Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JANUARY 16, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE the revised Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP), Version 1.4 (Attachment A), which incorporates new Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements related to Safety Management System (SMS) implementation and documents Metro’s processes and activities in compliance with Federal and State regulations.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro’s original PTASP, which the Board approved in April 2020, was developed in accordance with Federal and State mandates that require Metro to establish and implement such a plan. In April 2024, the FTA issued revised regulations affecting the PTASP, necessitating revisions to the safety plans established by transit agencies. FTA regulations require the PTASP and revisions to PTASPs to be approved by the Board of Directors.
Background
BACKGROUND
The FTA published the first PTASP Regulation, 49 C.F.R. Part 673, on July 19, 2018. The regulation implements a risk-based SMS approach and required Metro to have a PTASP in place no later than July 20, 2020. Metro complied with this requirement by implementing its PTASP in April 2020. The PTASP is one element of FTA’s comprehensive Public Transportation Safety Program. The State Safety Oversight Agency, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), adopted the requirements of FTA’s regulation in its General Order 164-E and is charged under the regulations with the review and approval of agency PTASPs. Revisions to the original rules were issued by the FTA in April 2024, which requires transit agencies to update their PTASPs to incorporate the new requirements. Metro’s revised PTASP includes the new requirements and will be made effective in January 2025.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The PTASP, which is applicable to both bus and rail mode, essentially is a document that describes the various safety programs and processes the agency has in place to manage hazards and safety risks. The PTASP has been developed to be a top-down, data-driven plan that incorporates the following four critical elements of an SMS-based approach - Safety Management Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion. For each of the four key components, the plan describes or references Metro’s processes and procedures that have been in place at the agency that comply with the particular requirements. The plan also includes authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities of all staff who play a key role in managing safety, as well as performance measures and targets to support the data-driven approach.
Significant changes to the PTASP include updated Safety Performance Measures and Safety Performance Targets (SPT), description of a safety risk reduction program, a revised hazard categorization process, reference to Metro’s roadway worker protection program, and a description of CPUC’s Risk Based Inspection program.
As required by the regulation, staff provided the revised PTASP to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) - the Southern California Association of Governments, to coordinate performance measures and targets. Staff also distributed the plan to all internal stakeholders and the Rail Transit Safety Branch Staff of the CPUC during the development of the revised PTASP for review and comments and incorporated their feedback.
In accordance with the PTASP regulations, Metro established a Joint Labor Management Safety Committee (JLMSC) comprising of an equal number of labor (including representatives from all five labor unions) and management representatives. The JLMSC, which meets monthly, identifies and recommends risk-based mitigations or strategies to reduce the likelihood of safety events, such as vehicle and pedestrian collisions, and transit worker assaults. They review and adopt SPTs and approve the PTASP. The JLMSC approved this revised PTASP at the November 21, 2024, meeting.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Approval of this recommendation will have a positive impact on the safety of Metro's patrons and employees.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Since all the programs and processes described in the PTASP are currently in place, there is no financial impact as a result of approving this plan.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Metro’s PTASP applies to all bus and rail facilities and Divisions that house Metro employees who provide transportation services and benefits to riders. There are no specific equity benefits or impacts. The PTASP includes programs and processes that benefit all residents of Los Angeles County by addressing safety risks during the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of all our bus routes and rail lines. This PTASP will allow prudent safety enhancements to be implemented for all employees, riders, and residents who use our system or reside in areas where we operate based on data that is collected related to collisions and injuries.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The recommendation supports strategic plan goals # 1) “Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling” and # 5) “Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within the Metro organization.” The programs and processes described in the PTASP support the specific actions and initiatives described to advance Goals 1 and 5 in the strategic plan.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may elect not to approve the PTASP, Version 1.4. However, this action is not recommended because it would subject Metro to regulatory enforcement action by the FTA, which could include withholding federal funds for non-compliance with the FTA’s Public Transportation Safety Program.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will implement the PTASP for all affected stakeholders and make the plan effective January 2025. Metro will also certify to the FTA on an annual basis that it has established and implemented its PTASP as required by its regulations. Staff will provide the Board-approved plan to the CPUC, as required by the regulations, for their final written approval.
Once the revised PTASP is in effect, staff will audit the plan to verify that the processes and programs are being followed and based on trends, implement strategies for continuous safety improvement. In addition to internal audits, the PTASP will be audited by the FTA and the CPUC at least triennially.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) - Version 1.4
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Vijay Khawani, Senior Executive Officer, Project Management Oversight, (213) 922-4035
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Kenneth Hernandez, Interim Chief Transit Safety Officer, (213) 922-2990
