Transit Bus Safety and Security Program Federal Transit Administration

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Transit Bus Safety and Security ProgramFederal
Transit Administration

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Program Background

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

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Specific NTSB Recommendations to US DOT

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

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Initial Model Program Development

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

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Difficulties with Initial Model Program

• Single model developed for all transit agencies
  regardless of size or operating characteristics
  one size did not fit all
• Core enhanced elements of Model were difficult
  for transit systems to interpret apply to their
  individual operating realities
• Coordination with involvement of State DOTs in
  addressing Model Program implementation for small
  urban rural transit agencies was limited
• Model Program needed to be revised

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New Bus Program Initiative

• FTA revised re-energized its Transit Bus Model
  Program in 2006
• Established Working Group of MOU partners
  industry stakeholders to assist in Program
  design/development
• Renamed program FTA Transit Bus Safety and
  Security Program since no single model will be
  offered
• A Framework for Excellence has been developed to
  promote standard principles

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New Program Initiative contd
New Bus Program Initiative

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

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Program Foundation

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

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Scope of New Bus Safety Security Program

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

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Program Scope contd
Scope of New Bus Safety Security Program

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

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Working Group Make-up

• MOU Partner representatives including APTA, CTAA,
  AASHTO
• Representatives from small, medium, large bus
  transit agencies
• Representatives from State DOTs
• Representatives from Federal partners, including
  Transportation Security Administration (TSA),
  Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National
  Rural Transit Assistance Program (NRTAP), Federal
  Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
• Other key industry stakeholders

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Working Group Responsibilities

• Provide input to FTA on Bus Safety Security
  Program design implementation
• Assist in identification screening of technical
  assistance material
• Assist in outreach delivery of Bus Safety
  Security Program initiatives

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Bus Safety Security Framework

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

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Technical Assistance Database

• Purpose
• Build continuously update collection of transit
  industry safety security best practices
  including policies, procedures, protocols, forms,
  handbooks, lesson plans, other technical
  assistance materials that can be used to fill
  individual agency gaps based on identified need
• Process
• Based on Guideline of Elements for Safety,
  Security Emergency Preparedness Excellence
  Research, review, select categorize existing
  transit industry technical assistance materials
  from all available sources. Develop new
  materials where no appropriate existing materials
  are identified.

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Program DELIVERY

• How is the Program accessed
• Program Orientation Seminars
• Voluntary On-site Reviews
• Resource Website
• Workshops, Training Outreach
• State DOTs
• Transit Associations

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Orientation Seminar Overview

• The Transit Bus Safety Security Orientation
  Seminar provides an effective mechanism
• to familiarize stakeholders with the program's
  objectives
• to develop and make available effective practices
  and resources that address the needs of transit
  bus agencies around the nation, regardless of
  their size, level of funding, or service
  requirements
• for program stakeholders to meet and share
  challenges and best practices

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Orientation Seminar Focus

• Understanding the FTA Bus Safety and Security
  Program
• Identifying the elements of Transit Safety and
  Security Excellence
• Performing an assessment of a transit agency's
  safety, security and emergency preparedness
• Identifying a transit agency's best practices in
  safety and security
• Identifying gaps and needs in a transit agency's
  safety and security program
• Understanding the structure, use, and value of
  the FTA Bus Safety and Security web site
• Utilizing the website to locate and download
  information that will fill identified gaps and
  needs
• Creating a plan to achieve agency safety,
  security and emergency preparedness excellence

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Voluntary On-Site Reviews
Voluntary On-site Reviews

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

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Resource Website

• Library of effective practices and useful tools
• Program information and updates
• Self-assessment tool
• Community forums
• Community map
• Comprehensive library
• Registration gets you more
• Dashboard
• Access to tools
• Regular updates
• Recommended practices

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Self-assessment Tool

• Encourage transit agencies, in lieu of on-site
  review, to utilize this as an educational tool
  for achievement of safety, security emergency
  preparedness excellence.
• Resources are mapped to questions and can be
  bookmarked for later retrieval
• FTA does not collect data this tool is for the
  industrys use
• You can print the results for your records

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Resource Library
Web Site Resource Library

• Over one thousand useful resources
• Policies, procedures, protocols, forms,
  handbooks, lesson plans, other appropriate /
  helpful information.
• Organized by Program Framework
• Emphasize integration of safety, security and
  emergency preparedness into all areas of
  operations and maintenance
• Registered users can recommend and bookmark
  resources

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Community Forums

• Registered users can
• View posts by other registered peers
• Ask questions and/or provide useful information
  on topics
• Discuss key issues affecting the delivery of
  effective safety, security and emergency
  preparedness activities
• State DOTs have separate forum room

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Workshops, Training and Outreach

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

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Communication Paths for Program Success

• Program success depends on timely, effective
  pro-active communication between
• Internal FTA elements staff
• FTA other federal agencies
• FTA state DOTs
• FTA 5307 grant recipients
• State DOTs 5311 grant recipients
• FTA, MOU Partners, Working Group, other key
  stakeholders

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Beneficiaries of FTA Bus Program

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

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Beneficiaries of FTA Bus Program

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

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• THANK YOU VERY MUCH
• AND
• KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!