Meeting_Body
REVISED
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 16, 2017
Subject
SUBJECT: METRO BLUE LINE SERVICE DISRUPTION
MOTION RESPONSE
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE report on Metro activity and communication protocols in response to a Metro Blue Line Service Disruption on September 13, 2017.
Issue
ISSUE
In response to a major Blue Line service disruption caused by police activity on September 13, 2017, Directors Hahn, Dupont-Walker and Garcia introduced Motion #34 (attached) at the September Board meeting directing staff to assess the effectiveness of Metro’s coordination with law enforcement, as well as Metro’s ability to manage the resulting impacts on transit service of the Metro Blue Line service disruption that occurred on September 13, 2017. Specifically, the motion directed staff to: A) Report details related to Metro’s response; B) Explain coordination between transit security and operations; C) Explain how bus bridges are implemented; D) Explain how Metro communicates with its customers during service disruptions; E) Explore strategies to reduce the duration of service disruptions caused by police activity.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
At approximately 5:35 a.m. on September 13, 2017, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) called Metro’s Rail Operations Center (ROC) to request a rail stoppage at Washington Street. LAPD advised the ROC that an armed subject was barricaded on the second floor of a building near the Blue Line tracks. Due to the proximity of the barricaded man to the tracks, the ROC halted train service at LAPD’s request.
Metro’s Incident Response and Bus Bridge Implementation
Metro staff responded to the incident by activating existing plans to communicate with passengers, establish direct coordination with law enforcement, and maintain service by coordinating bus and rail operations.
When a bus bridge is needed to transport passengers around an incident to the next accessible station as a result of trains unable to proceed through a segment, a number of actions must take place to fully implement. Planned bus bridges for maintenance are scheduled and coordinated in advance to provide ample time for support departments to assemble and for customers to be notified. However, unplanned bus bridges as a result of emergencies require many departments to divert their attention away from normal duties. During rush hour periods, implementing a bus bridge can often take over one hour to organize. This is due to nearly every bus and operator being utilized for their normal assignments, heavy traffic to reach the incident location, and street closures associated with a major incident preventing buses from quickly reaching customers.
Bus capacity is also significantly smaller than rail capacity, so customers must often wait for several buses to pass through until they are able to board. Furthermore, if an in-service bus is redirected to a bus bridge assignment, there is likelihood that bus passengers waiting for the redirected bus are affected with a trip cancellation. Bus operations makes every effort to minimize those impacts by prioritizing their request to buses returning to bus divisions or from frequent services where the next bus is scheduled just a few minutes later.
Following LAPD’s call to the ROC at 5:35 a.m., the ROC contacted the Bus Operations Center (BOC) at 5:39 a.m. to establish a bus bridge. During this incident, passengers were transported between Washington Station, Grand /LATTC Station and 7th & Metro via bus. Rail Operations and Metro Security personnel were deployed to the affected stations to assist with customer service and crowd control.
Although bus bridges were established per protocol, pick up locations adjacent to Washington Station were affected by adjustments to the LAPD crime scene perimeter. In a few cases pickup locations were changed with little notice - adversely affecting passengers and creating confusion because of LAPD & LADOT expanding the perimeter of the street closures.
Based on scheduled service between 6am-1pm, a total of 100 trips were affected for both directions
Metro’s Public Information Protocol
The Metro social media team strives to issue a service alert quickly after an incident, within five minutes in most cases, but no more than 15 minutes after a major disruption to service occurs - on the condition that we have solid and reliable information to distribute. Thereafter, we update at least once an hour during peak service hours and at least once every two hours during off-peak times until regular service resumes. More frequent alerts are provided when operations plans change or when additional service information becomes available. During an unplanned police emergency, Rail Operations and Metro Security personnel are deployed to affected stations and act as customer service staff due to the fluidity of police related activity because it can end as quickly as it starts.
When the September 13 incident occurred, at 5:48 a.m., Metro issued a preliminary service advisory via social media, followed by a series of detailed service advisories beginning at 6:05 a.m. Metro updated passengers via the web, social media, rail operators, customer service staff, and through our public address system located throughout the Blue Line platforms. Updates were provided from the initial service notification at 5:48 a.m. until rail service was restored at approximately 12:45 p.m. Specifically, Metro informed passengers that alternative bus service would transport passengers between Washington Station, San Pedro Station, Grand LATTC Station, and 7th & Metro.
Reducing Service Delays: Coordination between Transit Security, Operations and Law Enforcement
Service disruptions caused by police activity are dynamic, complex and occasionally significant. While Metro’s goal is to minimize such delays whenever possible, ensuring the safety and security of passengers and employees is the highest priority. Additionally, Metro must defer to law enforcement during active criminal investigations, even when this incident’s relationship between the armed, barricaded subject and transit service is indirect.
Coordination between Metro and the LAPD met established protocols. LAPD’s Transit Bureau Chief and Metro’s System Security Chief communicated via phone; Metro’s Senior Executive Rail Officer responded to LAPD’s Command Post to coordinate transit service; supervisors and staff from operations and transit security responded to the field to assist passengers by directing them to the bus bridges. Coordination between Metro and LAPD continued until the incident was resolved at 12:45 p.m.
Metro will continue to coordinate closely with law enforcement to reduce service delays caused by police activity. As each incident is unique, immediate and direct communication between Metro and law enforcement is critical to minimize adverse impacts on service. Whenever possible, Metro will continue to deploy senior executive staff to police command posts to serve as a liaison.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Motion-2017-0675
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Susan M. Walker, Director, Physical Security, (213) 922-7464
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Alex Z Wiggins, Chief, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-4433
James T. Gallagher, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3108
Pauletta Tonilas, Chief Communication Officer, (213) 922-3777
