FTA Transit Bus Safety & Security

Voluntary Onsite ReviewsProgram Overview

February 3, 2009

BoydCaton&Grant

Onsite Review Background

Core initiative of the FTA Transit Bus Safety and Security Program

Completely voluntary, not compliance-based

Create a national framework and baseline for safety, security and emergency preparedness excellence

Initial focus is on 5311 and small 5307 properties

Emphasize technical assistance and coordination with industry stakeholders

State DOTs and FTA Regional offices are invited to participate

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Purpose

Assist participating agencies in developing and integrating safety, security and emergency preparedness activities into all facets of system management and operations

Identify areas in which FTA can provide technical assistance

Document effective practices that can be shared with sister agencies

Identify gaps in assistance that must be developed by FTA to support Program goals

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Onsite Review Process

Identify volunteer and coordinate with stakeholders to develop schedule Provider State DOT FTA Regional Office

Notification package sent to volunteer agency Notification Letter Preliminary Schedule Review Topics Document Request

1½ day review, including interviews, record reviews site tour Checklists used to assure consistency

Review team develops Final Report & Resource CD Effective Practices, Observations, Needs & Gaps, Suggestions

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Onsite Review Categories

Review team evaluates six major categories:1. Management

Mission, Organizational Structure, Procurement, Labor

2. Equipment/Systems Regulations, Maintenance, Facilities, Modifications, Quality

3. Human Resources Policy, Procedures, Recruitment, Training, Evaluation

4. Safety Activities Responsibilities, Hazard Mgt., Safety Data, Internal Audits

5. Security Activities Responsibilities, TVA, Awareness, Security Data

6. All-Hazards Management Preparation, Incident Mgt., Internal Incidents, Recovery,

Drills

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The Final Report

Written report delivered following conclusion of onsite review – typically within two weeks

Documents observations made by the review team

Identifies suggestions and recommendations as to how the reviewed agency might more effectively meet its safety and security mission

Documents technical assistance materials delivered to by FTA to the reviewed agency

Includes an accompanying CD-ROM of assistance materials

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Agencies Reviewed Reno County Public Transportation Department - Hutchinson, KS JAUNT, Inc. - Charlottesville, VA Pender Adult Services, Inc. - Burgaw, NC Santa Fe Trails - Santa Fe, NM Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) - Rochester, NY Special Transit - Boulder, CO Capital Area Rural Transportation System - Austin, TX City of Columbus, Columbus Transit Department - Columbus, IN Altoona Metro Transit - Altoona, PA Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority - Bridgeport, CT Delmarva Community Services, Inc., Delmarva Community Transit - Cambridge, MD Rural Office of Community Services - Lake Andes, SD The City of Mitchell/Palace Transit - Mitchell, SD Waccamaw Regional Transportation Authority d.b.a. Coast RTA - Conway, SC St. Joseph Transit - St. Joseph, MO Fresno County Rural Transit Agency - Fresno, CA Bend Area Transit - Bend, OR Bluefield Area Transit - Blue Field, WV Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation - Dover, NH Coast Transit Authority - Gulfport, MS

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Onsite Review Map

Region 10Seattle, WA

Region 9San Francisco, CA

Region 6Fort Worth, TX

Region 8Denver, CO

Region 4Atlanta, GA

Region 3Philadelphia, PA

Region 2New York, NY

Region 1Cambridge, MA

Region 5Chicago, IL

Region 7Kansas City, MO

Onsite Review Volunteer Agency

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Program Diversity

Not a “One Size Fits All” program, must recognize diversity in community

Varied ParticipantsGeographic diversity/climate and environmentRidership and service demandsAgency and fleet size/type

Volunteer agencies have had as few as 9 and up to 213 vehicles in service

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Volunteer Agency Fleet Size

Fleet SizeVoluntee

r Agencies

Less than 30 vehicles 8

Between 30 and 100 vehicles

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Over 100 vehicles 3

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RecommendationsAverage of 56 recommendations made to a

volunteer agency

The FTA Review Team has made as few as 41 and as many as 89 recommendations

All recommendations are made in one of the six program elements:

Management

Safety Activities

Equipment/Systems

Security Activities

All-Hazards/ Emergency Mgt.

