries represented by each

category of injured person for the NTD reporting period from 2008 through 2014.

Nationally, injuries to transit vehicle operators, as a percentage, generally exceeded the

rate reported in Florida (Table 4), while injuries to Florida’s transit vehicle riders, as a

percentage, consistently exceeded the rate reported nationally. At the national level,

assault-related injuries to people waiting or leaving, as a percentage, exceeded the Florida

percentage.

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total

Fatalities – Transit Vehicle Rider 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 33.3%

Fatalities – People Wait or Leave 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 50.0%

Fatalities – Other 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 16.7%

Total Fatalities 0 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 6 100.0%

Injuries –Transit Vehicle Rider 56 64 103 159 226 204 221 79 1,112 44.1%

Injuries – People Waiting or Leaving 38 20 26 49 58 63 63 17 334 13.2%

Injuries – Transit Vehicle Operators 119 107 110 140 144 145 120 54 939 37.2%

Injuries – Transit Employees 17 6 14 16 16 16 16 0 101 4.0%

Injuries – Pedestrian Not in Crosswalk 0 1 3 1 2 2 2 0 11 0.4%

Injuries – Pedestrian in Crosswalk 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0%

Injuries – Occupant of Other Vehicle 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0%

Injuries – Other Worker 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 3 0.1%

Injuries – Other 3 4 3 2 3 2 3 0 20 0.8%

Total Injuries 233 202 259 368 449 433 428 150 2,522 100.0%


*2015 data represent January through May of 2015

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total


Injuries –Transit Vehicle Rider 2 6 4 6 6 7 4 3 38 63.3%





Injuries – Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0%

Total Injuries 7 7 8 7 9 12 5 5 60 100.0%



Final Report 3

Table 3. Percentage of Assault-related Fatalities/Injuries

By Category of Injured, All Agencies, 2008-2014

Table 4. Percentage of Florida Assault-related Injuries by Category of Injured, Florida Agencies, 2008-2014

In this study, researchers at the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) performed a

comprehensive examination of the nature and frequency of assault-related incidents and

mitigation efforts undertaken by Florida public transit agencies to minimize the impact on

the traveling public and agency employees. The goals of this research effort were to:

1. Identify the prevalence of assaults on bus transit passengers – both those meeting

the thresholds for a NTD major incident, as well as those incidents that transit

agencies are recording and tracking that may be at thresholds significantly less than

those that would prompt an incident to be reported as a NTD major incident.

2. Identify the time of day within which the assaults are occurring.

3. Identify the locations where assaults are occurring (i.e., on board, transfer stations,

bus stops).

4. Identify any other environmental factors which may contribute to an increased

occurrence of assaults.

5. Identify any mitigation measures transit agencies have employed to reduce the

incidence rate of these assaults.

6. Identify any mitigation measures that may not be currently utilized by Florida’s

public transportation agencies that may be deemed relevant and successful in

curtailing assaults on transit passengers.

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Fatalities – Transit Vehicle Rider 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 50.0% 0.0%

Fatalities – People Wait or Leave 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 0.0% 100.0%

Fatalities – Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0% 0.0%





Injuries – Pedestrian Not in Crosswalk 0.0% 0.5% 1.2% 0.3% 0.4% 0.5% 0.5%

Injuries – Pedestrian in Crosswalk 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.2%


Injuries – Other Worker 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.3% 0.0% 0.2% 0.2%

Injuries – Other 1.3% 2.0% 1.2% 0.5% 0.7% 0.5% 0.7%

Source: National Transit Database (NTD), Safety & Security (S&S) 40 Form (Major Incidents), 2008-2015

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014






Injuries – Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Source: National Transit Database (NTD), Safety & Security (S&S) 40 Form (Major Incidents), 2008-2015

Final Report 4

Literature Review

A literature review was conducted to provide a solid and necessary foundation for this

research (Appendix A). It includes the review of literature identified through a search of the

Transit Research International Database (TRID), Google, and other internet search tools

that address the complexity and relevance of assaults on transit passengers.

This literature review also include an examination of formal publications and newspaper and

online news articles; guidelines and recommended practices developed by industry groups,

including the American Public Transportation Association (APTA); and other research

reporting sources.

The review identifies representative work that addresses the prevalence or increasing

incidences of threats to transit passengers, and includes relevant studies from outside of the

transportation industry and other transportation modes, where applicable.

Finally, the review explores elements that some consider to be pre-determinates in bus

operator and passenger assaults. Further examination of these elements could provide a

platform not only for additional research, but also the potential development of tools or

other resources to assist public transit agencies in mitigating bus operator, passenger

assaults, and other aggressive behavior.

Research Process

The review of literature was followed by a comprehensive examination of bus transit safety

data on passenger assaults. The project team reviewed the time of day assaults occurred;

the day of the week assaults occurred; and, location (i.e., on board, transfer locations, bus

stops).

There were two sources of data used in this examination. First, the project team utilized

data extracted from NTD; assaults are categorized within NTD as personal security events,

and must be reported to NTD as a reportable incident, when the event is related to or

affects revenue service, or affects persons engaged with the transit system, and meets one

or more of the following NTD reporting thresholds:

Fatality

Includes suicides

Does not include deaths resulting from illnesses or other natural causes

Immediate transport away from the scene for medical attention (1 or more persons)

Except in the case of Other Safety Occurrences not Otherwise Classified

(OSONOC)

Each person immediately transported away from the scene for medical attention

by any type of vehicle, whether or not they appear to be injured, should be

reported as an injury.

Illnesses requiring transport for medical attention are not reportable.

Estimated property damage equal to or exceeding $25,000

Includes All property involved, including damage to private vehicles, if applicable.

An evacuation for life safety reasons

A life safety event is one that presents an imminent danger to ALL people in or on

transit property

Final Report 5

In addition, this research included site visits to the 20 Florida public transit properties

identified below, and corresponding examination of incident reports from those systems. A

standard questionnaire (Appendix B) was prepared for use in acquiring consistent

information from each of the 20 agencies. The properties were selected to ensure equitable

consideration of operating location and system size. An extensive effort was undertaken to

extract incident data directly from the identified Florida transit properties. Assault-related

incidents for bus were reviewed in detail to identify location, day of week, and time of day.

The results of the on-site interviews, as well as data and supporting documentation

provided by the agencies, are included in this research report.









Lee County Transit Transdev

LYNX Votran

Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries

The following section presents aggregated national and Florida specific transit assault data

for the 2008 through May 2015 NTD reporting years. It includes injuries and fatalities that

have resulted from assault-related incidents, the general categories of those who have been

victims, and data trends.

Nationwide & Florida Trends – National Transit Database, 2008-2015

Both nationally (Table 5) and in Florida (Table 6), assault-related injuries of transit vehicle

riders are notable, while fatalities resulting from assaults appear to be rare. Nationally,

there is an upward trend in assault-related injuries of transit vehicle riders with a downward

trend in assault-related injuries of transit vehicle operators. In Florida, assault-related

injuries of both transit vehicle riders and operators have declined, since a peak in assault-

related injuries in 2013.

Final Report 6

Table 5. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015, All Agencies

Table 6. Assault-related Fatalities and Injuries, 2008-2015, Florida

Assault-related injuries by location for all agencies are delineated in Table 7. Florida injuries

by location are presented in Table 8. A clear majority of injuries, nationally (81.5%) and

within Florida (86.7%) occurred on the bus rather than at another location.

Table 7. Type of Assault-related Injuries by Location, 2008-2015, All Agencies

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total

Fatalities – Transit Vehicle Rider 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 33.3%

Fatalities – People Wait or Leave 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 50.0%

Fatalities – Other 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 16.7%






Injuries – Pedestrian Not in Crosswalk 0 1 3 1 2 2 2 0 11 0.4%

Injuries – Pedestrian in Crosswalk 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0%


Injuries – Other Worker 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 3 0.1%

Injuries – Other 3 4 3 2 3 2 3 0 20 0.8%

Total Injuries 233 202 259 368 449 433 428 150 2,522 100.0%



2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total







Injuries – Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0%

Total Injuries 7 7 8 7 9 12 5 5 60 100.0%



2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total

Non-revenue Facility 2 0 3 3 1 2 3 0 14 0.6%

On Vehicle 176 171 213 303 369 350 342 132 2,056 81.5%

Other 22 6 9 5 2 1 6 1 52 2.1%

Revenue Facility 33 25 34 56 72 78 73 14 385 15.3%

Right-of-Way 0 0 0 1 5 2 4 3 15 0.6%

Total Injuries 233 202 259 368 449 433 428 150 2,522



Final Report 7

Table 8.Type of Assaulted-related injury by Location, 2008-2015, Florida

A detailed review of the nature of assault-related injuries that occurred on the bus for all

agencies is presented in Table 9. Florida’s assault-related injuries on the bus are detailed in

Table 10. Florida’s injuries mirror national injuries, but have a greater incidence of transit

rider injuries.

Table 9. On-vehicle Assault-related Injuries, 2008-2015, All Agencies

Table 10. On-vehicle Assault-related Injuries, 2008-2015, Florida

Table 11 delineates injuries by the day of the week on which the injury occurred, as well as

where the injury occurred for all agencies. Florida’s injuries by the day of occurrence and

location are detailed in Table 12. Nationally, while more injuries occurred on Friday, there is

minimal difference in injuries by day of the week. Florida, on the other hand, shows

significant difference in the number of injuries by day of the week, with more than a fourth

of all injuries occurring on Thursdays.

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total

Non-revenue Facility 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 5.0%

On Vehicle 4 6 5 7 9 11 5 5 52 86.7%

Revenue Facility 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 5 8.3%

Total Injuries 7 7 8 7 9 12 5 5 60



2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total

On Vehicle






Injuries – Other 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.1%

On Vehicle Total 176 171 213 303 369 350 342 132 2,056 100.0%



2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015* Total %/Total

On Vehicle




On Vehicle Total 4 6 5 7 9 11 5 5 52 100.0%



Final Report 8

Table 11. Assault-related Injuries by Day of Week & Location, 2008-2015, All Agencies

Table 12. Assault-related Injuries by Day of Week & Location, 2008-2015, Florida

Table 13 provides an overview of on-vehicle injuries by day of the week for all agencies and

Florida. For all agencies, Friday represented the peak day of the week for on-vehicle

assault-related injuries, and accounted for 16.9 percent of the total. For Florida, Thursday

was the peak day of the week for on-vehicle assault-related injuries, and accounted for

nearly 30 percent of the total.

Non-

Revenue On Revenue

Assaults Facility Vehicle Other Facility ROW Total %/Total

Monday 4 287 4 45 3 343 14.2%

Tuesday 0 286 9 40 1 336 13.9%

Wednesday 0 306 7 66 2 381 15.8%

Thursday 2 295 8 62 2 369 15.3%

Friday 3 333 10 66 4 416 17.3%

Saturday 2 262 6 49 1 320 13.3%

Sunday 2 206 4 32 2 246 10.2%

Total 13 1,975 48 360 15 2,411 100.0%

%/Total 0.5% 81.9% 2.0% 14.9% 0.6% 100.0%

2008-2015.

Source: National Transit Database (NTD), Safety & Security (S&S) 40 Form (Major Incidents

Non-

Revenue On Revenue

Assaults Facility Vehicle Other Facility ROW Total %/Total

Monday 1 5 0 2 0 8 13.6%

Tuesday 0 7 0 0 0 7 11.9%

Wednesday 0 10 0 1 0 11 18.6%

Thursday 0 15 0 2 0 17 28.8%

Friday 1 8 0 0 0 9 15.3%

Saturday 0 3 0 1 0 4 6.8%

Sunday 0 3 0 0 0 3 5.1%

Total 2 51 0 6 0 59 100.0%

%/Total 3.4% 86.4% 0.0% 10.2% 0.0% 100.0%

2008-2015.


Final Report 9

Table 13. On-vehicle Assault-related Injuries by Day of Week, 2008-2015

Florida Trends – Aggregated Agency Incident Data



than those that would prompt the incident to be reported as an NTD major incident. Data

were aggregated and analyzed to identify common characteristics, such as the location of

the occurrence, the day of the week on which incidents occurred, and the time of day when

most incidents occurred. All of the incidents represented by this data occurred onboard the

bus.

Agency incident logs varied in terms of fields reported:

All included the date of the incident

Few reported the actual time the incident occurred

Location information varied in specificity

Some agencies coded the nature of the incident

Incident descriptors varied, e.g., assault, threat, disorderly conduct

Some provided a summary of events without a detailed description

One agency reported no incidents during the past two years

Florida’s incidents by year are detailed in Table 14. Disorderly conduct/onboard disturbances

accounted for 36 percent of all incidents, followed by passengers being assaulted by

passengers (12.1%). Fare evasion/disputes represented 8.7 percent of all incidents, and

occurred more frequently than operators being assaulted by passengers. Combined, the

behaviors represented nearly two-thirds of the 4,406 incidents logged.

Day of Week

All

Agencies Florida

All

Agencies Florida

Monday 287 5 14.5% 9.8%

Tuesday 286 7 14.5% 13.7%

Wednesday 306 10 15.5% 19.6%

Thursday 295 15 14.9% 29.4%

Friday 333 8 16.9% 15.7%

Saturday 262 3 13.3% 5.9%

Sunday 206 3 10.4% 5.9%

Total 1,975 51 100.0% 100.0%

Source: National Transit Database (NTD), Safety & Security (S&S) 40

Form (Major Incidents), 2008-2015.

Assaults %/Total

Final Report 10

Table 14. Conduct-related Incidents, 2013-2015

Florida’s incidents by month are detailed in Table 15. Slightly more on-vehicle conduct-

related incidents were reported during the month of April. Passenger assaults against

passengers, vandalism to the bus, and verbal threats to operators and passengers were also

slightly higher-than-average in the month of April.

Table 15. Conduct-related Incidents by Month, 2013-2015

Conduct-related Incidents 2013 2014 2015 Total %/Total

Disorderly conduct-Onboard disturbance 470 992 125 1,587 36.0%

Passenger assaulted passenger-Fighting 132 310 90 532 12.1%

Fare evasion-Fare dispute 146 196 42 384 8.7%

Passenger assaulted operator-Spitting 121 182 45 348 7.9%

Verbal threats to operator 58 170 77 305 6.9%

Trespassed-Arrested-Ejected 75 118 45 238 5.4%

Object thrown at bus-Projectile 65 108 25 198 4.5%

Theft-Attempted robbery-Robbery 46 107 21 174 3.9%

Vandalism-Damage to bus 31 120 14 165 3.7%

Drunkenness 59 55 34 148 3.4%

Verbal threats to operator/passengers 50 92 0 142 3.2%

Security Incident 33 38 3 74 1.7%

Verbal threats to passenger 14 30 14 58 1.3%

Indecent Exposure 23 23 3 49 1.1%

Operator assaulted passenger 2 2 0 4 0.1%

Total 1,325 2,543 538 4,406 100.0%

Source: Aggregate incident log data from 15 Florida Transit Agencies, 2012-2015.

Conduct-related Incidents Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Disorderly conduct-Onboard disturbance 113 142 150 151 155 130 118 130 130 127 132 109

Passenger assaulted passenger-Fighting 45 48 45 63 62 39 32 43 33 54 32 36

Fare evasion-Fare dispute 29 38 36 38 40 29 27 24 39 35 28 21

Passenger assaulted operator-Spitting 28 27 29 32 24 32 34 33 26 44 17 22

Verbal threats to operator 44 37 30 29 17 20 20 28 24 16 19 21

Vandalism-Damage to bus 11 16 18 24 18 11 7 15 14 13 8 10

Trespassed-Arrested-Ejected 20 20 22 23 33 17 14 18 22 20 16 13

Verbal threats to operator/passengers 14 10 6 18 17 16 5 11 17 9 6 13

Object thrown at bus-Projectile 19 26 20 17 22 16 11 17 9 16 11 14

Theft-Attempted robbery-Robbery 17 13 11 15 13 17 7 21 18 15 13 14

Drunkenness 20 11 15 13 16 14 9 4 12 13 6 15

Security Incident 3 6 7 7 7 7 6 6 7 4 7 7

Verbal threats to passenger 9 4 4 5 4 3 3 8 3 7 5 3

Indecent Exposure 7 6 0 3 3 1 5 9 6 3 3 3

Operator assaulted passenger 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0

Total 380 404 393 438 431 352 298 367 361 378 303 301

%/Total 8.6% 9.2% 8.9% 9.9% 9.8% 8.0% 6.8% 8.3% 8.2% 8.6% 6.9% 6.8%


Final Report 11

Florida’s incidents by the day of the week are detailed in Table 16. Slightly more on-vehicle

conduct-related incidents were reported on Wednesdays, and were driven by high-than-

average passengers assaulting passengers and incidents of theft, attempted theft, and

robbery.

Table 16. Conduct-related Incidents by Day of Week, 2013-2015

Florida’s incidents by time of day are detailed in Table 17. Slightly more on-vehicle conduct-

related incidents were reported during afternoon and evening hours. Objects thrown at the

bus, passengers assaulting passengers, drunkenness, and bus vandalism were slightly

higher-than-average.

Conduct-related Incidents Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Disorderly conduct-Onboard disturbance 153 158 155 124 151 117 74

Passenger assaulted passenger-Fighting 70 67 78 69 67 66 32

Passenger assaulted operator-Spitting 43 72 66 51 50 41 26

Verbal threats to operator 47 48 49 52 42 30 37

Fare evasion-Fare dispute 43 37 41 43 29 19 21

Trespassed-Arrested-Ejected 32 31 36 33 51 33 22

Theft-Attempted robbery-Robbery 27 22 28 21 15 15 13

Object thrown at bus-Projectile 16 22 26 15 28 18 11

Vandalism-Damage to bus 27 23 21 23 24 18 16

Indecent Exposure 10 11 14 14 9 8 2

Drunkenness 11 13 12 18 12 11 8

Verbal threats to passenger 10 12 6 9 9 7 5

Verbal threats to operator/passengers 5 7 5 4 9 2 2

Security Incident 3 3 3 3 6 5 2

Operator assaulted passenger 0 1 2 0 1 0 0

Total 497 527 542 479 503 390 271

%/Total 15.5% 16.4% 16.9% 14.9% 15.7% 12.2% 8.4%


Final Report 12

Table 17. Conduct-related Incidents by Time of Day, 2013-2015

Conduct-related Incidents 7am-3pm 3pm-11pm 11pm-7am Total %/Total

Disorderly conduct-Onboard disturbance 427 385 54 866 30.8%

Passenger assaulted passenger-Fighting 157 189 18 364 13.0%

Passenger assaulted operator-Spitting 135 141 24 300 10.7%

Verbal threats to operator 133 139 14 286 10.2%

Object thrown at bus-Projectile 29 112 9 150 5.3%

Trespassed-Arrested-Ejected 98 112 16 226 8.0%

Fare evasion-Fare dispute 117 91 18 226 8.0%

Theft-Attempted robbery-Robbery 49 45 7 101 3.6%

Drunkenness 21 43 4 68 2.4%

Vandalism-Damage to bus 33 43 3 79 2.8%

Verbal threats to passenger 20 29 2 51 1.8%

Verbal threats to operator/passengers 15 19 0 34 1.2%

Indecent Exposure 16 15 4 35 1.2%

Security Incident 13 8 0 21 0.7%

Operator assaulted passenger 2 0 0 2 0.1%

Total 1,265 1,371 173 2,809 100.0%

%/Total 45.0% 48.8% 6.2% 100.0%


Final Report 13

Chapter 2 – Florida Transit Agency Procedures and

Practices

Most U.S. transit systems, including Florida’s systems, have been proactive in establishing

standard operating procedures (SOPs) developed to deter or reduce assault-related

incidents. Transit agencies also are making progress in preparing their bus operators to

respond effectively to escalating engagements with passengers through focused training on

topics such as defusing a volatile situation and customer service.

Profiled Florida Transit Agencies – Site Visits and Interviews

The research team performed site visits at 20 Florida transit agencies, including:









Lee County Transit Transdev

LYNX Votran

Agency profile information was obtained from the National Transit Database for the 2013

reporting year.

Final Report 14

Broward County Transit, Pompano Beach, FL

BCT is the public transportation provider for Broward County,

Florida covering an area of approximately 410 square miles. BCT

provides links to Miami-Dade Transit, Palm Tran, and to Tri-Rail

commuter rail service. Fixed routes provide connections to the

community’s multimodal transportation network, as well as

system-wide connections at four transfer terminals. The 2013 NTD

agency profile is provided below.

Agency Procedures and Practices

Fixed route operators are BCT employees, while demand response operators work directly

for the private contractor. All employees are unionized and pick assignments three times

per year based on seniority. Bus operators are afforded no lunch or bathroom breaks other

than during recovery time at the end of a route.

