Announcements

REGISTER: Webinar on Proposed New Requirements to Improve Transit Worker Safety

Published on: April 30, 2023

To protect transit workers and riders, FTA is proposing new safety requirements authorized under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In a proposed update to the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) rule, FTA will codify communication between frontline transit workers and management, an important measure to address worker assaults. FTA is seeking public comment on the requirements, which strengthen safety policies, procedures and practices in the transit industry.

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was published in the Federal Register today. Some requirements only apply to transit agencies serving large urbanized areas, and include:

• Establishing safety committees with equal numbers of frontline transit worker and management representatives to address concerns from workers and riders. The proposed rule provides new guidance on safety committee membership, procedures and responsibilities.
• Creating risk reduction programs to reduce accidents, injuries and assaults on transit workers, and establishing annual targets based on measures FTA will establish in the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. Risk reduction programs would include:
  • evaluating assaults on transit workers and vehicular/pedestrian safety risks and considering corrective strategies, such as installing bus driver shields or barriers
  • deploying certain assault mitigation measures when a risk analysis performed by the safety committee determines such measures would reduce assaults on transit workers

FTA will host a webinar on Wednesday, May 10 from 1-2 pm CT to discuss the proposed new requirements and how to submit comments on the proposed changes. Registration for the webinar is now open and will be recorded and online for future reference.

The NPRM will accept public comment in the Federal Register for 60-days, concluding on June 26, 2023.

Links:
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Federal Register Notice: PTASP NPRM
Proposed changes to PTASP requirements
PTASP Docket
PTASP Website
PTASP NPRM Webinar Registration