Transit Safety & Oversight (TSO)
Overview
FTA administers a national transit safety program and compliance oversight process to advance safe, reliable, and equitable transit service throughout the United States. The Office of Transit Safety and Oversight helps to increase transit safety through:
- Policy development
- Hazard investigation
- Data collection
- Risk analysis
- Oversight programs
- Information sharing
What's New
FTA issued Safety Advisory 24-2: Street Running Rail Vehicle Collisions
Safety Advisory 24-2 aims to reduce fatalities and injuries caused by street-running rail vehicle collisions. With this safety advisory, FTA is asking state safety oversight agencies (SSOA) to direct the rail transit agencies (RTA) in their jurisdictions to analyze the risk of street-running rail collisions in their systems. SSOAs are the state-level organizations responsible for direct safety oversight of RTAs. Register for the upcoming webinar on December 12 to learn more.
- Thursday, December 12, 2 p.m. ET
- Street-Running Rail Collisions Safety Advisory 24-2 Webpage
December 4-5, 2024 TRACS Full Committee Meeting
FTA will host a meeting for the Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS), in Washington, DC, with a virtual option for committee members unable to travel and for members of the public. The committee’s focus areas for 2024-2026 include advancing rider and worker safety, cyber and data security systems and reducing bus collisions.
Procurement 101 e-Learning Course
This e-learning course will help grant recipients ensure their procurements are compliant with federal, state, and local procurement rules and regulations. This training will also prepare recipients for FTA audits, particularly Triennials, State Management Reviews, and Procurement System Reviews (PSR).
During a review, procurement practices are evaluated to determine compliance with federal regulations, FTA policies, and other established guidance. Procurement is one of the 23 review areas with the highest rates of findings. The primary objective of this training is to increase recipients' understanding of the requirements of procurement.
Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection Final Rule
On October 31, FTA published its first standards-based safety regulation. The Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection regulation includes minimum standards to improve safety for transit workers who work on or around the tracks. FTA hosted a webinar on November 19 to provide more information about the RWP regulation.
- Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection
- Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection Final Rule Overview Webinar Presentation
Cybersecurity Awareness for Transit Agencies Webinar
In recognition of October being Cybersecurity Awareness Month, FTA hosted a webinar that provided an opportunity to hear from transit agencies on best practices and information on the USDOT’s cyber initiatives, followed by a Q&A session. Panelists included representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation, FTA’s Office of System Safety, Denver’s Regional Transportation District, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
State Safety Oversight Final Rule Updates
FTA has published updates to the State Safety Oversight (SSO) regulation in the Federal Register to further strengthen the existing SSO program. These updates implement new requirements of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, remove outdated references, clarify existing requirements and simplify notification requirements. Effective January 1, 2025
On Wednesday, October 30, 2024, FTA hosted a webinar about updates to the SSO Final Rule and presenters addressed questions submitted by attendees.
Safety Advisory 24-1: Proterra Bus/Phoenix Motorcars Safety Recall
On October 16, 2024, FTA issued Safety Advisory 24-1 advising transit agencies that use certain Proterra-built Phoenix Motorcars buses to make an important software update to correct an overheating issue that can increase the risk of vehicle fire. The Safety Advisory amplifies voluntary recall information published on September 6 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
General Directive 24-1: Required Actions Regarding Assaults on Transit Workers
On September 25, 2024, FTA issued a General Directive to protect our nation's frontline transit workers from assaults. General Directive 24-1: Required Actions Regarding Assaults on Transit Workers requires transit agencies subject to FTA's PTASP regulation to conduct a safety risk assessment, identify safety risk mitigations or strategies and provide information to FTA on how it is assessing, mitigating and monitoring the safety risk associated with assaults on transit workers.
FTA held a webinar about the General Directive on required actions to protect the nation's frontline transit workers from assaults on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. View the presentation here.
New TRACS Member Solicitation – October 2024
New member applications for the Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS) are now open. TRACS provides information, advice and recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and FTA Administrator in response to tasks assigned to TRACS. Applications are due Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Check out the Federal Register Notice to apply and for additional information.