Training

New operators participate in an 8-week class with the last 2 weeks under the supervision of

a “trainer operator.” Operators engage in significant “in the seat” training, almost from

week one, when the operator drives the bus in the yard. De-escalation training is a critical

component for new operators. BCT’s Safety Division is in the process of revamping refresher

training, which is provided by operations. BCT provides no remedial training.

Incident Response

BCT provides armed security at each transfer center, 24 hours a day, even on those days

when the agency is not operating service, pursuant to a contract with the Broward County

Sheriff’s Office.

Investigations

Safety and security personnel are responsible for operations and maintenance safety, and

safety personnel have a dotted line reporting relationship to the general manager.

Additional safety personnel were recently hired to assist the organization in enhancing

safety training and oversight in an effort to reduce accidents and liability. Safety committee

meetings are held monthly and include as many as 20 participants who represent all

departments, the union, and risk management.

BCT has a monthly accident review board for operators and mechanics using National Safety

Council (NSC) Guidelines. The driver’s identity is anonymous. BCT subscribes to the

philosophy that “no collision is a free pass for the operator, if there are onboard injuries.”

Service Statistics - 2013 Directly Operated

Bus Bus Demand Response

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 37,975,300 123,600 693,500

Annual Passenger Miles 185,311,000 952,700 7,199,300

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 14,145,600 146,300 6,329,600

Vehicle Operated in Maximum Service 261 4 197

Source: National Transit Database,Table 19, 2013.

Purchased Transportation

Final Report 15

Five preventable incidents in 24 months results in termination. County Risk Management

handles all claims.

All vehicles are equipped with audio and video, which can be viewed in the control room.

Video is downloaded wirelessly when the bus enters the yard. BCT is in the process of

adding more cameras and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)/Automated Vehicle Location

(AVL) to all fixed route buses. Video is also available at the main terminal. Vehicles are not

equipped with a panic button, but the operator and the control room can change the head

sign to say “call the police.”

BCT does have a wireless communications device policy that provides that a bus operator

must be out of the seat to use a wireless communication device. Progressive discipline is

used for violations that occur.

Corrective Actions

Corrective actions incorporated in the past several years include retraining, the use of

progressive discipline, and a route change for a specific driver. If a BCT operator feels

threatened, the agency will place a supervisor or police at stops along the

operator’s route.

BCT can bar passengers from the system, particularly in the case of an assault on

an operator. Responsibility for issuing a notice of trespass falls to a BCT supervisor rather

than to the local law enforcement agency.

There is a homeless encampment across the street from BCT’s main terminal. Individuals

who are living in this area have been known to disrupt transit services. Because homeless

shelters receive reduced fare passes for distribution, homeless persons are encouraged to

use transit. In cold weather, BCT does pick up and transport homeless persons to shelters

when the temperature reaches 45 degrees or less. BCT also posts a guard at the NE

transfer center at night, when not operating, in order to control the homeless

population.

Safety Campaigns

In the past several years, BCT has issued operator safety awards, safety certificates, and

awarded an “Operator of the Month” to an outstanding operator at each of the garages. The

BCT Operator of the year receives a plaque and the recipient’s picture is placed on

a bus.

Final Report 16

Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, dba, “LYNX,” Orlando, FL

LYNX is the public transportation provider for the Orlando, Florida

urbanized area. LYNX provides the following transit modes: bus,

demand response, and vanpool. LYNX is the designated Community

Transportation Coordinator for Orange, Osceola, and Seminole

counties. The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


Fixed route and demand response operators are LYNX employees; however, paratransit

employees are administered by the contractor, MV Transportation (MV). Operators do not

crossover from fixed route to paratransit. Only fixed route and bus rapid transit operators

are unionized. LYNX has a major bid one time each year with routes picked quarterly.

Bathroom and lunch breaks for fixed route operators are not scheduled.

Training

LYNX significantly increased their new operator training, and reported a major improvement

in the overall attitude of operators in response to these changes. In addition, in 2013

LYNX introduced the use of a simulator in their training program. Training is also

the focus of quarterly safety meeting. De-escalation techniques and active shooter

training are examples of the training provided in two-hour segments during these

quarterly meetings.

Refresher training is provided annually, and retraining is customizable. The LYNX intranet

system allows for training via “LYNX University,” and provides training specific to

corrective actions established through vetting and counseling of the operator. Per

the employment contract, LYNX can make remedial training and use of Employee

Assistance Program (EAP), mandatory.

Customer Service

LYNX has a specific system devoted to customer complaints. Any complaints

received are thoroughly investigated, vetted, and resolved if deemed valid.

Recently, in an effort to improve customer service and retard any incidents of

aggressive behavior from their operators, LYNX initiated a renewed focus on

hiring, and introduced the Select Advantage screening tool.

Service Statistics - 2013

Bus BRT Bus

Demand

Response Vanpool

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 27,846,600 844,500 145,100 770,100 246,700

Annual Passenger Miles 146,407,100 615,800 1,235,000 9,816,500 9,225,200

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 14,328,500 140,200 555,700 8,903,600 1,554,700

Vehicle Operated in Maximum Service 226 7 14 236 88


Directly Operated Purchased Transportation

Final Report 17


The Risk, Safety, and Security function currently reports directly to LYNX’s Chief Executive

Officer. At one point, the functions were separate. Both safety and risk management

respond to the scene of an incident, which is under the control of operations; risk handles

risk-related elements. Safety does outreach and quarterly training, as mentioned above.

LYNX has no accident review committee. The supervisor controls the accident scene, takes

care of passengers, assigns a bus to continue the route, distributes courtesy cards,

completes an independent assessment, and administers the post-accident test. The

supervisor completes the report, and sends it to risk management, who makes the

preventable/non-preventable determination. Operations reviews, considers other factors

(union input), and makes a determination. The employee can request an appeal hearing

with the operations director.

All buses have cameras – 40’ buses have 8, and articulated buses have 12. Everything is

recorded, using the Seon Bus Surveillance System. Video is used for all reviews –

accidents, incidents, and complaints.

Operators are allowed to have wireless devices on board, but they must be stowed.

Operators may use wireless devices off of the bus at the end of the line. Violation of the

policy on use can result in termination. Notices are posted on the pavement in the

operations facility to remind employees to refrain from texting.

In an effort to ensure safe route operation, route locations and timing are reviewed semi-

annually.

Trapeze was put in place in 2012, and has led to improvements in the way data are

collected and tracked.

Corrective Actions

Corrective actions incorporated in the past several years include retraining and the use of

progressive discipline. LYNX is not likely to modify an operator’s shift, but did modify a

route only once due to a threat of violence.

LYNX employs no transit police and uses the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and local

jurisdictional police departments, when necessary. On occasion, LYNX has posted

supervisors at the terminal. LYNX indicated they have not experienced any difficulties with

any disruptive groups.

Safety Campaigns

In the past several years, LYNX has held a week-long safety campaign, single-day safety

events, and posted weekly safety notices on CCTV monitors in the drivers’ lounge with clips

from vehicles, YouTube, and other sources. As mentioned previously, they also conducted

quarterly safety meetings that include specific safety training. LYNX also placed critical

safety messages on the dispatchers’ daily “hot board.”

Final Report 18

Charlotte County Transit, Punta Gorda, FL

Charlotte County Transit Division provides demand response,

demand response taxi, and vanpool services. Charlotte County,

Florida is the designated Community Transportation Coordinator

(CTC) for the county, and Charlotte County Transit is the

operational unit responsible for CTC functions. The 2013 NTD



Charlotte County Transit Division (CCTD) provides no fixed route bus service. As the CTC,

CCTD employs 31 contract drivers, 28 volunteer drivers, 10 full-time employees (3

dispatchers, 4 operations coordinators, a transit operations supervisor, and a 2-person fiscal

unit), and 4 part-time schedulers/dispatchers.

Training

After hire, but before being placed into road service, operators receive information on bus

transit system safety and operational policies and procedures; handling emergencies and

security threats; boarding and alighting passengers; and, security and threat awareness.

Instruction in CCTD rules and standard operating procedures is provided to drivers in the

following areas: general rules, including employee conduct codes; customer service; traffic

laws; fare handling; and, radio procedures. New drivers are required to successfully

undergo in-service training with an experienced driver. A Driver Manual for new hire

training and testing of employees that contains referenced information in a codified fashion

is maintained as part of the Safety Training Program.

Transit Operations Coordinators (TOCs) develop and maintain a Training Manual for on-

going and refresher training and testing of employees. The Training Manual contains

training course content, curriculum, lesson plans, and testing requirements. Annual

refresher training is provided. CCTD employs remedial training for drivers who have been

involved in a serious collision or have developed unsafe driving behavior or other driving

problems. Other causes for remedial training may include persistent customer complaints,

supervisor recommendations, or as a result of ongoing evaluations. Depending on the

circumstances, the assigned TOC will determine the appropriate remedial training and

testing after conferring with the Transit Supervisor.


Vanpool

Demand

Response

Demand

Response-Taxi

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 19,800 118,000 3,200

Annual Passenger Miles 330,300 1,059,000 88,100

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 94,400 810,100 88,100




Final Report 19

Customer Service

Customer service training covers expectations of employees when dealing with the public,

including instruction on how and to whom to report security incidents, and types of

individuals or situations to be aware of and report. Signs with the agency phone number for

complaints are posted in all vehicles. A review of complaints and grievances is prepared for

each quarterly Local Coordinating Board (LCB) Meeting. CCTD receives hundreds of

complaints each month. Most complaints are related to “no-shows,” the term the agency

uses to describe passengers who fail to call or show up for their scheduled pick-up times.

Repeated failure to show up for scheduled rides yields a 30-day suspension. Many

customers call after receiving a suspension notice. In general, half of the suspensions issued

in a day are withdrawn after speaking with customers. Minor verbal complaints are handled

by staff immediately – more serious complaints progress to supervisors, and then to the

transit manager.

Incident Response

In the event of an incident, including assaults or other aggressive or disruptive behavior,

the driver pulls off the road and stops the vehicle. If the driver requests assistance, the

dispatcher/supervisor calls 911. If the situation is defused, the driver resumes the route.

Dispatch logs the type of incident that occurred. CCTD reported that there have been no

incidents where a supervisor had to report to the scene.

Investigations

All vehicles have audio and video, which are used for accident and incident

investigations. CCTD will have a live feed of audio and video available by the end

of 2015.

In the event of an accident, the driver notifies dispatch. Dispatch notifies the supervisor and

calls 911, if necessary. The supervisor responds to the scene, where all parties are required

to remain. The supervisor takes statements from everyone present. TOCs track accidents

and calculate the chargeable accident rate. The Fleet & Transit Manager determines whether

an accident is preventable or non-preventable.

Corrective Actions

Retraining has never been required. CCTD does use progressive discipline, when necessary;

however, discipline has never escalated beyond a warning. Shift modifications are not used.

One route was changed so that one specific driver would not be required to transport one

specific passenger. There have been no modifications to driver-compartments.

Restricted access (trespass) is related to service “no-shows,” typically for 30 days, and can

be appealed immediately. Most are rescinded. CCTD has no in-house security personnel,

and uses local law enforcement, when necessary.

Use of wireless devices while the transit vehicle is in motion is prohibited. Progressive

discipline is used, starting with a warning. The agency has no violations beyond an initial

warning.

Final Report 20

Safety Campaigns

The most recent safety campaign was called “No Sharps,” and was instituted after an empty

insulin syringe was dropped on a bus after a veterans’ hospital pick-up. A designated

Transit Operations Supervisor subscribes to “alerts” for road closures, and posts

the closures for the bus drivers. Bus drivers broadcast accidents they encounter.

Final Report 21

Collier Area Transit, Naples, FL

Collier Area Transit (CAT) is the public transportation

provider for Collier County, Florida. Connecting the

community with transportation choices is an initiative of

Collier County to ensure all existing and potential transit

users are aware of all transit options. The 2013 NTD



CAT procures fixed route and demand response service from Keolis Transit America (Keolis).

CAT requires all contract service operators to fully comply with the established safety

standards set forth in Rule Chapter 14-90, Florida Administrative Code and the adopted

SSPP. The CAT Transit Manager oversees the Keolis contract. Keolis manages all aspects of

fixed route and demand response service.

Training

Training conforms to the SSPP and includes general rules, customer service, fare handling,

and radio procedures. Most operators are long-term employees. The Safety Manager is

responsible for conducting and documenting all training and testing activities. Refresher

training is conducted as necessary to remain compliant. Remedial training is employed for

drivers who have been involved in a serious collision or have developed unsafe driving

behavior or other driving problems. Other causes for remedial training may include

persistent customer complaints, supervisor recommendations, or a result of ongoing

evaluations. The Safety Manager determines the appropriate remedial training.

Customer Service

Video is reviewed for all customer complaints. No passenger is left behind – CAT

will actually transport someone who missed the bus and calls. Support vehicles

are equipped with bike racks and lifts.


The County is self-insured. Keolis holds all accident liability; Collier County government is

“held harmless” for accidents/incidents. Collier Risk Management has no involvement in

accident/incident investigation or subsequent activities.

In an accident, the operator pulls over, calls dispatch, opens doors, and pushes the silent

alarm, so dispatch can hear any dialogue exchanged. Dispatch decides on what action to


Bus

Demand

Response

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 1,361,300 87,300

Annual Passenger Miles 11,434,900 1,017,000

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 1,226,200 950,600

Vehicle Operated in Maximum Service 16 23



Final Report 22

take, sends out a blanket email (Transit Manager is on list), contacts appropriate staff, and

the supervisor responds. Dispatch sends another bus to complete the route.

The CAT Transit Manager has monthly meetings with the contractor regarding maintenance

and accidents and recently began registering accidents as preventable/non-preventable.

The Transit Manager sits on the Congestion Management Committee that tracks

accidents and road improvements and shares the information with CAT.

Membership of the Accident Review Committee is dependent upon the severity of the event,

but generally includes two union representatives, two management representatives, and the

General Manager. CAT reported a reduction in minor accidents after the addition of hands-

on training. Collier County does track trends of some types of incidents, such as

sideswipes and side mirror strikes.

All vehicles have video and audio. CAT reviews both audio and video for all

incidents.

Use of a personal wireless device is prohibited while the transit vehicle is in motion.

Emergency use is allowed, but the vehicle must be parked.

Corrective Actions

CAT has in-house security at the transit center, and uses local law enforcement, when

necessary.

Customers can be trespassed from the point of contact (bus stop) by the Collier County

Sheriff’s Office for a year. Customers cannot be trespassed system-wide. CAT posts pictures

of trespassed customers.

CAT indicated that there is a homeless shelter close to the transit center. If homeless people

stay at the bus stops, CAT calls security, and security notifies the Sheriff’s Office. CAT does

not provide local school transport, and has no problem with disruptive students.

Safety Campaigns

CAT posts the “Buzz of the Week” safety message and ongoing “Safety First” reminders are

issued or posted.

Final Report 23

Gainesville Regional Transit System, Gainesville, FL

Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) is the public

transportation provider for the City of Gainesville, Florida, Alachua

County, Florida, and the campuses of the University of Florida and

Santa Fe State College. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Paratransit service is also provided to anyone with a Gainesville

address. The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


Fixed route operators are RTS employees, while demand response operators work directly

for private contractors. All full-time employees are unionized. There are three picks per year

based on seniority.

Bus operators are afforded no lunch or bathroom breaks other than during recovery time at

the end of a route. Bus operators are not disciplined for being late on their runs which has

helped curb aggressive driving and provides an opportunity for relief breaks when recovery

time is constrained.

Training

RTS provides specific training for fare handling, which focuses on avoiding a

confrontation. New fare boxes have a short button in the event a passenger does

not have enough to pay their fare. Operators have access to three panic buttons: Event

recorder, Code with dispatch (radio), and Console – “Call the Police” display.

Operators receive 40 hours of refresher training each year. In-service refresher training is

conducted based on a specific incident or safety concern. Post-accident refresher

training is also provided. The driver is edited out of the video, and role play is used

to demonstrate how to prevent an accident or incident. RTS utilizes refresher

training for complaints in lieu of discipline or termination.

Every other year the Center for Independent Living does ADA certifications for sensitivity

training.

Customer Service

For complaints, RTS matches the driver with the corresponding video/audio

recording and will counsel an employee if there is evidence that the customer complaint is

valid. RTS uses counseling prior to issuing a written warning (RTS has issued a very small

number of written warnings) and an operator can be referred to training. The complaint


Purchased

Transportation

Bus Demand Response


Annual Passenger Miles 26,540,100 469,900




Final Report 24

remains in the operator’s file for 18 months (while safety violations never go away). RTS

has seen a reduction in the number of complaints.

Incident Response

RTS has no security personnel or contract security.

Investigations

For accidents, dispatch calls and emails RTS designated contacts and the City of Gainesville

Risk Management Department. Risk management always responds to accidents involving

injuries and fatalities, and interacts directly with the claimant. Supervisors, who have all

been trained in TSI accident investigation, conduct incident reviews. Risk management

informs RTS of employee injuries. Those incidents deemed serious are referred to the Safety

Committee that meets monthly. However, most safety incidents are handled directly

between the supervisor and employee. Preventability is determined by a group of RTS

managers. To aid in the accident review process, RTS vehicles have video cameras

providing six views and have real-time vehicle location and tracking software.

Incidents involving slips, trips, and falls are taken seriously and RTS monitors the condition

of steps and flooring of each vehicle to reduce these risks. Per RTS policy, passengers must

be secured before proceeding on a route, which RTS indicates is a controversial “grey area.”

Routes are frequently evaluated. Incidents that occur on the system are mapped via a

Global Positioning System (GPS) application. Trends by route are examined to identify any

issues that need to be addressed.

City policy requires that wireless devices cannot be located near the driver of any city

vehicle. For a city revenue vehicle, the first violation results in a 40-hour suspension, while

the second violation results in termination. For city non-revenue vehicles, the first violation

results in a written reprimand, the second violation results in a suspension, and the third

violation results in termination.

As mentioned previously, all RTS vehicles have video cameras that provide views from six

angles.

Corrective Actions

RTS has not modified an operator’s shift, and would only modify a route based on the line-

up of the route. RTS has not made adjustments to the driver-compartment, but has

modified seats and added fans, with a focus on keeping the bus operators comfortable. .

The City of Gainesville Police Department can trespass for one-year system-wide, while RTS

does have the option of trespassing a rider for 90-days system-wide. A trespass can be

appealed. RTS reported that only four persons have been trespassed, and none resulted

from an incident on the bus.

According to RTS personnel, there are disruptive groups that ride the system, including

students from an alternative school and the homeless. The school receives ½ fare passes,

and homeless shelters receive free passes from the City of Gainesville through RTS. RTS has

resolved the school conflict through discussions with school officials. RTS is actually

expanding routes to serve the homeless at the local shelter and Dignity Village.

Final Report 25

Safety Campaigns

In the past several years, RTS has instituted a bus version of “Click It or Ticket,” presented

cash awards for years of safe driving, and developed a number of communications

devices, including: stall memo (highly successful); bulletin board; digital signs;

newsletters; mail box inserts; posted customer compliments (City linked); locked

drop box; and “FYI” for drivers (drivers consider FYI to be formal communication

with a required timeline for response). In addition, RTS’s General Manager makes

a concerted effort to have dialogue directly with drivers during in-service and

annual training to obtain feedback.

Final Report 26

Good Wheels, Inc. Fort Myers, FL

Good Wheels, Inc. presently serves as the CTC in Lee, Hendry,

and Glades counties in Florida, and is the major transportation

provider for the Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) in those

counties. The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


Good Wheels, Inc. (Good Wheels) completes background checks for new hires. Motor

Vehicle Records (MVRs) are pulled every 3-6 months.

Training

Training for a new hires includes seven days of classroom and hands-on training; however,

the actual length of the training depends on how the driver performs. The Safety and Driver

Trainer (trainer) uses OSHA training, as well as other sources for training small groups of

employees. The trainer uses a 2-step training program that is delivered during

employee meetings and in refresher training that that deals with the most

common incidents that have occurred on the system.

Refresher training provided by Good Wheels, Inc. includes:

Biennial Training for Experienced Drivers: National Safety Council’s Defensive Driving

Course

Curbing Transit Operator Distracted Driving Course

Handling Passengers with Special Needs

Road Test (Good Wheels renews this annually)

Certification renewal to operate specific vehicles and lift equipment (triennial)

First Aid (annual)

CPR (annual)

Blood borne Pathogens (annual)

Substance Abuse (Good Wheels renews this annually)

Wireless distractions training (every other year)

Additional refresher training may be provided on safety and relevant topics if specific issues

surface that could expose Good Wheels to increased risk.

Training sessions are provided to discuss and review other operational issues, including the

condition of the equipment and vehicles, customer service, safety, and road and traffic

concerns.


