Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
APRIL 16, 2020
Subject
SUBJECT: PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN
Action
ACTION: APPROVE METRO’S PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN (PTASP)
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE the PTASP which documents Metro’s processes and activities related to Safety Management System (SMS) implementation in compliance with Federal and State regulations.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro’s PTASP has been developed in accordance with Federal and State mandates that require Metro to establish and implement such a plan. The regulations require the PTASP to be approved by the Board of Directors.
Background
BACKGROUND
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published the PTASP Regulation, 49 C.F.R. Part 673, on July 19, 2018. The regulation implements a risk-based SMS approach and requires Metro to have a PTASP in place no later than July 20, 2020. The PTASP is one element of FTA’s comprehensive Public Transportation Safety Program. Our 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.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Metro initiated the development of its PTASP in the fall of 2018. The PTASP, which is applicable to both the bus and rail mode, essentially is a document that describes the various safety programs and processes that 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 a 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. As required by the regulation, staff provided the draft PTASP to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Southern California Association of Governments, to coordinate our performance measures and targets. We received positive feedback from the MPO and will continue to work collaboratively with them in the future as they set their regional performance targets. Staff also distributed the plan to all internal stakeholders for review and comments and conducted two initial training sessions to explain the details of the plan.
Staff worked with the Rail Transit Safety Branch Staff of the CPUC during the development of the PTASP and submitted the final draft PTASP for preliminary approval. Subsequent to making minor revisions and clarifications based on CPUC’s feedback, we received their preliminary approval of the plan. Once the plan is in effect, staff will audit the plan to verify 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 also be audited by the FTA and the CPUC at least triennially.
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.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Recommendation supports strategic plan goal # 1 “Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling” and goal # 5 “Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within the Metro organization.” Programs and processes described in the PTASP support the specific actions and initiatives described to advance Goal 1 and Goal 5 in the strategic plan.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may elect not to approve the PTASP. However, this action is not recommended because such action will subject Metro to regulatory enforcement action by the FTA which could include withholding of federal funds for non-compliance with the FTA’s Public Transportation Safety Program.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will conduct training to implement the PTASP for all affected stakeholders and make the plan effective July 1, 2020 to coincide with the beginning of FY21. Metro will also certify to the FTA on an annual basis that it has established and implemented its PTASP as required by their regulations. Staff will provide the Board-approved plan to the CPUC, as required by the regulations, for their final written approval.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Presentation
Attachment B - Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP)
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Vijay Khawani, Executive Officer, Risk, Safety, and Asset Management, (213) 922-4035
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Kenneth Hernandez, Chief Risk, Safety and Asset Management Officer, (213) 922-2990
