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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 last week. Some requirements only apply to transit agencies serving large urbanized areas, and include:
- Establishing safety committees with equal numbers of frontline transit workers 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, 2023 from 2pm-3pm ET 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.
Public comments on the NPRM must be submitted by June 26, 2023.
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