See Tracks? Think Train® Week
See Tracks, Think Trains Week (September 23 – 29, 2024), is an annual observance event spearheaded by Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) and rail safety partners across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The goal is to raise awareness for multiple audiences on ways to Stop Track Tragedies. FTA has long supported OLI to spread this important safety message during Rail Safety Week and beyond.
2024–2025 Virtual Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance Workshop
New Sessions of SMS in Practice: Advancing Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance workshops are open for registration. FTA’s popular SMS in Practice: Advancing Safety Risk Management and Safety assurance workshops have returned. FTA has scheduled three additional virtual sessions.
The workshop explores common challenges identified during FTA technical assistance center inquiries, audits, and Agency Safety Plan reviews, including:
- Identifying hazards, consequences, and risks
- Distinguishing causal factors critical to determining safety mitigations
- Prioritizing risks through in-depth analysis
- Monitoring the effectiveness of safety mitigations
Virtual Public Roundtable on Bus Safety and Design Impacting Operator Visibility
FTA hosted a virtual public roundtable with bus manufacturers and the transit industry to discuss transit bus safety and elements in the design of transit buses that impact operator visibility, including mirror size and placement and A-pillar design.
Spotlight on Rail Transit Safety Webinar
This webinar discussed the importance of making safe choices when driving or walking near rail tracks and trains. FTA provided an overview and participants viewed a presentation from the New Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers University. The webinar also featured a guest speaker from Hampton Roads Transit who discussed their agency’s efforts to promote safe behaviors around their light rail system and the non-profit, Operation Lifesaver Inc., discussed safety education and outreach to transit riders and available transit agency resources.
FTA-FMCSA Rail Grade Crossing Safety Campaign
FTA is partnering with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to promote rail grade crossing safety. Our agencies developed a video to highlight best practices for motorists, transit riders and pedestrians to keep people safe where trains are present. #dontgetsideTRACKed
Recording Now Available: Updates to FTA’s Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program Webinar
The webinar provided an overview of the updates to the final Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program rule and reviewed frequently asked questions.
FTA Published Updates to the Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program
On August 14, 2024, FTA published the final updates to FTA's Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program (PTSCTP) regulation. The updates streamline the PTSCTP communication process and clarify voluntary PTSCTP participation and recertification training requirements.
Updates to the PTASP Regulation and National Safety Plan Webinar
FTA published the first major update to the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) regulation, which incorporates Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requirements to make transit safer for both transit workers and passengers. Concurrently, FTA published updates to the National Public Transportation Safety Plan (National Safety Plan), which is FTA’s primary guidance document to improve transit safety performance for systems that receive FTA funding. The webinar provided an overview of key changes to the PTASP regulation and the National Safety Plan, explained how PTASP requirements and the National Safety Plan correspond to each other and answered pre-submitted questions.
Updates to the PTASP Regulation and National Safety Plan Webinar
August 13, 2024 | Presentation | Recording
New FTA Technical Resources on Assaults on Transit Worker Data Reporting
FTA has published new technical resources that will clarify the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) requirements for expanded reporting of assaults on transit workers to the National Transit Database (NTD).
Access the resources below:
- Expanded Reporting Requirements Overview
- Full Reporters Guide to Reporting Data
- Reduced Reporters Guide to Reporting Data
FTA Suicide and Mental Health Crisis Intervention on Transit Webinar
On May 29, 2024, FTA hosted a webinar to discuss suicide prevention and mental health crisis intervention on transit. Guest speakers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, San Francisco Suicide Prevention, Bay Area Rapid Transit and Utah Transit Authority shared available resources, experiences and lessons learned from success interventions. FTA updated its mental health webpage with new toolkits, handouts, articles and more to support transit workers struggling with mental health.
FTA Suicide and Mental Health Crisis Intervention on Transit Webinar
May 29, 2024 | Presentation | Recording
Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans and National Public Transportation Safety Plan Final Updates
On April 9, 2024, FTA published the first major update to the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) regulation along with the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. These updates are a part of FTA’s continuing efforts to improve transit safety performance on federally supported transit systems. PTASP is the first rule finalized by FTA under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requirements to make transit safer for both transit workers and passengers.