Bus

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 1,558,734

Annual Passenger Miles 8,299,619

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 1,508,510

Vehicle Operated in Maximum Service 45


Final Report 27

Customer Service

A complaint hotline number is posted in all vehicles. Good Wheels reported that there have

been no passenger complaints of mistreatment – ever. Good Wheels does assemble a

summary of complaints for presentation to the LCB. Good Wheels conducts periodic random

ridership surveys.

Incident Response

Good Wheels has no security personnel, and uses local law enforcement, when necessary.

Investigations

Good Wheels maintains a comprehensive accident reporting, evaluation, and record

maintenance system. In the case of an incident/accident, drivers notify dispatch. Dispatch

contacts the appropriate law enforcement accident investigating office, emergency medical

service (EMS), and supervisor, as required. The trainer reports to the scene of the accident

to assess and manage the situation, as necessary. The driver completes an

Incident/Accident Form, which, along with the Investigating Officer’s Report Form, and

other pertinent documentation, are provided to the Safety Committee for review.

All accidents and incidents are reviewed by the Safety Committee, which meets monthly.

Members of the Safety Committee include: CEO/CFO, Vice President of Operations, Director

of Human Resources, Safety and Driver Trainer, Paratransit Road Supervisor, and a driver.

The Safety Committee reviews the details of all accidents, decides if the accident was

chargeable or non-chargeable, and makes recommendations to prevent future occurrences.

The committee may recommend disciplinary action to be taken. The trainer is responsible

for determining if the accident was preventable or non-preventable, based on NSC

guidelines, and also identifies any other hazards at the accident scene that could contribute

to accidents in the future. All drivers are required to attend mandatory safety meetings.

If a credible source observes and reports any driver using a wireless communication device,

while moving, that driver will be disciplined up to and including termination. Good Wheels

may take the following action, as required: first violation – warning in the form of a written

reprimand, 1-day suspension without pay, and forfeit of safety incentive for that

particular month; second violation – immediate termination. Good Wheels has never

terminated a driver for violation of the wireless policy.

Good Wheels has no audio or video in any vehicle.

Corrective Actions

Good Wheels uses retraining and progressive discipline, which begins with a verbal warning,

and is based on three times and out. No driver compartment adjustments have been

proposed or made.

Restricted access (trespass) would be issued by local law enforcement, but Good Wheels

has never had a trespass issued on their behalf.

The typical disruptive passenger will remove their seatbelt and get up and walk around in

the moving vehicle. When this occurs, the driver must stop the vehicle immediately and

attempt to get the person seat-belted again. If the passenger responds positively, the driver

Final Report 28

resumes the route, and no written report is made. If there is a delay due to passenger’s

repeated refusal to return to his seat, the driver will call dispatch for assistance from the

Operations Manager. If passenger responds positively, the driver will resume the route, and

dispatch will contact the facility and notify them of the delay. If the passenger refuses to

comply or becomes violent, dispatch will call 911. Responding local law enforcement would

take custody of the passenger and determine the next course of action.

Final Report 29

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Tampa, FL

HART provides public transportation for Hillsborough County,

Florida. Service includes fixed route local and express bus

service, door-to-door paratransit service, flex-route

neighborhood connector service, a version of bus rapid transit,

and management of the TECO Line Streetcar System. The 2013

NTD agency profile is provided below.


HART has a cross-training program for operators. Operators can volunteer to go to other

modes. Pay rates are the same. Crossover from bus to demand response is easy, but

demand response can only transfer to bus if certified (few are certified). Streetcar requires

a higher level of competency. All hiring is done within the agency. Transfer to streetcar

service is exempt from union rules because it is considered to be a special assignment.

Operators are unionized, and have three bid periods a year; however, they can only bid in

their prime category (fixed route, paratransit, or streetcar).

Operators do get breaks via a layover (recovery) time of 5-15 minutes at the end of their

route, during which they can have their lunch.

In an effort to improve the pool of bus operators hired, and therefore ensuring better

success for the agency’s drivers, HART’s Human Resource Department is actively involved in

the hiring process, including the use of ergo metric testing to identify those with higher

customer service scores.

Training

New operator training is eight weeks for bus, five weeks for demand response, and four

weeks for streetcar rail. HART uses TSI’s bus operator training curriculum. Demand

response receives more focused sensitivity training. HART requires drivers to take

“The Critical Point” video training that is part of the Smith System (critical

thinking, awareness of surroundings, enhancing the safety of existing drivers).

Four hours of refresher training was provided each month, but HART is trying a new system

where each person receives refresher training in their birthday month. Refresher training

always addresses top safety issues and critical points.


Bus

Demand

Response

Streetcar

Rail


Annual Passenger Miles 73,720,700 1,002,700 516,100

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 7,598,800 1,253,200 66,800


Directly Operated


Final Report 30

HART uses remedial training for topics including: advanced customer service,

conflict de-escalation, and collision avoidance. Remedial training is mandatory

after the 2nd preventable accident.

Customer Service

If a driver has issues with customer service, he/she is brought in for advanced customer

service training. In addition, as mentioned previously, HART also teaches de-escalation

techniques when these issues are indicated.

Investigations and Incident Response

If there is an incident/accident, the driver pulls over, calls, and waits for further

instructions. If it is a serious accident or there are injuries, dispatch sends a supervisor. The

supervisor gathers information, contacts a risk specialist and the safety officer. If there are

injuries, the safety officer investigates, reviews photos, pulls video, and interviews the

driver. The Accident Review Board includes the safety officer, who actually makes the final

decision, a union representative, and an employee.

HART does record incidents that do not meet the thresholds for NTD reporting. HART

maintains hard copies in the form of a “Summary of Occurrence Log” for all

incidents and keeps logs on “significant” events.

Bus operators may use wireless devices, but they must be at the end of the line and off the

bus. The first violation yields a 3-day suspension; a second violation results in termination.

All buses and transfer centers have video, but no audio. There are no cameras in demand

response vehicles. Each HART bus is equipped with a panic button.

Corrective Actions

In the event of an assault or other aggressive behavior by their employee, HART utilizes

retraining and progressive discipline. Pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement

(CBA), HART cannot modify an operator’s shift in response to the employee’s interaction

with a passenger or fear of an operator assault by a passenger. HART will modify a route

temporarily for specific issues, but not for a specific operator.

Local law enforcement will issue trespass, the requirements of which vary by jurisdiction

from 180-days up to one year. Restricted access can be system-wide or specific to the

transit center. Trespass at HART’s Marion Transit Center has primarily been issued for drug

violations. The appeal process for a trespass requires that three staff members review the

trespass and call the violator. The group can leave the trespass as is (30% of the time),

remove the trespass (20% of the time), or shorten the trespass (50% of the time).

Disruptive groups include the homeless at Metro Rapid stations, which are patrolled by local

law enforcement on weekends, and any violators may be removed. HART had provided

transport for students from the North Tampa Alternative School and there had been

instances of disruptive behavior, but the Hillsborough County School Board now provides

transportation to these students.

Final Report 31

Safety Campaigns

Safety campaigns include: an ongoing 5-minute safety talk for all shifts at all facilities; de-

escalation training; HART facilitated ergonomic changes to the drivers’

compartment that included the installation of adjustable accelerator and brake

pedals and upgraded seats to a more expensive model that includes better

padding and lumbar support (HART bus operators were involved in these

modifications, as well as in the design and layout of the driver cockpit).

Final Report 32

Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL

JTA is the independent agency responsible for public transit in the city of

Jacksonville, Florida and roadway infrastructure that connects northeast

Florida. JTA provides regular bus service, express bus service, trolley-

replica buses, paratransit, and the JTA Skyway, an automated people-

mover system. The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


JTA fixed route operators are Jax Transit Management Corporation employees, while

demand response operators work directly for a private contractor. JTA employees are

represented by three unions, and there are two picks each year based on seniority.

Operators have no lunch or bathroom breaks; however, JTA has a goal of 10 minutes

recovery time at the end of each run. If operators need to use the bathroom, there are

designated locations along the run. JTA’s planning office checks route timing, and safety

and road supervisors routinely check bus routes and individual bus stops and address

issues. If bus operators observe unsafe conditions, there is a mechanism to report

these conditions through dispatch.

Training

JTA’s Training Department is responsible for providing new bus operator training. Safety

provides specialty training and performs NTD reporting and accident investigation. In

addition, JTA’s Safety Office is responsible for oversight of data recording, tracking, and

reporting. JTA is focusing on the continuous improvement if the training offered, both the

training curriculum utilized in house and through the utilization of outside trainers. In

Spring 2015, JTA invited the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) to provide training to

their operators on subjects including basic body language (posturing, threatening

versus non-threatening), how to get yourself away from an attack, and verbal

judo. JTA’s bus operators responded very favorably to the training provided. JTA

recommended that other agencies work with their local law enforcement to see if

a similar training could be provided to their bus operators.

Refresher training is provided quarterly with topics chosen based on the trends that are

occurring and what is observed through video and LYTX Drive Cam. JTA also provides

defensive driving, and staged a “would you let this guy on your bus at 11:30 pm if

you are alone?” exercise. JTA does remedial training for accidents, and employees

requiring remedial training are provided with a corrective action plan (CAP). Post-accident

training is provided to bus operators and is documented.


Purchased

Transportation

Automated

Guideway Bus Demand Response

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 1,079,200 11,220,200 378,500

Annual Passenger Miles 495,100 74,120,200 4,769,300

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 183,200 8,762,100 4,138,400


Directly Operated


Final Report 33

Customer Service

JTA has a large transit dependent population and has found that sometimes drivers are less

respectful of these individuals, so they focus on customer service during new operator,

refresher and remedial training when necessary. JTA hired four new Service Managers.

Each is assigned to a specific geographic area, supervises operators and

supervisors, and works with operators to resolve complaints. All complaints come

through the customer service line and are distributed to the Service Managers for follow-up

and resolution. Customer management also responds when complaints are received. While

the Safety Office does not interface with JTA’s customer service office, they do have access

to any extracted video, which is reviewed. The customer complaint hotline number is posted

in all vehicles. Complaints are reported to the JTA board monthly, and safety complaints are

forwarded to safety.


When an incident occurs, the Safety Office collects as much information as possible, grades

the accident, makes a preventable/non-preventable determination, and sends to operations

for review. Safety may also recommend remedial training, if warranted. Operations works

with the driver and the union to determine what action will be taken, and creates a

corrective action plan that would incorporate and discipline and training prescribed. An

operator who has four preventable accidents in 24 months will be terminated.

An independent adjuster is responsible for those incidents that have the potential for

litigation. The adjusters issue separate accident reports (four to five adjusters are assigned

per day). JTA also has a risk coordinator, who manages workers compensation claims.

Supervisors are trained in accident investigation – TSI and internal training on

preventability (based on the TSI standard).

Safety recently put together a new procedure that explains NTD reporting and identifies all

information required. In JTA’s recent reorganization, a new position was created within JTA’s

Human Resource Office that is responsible for compliance and risk management.

When asked about the method in place to allow for near miss or close call reporting, JTA

indicated that their operators seem reluctant to share things with JTA’s Safety Office

because they appear to be concerned that JTA will pull video and target them for

investigation. This area of trust is one which JTA takes seriously and is working toward

improving.

JTA has internal quarterly safety sessions. In addition, JTA safety has monthly meetings

with police. Contract security personnel is used at eight Skyway stations and two main

transfer stations.

If a fare evasion occurs, the driver calls dispatch to approve the ride. With minor incidents,

the operator is instructed to make a brief call to dispatch. Eating and passenger distractions

are big issues for JTA. Often times when there is an event, it is hard to tell if the operator is

fatigued or if they are burdened by cognitive distractions. If it is a serious (major)

incident, JTA will pull the driver’s record for the prior seven days to determine if

the driver’s schedule may have led or contributed to fatigue.

Final Report 34

JTA operators can carry personal wireless devices, but cannot use them while the vehicle is

in motion or while the operator is sitting in the driver’s seat. Operators are terminated for

violating the wireless device policy.

All JTA vehicles have audio and video, which is pulled and reviewed for incidents,

accidents, and complaints. 50 buses have the LYTX Drive Cam, which allows for

individual coaching when there is an event. The system monitors seat belt use and

other on-board behavior, incorporates telemetry technology, and identifies multiple

categories of events, e.g., following too closely, hard braking, erratic maneuvering, etc. It

also includes locational tracking, and can be used to make a case for termination before

there is an accident. However, JTA said there are obvious limitations with this and it must

be addressed in the CBA. JTA has seen a decrease in claims and insurance, but the system

is expensive. Reports can be exported to excel, and incidents tracked by employee badge

number. JTA projects that Drive Cam yielded a 40 percent reduction in unsafe driving

decisions over the course of a year.

Corrective Actions

JTA uses progressive discipline – 1-day suspension; 3-day suspension; and termination.

Policies are outlined in the Operator’s Rule Book. If there are issues with a driver on a

particular shift (incidents with specific riders), they may be provided with a shift

modification. JTA was uncertain if an operator’s shift or route has ever been modified;

however, they may be looking into it, as there are some places where the fire department is

not allowed to go without a police escort. JTA is looking at moving stops in high crime

areas – either moving the stops completely or reducing the span of service (late

night eliminated), as long as they remain compliant with Title VI. While bus

operators have discussed the use of driver barriers/cages, they do not use them due to

feedback from operators who describe feeling trapped and/or secluded from passengers.

JTA has two officers staged at Rosa Parks Terminal (contracted with off duty JSO officers –

the contract term is generally one year). JTA authorizes JSO to issue a trespass, which

restricts an individual’s access system-wide for one year. While there is a current appeal

process for trespass, JTA is looking at ways to institute a variable length (30, 60, 180-days)

for trespass. Appeals come to JTA via a written request. The appeals committee

(customer service, EEO, and operations participate) schedules a hearing to provide

an opportunity for the individual to share their version of the story or state a

hardship. The committee either maintains or rescinds the decision. The appeals committee

can give direction on remedial training if an employee had a part in the conflict. There are

more individuals trespassed for incidents committed off of the bus than on the bus.

JTA does have issues with homeless individuals – one of the area’s homeless shelters is next

to the Rosa Parks Terminal, but the JSO does help keep individuals moving along. There are

events that occur periodically with intoxicated individuals, specifically those using the

summer beach trolleys. When this does occur, the local beach community police

departments are notified and they generally respond. JTA also has issues with unruly

behavior, specifically with students from a few alternative schools. JTA met with school

administrators, and they are working together to solve the issues. One thing they

have been able to do that seems to have helped is modified school release times to

Final Report 35

allow for staggering. This prevents large groups of students congregating at bus

stops and seems to have reduced incidents. In an effort to curtail additional

issues, JTA, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and JSO went to the school and

discussed the consequences of the students’ behavior. JTA said that these

external stakeholder partnerships are crucial, and indicated that they have worked

with JSO and other local law enforcement to Baker Act violent or aggressive people. JTA has

also requested victimization/crime data from JSO for areas within ½ mile radius around

stops to identify areas of significant criminal activity that may result in increased safety

threats for the agency and their riders.

Safety Campaigns

In November 2015, JTA kicked-off a distracted driver training program. Other

campaigns have included a “fixed object campaign,” and asked operators how the

define “distracted” and reduce incidents due to “distractions.” JTA placed monitors

in the drivers’ lounge for messages and safety bulletins. Safety certificates and pins are

awarded annually.

Final Report 36

Lakeland Area Mass Transit District, d.b.a., Citrus Connection, Lakeland, FL

Citrus Connection is the public transportation service provider in

Lakeland, Florida. The system operates fixed route and

paratransit service in the Lakeland area, including service

provided for Winter Haven Area Transit to the neighboring cities

of Auburndale, Winter Haven, and Bartow. The 2013 NTD agency

profile is provided below.


Citrus Connection has some crossover between fixed route and demand response operators,

including the extra board.

Training

Customer service training includes the agency’s expectations of employees when dealing

with the public, and instruction on how and to whom to report security incidents and types

of individuals or situations to be aware of and report. Citrus Connection developed and

maintains an Operator Development Training Program for new hire training and

testing of employees. Conflict resolution and avoidance are included in the

training. Refresher training is conducted a minimum of every two years.

Citrus Connection requires remedial training for drivers who have been involved in a

preventable accident or have developed unsafe driving behavior or other driving problems,

when identified. Other causes for remedial training may include: persistent customer

complaints, supervisor recommendations, and as a result of ongoing evaluations.

Customer Service

Data on passenger claims and complaints are collected and retained by Citrus

Connection on an ongoing basis. The data are analyzed by Citrus Connection

management, and analysis results are useful for identifying necessary actions to

minimize safety risks and help to improve system performance. Courtesy cards are

located on every bus as a method for obtaining customer feedback (these are also used

when incidents occur). The supervisor reviews the complaint, calls the complainant, records

the complaint in the complaint database, and forwards the complaint to the safety officer.

The safety officer reviews and returns to supervisor for more follow-up or files. The safety

officer reviews the complaint database as each new incident occurs.


Bus Demand Response



Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 968,900 364,300


Directly Operated


Final Report 37

Incident Response

Placards are posted on Citrus Connection buses detailing that passenger assaults are a

violation of state law. Operators are prohibited from using the radio while the vehicle is in

motion. When an incident occurs, the operator is instructed to call dispatch, and dispatch

calls the supervisor or safety hotline (safety officer) to determine if the operator should stay

or proceed. In cases of aggressive behavior, if the operator is not comfortable defusing the

situation, a supervisor will respond and interview the passenger. If the bus is delayed

longer than 10 minutes, a replacement bus is sent and passengers are off loaded

and transferred. The operator must complete an incident report at the end of the shift.

The safety officer reviews and returns to the supervisor for more follow-up or files. The

safety officer reviews consumer reports (and records in the incident database) as each new

incident occurs. In the case of fare evasion, the passenger is denied the trip and police are

called. For unruly passengers, the operator completes an incident report at the end of the

shift and the supervisor reviews and follows up to verify. Each incident is added to the

incident database by the safety officer.

Investigations

Accident and incident data are collected and retained by Citrus Connection on an ongoing

basis. Data are analyzed by Citrus Connection management both qualitatively and

quantitatively for safety hazard identification, resolution, and risk management purposes.

Analysis results are useful for identifying necessary actions to minimize safety risks and also

help improve system performance, not only in respect to safety, but also in overall delivery

of service to the public. Citrus Connection has a separate report for collisions.

All supervisors are accident investigators. Local law enforcement officers receive 8

hours of accident investigation training, and supervisors receive a minimum of 40

hours of TSI accident investigation training. Post-accident, the supervisor reviews the

video and interviews the operator. The safety officer reviews and determines responsibility,

updates the accident database, forwards to risk management, and completes the NTD

report.

Citrus Connection provides security at the Lakeland Terminal. The terminal coordinator

contacts local police, when necessary. Each bus is equipped with audio and video, and

all available audio and video are reviewed as part of the investigative process.

Corrective Actions

Citrus Connection has a trespass policy in place, which is authorized by the safety office and

handled by the Lakeland Police Department (or other jurisdictional authorities). Three

trespasses were authorized in 2014. A passenger can request that the trespass be lifted.

Citrus Connection logs nearly 17,000 student transports annually. The safety officer

meets with representatives from all of the schools on a regular basis. When a

student is trespassed, the school supports transit’s decision. There is no written appeal

process, but a student can appeal a trespass in writing. Citrus Connection uses security

on random bus routes to monitor teenagers’ behavior.

Final Report 38

Safety Campaigns

Citrus Connection have staged various demonstrations at the main terminal in

Lakeland, including a bike safety demonstration and a wheelchair securement

demonstration.

Final Report 39

Lee Tran, Ft. Myers, FL

Lee Tran is the transit bus service operated by the Lee County

Transit Department, providing service to Bonita Springs, Cape

Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and much of the

unincorporated area of Lee County, Florida. The 2013 NTD



Based on seniority, Lee Tran operators pick days off and hours three times a year.

Training

New operators receive a minimum of 64 hours of new bus operator training that includes a

review of Lee County and Lee Tran policies and procedures, fare-box training, customer

service, and responding to emergencies. In addition to classroom training, new operators

receive a minimum of 32 hours of vehicle orientation and training. Upon successful

completion of classroom instruction and vehicle orientation training, drivers complete an

additional 120 hours of supervised on-the-job and on-the-road route training. The Deputy

Director visits every new employee class.

All Lee Tran operators are required to complete an annual re-fresher course, which includes

reviews of defensive driving techniques and/or substance abuse as the main topic.

Refresher courses also include targeted training goals, which focus on safety and

include, at a minimum, de-escalation techniques and conflict resolution.

Remedial training is provided on an as-needed basis and is specific to the operator’s need

targeted at correcting a deficiency. Remedial training may include classroom instruction,

supervised operating, or other instructional guidance and actions, as deemed necessary.

The employee’s participation and performance in the remedial training is documented.