Human Resources

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Recommendations by Program Element

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Program ElementAverage Number of Recommendations

Average Number of Technical

Assistance Materials Provided

Human Resources 13.3 2.47

Equipment Systems 11.7 2.75

All Hazards / Emergency Management

11.7 8.40

Security Activities 9.6 2.05

Management 4.8 3.50

Safety Activities 4.6 2.53

Most Commonly Provided Technical Assistance Materials

Los Lunas, NM Oxygen Tank Policy document (16)

New Mexico Driver Handbook (11)

Release of Sensitive Information (10)

Reacting to Bomb Threats and Suspicious Mail (9)

The New Mexico Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness Plan template (6)

Complaint Commendation Card (5)

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Observations and Recommendations

Onsite review team identifies areas in program documentation and implementation that could be strengthened

Observations of practice are documented and show both strengths and weaknesses

Effective practices are called out and materials requested

Recommendations are made and technical assistance materials are provided via CD-ROM with Final Report

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Common Recommendations for Management

Create, maintain, and or update System Safety Security and Emergency preparedness plans (10 recommendations) The FTA review team provides safety and security plan

templates as well as plans from different agencies (with approval) to assist in this activity

Consider developing specific goals and objectives that focus on safety and security concerns (11 recommendations)

Determine as soon as possible the status of insurance coverage on any vehicles that might be used for emergency community evacuation purposes (14 recommendations)

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Common Recommendations Equipment / Systems

Consider a decal for all vehicle roofs with a number at least one foot high and provide vehicle numbers to local law enforcement for use in identifying vehicles from the air (19 recommendations)

Consider a formal policy for onboard use and storage of passenger oxygen tanks (18 recommendations) The FTA review team provided a model policy

Develop a hazardous material plan and employee training program, maintain MSDS sheets on hazardous materials, and formalize hazardous material disposal procedures (13 recommendations) The FTA review team is providing a model of a hazardous

materials plan

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Common Recommendations for Human Resources

Consider providing bio-hazard refresher training to all bus operators, dispatchers, supervisors and maintenance staff, including bus cleaners (12 recommendations)

Utilize the National Transit Institute (NTI) resources to assist in the delivery of workplace violence training(10 recommendations) Information on training offered by NTI is provided at

www.ntionline.com

Consider developing a formal and written Customer Service Policy and make available to all passengers (8 recommendations) The FTA review team provides a bi-lingual model customer

service policy

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Common Recommendations for Safety Activities

Consider expanding protocols for reacting to emergency events, training all staff on those protocols, and providing protocols at the dispatch area to assist with immediate response in a safety related event (9 recommendations) The FTA review team is providing a set of emergency

response protocols to assist in this activity

Consider a mechanism to proactively solicit feedback from drivers on accident/incident “near misses” and use this information to document trends as they may occur. This data can then be used to design training initiatives and propose future service design changes (6 recommendations)

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Common Recommendations for Security Activities

Consider conducting a Threat and Vulnerability Assessment. Solicit external emergency management assistance with this process (15 recommendations) The FTA review team provides materials such as

information from the SSEPP template

Encourage drivers to report and document incidents of an aggressive or potentially threatening nature that did not result in an actual security event. This information will allow some level of trend analysis (10 recommendations)

Consider requiring employees to display photo identification badges at all times while on duty (7 recommendations)

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Common Recommendations for All-Hazards / Emergency

Mgt.Consider developing a comprehensive Safety,

Security and Emergency Preparedness Plan (SSEPP) (13 recommendations) The FTA review team provides templates of plans

Consider having the Executive Director, Supervisor of Operations, Maintenance Manager, and Office Manager become NIMS certified in IS-100, IS-700, and IS-800. (13 recommendations) Information for obtaining this certification online can be

found at www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/

Pursue a working relationship with emergency management, law enforcement and fire first responders (10 recommendations)