Customer Service

If a passenger has a complaint with the driver, the condition of the bus, or with

Lee Tran in general while on board, the passenger is separated from the driver to

control the situation and responding supervisors offer reasonable resolutions to

both the operator and the passenger. Unruly passengers may be given a ride to

their destination, if removed from the bus (one time only per passenger), to give

the supervisor the opportunity to discuss the incident and remind the passenger of

Lee Tran policies. Comment cards are available on all vehicles. Lee Tran’s Deputy Director

of Safety, Security, Customer Service, Facilities, and Fixed Route Operations guides the


Purchased

Transportation

Bus

Demand

Response Vanpool


Annual Passenger Miles 23,636,500 1,119,100 1,747,900

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 3,025,100 1,189,700 244,500


Directly Operated


Final Report 40

investigation of serious complaints and alleged assaults. Lee County is moving toward a

county-wide complaint system using a web-based database that creates a ticket that is

routed to the appropriate department.


For all events, drivers are required to contact local law enforcement, dispatch, and

emergency medical services, as required, immediately. Supervisors are sent to the scene

depending upon the severity of the event at the discretion of the senior supervisor. Each

investigation is documented in a final report that includes: a description of the investigation

activities, identified causal factors, and any identified corrective action plan. Each corrective

action plan identifies the action to be taken. The senior supervisor monitors and tracks the

implementation of each corrective action plan. A Crime Tracking Report is completed.

The use of a personal wireless communication device is prohibited while the transit vehicle

is in motion. All personal wireless communication devices must be turned off with any

earpieces removed from the operator’s ear while occupying the driver’s seat. In an

emergency, a personal cellular phone may be used to contact the agency. In such a

situation, the driver must park the vehicle in a safe place of the road and call the direct line

to the dispatcher.

Lee Tran developed a comprehensive database system that is designed to store

and access all data in an electronic format. Lee Tran’s electronic report formatting

is highlighted as a “best practice.”

All vehicles have audio and video surveillance systems, which are reviewed for all

incidents and complaints.

Lee Tran currently employs an off-duty police officer to provide security for the Rosa Parks

Transfer Center, whose hours vary by time of day and day of week. Lee Tran participates

in Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) drills provided by

Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation Security Administration

(TSA) two times a year. Lee Tran established mutual aid agreements with police

jurisdictions, which has a created a proactive atmosphere in preparing for and

responding to safety, security, or emergency management events. Lee Tran allows

police to use the new Lee Tran facility, which increases the police presence in the

neighborhood.

Corrective Actions

Lee Tran uses retraining, remedial training and progressive discipline. An actual review of

the video pulled from the vehicle is included in remedial training provided to a

driver. Progressive discipline is guided by the Deputy Director, and includes a verbal

warning and coaching as the first steps. Lee Tran will consider shift modifications if a regular

passenger is a nuisance to the operator. There has never been a need to modify a route,

nor have there been adjustments to the driver-compartment.

Lee Tran responds immediately to all types of disruptive behavior to resolve conflicts and

eliminate continuation of the negative behavior. Boisterous or unruly behavior is a

violation of Lee Tran policy. If requested by the driver, these passengers will be

Final Report 41

contacted and counseled regarding their behavior. If the behavior continues, they will

be considered for a trespass warning. A supervisor responds, when possible, to mitigate

these incidents and support the operator. Restricted access (trespass) can be used for the

following repeat behaviors: evasion of the payment of fares; misuse of passes or tickets;

playing sound equipment without the use of headphones; smoking, eating, or drinking with

unauthorized containers; opening emergency windows and/or hanging out of windows;

throwing objects or substances; expectorating or willfully committing any other unsanitary

act; gambling; use of profanity, obscene gestures, yelling or screaming while in Lee Tran

facilities or vehicles; vandalizing or defacing Lee Tran property; and willfully committing any

other act made unlawful by Florida Statute or Federal Law. The length of the restriction is

up to 365 days for a noncriminal act. The trespass is issued by local law enforcement. A

passenger can appeal a trespass, but the Deputy Director will meet with and counsel them

before the trespass will be lifted. If a person returns after 4-5 months and poses no issues,

the agency reinstates their access.

Lee Tran does not contract with schools to provide local school bus service, but does offer

discount bus passes. Marketing works with the schools, and if there are issues with unruly

or aggressive behavior, marketing staff will go to the school and discuss the issues with

school administrators.

Safety Campaigns

Lee Tran holds three Safety Awareness Days each year. One is a large, community event

with vendors and police in attendance. The others focus on safety information and prizes.

Final Report 42

Manatee County Area Transit, Bradenton, FL

MCAT is the public transportation service provider for

Manatee County, Florida. MCAT provides fixed route bus

service and dial-a-ride paratransit service. The 2013



At the present time, a handful of MCAT operators cross over between fixed route and

demand response; however, MCAT’s goal is to cross train every operator. MCAT’s non-

unionized operators participate in run assignments one time each year. Open routes are

available for selection on a first-come basis. Fixed route operators have no scheduled lunch

or bathroom breaks. Paratransit drivers do receive breaks, and there is recovery time of

approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes per shift.

Training

The Smith System is utilized for new bus operator training (also required if there

is an accident or “citizen action complaint”). Initial driver training and testing includes

information on handling emergencies, security threats, and threat awareness. All newly

hired employees are also provided instructional training by the training manager.

Instruction in MCAT rules and standard operating procedures is provided to drivers in the

following areas: general rules, customer service, fare handling, and radio procedures. The

transit manager, a private contractor, and the safety manager developed a refresher course

that covers all aspects of MCAT operations. Refresher training is conducted annually for all

drivers and includes blood-borne pathogens, security, hazards, and accident procedures.

Distracted driving is MCAT’s biggest public transit issue; the safety manager has begun

focusing on “near misses,” specifically, the correlation between hard braking and passenger

falls. Remedial training and testing is completed on a case-by-case basis, as determined by

the training manager.

Customer Service

It is not uncommon to review the video tape of the incident with an operator who has

received a complaint, although MCAT indicated they have few customer complaints. The

MCAT Bikes on Buses Policy (each bus has only 2 bike racks) allows an operator to

“challenge the policy” and may allow folding bikes on buses if the bike rack is full.

Similarly, if all wheelchair slots are in use, the operator can call dispatch and

request that paratransit respond to the site to accommodate a wheelchair

customer.


Bus

Demand

Response





Directly Operated


Final Report 43


For all events, drivers are required to stop the bus, open the door, and call dispatch. The

driver describes the incident to dispatch, which authorizes continuation on the route, or may

send a road supervisor and/or call the police in the case of an emergency. Following the

incident, the driver must complete an incident report, which is reviewed by the supervisor

and forwarded to either the fixed route or paratransit superintendent. The appropriate

superintendent will immediately pull the video tape, complete a report, and forward the

report to the operations chief.

The safety manager is notified of accidents, and will respond to the scene, depending on the

severity and anticipated duration of road blockage or closure. The operations chief reviews

all accident/incident reports and makes the preventable/non-preventable determination.

The final package is referred to the Safety Committee for review. The Safety Committee is

staffed by the following: operations chief, safety manager, division manager, fixed-route

superintendent, paratransit superintendent, and the logistics manager, and meets as a

group on a weekly basis, reviews accidents and incidents, and has authority to overturn

preventable/non-preventable decisions. Safety meetings are also held with office staff. The

safety manager prepares summaries of new safety topics, which are placed in a binder.

Staff is required to sign-off after reviewing. Manatee County Risk Management receives all

incidents reports and conducts all necessary investigations. Audio and video are reviewed in

all accident/incident investigations.

MCAT has a live camera feed at three transfer stations and the administration building;

additional signage is being produced to inform the public of the presence of the cameras. All

fixed route and demand response vehicles have audio, video, and AVL; however, fixed route

AVL is not operational.

Use of a personal wireless communication device is prohibited while the transit vehicle is in

motion and can result in a five-day suspension.

Corrective Actions

MCAT uses progressive discipline, and has removed an operator from a route due to conflict

with a passenger. Driver-compartment adjustments were requested at one time, but there

currently is no interest. MCAT does use restricted access (trespass). After an incident, the

video is reviewed and if an assault occurred, local law enforcement would trespass the

individual from the entire system for one year. No one has ever asked to rescind a

trespass, but MCAT would consider easing the restriction. MCAT has no problems with

unruly students. MCAT does not provide school bus service, but has a fare waiver in place

with several local colleges. MCAT does have an ongoing problem with homeless persons at

transfer stations and with religious groups distributing unsolicited information.

Safety Campaigns

Two significant safety campaigns MCAT has undertaken include the development

and distribution of the brochure “Would You Assault Your Bank Teller?” In

addition, the county’s Your Choice Health Insurance offers a major incentive for

employees to get and stay healthy with the overall goal of improving safety

related issues such as fatigue, illness, and distraction.

Final Report 44

Miami-Dade Transit, Miami, FL

MDT is the public transportation provider for the Miami, Florida

urbanized area. MDT provides bus, heavy rail, demand response,

and monorail/automated guideway transit services. MDT is the

designated Community Transportation Coordinator for Miami Dade

County (MDC). The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


MDT fixed route operators are MDC employees, while demand response operators work

directly for a private contractor. Fixed route operators are unionized, and there are two

picks (June and November) each year based on seniority. Prior to the bids and biweekly,

MDT checks operator drive times on each route. If there is a complaint, planning checks the

route, using AVL playbacks, and supervisors go out into the field. The union meets with MDT

planning prior to route picks to identify those routes that may have timing issues. Fixed

route operators have no scheduled lunch break, and recovery time is declining.

Training

Bus Operations provides all operator training in-house utilizing TSI training curriculum,

while safety provides specific safety-related information. The new bus operator training

program lasts for 10 weeks. Refresher training is completed two times a year, before picks.

It is always electronic, focuses on ADA, and has a special emphasis on frequent issues.

During their semi-annual refresher training, trainers cover areas that are problematic and

those safety occurrences identified as becoming common. Every operator with a previous

incident gets remedial training. Running a red light results in a deduction of safety

points, the use of progressive discipline, and can result in remedial training.

Customer Service

MDT’s philosophy that “everyone pays the fare” creates multiple avenues for complaints,

particularly, because MDT does not want operators fighting with passengers over the fare,

and because MDT does not want the bus delayed. The operator can call and ask to have a

supervisor dispatched.


MDT supervisors have received TSI’s accident investigation course. When an incident

occurs, bus traffic control (in operations) dispatches a supervisor, 911, fire department, and

risk management, as needed/required. The operations supervisor conducts the investigation

for non-major incidents. Safety conducts the investigation of major incidents. Reports


Automated

Guideway Heavy Rail Bus Bus

Demand

Response

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 9,643,700 21,198,700 78,500,800 392,100 1,706,900

Annual Passenger Miles 9,472,300 155,169,100 414,639,900 27,661,300 21,753,900

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 1,222,400 7,884,800 28,366,300 569,800 14,680,000


Directly Operated



Final Report 45

generated throughout each investigation has a specific Incident Report (IR) number that

helps with tracking. The Accident Review Board meets every month. Members of the board

include: two bus operators, bus operations instructor (chair), and a maintenance supervisor.

Each case is anonymous (bus operator is not named). Preventability determinations

are made utilizing National Safety Council guidelines. The board makes a decision and

issues a report to bus operations with the severity of the accident determining the

corrective action, i.e., a serious accident can result in termination. Safety does all NTD

reporting, tracks accidents, and completes a trend analysis. County risk management takes

care of everything associated with risk. In the event an incident results in the transport of

an individual away from the scene for medical purposes, MDC assumes responsibility for

claims, litigation, etc. If a bus operator seeks compensation or takes legal action against the

agency for injuries sustained due to an incident, the MDT risk management department

handles the claim

All MDT buses are equipped with audio, video, and CAD/AVL. MDT uses 4-way flashers

before a stop, and is currently preparing the infrastructure to allow auto/remote data

downloads from vehicle systems.

MDT has a MDC police unit dedicated to MDT, but they have to pay for their services.

Contract security personnel are located at major bus terminals and mover and rail stations.

MDT has had officers ride particular routes when there were issues.

In the past, MDT terminated employees for violation of the wireless policy. Personal devices

must be stored, and may only be used out of the seat, when the radio is broken. The 1st

violation results in a 15-day suspension; 2nd violation yields a 20-day suspension; and, 3rd

violation results in termination. Beginning December 1, 2015, MDT will return to their

previous policy, and the 1st violation will result in termination.

Corrective Actions

Retraining is always used by MDT. If an event is categorized as preventable, the bus

operator is automatically retrained. Progressive discipline is used; superintendents

make the determination on the nature of the discipline. MDT has modified an operator’s

shift, and would modify a driver’s route assignment to ensure an operator’s safety. MDT

started installing driver compartments in 1997, and they are installed in all buses

except one model (MCI). Modifications have eliminated passengers groping female

operators.

MDT considers restricted access a police issue, and it is only used on the rail system. The

Golden Passport can be pulled for a year, but MDT tries to avoid this option.

Miami students receive a discount pass. MDC police go to schools if there are issues.

The homeless qualify for the Golden Passport, but are required to register. MDT has had

problems with the homeless at rail stations, where they are now required to pay at the end

of the line.

Safety Campaigns

MDT encourages everyone to submit Service Improvement Reports. MDT wants feedback so

they ask that people identify themselves. Reports are reviewed monthly by operations and

Final Report 46

safety. Anyone can also submit an online Safety Concern (named or anonymous), which

goes to safety, and safety forwards it to operations. MDT has undertaken injury and

distracted driving poster campaigns. MDT issues safe driving awards and a “New Rule of

the Week” on various topics (e.g., lots of pedestrian accidents in an area). MDT

plans to set up mirror stations at one of their garages in an effort to ensure bus

operator visibility of his surroundings.

Final Report 47

Palm Tran, West Palm Beach, FL

Palm Tran is the public transportation system run by the Palm

Beach County Government, serving Palm Beach County,

Florida. Palm Tran provides fixe route bus service and shared

ride, door to door, paratransit service throughout the county.

The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


Palm Tran fixed route operators are Palm Beach County (PBC) employees, while demand

response operators work directly for a private contractor. Fixed route operators are

unionized, and there are three picks (December, April, and August) each year based on

seniority. Planning, operations, and the union complete route checks prior to picks.

Training

New operator training includes four hours in-house and four hours hands-on training per

week for three weeks. Individuals are exposed to the transit bus on the first day of

training, and operate the bus on an obstacle course in the yard. If comfortable, on

the second day, new operators do left/right turn movements on the street. Topics

included in operator training are fare handling (in fare disputes, the first time,

drivers are instructed to simply “state the fare” and let the customer ride; the

second time – let them ride; the third time, a supervisor is dispatched); FEMA-work

place safety; computer based training modules (CBTs) from the Center for Urban

Transportation Research (CUTR); pedestrian awareness; customer service; farebox; AVL;

and, safety and security. PBC provides drug and alcohol training; Palm Tran reviews

consequences and transit agency policies. During driver training, Risk Management gives a

presentation about claims and what happens when there is a preventable/chargeable

accident. The assistant executive director, the union, and maintenance also make

presentations on relevant topics. Drivers receive an Employee Handbook and meet with

supervisors and communications staff. Remedial training is automatic after every accident.

Customer Service

Palm Tran has a dedicated customer call-in line through Palm Tran Connection (paratransit).

When calls come in, information is disseminated to the appropriate Palm Tran section. Palm

Tran uses courtesy cards for accidents, and customers can post comments on Facebook.


Bus

Demand

Response

Demand

Response-Taxi


Annual Passenger Miles 74,588,100 7,967,200 4,123,000

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 7,124,200 6,135,400 3,172,300




Final Report 48


The safety department reports to the general manager and is responsible for bus operator

training, maintenance training, supervisor training, as well as annual refresher training.

Safety is currently developing a new annual refresher course on fixed object collision

avoidance.

When an accident occurs, the bus operator pulls the bus over and calls dispatch. The driver

indicates if medical assistance is needed, if so, dispatch calls EMS/Police. A supervisor is

dispatched to the site to investigate and prepare reports. The supervisor must complete the

form and submit it on the same day of event. The supervisor must also take photos from all

angles. All supervisors (except those recently hired) have taken TSI’s Fundamentals of Bus

Collision Investigation course; a few have taken the advanced course. Audio is pulled, and

the video pull comes via email. The operator continues on the route, if able, but must

complete an incident report within 24 hours.

Accident Review Board members include: operations, safety, county risk management, and

county employees. Following an incident, the board interviews the driver; reviews audio and

video with driver; determines preventability using TSI guidelines and personal experience;

and, incorporates progressive discipline based on severity of incident.

Palm Tran scans and sends all information, including video, to risk management (county has

a site for sharing video; audio is never released). Risk management handles all

litigation, tracks accidents and workers’ compensation, and maintains a database

of events that Palm Tran staff utilizes to identify training needs. Twice a year, risk

management sends an accident status report to Palm Tran.

Palm Tran has a Safety Committee that meets quarterly. Members include: assistant

manager of operations; Deputy Director of fixed route; North County, South County, and

Bell Glades operations personnel; maintenance manager; a maintenance technician; North

County and South County supervisors; and a union representative. The safety and training

officer chairs the Safety Committee.

Palm Tran operators can carry wireless devices, but they must be stored. The operator must

be out of seat or off the bus to use. The 1st violation is a 1-day suspension, the 2nd violation

is a 2-day suspension, and the 3rd violation is a 4-day suspension. Palm Tran has terminated

for violation of the policy, and it was upheld in arbitration.

Each bus has 7 to 12 cameras. Buses also have panic buttons to alert Palm Beach County

Sheriff’s Office/West Palm Beach Police Department that there is an event/potential threat.

Palm Tran has contracted security at all facilities plus their intermodal terminal, which also

has city-owned video.

Corrective Actions

The Palm Beach County General Counsel had a problem with restricted access (trespass),

and as a result, the penalty was recently changed from one-year system-wide trespass to

one-route for 90-days. Palm Tran issues the trespass with police assistance.

Final Report 49

Palm Tran had some problems with disruptive students from a middle school and a

high school. Palm Tran staff and local school representatives met and were able

to resolve the issues they were experiencing. Homeless people are a problem at bus

stops and shelters, but law enforcement does assist in moving individuals along. Palm Tran

requires new payment at the beginning of each route, and does transport the homeless to

shelters when cold weather strikes.

Safety Campaigns

Palm Tran is still working on language for “Be Patient” stickers for the back of

buses. They have installed monitors and plan to post safety messages and videos.

Beginning in 2016, Palm Tran will begin issuing safety awards.

Final Report 50

Pasco County Public Transportation, Port Richey, FL

PCPT is the public transportation provider for Pasco County,

Florida. PCPT provides fixed route bus service and paratransit

service throughout Pasco County. The 2013 NTD agency profile is

provided below.


PCPT allows some crossover between fixed route and demand response operators; however,

a CDL is required. Fixed route and demand response operators are unionized; however, only

fixed route has picks, which occur every four-months based on seniority and attendance.

PCPT has low operator turnover due to a competitive salary. Operators are drawn from the

school board, who pays better, but employees only work 9 months. There is no fixed route

lunch break, but operators do have recovery time at the end of the route. PCPT constantly

monitors route timing. If an operator complains about route time, the manager will

drive the route in a bus; the manager drives a minimum of one-route each month.

No outside employment is permitted. Applicants for bus driver positions must have

their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and a minimum of 12-months commercial

driving experience.

Training

New operators receive four days of training, and spend some time the first day in a vehicle,

starting with a paratransit vehicle. Drivers are actually strapped into a wheelchair and

driven around to experience the ride and are required to ride several routes. Prior to

hire, drivers are asked to donate three hours of their time to ride with a

paratransit driver on a route in an effort to demonstrate the level of customer

service skills necessary for their positions. PCPT tries to place drivers on routes

generally known to have difficult passengers/situations to ensure realistic

expectations and awareness of situations that may occur.

PCPT conducts quarterly and annual employee evaluations; each employee has

goals, which are tracked. There is a dash cam of each route available, and the operator

must be able to show proficiency with each route. Everyone, including PCPT’s

administrative staff, receives training: disruptive passenger training (de-

escalation and body language); sensitivity training; fare handling (operator can

issue change cards that can be used at a later date – great customer service issue,

passengers often leave for someone less fortunate). The operator can advise

customer without fare to “have a seat – I’ll take care of it;” one day with no fare


Purchased

Transportation

Bus

Demand

Response

Demand

Response-Taxi


Annual Passenger Miles 7,726,200 250,800 442,700

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 1,302,100 189,200 442,700


Directly Operated


Final Report 51

was described as “okay”, and indicated that could also be allowed if there are

multiple occurrences. PCPT will be utilizing the Smith System moving forward.

Operators receive county sensitivity training, and the manager provides transit sensitivity

training.

PCPT provides refresher training annually in October. Topics include: reasonable suspicion,

fires, evacuations, customer service (provided by Pasco County), wheelchair guidelines and

securement, NSC defensive driving, First Aid/CPR (all buses have AED – 2 lives saved last

year). Refresher training is tied to the local bus roadeo, and is also treated as an employee

appreciation day. Remedial training is provided based on the manager’s determination that

the operator could benefit from the training.

Customer Service

For customer complaints, the shop steward can sit in the investigation, which is conducted

by five supervisors and two lead drivers. The operator is closely monitored, and disciplinary

action occurs only after the operator has received several complaints. Each supervisor must

complete 10 monitors (street + video) a week.


All drivers completed the newly released Chapter 14-90, FAC CBT training; a supervisor

reviewed information with them in advance of the training. Operators are required to

wait for the elderly and little kids to sit down (normally, the standard is cross the

standee line and the bus moves) before the bus moves, and cannot close the door

until ready to move. In the case of an accident, the operator pulls over and calls dispatch;

dispatch/supervisor responds immediately; the manager or supervisor responds to an

accident if more than minor (95% of events). The driver is pulled for the remainder of

the day and is required to watch a NSC training video. An at-fault accident results in

immediate termination. The manager looks at routes with multiple accidents and assembles

the information for operators. PCPT issues courtesy cards.

Members of the Safety Committee include: the lead supervisor, operations manager,

director, driver, and a union representatives. PCPT is strict with bus operators because they

are considered to be professional drivers. The committee reviews reports, police reports,

video, and audio. The county discontinued its accident review board, and now relies on

transit to complete the investigation. County risk management does not track accidents or

provide information to transit.

PCPT has no paid security staff.

All fixed route and demand response vehicles have audio and audio, including

side-view cameras. The manager uses video extensively to identify problems.

PCPT can see bus stops with cameras – the manager can log in live to view what is

occurring.

Corrective Actions

PCPT has incorporated a bi-monthly improvement process at each operational

location. They address the question, “What can we do to improve?” The manager serves as

Final Report 52

the facilitator, ten ideas are prioritized, and the manager posts and tracks results. Every

operational issue that is introduced is addressed.

PCPT had one trespass six years ago. It was the manager’s decision in conjunction with

Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. Trespass is forever, but the manager can rescind after 12-

months.

PCPT issues free passes (50 a month) to alternative schools. If there is a complaint, the

school revokes the pass and the student is required to pay full fare. The manager

communicates regularly with the schools, and the school director visits transit.

They have established a great working relationship.

The county provides reduced fare passes to homeless shelters. The homeless can ride all

day as long as they pay for each new route. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office,

Homeless Division provides assistance at the transfer center, which is a busy stop.

PCPT has high-use areas power-washed every day.

Personal wireless devices must be turned off and stowed, not on the operator. A second

violation of the wireless policy results in termination.

Safety Campaigns

Safe driver awards are issued for a minimum of 25,000 miles accident or incident free. PCPT

has a 5-10 minute safety meeting every shift; each driver must sign-off. The manager

tries to do one safety broadcast over the radio every day. PCPT established a close

call reporting system for operators. PCPT holds a training day in October in conjunction

with the local roadeo and County Appreciation Day. PCPT moved all bus stops to the far

side, and is re-evaluating the number and spacing of bus stops on US 19 – they intend to

remove eight stops. In addition, PCPT will install bus pull outs on the Highway 54 corridor.

Final Report 53

Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, St. Petersburg, FL

PSTA is the public transportation provider for Pinellas County,

Florida. PSTA provides bus, express bus, demand response, and

demand response-taxi transit services. PSTA is the designated

Community Transportation Coordinator for Pinellas County. The

2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


PSTA fixed route operators are Pinellas County employees, while demand response

operators work directly for a private contractor. Fixed route operators and supervisors are

unionized, and they bid every four months, based solely on seniority. The express service

route is part of the bid. Fixed route operators have no scheduled lunch break, but do have

recovery time available at the end of each route.

Training

New operator training consists of eight weeks of training, including one week with an

operator. Training topics include: general agency rules, reality-based customer service, fare

handling, radio procedures, emergencies, and security threats. Refresher training is

completed annually. PSTA is currently working on training their operators to train

new drivers. TSI programs are used, and PSTA is developing an in-house course on

de-escalation (body language and empathy). PSTA contracted with a group from New

York to provide customer service training.

Remedial training is incident specific. A computerized program is available for defensive

driving skill training. The Smith System is used for an operator who has a second

preventable accident. PSTA can refer an operator to an “incident behaviorist

counselor” with the employee assistance program (EAP), if warranted.


If an incident occurs, the operator calls dispatch. Dispatch calls 911 and the supervisor, who

takes over the scene. If there is a serious injury, the dispatcher calls safety and risk

management. The operator prepares a report for safety. The supervisor investigates the

accident, and within four hours must submit a report to safety. Safety investigates the

scene, and then risk management takes control, and meets with the operator and

determines if the operator is at fault.


Bus

Commuter

Bus Bus

Demand

Response

Demand

Response-Taxi


Annual Passenger Miles 65,145,000 1,138,200 3,255,000 744,100 1,261,000

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 8,423,800 224,000 426,000 1,513,500 1,385,600




Final Report 54

The Accident Review Board consists of three safety supervisors, each of whom completes an

accident review form. The union requires that the operator has a right to discovery and to

be present at the review board.

PSTA has unarmed contract security at PSTA terminals.

Operators are permitted to use personal wireless devices once they are stopped and out of

the bus. The first violation of the wireless use policy results in a 2-day suspension. The

operator is terminated if a second violation occurs within 2 years.

All buses have audio and video. PSTA is installing audio and video in supervisors’ vehicles.

Corrective Actions

PSTA uses retraining and progressive discipline, but has not modified an operator’s shift or

route or made changes to the driver-compartment.

Restricted access (trespass) is a police issue that is an ongoing conflict. PSTA currently can

issue a trespass for only one location, and is attempting to broaden trespass to system-

wide. The length of trespass depends on jurisdiction: the St. Petersburg Police Department

will issue either a six months or one year trespass, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office

issues trespasses for 6 months, as examples. PSTA typically will drop the trespass after six

months if the person asks to have it removed.

There are several schools close to bus stops. PSTA regularly visits the schools and

reports that they are quite supportive in addressing any issues with their

students. PSTA has a minor problem with the homeless at the transit center. They are not

permitted to board at the 49th Street Safe Harbor (homeless shelter) if they are inebriated.

Safety Campaigns

A year ago, PSTA set up a mirror display in the drivers’ room that discusses the

costs to the agency associated with mirror strikes, and since that time, incidents

have fallen 50 percent. PSTA posts safety posters, distributes annual safety awards,

prepares breakfast for all of the drivers, displays “Driver of the Quarter/Year” and

“Customer Service of the Quarter/Year” plaques on the wall.

Final Report 55

Polk County Transit Services Division, Bartow, FL

PCTS is the public transportation service provider for Polk County,

Florida. Transit Services oversees the Winter Haven Transit System,

two rural routes, and elderly and disabled services for local

residents. Riders can connect with Citrus Connection in Lakeland

and the LYNX system in Poinciana, which provides access to

Orlando. The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


Training

New operator training includes: general agency rules; customer service, including effective

interaction and communication with passengers; fare handling; safety/security; enforcing

transit rules; responding to complaints; defusing arguments; deciding when to call for

backup; maintaining control of the vehicle and exhibiting leadership; incident

reporting; First aid/CPR training; Drug Free Workplace Policy; and Sexual

Harassment/Violence in the Workplace. The “Hang Up and Drive – the Jacy Good

Story” video with comprehensive assessment is also used in training in an effort to

eliminate distracted driving.

Annual refresher training includes: general safety; wheelchair; pre-trip

inspections; and a written roadeo test for which individuals receive a score.

Course completions are signed by the instructor and the employee. Distracted

driving content is included in the course as well as driving skills, which includes

the roadeo course. Polk County uses the Smith System for defensive driving.

Customer Service

Phone numbers for reporting a customer complaint or contacting an ombudsman are posted

on each bus and at the terminal. Every complaint is logged into the consumer reports

database, which is reviewed monthly by the LAMTD (Citrus Connection) Director of Safety

Security & Operational Support. Complaints are processed by service type, and the proper

supervisor is notified and meets with the driver.


For safety/security threats, police are called for assistance (no transit security available,

except at Winter Haven Terminal) and the offender is trespassed. The bus operator

completes a report at the end of the shift. The incident is referred to the Safety

Subcommittee, which consists of the senior planner, program supervisor I, and safety


Purchased

Transportation

Bus

Demand

Response

Demand

Response

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 524,800 54,600 53,100

Annual Passenger Miles 4,949,100 661,600 861,600

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 685,900 518,900 760,700


Directly Operated


Final Report 56

management coordinator, and meets monthly regarding any safety/security threat to the

system.

The Safety Team includes representatives from fleet maintenance, operations, risk

management, and customer service, and also includes a lead driver, paratransit supervisor,

and the call center manager. The team meets monthly and discusses the following topics:

incidents, preventability, trends, annual modifications to the SSPP and SPP. If there is a

particular trend or issue, they will issue safety memos to drivers or post information in

drivers’ lounge.

Risk Management processes county or 3rd party damage resulting from an incident;

interviews clients; and conducts accident investigations. Risk management also documents

assaults. Within the fixed route system, an offender will be trespassed; however, within

paratransit, risk management will work with the offender. Risk management maintains

police reports, monitors dispatch, and conducts ride-alongs. Risk management turns claims

over to the County Claims Division, which will handle any payouts, litigation, etc., and may

assign a private investigator, if warranted.

If an incident occurs that requires further assistance from the agency (such as the need for

a supervisor to handle a disruptive passenger), the driver is required to contact dispatch

with the following information: nature of the problem, location of the vehicle, and what

assistance is requested. The dispatcher responds with confirmation of the information, a

description of what action will be taken, an estimated time for a response to the problem,

and further instructions to the driver, if applicable (e.g., pull over and wait for assistance).

PCTS has contract security at the Winter Haven Terminal.

There is currently no video or audio in paratransit or fixed route vehicles; new vehicles on

order will have both audio and video.

PCTS’s wireless communication policy is written and dated. The first violation of the policy

results in a written reprimand; the second violation in a 3-year period, results in a minimum

3-day suspension without pay; and, the third violation in a 3-year period, results in

termination.

Corrective Actions

In the case of inappropriate behavior on the part of students, PCTS contacts the school

resource officer, and the student is trespassed. Schools consistently support transit’s

decision. While there is no written appeal process, a student can appeal the trespass in

writing.

Safety Campaigns

PCTS issues safety memos to drivers and posts information in the drivers’ lounge. There is

a comment box in the drivers’ lounge where drivers can report unsafe conditions.

PCTS placed reflective striping on the back of their buses in an effort to stem rear-ended

collisions.

Final Report 57

Sarasota County Area Transit, Sarasota, FL

SCAT is the public transportation service provider for Sarasota

County, Florida. SCAT provides fixed route bus service, express

bus service, and dial-a-ride paratransit service throughout the

county. The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided below.


SCAT has a small number of paratransit drivers who have never driven fixed route service;

nonetheless, all other drivers are interchangeable between fixed route and paratransit.

Operators are represented by a union and have two picks a year, in November and April, to

mirror seasonal routes.

Training

The Safety, Security & Training Officer (SSTO) provides the introductory 8-week basic

training for all new hires that includes classroom and on-the-road instruction for fixed route

and demand response. All drivers take CPR training, and since the Boston bombing in 2013,

receive one hour of bomb threat training. Other emergency response/security-related

training includes: NTI’s “The Mark” and local policies and procedures related to emergency

management/preparedness/response.

SCAT shelved refresher training a while ago as a cost-saving measure, but recently restored

four hours of annual refresher training.

Operations and safety managers make the determination for remedial training. If an

operator has preventable accidents or incidents, he/she is brought in for intensive

retraining, depending on preventability and the incident details. If the accident is serious,

the SSTO can initiate immediate administrative leave and retraining. The Safety Committee

makes the preventable/non-preventable determination at the next scheduled safety

committee meeting.

Customer Service

Every complaint, accident, and incident results in a review of audio and video

recordings. SCAT has a full-time supervisor who dedicates the majority of his time in

reviewing tapes, which occurs as soon as possible following an event. SCAT does have a

suggestion box and an 800 call center number for reporting complaints.


Purchased

Transportation

Bus

Commuter

Bus

Demand

Response

Demand

Response

Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips 2,803,400 29,000 84,300 85,500

Annual Passenger Miles 14,353,600 813,100 761,200 1,013,900

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 2,737,900 174,200 542,600 753,300

Vehicle Operated in Maximum Service 42 4 27 35

Directly Operated


Final Report 58


The SSTO reports directly to the Director and is responsible for all safety functions

performed within the organization, including: new hire training, refresher and defensive

driving, ADA/sensitivity training for SCAT employees, accident investigation, and accident

grading.

All SCAT managers and supervisors have primary responsibility for accident prevention and

hazard identification and resolution in their specific area of concern. Managers and

supervisors are also responsible for the submission of written incidents reports, and bus

operators are required to notify the dispatcher in the event of an accident/incident (SCAT no

longer uses the Event Button, due to too many inadvertent deployments). Bus operators

are allowed to communicate with dispatch while moving to report incidents; however, the

agency encourages the operators to stop to make calls. The dispatcher notifies police and

emergency services via 911 and dispatches a road supervisor to the incident scene, and

immediately notifies all management staff in the event of a serious accident, fire, or security

threat. The transportation road supervisor dispatched to the scene performs the accident

investigation once the scene is released by the responding law enforcement agency. The

SSTO responds to and investigates serious accidents. Employees involved in an incident or

accident must complete the “Sarasota County Incident Report” and the “SCAT Incident

Report” as soon as possible, but no later than 8:00 am the morning following the accident.

Operators receive paid overtime to complete the report. When there is an accident, the

driver is placed on administrative leave three days until post-accident tests are

returned.

The lead supervisor completes the CAP, which identifies the action to be taken by SCAT and

the schedule for its implementation. The SSTO monitors and tracks the implementation of

each CAP and the employee is required to submit a CAP completion form. The SSTO reviews

all reported incidents and accidents on a daily basis, and serves as the NTD reporter for

Safety and Security (S&S) Forms 40 and 50. Beginning January 1, 2015, the SSTO rolled

out a new process for collecting and analyzing accident/incident data and trends.

The Safety Committee includes: SSTO, lead supervisor, representative from Sarasota

County Risk Management, three Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) drivers, and one

maintenance supervisor. The committee meets monthly and prepares a report for the

director. Meeting agendas include: workers compensation claims, safety issues,

accident/incident review, audio and video review, and preventable/non-preventable accident

determination. Employees are subjected to progressive discipline for preventable accidents.

Risk Management plays no role in the investigation of accidents or incidents, but does send

a representative to Safety Committee meetings. SCAT uses the Sarasota County Employee

Health Center (managed by US Health Works) for driver physicals. MVRs are pulled each

year by County risk management, and background screening is done for pre-employment.

SCAT does have in-house CDL testers.

Most buses and paratransit vehicles are equipped with an audio and video surveillance

systems, including a camera aimed out the front window. Most buses and five supervisor

Final Report 59

vans are equipped with AVL and GPS systems. SCAT has video and audio at transfer

centers.

Two SCAT terminals have full-time contract security; intermittent contract security is

provided at the third terminal. SCAT interfaces with six local jurisdictions, the state police,

and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). The 911 operator decides whom to call for

a response. Twice a year, SCAT and the SCSO participate in a Special Weapons and

Tactics (SWAT) exercise, which has helped to establish a cooperative relationship.

Corrective Actions

Retraining is completed immediately, and progressive discipline is used for multiple

infractions. Modification of shifts is not routinely used, except in special cases. SCAT did

eliminate an unnecessary diversion on one rather long route. SCAT looked at

partitions in an effort to protect their bus operators from assaults or other aggressive

behavior, but the union did not support the installation.

A trespass is issued by law enforcement at the specific location of the incident for a

maximum of one year. Based on a new ordinance effective January 14, 2015, a trespassed

person has seven days to appeal, with or without representation.

Homeless persons near one of the terminals present the most significant security problem to

SCAT. There have been issues with students from a specific school. To resolve issues

with school students, the SSTO meets monthly with the head of the school, who

recently issued IDs to all students authorized to use SCAT. In addition, the head of

the school stations a staff member at the transit center in the morning. To diffuse

the situation, SCAT took buses to the school and spent a day with the students

familiarizing them with transit and SCAT bus policies.

Safety Campaigns

To reduce distracted driving, SCAT added a second facility in southern Sarasota

County for pull out; it saves some operators as much as 45 minutes driving time.

Only minor maintenance is provided at the facility so the buses rotate to the main shop

every three days. SCAT allows no ads or commercial wraps on buses.

Final Report 60

Star Metro, Tallahassee, FL

Star Metro is the city-owned and operated public transit service

provider for Tallahassee, Florida. Star Metro operates both fixed

route and dial-a-ride paratransit service in the Tallahassee

Metropolitan area. The 2013 NTD agency profile is provided

below.


Fixed route and demand response operators are allowed to crossover; however, it is easier

to achieve full-time status if a fixed route operator. Operators are not unionized. Picks for

full-time operators are based on seniority. Supervisors rotate who they supervise with each

bid.

Operators can stop to use the restroom, but cannot stand in line to make purchases or

other activities that would delay the route. The operator must notify the passengers that

he/she is taking a bathroom break.

Training

Due to the recent agency re-organization, training for new operators is in transition.

Refresher training occurs every year on the employee’s anniversary date. Remedial training

ranges from four to twelve hours, based on the severity of the accident.

Star Metro uses onboard video in their training courses. Any video that displays

the face of the operator will be enhanced to ensure anonymity.

Customer Service

Video is reviewed for all customer complaints.

Incident Response

Bus operators are required to report all incidents, including incidents (falls) that

occur on board or within 10 feet of a bus stop. Comment cards are distributed to all

passengers onboard at the time of an incident. Video is reviewed for all incidents. Star

Metro plans to hire someone with clerical skills to input incident data.

Investigations

As a result of the recent re-organization, safety & security is overseen by operations.


Bus

Demand

Response





Directly Operated


Final Report 61

The City of Tallahassee is responsible for all risk management. The street supervisor,

supervisor, or safety supervisor investigates the accident and notifies risk management.

Risk management takes over if there are injuries on the bus.

Star Metro uses the FDOT’s Accident-Tracking Database that was developed by CUTR.

Preventability determinations are made by the safety officer, supervisor, and superintendent

of transit operations. Comment cards are distributed to passengers on the bus at the time

of the accident. City-wide risk management reviews accident data for trends; although, Star

Metro has the capability to track the following through Trapeze software: incident location,

driver on duty at the time, workers compensation costs, and the number of passengers

injured.

Star Metro has no official Safety Committee.

Buses have 12 video cameras and recordings can be accessed wirelessly while the vehicle in

in the year. Video was also recently installed in three supervisor vehicles. As mentioned

previously, Star Metro uses video in all investigations.

First violation of the policy on the use of personal wireless devices results in a one-week

suspension without pay, and the second violation results in termination. An operator is

immediately terminated for an accident that occurs while using a wireless device.

Corrective Actions

Corrective actions incorporated in the past several years include retraining and the use of

progressive discipline. Star Metro removed an operator from a route due to the operator’s

behavior.

Star Metro employs a private security firm and Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) at the

CK Steele Plaza (nine of eleven routes go back into the plaza).

An operator cannot “throw anyone off the bus,” but can call a supervisor directly if they are

exhibiting threatening behavior. The operator must pull over to talk to TPD and are

instructed to not move the bus until the police arrive. The supervisor directs the operator’s

action; only TPD can trespass after discussion with the supervisor. Star Metro has two types

of trespass: 1) system and 2) terminal. Restricted access is usually issued for one year.

Once issued, only TPD can lift (rarely lifted). Star Metro indicated that it has been a year

since the last trespass was issued. The Leon County Sheriff, Florida A&M University (FAMU),

Florida State University (FSU), and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) can all trespass

violators on the Star Metro system.

Star Metro identified two groups of disruptive passengers. First, the city located a homeless

shelter two blocks from Star Metro. After the shelter started distributing free passes, the

Star Metro route serving the shelter increased from 300 to 1,000 riders per day. Star Metro

currently allows one complete trip (both sides of the route) per pass. The most significant

problems include: transport of all personal belongings (carts), babies, some acting-out

behavior, and cleanliness. The second group is special schools that purchase passes in bulk;

although, Star Metro began regular meetings with the school administrator to

resolve conflicts. The school will now withdraw passes from problem students.

Final Report 62

Safety Campaigns

Star Metro just completed a city-wide safety campaign. Star Metro uses the city’s safety

policy, which is based on the job description. Three preventable accidents within 36 months

results in termination. Operators receive a cash safety award, which Star Metro is doubling

– 10-12 drivers will receive a $600 award.