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Onsite Review Evaluations

Capture feedback regarding review effectiveness

Internet based survey tool

Team follows-up with review representatives to urge evaluation completion

Review representatives complete online evaluation

Data is collected and analyzed

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Agencies who have completed the online evaluation

JAUNT, Inc. Rural Office of Community Services

Reno County Public Transportation Dept. St. Joseph Transit

Pender Adult Services, Inc Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority

Santa Fe TrailsWaccamaw Regional Transportation Authority d.b.a. Coast RTA

Altoona Metro Transit The City of Mitchell/Palace Transit

Capital Area Rural Transportation System Fresno County Rural Transit Agency

Special Transit Delmarva Community Transit

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Average Rating

Evaluation Question Rating out of 4

The On-site Review process was adequately explained prior to the reviewer's arrival. 3.57During the initial meeting, the reviewer described the mission, goals and process of the safety and security review including how identified transit agency best practices would be used and how technical assistance would be provided.

3.93

Sufficient time was allotted for completing the on-site review of your transit agency. 3.57

The reviewer was knowledgeable of bus transit safety, security and emergency preparedness issues. 4.00

The reviewer provided your transit agency with recommendations, technical assistance, and industry best practices as was appropriate. 3.86

The review process was flexible and accommodated your agency's operational needs. 3.79

Prior to the end of the on-site visit, the reviewer verbally provided an overview of review observations. 3.71

My agency would recommend an FTA Bus Safety and Security Program Voluntary On-site Review to other transit agencies. 3.86

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Comments From the Agencies

We really appreciated the valuable review of our transit operations with regard to safety and security. It gave us many areas to examine and some valuable information for use in improving safety in our system.

-Lynn Kiker, Reno County Public Transportation Dept.-

We all found this visit very helpful to us. We probably could have done a better job of putting together the information needed.

-Judy Cromer, Transportation Director, Pender Adult Services, Inc.-

Ream Lazaro and Jason Sergent both proved to be knowledgeable and articulate in conducting the FTA site visit at our transit system. They provided an understandable overview of how we could improve safety and security in our operation of public transportation. The site visit was completed with Ream Lazaro conducting a course in "Securing Community Mobility" for seventeen enthusiastic attendees. We would reccommend Ream Lazaro to anyone wishing to learn how to improve safety and reduce their security risks.

-Rene Guajardo - AGM, Safety & Security, Capital Area Rural Transportation System-

The survey process was very helpful and allowed a beneficial dialog within our organization among our transportation staff. The reviewer created a positive learning atmosphere that allowed our staff the opportunity to view this process in a non threatening manner. We appreciate the reviewers' professionalism.

-Steve Blacksher, Director of Customer and Community Services, Special Transit-

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Comments From the Agencies (contd.)

I appreciate the opportunity to take part in this Onsite Review Initiative. I also appreciate the technical assistance provided.

-Santo A. Grande, Pres./CEO , Delmarva Community Services, Inc., Delmarva Community Transit-

Ream was outstanding in his knowledge of security and of the limitations and issues that affect a small transit agency. He provided a very meaningful and realistic benefit that is of great value to the transit system in St. Joseph.

-Andrew Clements, Asst. Director, St. Joseph Transit-

Great asset, I would highly recommend to all size transit agencies. Provided many hands on suggestions, which GBTA will be implementing.

-Roberta Yegidis - Administrative Officer, Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority- It was a wonderful experience for transit

staff and the City of Mitchell staff. Ream did an outstanding job and we will utilize his expertise as we need him. Thank you for allowing us to do this. We really didn't know what to expect but the unknown was met. -Brenda Paradis, Senior Services Director, The City of Mitchell/Palace Transit -

Ream did an excellent job, his technical assistance with follow-up materials were priceless for a small rural transit operator. It turned out to be an excellent use of our time. I would recommend to to every other transit agency. Thank you for choosing us!

-Jeffrey D. Webster, General Manager, Fresno County Rural Transit Agency-

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