Final Report 63

Transdev, Sebring, FL

Transdev is the CTC for four counties: DeSoto (under contract with the

DeSoto County Board of County Commissioners), and Hardee,

Highlands, and Okeechobee (under contract with the Central Florida

Regional Planning Council).


Training

Upon hire and prior to being placed into road service, all drivers are required to complete

training and testing in the following areas: handling of emergencies, security threats, and

threat awareness. All newly hired employees are also provided instructional training by the

contracted provider per Transdev’s Security Program Plan (SPP) (Transdev confirms the

conduct of the training and the associated record keeping on an annual basis). Drivers are

given instruction in rules and standard operating procedures in the following areas: general

rules, including employee conduct codes; customer service, which covers expectations of

employees when dealing with the public; and, instruction on how and to whom to report

security incidents, and types of individuals or situations to be aware of and report.

Transdev has developed and maintains an Operator Development Program

Training Manual that contract operators may use for new hire training and testing

of employees as part of the Safety Training Program.

Transdev provides annual refresher training that includes passenger relations through a

contractor. Transdev requires contracted providers to provide remedial training for drivers

who have been involved in a serious collision or have developed unsafe driving behavior or

other driving problems. Two Transdev contractors reported that they terminate rather than

provide remedial training.

Customer Service

Transdev maintains a summary of customer complaints and provided a copy of the

Transdev Complaint Summary Sheet (September 2014 through November 2014) that was

presented to LCB.

Incident Response

Events are considered accidents or incidents that involve a transit vehicle or take place on a

Transdev subcontractor’s controlled property. For all events, drivers are required to contact

local law enforcement, the dispatcher, and emergency medical services (as required)

immediately. Supervisors are sent to the scene depending on the severity of the event at

the discretion of the operations manager. Each investigation is documented in a final report

that includes: description of the investigation activities; identified causal factors; and, any

identified CAP.

Investigations

Vendors provide the general manager with accident and incident reports. A safety review is

conducted in conjunction with the Central Florida Regional Planning Council (CFRPC) annual

review. Accident reports and complaints are forwarded to the general manager, who reviews

Final Report 64

the reports and follows up as needed. Each contractor/subcontractor must submit a safety

and security certification to Transdev no later than January 15, annually, for the prior

calendar year period. Transdev has no official safety committee.

One of Transdev’s contractors indicated that they have no audio or video, but confirmed the

presence of GPS on 95 percent of their vehicle fleet. Another Transdev contractor indicated

they have video and audio in some of their newer vehicles

Use of a personal wireless communication device is prohibited while the transit vehicle is in

motion, and all personal wireless communications devices must be turned off with any

earpieces removed from the operator’s ear while occupying the driver’s seat. In an

emergency, if a driver is unable to use the radio, a personal cellular phone may be used to

contact the agency. In such a situation, the driver must park the vehicle in a safe place off

the road and call the direct line to the dispatcher. One driver was terminated for use of a

wireless communication device.

Corrective Actions

Transdev does not incorporate retraining into their driver retention programs, but does use

progressive discipline. While shift modifications have not been used, a driver’s route was

modified in response to a disruptive passenger. No adjustments have been made to the

driver-compartment.

Restricted access (trespass) is facilitated by the local police. The length of the restriction is

typically a year. Transdev does have an appeal process in place, and the trespass can be

suspended.

Transdev does not transport students, but reported having some problems with some of

their clients who have cognitive disabilities.

Final Report 65

Votran, South Daytona, FL

Votran is the public transportation service provider of Volusia

County, Florida. Votran provides fixed route bus, paratransit,

and vanpool service to all urban areas of the county. The 2013



Operators do not crossover from fixed route to paratransit (pay scales differ), but are

permitted to formally change from one mode to another. Seniority starts over for drivers

who change modes. Bus operators are represented by a union, and picks are conducted

three times each year (January, June, and September) based on seniority. Bathroom breaks

are allowed but not scheduled. Some runs have splits; otherwise, operators must take

breaks in extra time.

Training

New operators receive 6-8 weeks of training, including 2 ½ weeks in the classroom. Two

Votran training supervisors are required to qualify a person ready to drive. Training

content includes: sensitivity training, de-escalation, drug-free workplace, and customer

service. Votran experienced an increase in the number of accidents within the last 3 weeks

(of the interview conducted), which appears to be tied to a number of new hires.

Refresher training is provided annually and focuses on sensitivity, de-escalation,

and customer service.

Votran uses remedial training for accidents, safety, and customer service issues, and

incorporates the use of video from on-board cameras to assist with one-on-one

remedial training activities.

Customer Service

Votran has an established Customer Service Review Committee that meets once a

week to address both complaints and commendations. Representatives include: the

Assistant General Manager, planning, Director of Safety & Training, Volusia TPO, Paratransit

Supervisor, and maintenance. The complaint is logged; paperwork is reviewed; video is

examined; vote is taken; and, disciplinary action is determined, if justified. Complaints of

speeding are referred to the Accident Review Committee.


Bus

Demand

Response Vanpool

Demand

Response

Demand

Response-Taxi


Annual Passenger Miles 14,637,700 1,448,800 1,042,900 777,600 31,900

Annual Vehicle Revenue Miles 2,423,300 1,299,400 156,600 964,800 25,600




Final Report 66


Safety and security are overseen by the Director of Safety & Training. There is a separate

Management Safety Committee (consists of county risk, transit management, and insurance

subcontractor) that conducts a monthly review and identifies trends. Operators are drug-

tested after every accident, regardless of injuries.

The Director of Safety & Training chairs the monthly Accident Review Committee,

Representatives include: fixed route operator, paratransit operator, maintenance, fixed

route supervisor, and paratransit supervisor. The committee determines whether accident

was preventable/non-preventable using NSC guidelines.

Votran has strict procedures for safety incidents. All information is collected and

investigated internally. Findings are forwarded to Volusia County Risk Management for claim

follow-up. County risk management participates in the monthly management safety

committee meetings.

Buses have a minimum of six video cameras, including cameras on each side of bus;

paratransit vehicles have four video cameras, and the agency is asking for a fifth camera to

be installed in their paratransit vehicles. There is a live feed available at the main building,

and video is collected on a hard drive and then downloaded.

Wireless devices are allowed onboard, but must be stowed. Operators may use the devices

off of the bus for emergencies, when the radio is inoperable. Violation of the policy 2 times

within 12 months results in termination. Drivers are trained to pull over to communicate

with dispatch.

Votran contracts with private security for a guard at the transfer station, which has more

incidents because of a high level of activity.

Corrective Actions

Votran uses retraining and progressive discipline. They have pulled a paratransit operator

from a route, and, if absolutely necessary, they will do separate routes for disruptive

customers. Votran tries to balance safety with on-time performance; operators need

to notify dispatch if there is a problem.

Incidents of spitting on an operator are rare; operators are trained to de-escalate.

Votran is considering some kind of operator compartment design treatment to isolate

drivers, whose biggest source of distraction is passengers talking to the operator and each

other.

Volusia County has a legal issue with trespass. Law enforcement is restrictive. Votran will

trespass for one day, system-wide, and will distribute a text to operators. If access is

restricted for more than one day, the police must arrest the violator. Votran considers law

enforcement a partner, but tries to limit calls.

Votran has a positive relationship with two alternative schools, with whom they

work closely.

Final Report 67

Votran has a select group of disruptive passengers that affect both fixed route and demand

response service. One passenger in particular is verbally abusive, blocks the bus, and is

intoxicated most of the time. The typical response is to call law enforcement.

The homeless rate in the area is high, and while violence problems are not uncommon,

hygiene issues rather than disruptive behavior create difficulty. Votran works closely

with the Council on Aging, and does make referrals to public health. Votran does

cold weather movement to homeless shelters.

Safety Campaigns

Votran staff rides the bus routes in an effort to confirm the timing of the route and identify

any safety issues that may exist along the route or at bus stops. Votran uses payroll

stickers with safety messages, posters, and mailbox stuffings. Votran celebrates “No

Preventable Accidents” whenever they can. In one recent campaign, managers

used their own money to buy fortune cookies with 13 various safety messages

with prizes awarded for those who collected the most number of different

messages. Votran also takes advantage of photo opportunities, e.g., they wrapped

a bus with an acknowledgement of their 3 million-mile safety drivers.

Final Report 68

Chapter 3 – Summary of Highlighted Practices

During the conduct of the literature review and site visits with agency staff, a number of

comprehensive programs were identified that transit agencies have implemented to enhance

safety and reduce or minimize the likelihood of assaults on transit passengers and

operators. Areas of focus include training, customer service, incident response and

investigation, corrective actions, and safety campaigns.

Training

LYNX introduced a simulator to assist with training in 2013, and initiated a renewed

focus on hiring qualified bus operators, through the introduction of the Select

Advantage screening tool.

Numerous agencies, including BCT, LYNX, HART, Lee Tran, PCPT, PSTA, and Votran,

incorporate de-escalation techniques in their new operator and refresher programs.

De-escalation techniques and active shooter training are examples of the training

provided in two-hour segments during LYNX quarterly safety meetings.

JTA called on the JSO to provide training in spring 2015 to their operators, who

responded very favorably to a presentation on basic body language (posturing,

threatening vs non-threatening), how to get yourself away from an attack, and

verbal judo. JTA recommended that other agencies work with their local law

enforcement to see if a similar training could be provided to their bus operators.

Citrus Connection developed and maintains an Operator Development Training

Program for new hire training and testing of employees that includes conflict

resolution and avoidance.

TSI instructor training is now in place at Citrus Connection, HART, JTA, MDT, Palm

Tran, and PSTA.

MCAT not only employs the Smith System (critical thinking, awareness of

surroundings, enhancing the safety of existing drivers) for new bus operator training,

but also requires it if there is an accident or a “citizen action complaint.”

HART requires drivers to take “The Critical Point” video training that is part of the

Smith System.

PSTA uses the Smith System for an operator who has a second preventable accident.

PCTS draws on the Smith System for defensive driving. PCTS annual refresher

training includes a written roadeo test for which individuals receive a score. Course

completions are signed by the instructor and the employee. Distracted driving

content is included in the course as well as driving, which includes the roadeo

course. PCPT plans to incorporate the entire Smith System in their training program

moving forward.

CCTD requires new drivers to undergo successfully in-service training with an

experienced driver.

At Palm Tran, drivers are exposed to the transit bus on the first day of training, and

operate the bus on an obstacle course in the yard. If comfortable, on the second

day, new operators do left/right turn movements on the street.

PCPT requires new drivers to ride several routes, and prior to hire, drivers are asked

to donate 3 hours of their time to ride with a paratransit driver on a route. PCPT tries

to place drivers on routes generally known to have difficult passengers/situations.

Final Report 69

RTS initiates refresher training for complaints in lieu of discipline or termination.

HART provides an increased level of sensitivity training to demand response

operators.

Actual video footage is utilizes by a number of agencies in their refresher and

remedial training. As an example, Star Metro uses video from cameras that face the

driver to demonstrate issues such as distracted driving or interaction with

passengers (video is modified to ensure anonymity of the driver) and Votran

incorporates the video from on-board cameras in one-on-one remedial training

activities. PCPT can see bus stops with cameras that are currently in place; the

manager can log in live to view what is happening.

Both Palm Tran and PCPT developed specific fare handling policies designed to

reduce conflict. In fare disputes at Palm Tran, the first time, drivers are trained to

simply “state the fare” and let the customer ride; the second time they let them ride;

the third time, a supervisor is dispatched. At PCPT, operators are trained to issue

change cards that can be used at a later date, which has become a great customer

service issue, because passengers often leave their change for someone less

fortunate.

Two special training campaigns include JTA’s “would you let this guy on your bus at

11:30 pm if you are alone?” and PCTS’s “Hang Up and Drive – the Jacy Good Story”

video with comprehensive assessment.

Customer Service

At CCTD, repeated failure to show up for scheduled rides yields a 30-day suspension.

Many customers call after receiving a suspension notice; nonetheless, 5 of 10

suspensions issued in a day are withdrawn after speaking with customers. Minor

verbal complaints are handled by staff immediately – more serious complaints

progress to supervisors, and then to the manager.

CAT subscribes to the policy that “no passenger is left behind, “and will actually

transport someone who missed the bus and calls. Support vehicles are equipped with

bike racks and lifts.

At Lee Tran, if a passenger has a complaint with the driver, the bus, or with Lee Tran

in general, the passenger is separated from the driver to control the situation and

offer reasonable resolutions to both the operator and the passenger. Unruly

passengers, if removed from the bus, may be given a ride to their destination (one

time only per passenger), to give the supervisor the opportunity to discuss the

incident and remind the passenger of Lee Tran policies.

MCAT allows operators to “challenge the policy,” in two specific areas. The MCAT

Bikes on Buses Policy (each bus has only 2 bike racks) allows an operator to

challenge the policy and may allow folding bikes on buses if the bike rack is full.

Similarly, if all wheelchair slots are in use, the operator can call dispatch and request

that paratransit respond to the site to accommodate a wheelchair customer.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Homeless Division provides assistance at the PCPT

transfer center, which is a busy stop. PCPT has the high-use areas power-washed

every day.

Votran established a Customer Service Review Committee that meets once a week to

address both complaints and commendations. Representatives include: the assistant

Final Report 70

general manager, planning, director safety & training, TPO, paratransit supervisor,

and maintenance.


LYNX posts notices on the pavement in the operations facility to remind employees

to refrain from texting.

At JTA, if an operator has a serious (major) incident, JTA will pull the driver’s record

for the prior seven days to determine if the driver’s schedule may have led to or

contributed to fatigue.

Lee Tran developed a system that is designed to store all data in an electronic

format. Lee Tran’s electronic report formatting appears to qualify as a “best

practice.”

Lee Tran established mutual aid agreements with police jurisdictions, which has a

created a proactive atmosphere. Lee Tran allows police to use their new facility,

which increases the police presence in the neighborhood.

Corrective Actions

If a BCT operator feels threatened, the agency will place a supervisor or police at

stops along the operator’s route.

Citrus Connection uses security on random bus routes to monitor teenagers fighting.

Lee Tran will contact and counsel disruptive passengers regarding their behavior, if

requested by the driver.

JTA said that external stakeholder partnerships are crucial.

Star Metro began regular meetings with the school administrator to resolve conflicts,

and, as a result, the school withdraws passes from problem students.

To diffuse the situations with disruptive students, SCAT took buses to the school and

spent a day with the students familiarizing them with transit and SCAT bus policies.

Votran works closely with the Council on Aging, and makes referrals to public health,

and does cold weather movement to homeless shelters.

Safety Campaigns

RTS developed a number of communications devices, including: stall memo (highly

successful); bulletin board; digital signs; newsletters; mail boxes; posted customer

compliments (City linked); City Manager meets with employees annually; locked

drop box; and FYI for drivers (drivers consider FYI to be formal communication with

a required timeline for response). RTS’s GM makes a concerted effort to have

dialogue directly with drivers during in-service and annual training to gather

feedback.

HART facilitated ergonomic changes to the drivers’ compartment – accelerator and

brake pedals are adjustable, upgraded seats to an expensive model that has air

pockets, include operator in the design/layout of cockpit, and Human Resources ergo

metrics testing to identify those potential employees with higher customer service

skills scores.

Citrus Connection staged a bike safety demonstration at the terminal and a

wheelchair securement demonstration, also at the terminal.

Final Report 71

MDT issues a “New Rule of the Week” (e.g., lots of pedestrian accidents in an area),

and plans to set up mirror stations at one of their garages in an effort to ensure bus

operator visibility of his surroundings.

Palm Tran continues to develop language for “Be Patient” stickers for the back of

buses.

PCPT established a close call reporting system for operators.

A year ago, PSTA set up a mirror display in the drivers’ room describing the costs

associated with mirror strikes, and since that time, related incidents have fallen 50

percent.

PSTA gives “Customer Service of the Quarter/Year” awards and places the plaques

on the wall.

PCTS has a comment box in the drivers’ lounge where drivers can report unsafe

conditions.

To reduce distracted driving, SCAT added a second facility for pull out; it saves some

operators as much as 45 minutes driving time

Votran celebrates No Preventable Accidents whenever they can. Votran managers

used their own money to buy fortune cookies with 13 different safety messages, and

prizes were awarded for those who collected the most different messages. Votran

also takes advantage of photo opportunities, e.g., they wrapped a bus with an

acknowledgement of their 3 million-mile safety drivers.

Final Report 72

Chapter 4 – Conclusions and Recommendations

The topic of transit passenger and operator assaults continues to be at the forefront of

transit safety discussions. For transit agencies across the U.S. and Canada, assault-related

injuries have grown by 83.7 percent since 2008. Nationwide, transit rider assaults grew by

8.3 percent in 2014, and by nearly 300 percent since 2008. Bus operator assaults

experienced a 17.2 percent decline in 2014, but showed an increase of one percent

compared to 2008.

Florida’s assault-related bus operator and transit rider injuries both declined, by 75.0

percent and 42.9 percent, respectively. Total injuries declined by 58.3 percent in 2014. Most

assault-related injuries nationally (81.5%) and in Florida (86.7%) occurred on the bus

rather than at another location. Florida’s injuries mirror nationwide injuries, but show a

greater incidence of transit rider injuries. Nationally, while more injuries occurred on Friday,

there is minimal difference in injuries by the day of the week. Florida, on the other hand,

shows substantial difference in the number of injuries by day of the week, with more than a

fourth of all injuries occurring on Thursdays.

In interviews and communication conducted during the site visits, the majority of the transit

agencies reported they have few, if any, major assaults. In fact, 10 of the 20 agencies

visited have not suffered an NTD-reportable assault at any time in the last eight years.

Nonetheless, the larger agencies stressed that minor assaults, which fail to meet NTD

reporting requirements, are on the increase.



than those that would prompt the incident to be reported as an NTD major incident. Data

were aggregated (4,406 incidents) and analyzed to identify common characteristics, such as

the location of the occurrence, the day of the week on which incidents occurred, and the

time of day when most incidents occurred. All of the incidents were onboard the bus.

Disorderly conduct/onboard disturbances accounted for 36 percent of all incidents, followed

by passengers being assaulted by passengers (12.1%). Fare evasion/disputes represented

8.7 percent of all incidents. Slightly more on-vehicle incidents were reported during the

month of April, with vandalism to the bus slightly higher-than-average. More incidents were

reported on Wednesdays, and were driven by higher-than-average passengers assaulting

passengers and incidents of theft. Slightly more incidents were reported during afternoon

and evening hours, with objects thrown at the bus and passengers assaulting passengers

slightly higher-than-average.

Many of the agencies have been proactive in addressing assault-related incidents and have

implemented changes that include providing bus operators with the tools necessary to

effectively respond to volatile situations through training, establishing local policies and

procedures to deter assault events, and assisting in responding to events.

Conclusions

A series of conclusions or observations has been made as a result of this research and is

included below.

Final Report 73

Bus operator and passenger assaults continue to occur nationwide and in Florida.

Nationally, transit operators are at greater risk for a major assault than transit

riders; in Florida, transit riders face more risk of assault than drivers.

Frequent conduct-related incidents were documented on Florida’s transit systems.

While most of these do not meet the NTD definition of assault, they do represent

anti-social behavior that ranges from assaults, robbery and vandalism to verbal

abuse and intimidating and threatening behavior that impacts the physical and

mental well-being of passengers and drivers.

Summary data collected during the project proved helpful in identifying behavior that

disrupts transit service and poses a threat to operators and passengers.

Recommendations

During the agency site visits, a number of successful practices were identified. The

recommendations below include these practices.

Recommendation 1: Coordinate agency efforts to codify anti-social and disruptive behaviors

and implement tracking systems that can be shared across agencies to identify trends,

catalogue successful measures used to minimize impacts of the behaviors, and share

findings.

Recommendation 2: Maximize bus operator training – expand the use of de-escalation

techniques, conflict resolution and avoidance, and basic body language (posturing,

threatening vs non-threatening) programs to assist operators in resolving incidents in an

effective way.

Recommendation 3: Develop a guide for best training practices that describes types of

suitable training and distribute to transit agencies to ensure a concerted approach to

training.

Recommendation 4: Share agency success stories that reduced anti-social behavior on

buses.

Recommendation 5: Expand educational endeavors – transit staff and police visit schools to

explain the impact of anti-social behavior; develop student contracts; assign student ID

cards; and, involve parents and teachers.

Recommendation 6: Evaluate infrastructure improvements, including: the consideration of

driver compartments; installation of video cameras with notices to passengers that cameras

are in use and violators could be prosecuted; and, incorporation of panic buttons in

conjunction with local law enforcement rapid response programs.

Recommendation 7: Continue development of working partnerships with a variety of

organizations, including local government, other transit agencies, local law enforcement,

community groups, social service agencies, and Federal agencies.

Recommendation 8: Work with local law enforcement agencies to improve response time to

acts of anti-social behavior, and target known hotspots for a specified amount of time.

Final Report 74

References

Adams, E. (May 2012). NYS Senator Eric Adams will introduce legislation which will enable

Amtrak to provide Taser guns and training to Amtrak train conductors and

motormen. Senator Eric Adams Blog. Accessed January 24, 2013 at

http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/nys-senator-eric-adams-will-introduce-

legislation-which-will-enable-amtrak-provide-tas

Adams, E. (April 2012). Statement from NYS Senator Eric Adams regarding the issuance of

Tasers for transit authority employees. Senator Eric Adams Blog. Accessed January

17, 2013 at http://www.nysenate.gov/blogs/2012/apr/17/

Amalgamated Transit Union. (2009). Know Your Rights: US Fair Credit Reporting Act

Protections, printed in InTransit Magazine, Vol, 118, No. 5, September/October

2009, pp. 17-18. Washington, DC.

Bruyere, D. and Gillet, J.M., National Operator Assault Survey Results 2005, ATU, 2006.

Donohue, P. “Brooklyn state Sen. Eric Adams wants transit workers to be armed with Tasers

- Transport Workers Union Local 100 supporting measure as a way to protect

workers,” New York Daily News, April 16, 2012,. Accessed January 17, 2013 at

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn-state-sen-eric-adams-transit-

workers-armed-tasers-article-1.1062688#ixzz2IG1TLMAY

Granville, S. and Campbell-Jack, D. Research to Investigate the Extent and Impact of Anti-

Social Behavior on Scottish Buses. 2005. George Street Research Limited. Accessed

January 7, 2013 at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/20782/53859

Grynbaum, M. “When Passengers Spit, Bus Drivers Take Months Off,” New York Times, May

24, 2010. Accessed February 21, 2013 at

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/nyregion/25spit.html?_r=0

Hendricks, M. “Is enough being done to stop the assault on bus operators?” Kansas City

Star, November 14, 2012. Accessed January 22, 2013 from the Missouri Public

Transit Association website at

http://mptaonline.typepad.com/missouri_public_transit_a/2012/11/

Jackovics, T. “HART union seeks investigation on attack on bus driver,” Tampa Tribune, July

25, 2012. Accessed Jan http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-

news/2012/jul/25/hart-union-seeks-attack-investigation-ar-441933/

Kompier, M., Bus drivers: Occupational stress and stress prevention, 1996. Department of

Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Nijmegen, Netherlands. Accessed

January 3, 2013 at

http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsast/i/fulltext/bustress/bustress.pdf

http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/nys-senator-eric-adams-will-introduce-legislation-which-will-enable-amtrak-provide-tas

http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/nys-senator-eric-adams-will-introduce-legislation-which-will-enable-amtrak-provide-tas

http://www.nysenate.gov/blogs/2012/apr/17/

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http://mptaonline.typepad.com/missouri_public_transit_a/2012/11/


Final Report 75

LoBasso, R. “Still no solution to deterring attacks on SEPTA drivers: Legislation that would

protect the transit workers is stalled in Harrisburg.” Philadelphia Weekly. April 17,

2012, accessed January 22, 2013 at http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-

opinion/147797505.html#ixzz2IjfjV5IL

Nakanishi, Y., TCRP Synthesis 80 – Transit Security Update, 2009. Washington, DC: The

National Academies Press. Accessed January 22, 2013 at

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_syn_80.pdf

Nakanishi, Y. and Fleming, W., TCRP Report 93: Practices to Protect Bus Operators from

Passenger Assault, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies,

Washington, DC, 2011.

National Rural Transit Assistance Program. (2002). Problem Passengers: Challenging

Situations. Washington, DC.

Pine, R. “Managing for Performance-Safety, Customer Service, Conflict and Work Ethic: A

Guide for Transit Operator Trainers.” The Florida Department of Transportation, in

cooperation with the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the

University of South Florida (USF). Accessed February 21, 2013 at

https://www.transitoperations.org/pdfs/training/ManagingforPerformanceSafety0220

2113.pdf

Roman, A. “Is enough being done to stop the assault on bus operators?” Metro Magazine,

Volume 105, Issue Number 7, August 2009. Accessed January 23, 2013 at

http://www.metro-magazine.com/article/story/2009/08/is-enough-being-done-to-

stop-the-assault-on-bus-operators.aspx

Salmon, P. M., Young, K., and Regan, M., “Distraction on the Buses: a Novel Framework of

Ergonomics Methods For Identifying Sources and Effects of Bus Driver Distraction,” Applied

Ergonomics, Volume 42, Issue 4, May 2011, Pages 602-610, Accessed January 7, 2013 at

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687010001420

Transit Workers Union. (2012). TWU Local 234 Operator and Public Safety Report:

Preliminary recommendations based on task force discussions, the operator survey,

and meetings with SEPTA. March 5, 2012. Accessed January 22, 2013 at

http://dc.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/TWU-Local-234-Operator-

Public-Safety-Preliminary-Rpt-3-5-12-Final.3.pdf. Washington, DC.

Transportation Security Administration and Federal Transit Administration. (2006). TSA/FTA

Security and Emergency Management Action Items for Transit Agencies.

Washington, DC.

Ward, D. “Burnaby bus driver returns to work, takes aim at 'injustice system' - Assaulted on

the job, Charles Dixon says his attacker should be in jail,” Vancouver Sun, May 11,

2012.


https://www.transitoperations.org/pdfs/training/ManagingforPerformanceSafety02202113.pdf

https://www.transitoperations.org/pdfs/training/ManagingforPerformanceSafety02202113.pdf

http://www.metro-magazine.com/article/story/2009/08/is-enough-being-done-to-stop-the-assault-on-bus-operators.aspx

http://www.metro-magazine.com/article/story/2009/08/is-enough-being-done-to-stop-the-assault-on-bus-operators.aspx

http://dc.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/TWU-Local-234-Operator-Public-Safety-Preliminary-Rpt-3-5-12-Final.3.pdf

http://dc.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/TWU-Local-234-Operator-Public-Safety-Preliminary-Rpt-3-5-12-Final.3.pdf

Final Report 76

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/03/18/bus-driver-safety-on-public-transit-draws-

more-attention-after-attack-on-septa-bus-driver/

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/233294/158/Metro-Bus-Drivers-Concerned-About-

Safety-After-Recent-Incidents

http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/2012/05/10/rise-in-transit-worker-assaults-prompts-

summit-seeking-solutions/

http://www.metro-magazine.com/blog/from-the-editor-s/story/2012/01/transit-violence-

signals-need-for-more-security.aspx

http://www.ajc.com/photo/news/local/atlanta-bus-driver-attacks-on-the-rise/pcDps/

http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/2012/05/10/rise-in-transit-worker-assaults-prompts-

summit-seeking-solutions

www.twulocal100.org/news/100/827

http://www.stm.info/english/en-bref/a-ra2011.pdf

http://www.metro-magazine.com/article/story/2012/01/septa-delves-into-drivers-past-to-

improve-customer-service.aspx

http://www.burnabynow.com/Burnaby+driver+returns+work+takes+injustice+system/654

8231/story.html#ixzz2LY9vLp78

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/03/18/bus-driver-safety-on-public-transit-draws-more-attention-after-attack-on-septa-bus-driver/

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/03/18/bus-driver-safety-on-public-transit-draws-more-attention-after-attack-on-septa-bus-driver/

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/233294/158/Metro-Bus-Drivers-Concerned-About-Safety-After-Recent-Incidents

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/233294/158/Metro-Bus-Drivers-Concerned-About-Safety-After-Recent-Incidents

http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/2012/05/10/rise-in-transit-worker-assaults-prompts-summit-seeking-solutions/

http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/2012/05/10/rise-in-transit-worker-assaults-prompts-summit-seeking-solutions/

http://www.metro-magazine.com/blog/from-the-editor-s/story/2012/01/transit-violence-signals-need-for-more-security.aspx

http://www.metro-magazine.com/blog/from-the-editor-s/story/2012/01/transit-violence-signals-need-for-more-security.aspx

http://www.ajc.com/photo/news/local/atlanta-bus-driver-attacks-on-the-rise/pcDps/

http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/2012/05/10/rise-in-transit-worker-assaults-prompts-summit-seeking-solutions

http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/2012/05/10/rise-in-transit-worker-assaults-prompts-summit-seeking-solutions

http://www.twulocal100.org/news/100/827

http://www.stm.info/english/en-bref/a-ra2011.pdf

http://www.metro-magazine.com/article/story/2012/01/septa-delves-into-drivers-past-to-improve-customer-service.aspx

http://www.metro-magazine.com/article/story/2012/01/septa-delves-into-drivers-past-to-improve-customer-service.aspx

http://www.burnabynow.com/Burnaby+driver+returns+work+takes+injustice+system/6548231/story.html#ixzz2LY9vLp78

http://www.burnabynow.com/Burnaby+driver+returns+work+takes+injustice+system/6548231/story.html#ixzz2LY9vLp78

Final Report 77

Appendix A – Literature Review

This literature review was conducted to provide a solid and necessary foundation for

Examination of Passenger Assaults on Bus Transit Systems. The review provides a

comprehensive overview of the contributors or causal factors that lead to assaults and other

aggressive behaviors that involve transit bus operators and passengers. It includes the

review of literature that addresses the complexity and relevance of transit assaults and

aggressive behavior identified through a search of the Transit Research International

Database (TRID), as well as Google and other internet search tools. As one would expect,

the transit safety and security-related assault research is prevalent and the news media is

rife with stories about assaults on transit bus drivers, passenger on passenger assaults, and

transit bus driver on passenger assaults, with many of these articles reporting increases in

the number of events at transit agencies across the country.

To ensure a thorough examination providing a solid basis for this evaluation and indication

of model practices, the literature review also includes the identification and collection of

safety-related procedures, policies, regulations, and rules established by Florida’s public

transit agencies. Further, it includes an examination of formal publications and newspaper

and online news articles; guidelines and recommended practices developed by industry

groups, including the Amalgamated Transit Union and Transportation Workers United labor

organizations, and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA); and other

research reporting sources.

Many interrelated issues add complexity to the examination of bus operator and passenger

assaults and are a focus of this literature review, including how, where, and why assaults

take place; bus operator hiring and screening processes; training bus operators on ways to

de-escalate conflicts and self-defense training; customer service and behavioral assessment

training; transit operations decision support system and emergency communications; and

preventative strategies aimed at deterring assaults such as cameras, plexi-glass shields,

and the use or expanded use of security personnel and local uniformed or off-duty police

officers. It is also important to understand the impacts of state legislation to those agencies

operating within states where assaults on transit workers have punitive ramifications in their

characterization as either a first-degree felony or a misdemeanor. An understanding of

how these issues are compounded facilitates the development of comprehensive plans to

increase safety of both drivers and passengers

Finally, it is important to understand the underlying psychology of assaults. This literature

review includes those elements that may be present that could be considered pre-

determinates in bus operator and passenger assaults. Fatigue and distraction, both of

which are associated with stress and which have also been identified as pre-determinates in

assaults or aggressive behavior, are also part of the discussion explored in this

comprehensive literature review. The interrelated psychology and physiology impacting

responses to conflict are of seminal importance in discovering the “why” and properly

mitigating those factors. This examination could provide a platform for additional research

and potentially the development of tools or other resources to assist public transit agencies

further mitigate bus operator or passenger assaults and other aggressive behavior.

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A summary of research reports, articles, and academic papers focusing on transit assaults

and interrelated topics is provided below.

Transit safety and security have always been important topics to mass transit agencies as a

whole, and crime on public transportation has spurred countermeasures to be implemented

throughout time. In “Transit security: A description of problems and

countermeasures,”1 an overview of transit issues were reported following site visits at 13

different U.S. transit systems. This report, which was conducted for the Federal Transit

Administration in the 1980’s, identified key problems in addition to countermeasures used in

an attempt to deal with the key problems. It was discovered that large urban systems in

high-crime inner-city areas generally have higher crime rates than smaller or commuter-

oriented systems. The typical crimes against patrons are assaults and robberies while more

severe crimes are less common. Crime against employees is also typically more frequent on

large systems as compared to smaller systems, noting that isolated positions such as bus

operators are particularly vulnerable to violent attacks. The transit bus operator is

additionally vulnerable due to their requirement to collect fares. Problems associated with

transit safety are complex and detract from the continued viability of public transportation

as a whole. In addition, this report emphasizes that the costs of transit security are borne

by transit riders and the public at large, which could likely be reduced by utilizing

countermeasures that have already proved to be successful.

In “The risk estimate of being assaulted in public transport in Lille urban area,”2

the author’s objective was to estimate the risk of being assaulted in public transportation,

linking the number of attacks on passengers to specific indicators estimated from mobility

data, including: duration of exposure, number of trips, and travel time. The outcome was a

determination of risk by gender, time of day, economic status, mode of public

transportation used, and type of criminal act, as examples. The findings reflected in the

paper are that men in general have a higher risk than women of being a victim of assault,

while sexual assaults are almost always on women. The risk of assaults is much higher

after 9:00 p.m. and in more urbanized settings.

One detailed study that included an extensive survey of households, transit managers, and

bus operators, Research to Investigate the Extent and Impact of Anti-Social

Behavior on Scottish Buses, (Granville S. and Campbell-Jack D.), defined anti-social

behavior as behavior that threatens the physical or mental health, safety or security of

individuals or causes offence or annoyance to individuals including3:

1 Ronald A. Mauri, Nancy A. Cooney, and Garry J. Prowe. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration. Transit security: A description of problems and countermeasures. October 1984. Accessed December 2, 2015 at http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/TS_Problem_Coutnermeasures.pdf 2 Palmer, Patrick. The risk estimate of being assaulted in public transport in Lille urban area. 5th International Conference on Women’s Issues in Transportation, Proceedings. Paris, France. April 2014. http://wiit-paris2014.sciencesconf.org/conference/wiit-paris2014/pages/Proceedings_The_5th_International_Conference_on_WIiT_1.pdf 3 Sue Granville and Diarmid Campbell-Jack. Research to Investigate the Extent and Impact of Anti-Social Behavior on Scottish Buses. 2005. George Street Research Limited. Accessed January 7, 2013 at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/20782/53859

http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/TS_Problem_Coutnermeasures.pdf

http://wiit-paris2014.sciencesconf.org/conference/wiit-paris2014/pages/Proceedings_The_5th_International_Conference_on_WIiT_1.pdf



http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/20782/53859

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Harassment and intimidating behavior that creates alarm or fear, towards bus

drivers and/or other passengers, including verbal or physical abuse

Drunken and abusive behavior towards bus drivers and/or other passengers

Assault of bus drivers and/or other passengers

Vehicle crime such as vandalism, graffiti, throwing missiles or other deliberate

damage to buses or bus company property

Dumping litter or rubbish on buses

Conflicts or racist abuse/incidents

Engaging in threatening behavior in large groups at bus stops or on buses

Smoking of cigarettes or illegal drug-taking on buses or at bus stops

In Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 93: Practices To

Protect Bus Operators From Passenger Assault, (Y. J. Nakanishi and W. C. Fleming),

the authors defined “assault” of a bus operator broadly as acts of aggression that may or

may not cause physical injury to the operator.4 Assault was defined as, “overt physical and

verbal acts by a passenger that interfere with the mission of a bus operator—to complete

his or her scheduled run safely—and that adversely affect the safety of the operator and

customers.”

In the TRCP Synthesis 93, the authors summarized survey and literature review results of

bus operator protection measures ranging from policing, personnel, and training to

technology, information management, policy, and legislation. When agencies selected and

implemented security measures, a variety of involved institutional, legal, and budgetary

constraints were considered. It was found that some measures were more appropriate for

preventing certain types of attacks. For example, conflict mitigation training was

appropriate for reducing assaults from disputes but barriers were useful in protecting the

operator against spontaneous attacks. Emergency communications and vehicle location

technologies improved incident response. Video surveillance was found to be effective for

deterrence and post-assault identification and prosecution of assailants whereas audio

surveillance was found specifically useful in addressing verbal attacks and threats.

Agencies have helped in passing legislation on enhanced penalties for operator assault and

have established agency policies such as suspending service for violating transit agency

rules. The authors of the TCRP Synthesis 93 also concluded that the socio-demographic

characteristics of assailants influence the protection method and the use of school outreach

programs could be a method used by transit agencies to mitigate assaults by teens. This

particular prevention measure was shared as one of the anticrime practices as reported by

TCRP Synthesis 80 – Transit Security Update, 2009 (Y. Nakanishi).5

Among other practices the author listed as part of the effective counterterrorism and

anticrime practices, as identified by the synthesis survey, case studies, literature review,

and input from industry experts were:

1. Crime statistics maps are valuable visual tools for transit police and are useful for the

strategic deployment of officers. Providing passengers with access to up-to-date

4 Yuko J Nakanishi and William C Fleming. TCRP Synthesis 93: Practices to Protect Bus Operators from Passenger Assault. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2011. Accessed January 22, 2013 at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_syn_93.pdf 5 Yuko J Nakanishi. TCRP Synthesis 80 – Transit Security Update, 2009. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Accessed January 22, 2013 at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_syn_80.pdf



Final Report 80

crime data through interactive, user-friendly crime statistics maps increases their

perception of control over their transit trip.

2. Plainclothes officers within the transit system are used to catch perpetrators in the

act of committing a crime. The use of unmarked vehicles is also an effective practice

in transit park-and-ride or other parking facilities.

3. Training bus drivers in customer relations, conflict mitigation, and gang-related

violence provides bus drivers with increased confidence and knowledge in dealing

with the public.

4. Codes of conduct are rules that passengers must follow within the transit system.

Enforcing codes of conduct can assist agencies in detecting and deterring crime and

in enhancing the perception of security within their transit systems. 6

The authors recommended the following efforts as strategies to minimize anti-social

behavior:

Reporting of incidents by bus drivers and companies should be improved, with

particular emphasis on ensuring accurate data is kept on the frequency and nature of

incidents.

Wherever possible, information should also to be kept on the type of individual

committing each act of anti-social behavior.

Detailed records of costs relating to anti-social behavior should be kept by bus

companies.

Training for drivers (both as part of initial training and on an on-going basis) should

be introduced at each company and improved where necessary.

There should be increased emphasis on partnership working across organizations

dealing with anti-social behavior on buses.

There should be further focus on educational initiatives for dealing with problems in

more holistic manner.

Effort should be made to ensure that bus drivers and bus companies feel adequately

protected, both in terms of initiatives and the legal system.

A range of different initiatives encompassing physical, preventative and diversionary

approaches should be introduced.

An ongoing assessment of the cost-effectiveness of different initiatives, particularly

those involving diversionary approaches, should be undertaken.

Good practice across bus companies should be shared. The number of prosecutions

for anti-social behavior should be increased wherever possible.

A Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 180 – Policing and Security

Practices for Small- and Medium-Sized Public Transit Systems identifies specific challenges

associated with the security of small and medium sized transit systems, and broadens the

current state of practice7. First it is noteworthy that the challenges associated with the

safety and security of small- and medium-sized transit systems vary significantly from the

problems faced by large transit systems. While the protection of facilities and equipment is

important, the safety and security of the people who use and operate public transit systems

are of the utmost consideration when establishing or improving best practices for security.

There are several types of risks associated with the safety and security of the transit system

6 Ibid. 7 Ernest Frazier, Sr. TCRP Report 180: Policing and Security Practices for Small-and Medium-Sized Public Transit Systems. Washington, DC: The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, 2015. Accessed December 2, 2015 at http://www.tcrponline.org/PDFDocuments/tcrp_rpt_180.pdf

http://www.tcrponline.org/PDFDocuments/tcrp_rpt_180.pdf

Final Report 81

such as, the risk of terrorist attack, criminal activity such as violent crimes, property crimes,

and minor offenses and disorder. While the minor offenses and disorder may not seem

significant, the perception of safety of the transit system has an impact on the passengers

and operators feelings’ of safety and comfort, and thus affects the willingness to use the

transit system by the passenger, and increases absenteeism in transit operators. This TCRP

report acknowledges that the highest consequence security issues faced by small- and

medium-sized transit agencies is the potential for employees to be assaulted while

performing their duties. In 2012 the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) developed a

factsheet entitled Preventing Violence against Bus Operators which listed the following risk

factors associated with operator assaults:

Interacting directly with the public

Working alone or in isolated areas

Having a mobile workplace

Working late night or early morning hours

Working in high-crime areas

Providing services to people who may be frustrated

Having a workplace where access is uncontrolled

Handling money or fares

Having enforcement responsibilities, and

Having inadequate escape routes.

For small- and medium-sized transit agencies, finding the necessary resources to deploy

security forces in needed areas can be difficult due to the cost of adding personnel to the

payroll. Dedicated police or security forces are typically only maintained by large transit

agencies that have the resources available, and the frequency of crime which requires their

presence. The risks of an operator are not predetermined, in other words, violent

passengers do not wear warning signs to inform the operator that they may be of danger.

Plus, there is no screening prior to boarding the bus such as metal detectors to warn of

weapons. The openness of public transit systems makes them unprotectable using modern

security technology. The best defense for small- and medium-sized transit agencies is to

have an immediate response policy in place to address threats of violence or violent

incidents.

A 1996 working paper (Kompier, M.) by the Department of Work and Organizational

Psychology, University of Nijmegen, Netherlands, titled, Bus Drivers: Occupational

Stress and Stress Prevention, emphasizes both stress intervention and prevention.8 The

paper describes the tasks of a bus driver as mentally demanding with conflicting

requirements. The agency and the public demand a service-oriented driver, assisting and

providing information to passengers while keeping to a tight schedule in addition to the

need to drive safely. The author highlights the additionally increasing stress of being

subjected to threats and violence from disorderly and disruptive passengers. Based on

practical examples, the paper recommends preventing and combating work stress among

bus drivers by instating measures to adjust the work environment to the abilities and needs

of workers, through a better person-environment fit while utilizing the traditional

8 Kompier, M., 1996. Bus Drivers: Occupational Stress and Stress Prevention, Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Nijmegen, Netherlands. Accessed January 3, 2013 at http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsast/i/fulltext/bustress/bustress.pdf


Final Report 82

approaches, usually by counseling individuals or small groups of employees on ways to

adapt to, or cope with various occupational stressors and/or their consequences.

That paper contains examples of policies on re-education on stress management training,

improving ergonomics, addressing shift schedules and the quality of break periods, team

work and consultation, individually adjusted schedules, rehabilitation and social medical

guidance, and other measures as well. Some examples of preventing aggression and violent

behavior included closing off driver cabins at night and on high-risk routes, increasing the

frequency of inspection and ticket control, installing an alarm button, maintain direct

contact with mobile control teams, training drivers on dealing with aggressive passengers,

training supervisors in coping with drivers who have been assaulted or intimidated, and

arranging individual work resumption plans for those drivers who have suffered from

violence.

A recent report called “Bus operator safety – Critical issues examination and model

practices,” (CUTR)9 conducted for the Florida Department of Transportation closely

examined several aspects of transit bus operator safety and current model practices within

the various transit agencies throughout the state. The chapters within this report touch on

the organizational structure and reporting of safety related issues within the transit

agencies, the bus operator assaults including post-event and return-to-duty practices

following an assault on a bus operator, model policies and procedures for driver’s license

and criminal background checks, and bus operator training programs and recommended

safety training practices. It was determined that while the majority of transit agencies in the

state do have separate safety department in their agency, there is no consistency regarding

the amount of authority the safety department has.

To further accentuate the challenges associated with assaults in the public transit sector, it

is necessary to consider the effects assaults have on the operator. Some agencies have

recognized the value of not only having prevention and response tactics for their operators,

but also providing support programs such as employee assistance programs, monetary

benefits such as ongoing financial support during recovery, recompense for the loss of

wages or damage and/or loss of personal property, opportunity for reassignment or light-

duty assignments, and life insurance that pays survivor benefits in the event a bus operator

dies as a result of the injuries sustained in an assault. In an effort to keep all associated

parties safety in mind, there were recommendations developed for the pre- and post-

employment cycle length on driver’s license and criminal history background checks. These

checks ensure that the transit bus operator remains in compliance with all minimum

requirements, even after the hiring process is completed. This report also recommended the

improvement of the training process and model programs ensuring that several delivery

methods are used to increase the probability of each transit bus operator retaining the

required information regardless of their learning style.

9 Lisa Staes, Jay A. Goodwill, and Roberta Yegidis, National Center for Transit Research (NCTR), Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), Bus operator safety critical issues examination and model practices, January 2014, accessed October 12, 2015 at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/77953-Bus-Oper-Safety-Critical-Issues.pdf

http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/77953-Bus-Oper-Safety-Critical-Issues.pdf

http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/77953-Bus-Oper-Safety-Critical-Issues.pdf

Final Report 83

A New York Times article, “When passengers spit, bus drivers take months off,“ (M.

Grynbaum), reported that of all the assaults that prompted a bus operator to take paid

leave in 2009, a third of them, 51 in total, “involved a spat upon,” according to statistics the

MTA. 10 On average, paid leave involved 64 days off work, the equivalent of three months

with pay, and one driver spent 191 days on paid leave. John Samuelsen, the president of

the Transport Workers Union Local 100, was quoted in the article, “If transit workers are

assaulted, they are going to take off whatever amount of time they are going to take off to

recuperate.” Samuelsen admits being spat upon, especially in the face, mouth or eyes, can

be an extremely traumatic experience which causes concern for disease transmittal,

meaning many of the operators go to the hospital to receive medical screenings after such

an incident occurs. This article also mentions that there is heightened sensitivity to the

dangers transit bus operators face following the stabbing related death of a transit bus

driver in Brooklyn in 2008, which occurred as a result of a fare dispute.

The Sage Journal’s Association for Psychological Science published, “Directed attention as

a common resource for executive functioning and self-regulation,” (S. Kaplan and M.

Berman), which described self-regulation as the ability to control one’s self and behave in

an acceptable manner, even in tempting and/or distracting scenarios.11 Self-regulation is a

limited resource which is drawn upon by executive functioning, which is the managing of

one’s self to achieve a goal, each of which are finite and able to be depleted. The depletion

of these necessary resources cause fatigue and impact one’s performance abilities to

complete a task. Furthermore, when an individual is forced to divide their attention their

ability to inhibit socially inappropriate responses was reduced, confirming that distractions

further limit one’s capacity for response inhibition. One example of this lack of appropriate

response capacity is impulsive aggressive response due to unregulated emotional

exhaustion, further defining fatigue as a pre-determinate for aggressive response.

An Elsevier Journal of Personality and Individual Differences article, “Emotional

processing and frontal asymmetry in impulsive aggressive individuals,” (Sarah L.

Lake, Matthew S. Stanford, and Jim H. Patton), defines impulsive aggression as an

unplanned, immediate, violent response to minimal provocation and is often emotional,

which could stem from fatigue or other outside stressors, and is accompanied by poor self-

regulation and loss of behavioral control.12 In addition, individuals with dysfunctional anger

or anxiety disorders accentuate the lack of self-control, leading to an increased likelihood of

aggressive reaction. In other words, some people have more difficulty regulating the

emotions required to remain in complete self-control, especially under stress provocative

situations.

The Sage Journal’s Association for Psychological Science published, “The strength model

of self-control,” (R. Baumeister, K. Vohs, and D. Tice), which examines self-control as a

10 Michael Grynbaum, When Passengers Spit, Bus Drivers Take Months Off, New York Times, May 24, 2010. Accessed February 21, 2013 at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/nyregion/25spit.html?_r=0 11 Stephen Kaplan and Marc G. Berman, “Directed Attention as a Common Resource for Executive Functioning and Self-Regulation,” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2010. Accessed September 24, 2015 at http://pps.sagepub.com/content/5/1/43.full.pdf+html 12 Sarah L. Lake, Matthew S. Stanford, and Jim H. Patton, “Emotional processing and frontal asymmetry in impulsive aggressive individuals,” Elsevier, July 19, 2014. Accessed September 24, 2015.


http://pps.sagepub.com/content/5/1/43.full.pdf+html

Final Report 84

limited resource. 13 It was determined through several conducted studies that distraction,

fatigue, and stress are all drawn from a common limited resource known as self-regulation,

and the depletion of self-regulation may cause fatigue and lead to impulse-driven

aggressive behaviors. In addition, evidence shows that ego-depletion contributes to problem

behaviors such as excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, prejudicial discrimination, and

violence. Further studies performed by Tice and Baumeister touched on restoring the self,

following ego depletion.

The Elsevier Journal of Experimental Social Psychology published, “Restoring the self:

positive affect helps improve self-regulation following ego-depletion,” (D. Tice, R.

Baumeister, D. Shmueli, and M. Muraven), which discussed the results of four experiments

performed to determine if positive mood or emotion can counteract ego-depletion.14 All four

studies conducted created a state of ego depletion by repeatedly engaging in self-

regulation, and found that an induced positive mood resulted in the improvement of self-

regulation. Furthermore, it was concluded that a dose of positive affect has remarkable

power to restore self-capacity and willingness to exert control and volition.

From the previous reports, there is evidence that self-regulation is not only a limited

resource, but also a replenish-able resource. In addition, the theory that depleting one’s

self-regulation increases their likelihood of aggressive response or aggressive behavior was

concluded. The next focus is to determine exactly what pre-determinates lead to the

depletion of self-regulation. The major characteristics hypothesized to be pre-determinates

of aggression are fatigue and distraction according to the literature reviews.

Fatigue is a suboptimal psychophysiological condition caused by exertion which results in

changes in strategies or resource use such that original levels of mental processing and/or

physical activity is reduced according to “A review of definitions of fatigue – And a step

towards a whole definition,” (R. Phillips).15 Phillips continues to delve deeper into

fatigue, noting that fatigue is performance decrement that is associated with circadian

rhythms. Circadian rhythm factors are daily oscillations in human biological rhythms which

have been found to effect human efficiency of execution of tasks.

Fatigue is also referred to as a feeling of burnout, and in this context referred to as “job

burnout”. Job burnout is defined as a prolonged response to chronic emotional and

interpersonal stressors on the job, primarily from exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy as

reported by, “Job burnout,” (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter)16. Job burnout is the result of

prolonged workplace demands which lead to emotional exhaustion as well as

depersonalization and a reduced sense of worth or personal accomplishment. Emotional

exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced self-worth are known to lead to reduced

13 Roy Baumeister, Kathleen Vohs, and Dianne Tice, “The Strength Model of Self-Control,” Association for Psychological Science, 2007. Accessed September 25, 2015 at http://www-personal.umich.edu/~prestos/Consumption/pdfs/BaumeisterVohsTice2007.pdf 14 Dianne Tice, Roy Baumeister, Dikla Shmueli, and Mark Muraven, “Restoring the self: Positive affect helps improve self-regulation following ego depletion,” Elsevier Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2007. 15 Ross O. Phillips, “A review of definitions of fatigue – And a step towards a whole definition,” Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Volume 29, February 2015 16 Christina Maslach, Wilmar B. Schaufeli, and Michael P. Leiter, “Job burnout,” Annual Review of Psychology, Volume 52 pages 397-422, February 2001, accessed October 5, 2015 at http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~prestos/Consumption/pdfs/BaumeisterVohsTice2007.pdf

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~prestos/Consumption/pdfs/BaumeisterVohsTice2007.pdf

http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397

Final Report 85

productivity, reduced job satisfaction, increased absenteeism and employee turnover, and in

turn an increased risk for aggressive behavior.

Just as fatigue can be caused by distraction, distraction may also be caused by fatigue. For

instance, if one is so fatigued that they simply do not have the mental capability to focus on

the task at hand, then they are also distracted. As mentioned previously, distraction and

fatigue draw on a common limited resource, self-regulation, and the depletion of self-

regulation leads to an increased likelihood of aggressive response.10

Distraction in the sense of a pre-determinate of aggressive behavior is mostly due to mental

distractions stemming from circumstances that lead to angst and other feelings of

discomfort. However, according to “Social psychology principles,” (Stangor)17 cognitive

dissonance is the discomfort felt resulting from behavior that is seen as inappropriate, such

as not living up to self-expectations. Frustration may be felt due to mental distractions, or

due to unrealistic expectations while working, and is just one of the feelings that may be

associated with cognitive dissonance. Stangor continues to explain that anything that leads

to discomfort or negative emotions can increase aggression.

Some pre-determinates of aggressive response and aggressive behavior have been

determined to be distraction and fatigue, which may stem from home or work

environments. The public transit bus operator is exposed to undue amounts of stress while

on the job which lead to fatigue and distraction, and if left unaddressed, may also lead to

aggression. One specific challenge associated with the transit bus operator is the

requirement to remain on a strict time schedule while maneuvering in often dense and

congested traffic along the transit routes. A report recently released called, “Mass transit

workers, urban publics, and the politics of time in San Francisco,” (Fleming)18

discloses the frustrations often vented on the driver regarding the tardiness of the transit

bus in reference to the schedule which the transit bus operator is attempting to adhere to.

Often times the users of the transit bus system perceive their time as more valuable than

the operator’s time, and blame the operator for the delays which they encounter. This

blame and frustration leads to disrespect on the part of the passenger, which often leads to

disrespect on the part of the transit bus operator, and events can quickly escalate if proper

training is not conducted and adhered to in these types of situations. In addition to dealing

with unruly or disrespectful customers, the transit bus operator is also required to adhere to

impossible schedules leading to the operator receiving no time for restroom or stretching

breaks, and still not arriving on time. This has been connected with several health related

issues faced by the operators including bladder infections and back/posture problems. Each

of these undesired requirements can lead to increased fatigue and distraction, and thus an

increased probability of aggressive response or aggressive behavior.

Given the understanding of these pre-determinates for aggression, in addition to the

comprehension of the safety-related policies, procedures, regulations and rules already

established within the transit agencies in the state of Florida, and the recommended training

17 Charles Stangor, “Social psychology principles,” Version 1.0 Chapter 3.2, 2012. Accessed October 5, 2015 at http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/social-psychology-principles/ 18 Mark Fleming, “Mass transit workersm urban publics, and the politics of time in San Francisco,” July, 2014 accessed at http://escholarship.org/uc/item/2139f3cc

http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/social-psychology-principles/

http://escholarship.org/uc/item/2139f3cc

Final Report 86

and support available for the transit bus operators, the transit safety narrative should

convey public transit as safe and secure. However, according to “A new transit safety

narrative,” (Litman)19 many people consider transit travel dangerous and are reluctant to

use it or support service expansions despite the relatively low crash risk and low crime risk

associated with transit travel. In general, this study found that people tend to

underestimate automobile travel risks and exaggerate public transit travel risks. The data

reveals that transit travel not only has less than one tenth the crash casualty rate as

automobile travel, but also, transit crimes tend to be less frequent and less costly than

motor vehicle crimes. This report emphasizes that the overall perception of transit should be

a safe one, noting the ever-improving efforts made in the industry to continuously increase

safety for all users and operators.

This literature review serves as a comprehensive overview of transit bus operator and

passenger safety. Including the identification and collection of safety-related procedures,

policies, regulations, and rules established by Florida’s public transit agencies. It also

includes an examination of formal publications and newspaper and online news articles;

guidelines and recommended practices developed by industry groups, including the

Amalgamated Transit Union, Transportation Workers United labor organizations, and the

American Public Transportation Association (APTA); and other research reporting sources.

Finally, this literature review includes those elements that may be present that could be

considered pre-determinates in bus operator and passenger assaults. This examination

provides a platform for additional research and potentially the development of tools or other

resources to assist public transit agencies to further mitigate bus operator or passenger

assaults and other aggressive behavior.

19 Todd Litman, National Center for Transit Research (NCTR), Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), “A new transit safety narrative,” Journal of Public Transportation Volume 17, Issue 4, 2014. Accessed at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/JPT17.4_Litman.pdf

http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/JPT17.4_Litman.pdf

Final Report 87

Appendix B – Passenger and Operator Incidents &

Assaults Transit System Questionnaire

Agency: ________________________________________ (NTDID: ________)

A. Project Goals

Identify prevalence of assaults on bus passengers and bus operators – both assaults

meeting the threshold for an NTD Major Incident and assaults recorded and tracked by the

agency that may be at thresholds sigificantly less than NTD Major Incident reporting

requirements – by time of day, location (on board vehicle, transfer station, bus stop), type

of service (paratransit, fixed route, commuter express); at 20 Florida agencies; and,

associated with conflict with operators or another passenger, tied to theft, or after

deboarded.

Identify any environmental factors that may contribute to an increased occurrence of

assaults.

Identify any mitigation measures the agency has employed to reduce the incidence of

assaults, and any measures other agencies are using that have proven successful in

curtailing assaults on operators and/or passengers.

B. Interview Questions

1. For each mode, please indicate the number of vehicles operated in maximum service by

type of service, i.e., directly operated or purchased; the number of routes provided via

fixed route service; and, service hours:

Mode

Directly

Operated

Purchased

Service

# Routes

Service

Days

Service

Hours

Bus (MB)

Commuter Bus (CB)

Bus Rapid Transit (RB)

Demand Response (DR)

2. Contract service providers for Purchased Service:

Mode Purchased Service Providers

Bus (MB)

Commuter Bus (CB)

Bus Rapid Transit (RB)

Demand Response (DR)

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3. Do Operators crossover between Fixed Route and Demand Response?

Crossover Yes or No Describe Selection Criteria

Describe Specialized

Training

All crossover

Some

crossover

No crossover

Occasionally

4. Are Employees represented by a labor union?

Classification Union Representation Local #

Fixed Route Bus Operators

Demand Response

Operators

Bus Supervisors

Maintenance Workers

5. Describe the basis and frequency for determining how an Operator’s shifts, hours, and

routes are determined (selected).

Selection/Assignment Shifts Hours Routes

Basis

Frequency

6. Date of most recent System Safety Program Plan update: ______________________.

7. Reporting relationship of agency personnel responsible for System Safety & Security:

Safety & Security

Personnel Supervisor Subordinates

8. Responsibilities of System Safety & Security Personnel:

Safety & Security Personnel Responsibilities

Training

Accident investigation

Incident investigation

Data recording

Data tracking

Data reporting

Safety Committee role

NTD reporting

Hazard investigation

Final Report 89

9. Describe agency role and responsibility for Risk Management:

Agency Personnel Risk Management Responsibilities

10. Describe role and responsibility for Risk Management of a Risk Management group

external to the Agency (e.g., county risk management):

External Risk Management

Personnel External Risk Management Responsibilities

Agency and External Risk Management Group Coordination Activities

11. Detail components of Initial Operator Training and Testing:

Topics Trainer

General agency rules

Customer service

Fare handling

Radio procedures

Emergencies

Security threats

On-the-Road

Total Hours/Days of Initial Training Hours _____ Days _____

12. Describe On-going/Refresher Training and Testing:

Frequency Duration

Every year – Every 2 years – Every 3 years Hours _____ Days _____

Topics Trainer

Final Report 90

13. Describe use of Remedial Training and Testing:

Agency Personnel Responsibilities

Authorized to make referral for remedial training

Provider of remedial training

Actions That Necessitate Remedial Training

14. Event investigation

Define “Accident”

Define “Incident”

15. Describe steps involved from the reporting of an accident through the accident

investigative process:


16. Describe steps involved from the reporting of an incident through the incident

investigative process:


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17. Describe steps involved from receiving a complaint through the complaint

investigation/resolution process:


Locations where the Phone Number for Reporting a Complaint is Posted

18. Describe the purpose of the Safety Committee, including the roles and responsibilities of

the Safety Committee members and the frequency of meetings:

Safety Committee Purpose

Safety Committee Meeting Schedule

Safety Committee Members Responsibilities

19. Describe the agency’s policy on the use of personal wireless communication devices by

operators of agency vehicles, including the use of progressive discipline for violation of

the agency’s policies:

Agency Policy on the Use of Personal Wireless Communication Devices

Disciplinary Action for Violation of Agency’s Policy on the Use of a Personal Wireless

Communications Device

Final Report 92

20. Describe use of technology within the Agency:

Vehicles/Stations/

Transfer Centers

Audio

Available

Video

Available

Live Feed

Available*

Use in

Investigation

*Specify how the public is notified of the existence of the live feed.

21. Describe use of Security Personnel within the Agency:

Administration/Stations/

Transfer Centers

Full-time

Agency

Personnel

Part-time

Agency

Personnel

Contract

Personnel

Hours of

Coverage

22. Identify the types of corrective actions the Agency has incorporated within the past 2

years:

Corrective Action Nature of Use

Retraining

Discipline/Progressive discipline

Modified operator’s shift

Modified a route

Adjustments to driver-

compartment

23. Describe the Agency’s use of Restricted Access (trespass) for Passengers, including the

jurisdiction responsible for issuing the restriction, the length of restriction, and the

appeal process:

Agency Policy on the Use of Restricted Access

Jurisdiction Responsible for Issuing Trespass

Length of Restriction

Appeal Process

24. Describe Safety Campaigns undertaken in the past several years:

Agency Safety Campaigns

Final Report 93

25. Identify Disruptive Groups, e.g., unruly students and/or homeless persons at transfer

stations, and detail special programs instituted to resolve conflict:

Disruptive Group Special Programs Instituted to Resolve Conflict

26. Please provide the following data:

Most recent System Safety Program Plan

Driver/Operator Handbook

Accident Log, 2013-2014

Incident Log, 2013-2014

Complaint Log, 2013-2014

27. Individuals participating in the interview: