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[CNJRoss]

FTA email 6/26/17:

June Issue of FTA Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter Now Available

 

A new issue of the Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight newsletter is now available.

 

The June edition includes an overview of the aviation industry’s employee safety reporting model and what the transit industry can learn from it; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s proactive approach to adopting a Safety Management System; FTA’s new video message about the importance of states meeting the State Safety Oversight (SSO) certification deadline and a status table for tracking states’ certification progress; upcoming safety training; and more. 

 

Please share the newsletter with colleagues and send comments to FTASafetyStakeholder@dot.gov.

 

Links:
Transit Safety and Oversight Spotlight Newsletter – June 2017

SSO Program Certification Status website

SSO certification deadline video message

SSO certification status table

 

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 8/29/18:

FTA Certifies Ohio State Safety Oversight Program, Urges Other States to Act before Deadline

 

Ohio is the first of 30 states in the nation to receive FTA certification of its State Safety Oversight (SSO) Program that provides for the highest level of safety for the state’s rail transit riders and workers. If a state fails to meet a statutory deadline requiring that rail transit systems establish an FTA-certified State Safety Oversight (SSO) Program by April 15, 2019, FTA is prohibited by federal law from obligating any funds to any public transportation agency in that state until certification is achieved. By federal law, the deadline cannot be waived or extended.

 

Learn more about the Ohio SSO Program certification and the status of the other 29 states requiring action. 

 

Links
State Safety Oversight Program Certification Status
Press release: States Must Meet Rail Transit Safety Program Certification Deadline to Maintain Federal Public Transportation Funding FTA

 

 

[CNJRoss]

FTA news release, 8/29/17:

 

States Must Meet Rail Transit Safety Program Certification Deadline to Maintain Federal Public Transportation Funding

8/29/2017

 

Ohio first of 30 states to receive FTA certification of its State Safety Oversight Program

 

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is again notifying the states where rail transit systems operate that federal law requires they establish an FTA-certified State Safety Oversight (SSO) Program by April 15, 2019. If a state fails to meet the deadline, the FTA is prohibited by federal law from obligating any funds to public transportation agencies throughout that state until certification is achieved.

 

There are 30 states required to obtain SSO Program certification and this week Ohio became the first state in the nation to complete the process and have its program certified, providing for the highest level of safety for their rail transit riders and workers.

 

"Certification is an important achievement by the state of Ohio and demonstrates that the Ohio SSO Program has the authority, resources, and expertise needed to oversee the rail transit systems in that state," said FTA Deputy Administrator Jane Williams. "The certification deadline is now less than two years away and time is becoming critical for all affected states, especially those that still need state legislative action."

 

States that fail to establish an FTA-certified SSO Program by the deadline are at risk of having all transit dollars withheld until compliance is met. The FTA is encouraging states to act quickly to enact any necessary legislation, statutes and regulations, particularly those states whose legislatures meet only part time or biennially. Currently, seven states still require state legislative or executive action prior to FTA certification (Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico and Tennessee). By federal law, the April 15, 2019 deadline cannot be waived or extended.

 

In order to achieve FTA certification, an SSO Program must meet several federal statutory requirements, including that the SSO agency has financial and legal independence from the rail transit agencies it oversees. In addition, a state must ensure that its SSO agency adopts and enforces relevant federal and state safety laws, has investigatory authority, and has appropriate financial and human resources for the number, size and complexity of the rail transit systems within its jurisdiction. Furthermore, SSO agency personnel responsible for performing safety oversight activities must have proper training and certification.

Technical Assistance Available for States

The FTA is committed to helping states meet the April 15, 2019 deadline and their federal statutory obligations to provide stronger and more effective state safety oversight rail transit systems. Since 2013, FTA has provided approximately $90 million in grant funds to all affected states to develop and implement an SSO Program that is compliant with federal requirements. Also, the FTA has provided a toolkit with guidance for managing the SSO Program certification process, and maintains frequent contact with states and SSO agencies to provide assistance.

 

In addition, the FTA has posted online a status table that shows each state’s progress toward certification and the approximate amount of federal transit funds the FTA would be prohibited from obligating should the state fail to achieve certification by the deadline.

 

By federal law, the April 15, 2019 deadline cannot be waived or extended. FTA strongly recommends that states submit their SSO Program certification applications as soon as possible. FTA is committed to working closely with states to fulfill their statutory responsibility, however, states should not assume that applications submitted after September 30, 2018, will receive a decision on certification by the deadline. In some cases, the FTA may need to do onsite verifications, or states may need to correct and resubmit parts of their applications, all of which must be completed before the deadline.

 

The FTA SSO Program final rule took effect in April 2016, establishing a three-year period for states to obtain program certification.

# # #

 

 

[CNJRoss]

NTSB Safety Compass blog:

 

Keeping Rail Transit Safety Oversight on Track

August 21, 2017

 

By Member Christopher Hart

 

 

The Tremont Street Subway in Boston began service in 1897 as the first subway tunnel in North America. That subway tunnel was the beginning of the now complex rail transit system that is commonly known as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), or “the T.” With an average of 1.3 million passengers riding its heavy rail, light rail, trolleys, buses, and ferryboats each weekday, this is one of the busiest transit systems in the country.

 

I recently had the opportunity to tour the MBTA system and learn how such a complex legacy system is managed. I also heard about the collaboration that has developed between the MBTA and its safety oversight body­—the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (MDPU). I often used the T years ago when I was in law school, so it was very informative to see how the system has grown and changed in the intervening years.

 

Improve Rail Transit Safety Oversight is on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements to promote our recommendations addressing oversight of rail mass transit operations. It is critically important that rail transit systems be adequately monitored to maintain and enhance safety and to help ensure that small problems can be caught before they become big ones; our accident investigations have shown that an important part of that monitoring is effective safety oversight. This visit to the MBTA allowed us to observe some of those safety programs and their oversight.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 10/11/17:
 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Chao Reminds Transit Industry of Important Rail Transit Safety Deadline at APTA Annual Meeting

 

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that Minnesota is the second of 30 states to receive FTA certification for its State Safety Oversight (SSO) Program. Federal law requires states with rail transit systems to establish an FTA-certified SSO Program by April 15, 2019 or risk having federal funds to public transportation agencies throughout that state withheld until certification is achieved. Secretary Chao made the announcement during her remarks at the 2017 APTA Annual Meeting and EXPO in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

Minnesota is the second state to complete the process and have its SSO Program certified. In August, FTA announced that Ohio was the first state to be certified.

 

Links
Press release: U.S. Transportation Secretary Chao Reminds Transit Industry of Important Rail Transit Safety Deadline at APTA Annual Meeting
State Safety Oversight Program
State Safety Oversight Program Certification Status

 

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 10/12/17:

 

FTA signs off on Minnesota's rail safety program

 

Metro Transit operates two light-rail lines and one commuter-rail line in Minnesota. Photo – Federal Transit Administration

 

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has approved Minnesota's state rail-safety oversight (SSO) program — making it the second state to achieve such certification, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced yesterday.

Federal law requires states with transit-rail systems to establish an FTA-certified SSO program by April 15, 2019. If they fail to meet the deadline, states risk losing federal funding for transportation agencies until certification is achieved, FTA officials said in a press release.

Thirty states need to achieve such certification. In August, Ohio became the first state to have its SSO program certified by the FTA.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

FTA news release 2/22/18:

 

District of Columbia Meets Important Rail Transit Safety Program Deadline

February 22, 2018

 

States must receive FTA certification by April 15, 2019 or new federal transit funds cannot be awarded

 

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced today that the District of Columbia has obtained federal certification for its rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) Program. Under the District’s SSO Program, the D.C. Fire and Emergency Management Services is responsible for providing safety oversight of the D.C. Streetcar system.

 

"The District of Columbia is among the first in the nation to achieve SSO Program certification to strengthen rail transit passenger and worker safety," said FTA Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams. "FTA is doing all we can to help states certify their safety oversight programs so transit agencies can continue to receive federal funding for the safe movement of millions of people every day."

 

There are 30 states with rail transit systems that must obtain certification of their SSO Programs by the April 15, 2019 deadline. If a state fails to meet the deadline, the FTA is prohibited by law from awarding any new federal transit funds to transit agencies within the state until certification is achieved. A certification status table by state is available online. Currently, five states still require state legislative or executive action prior to FTA certification (Illinois, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, and Tennessee). By federal law, the deadline cannot be waived or extended. 

 

Separately, the District of Columbia, together with Virginia and Maryland, are expected to jointly submit to the FTA an SSO Program certification application for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metrorail system, which will be overseen by the Metrorail Safety Commission. FTA continues to work closely with the jurisdictions as they work to achieve SSO Program certification and the resumption of state safety oversight of Metrorail.

 

To achieve FTA certification, an SSO Program must meet several federal statutory requirements, including establishing an SSO agency that is financially and legally independent from the rail transit agencies it oversees.  In addition, a state must ensure that its SSO agency adopts and enforces relevant federal and state safety laws, has investigatory authority, and has appropriate financial and human resources for the number, size and complexity of the rail transit systems within the state’s jurisdiction.  Furthermore, SSO agency personnel responsible for performing safety oversight activities must be appropriately trained.

 

 

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 2/23/18:

 

Feds certify D.C.'s transit-rail safety oversight program

 

 

The District of Columbia has obtained federal certification for its transit-rail State Safety Oversight (SSO) program, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced yesterday.

Under the the district's SSO program, the D.C. Fire and Emergency Management Services is responsible for providing safety oversight of the D.C. Streetcar system.

"The District of Columbia is among the first in the nation to achieve SSO Program certification to strengthen rail transit passenger and worker safety," said FTA Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams in a press release. "FTA is doing all we can to help states certify their safety oversight programs so transit agencies can continue to receive federal funding for the safe movement of millions of people every day."

 

SNIP

 

Separately, the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland are expected to jointly submit to the FTA an SSO certification application for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Metrorail system, which will be overseen by the Metrorail Safety Commission.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

FTA news release:

 

FTA Announces Certification of State Safety Oversight Programs for Massachusetts & Hawaii Ahead of Important Deadline

 

3/19/2018

  States must receive FTA certification by April 15, 2019 or new federal transit funds cannot be awarded

 

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced that Massachusetts and Hawaii have obtained federal certification of their rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) Programs, in advance of an important safety deadline. FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams made the announcement at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

 

Federal law requires states with rail transit systems in the engineering or construction phase of development or in operation to obtain FTA certification of their SSO Programs by April 15, 2019. In Massachusetts, the Department of Public Utilities is responsible for providing safety oversight of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). In Hawaii, the Department of Transportation is responsible for providing safety oversight of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART).

 

"FTA has been helping states develop safety oversight programs that meet Federal certification requirements so transit agencies can continue to receive federal funding for the safe movement of millions of people every day," said FTA Acting Administrator Williams. "Massachusetts and Hawaii are among the early first states to achieve SSO Program certification to strengthen oversight of rail transit passenger and worker safety for rail transit systems in those states."

 

There are 30 states that must obtain FTA certification of their SSO Programs by April 15, 2019. Four states have already met the deadline: Ohio, Minnesota, Utah and the District of Columbia.  If a state fails to meet the deadline, FTA is prohibited by law from awarding any new Federal transit funds to transit agencies within the state until certification is achieved. A certification status table by state is available online. Currently, three states still require state legislative or executive action before they can advance further in the certification process (New York, Oklahoma, and Tennessee). By federal law, the deadline cannot be waived or extended. 

 

To achieve FTA certification, an SSO Program must meet several federal statutory requirements, including establishing an SSO agency that is financially and legally independent from the rail transit agencies it oversees. In addition, a state must ensure that its SSO agency adopts and enforces relevant federal and state safety laws, has investigatory authority, and has appropriate financial and human resources for the number, size and complexity of the rail transit systems within the state’s jurisdiction. Furthermore, SSO agency personnel responsible for performing safety oversight activities must be appropriately trained.

 

 

[CNJRoss]

FTA email 4/6/18:
 

FTA Announces Certification of State Safety Oversight Programs for Virginia and Colorado Ahead of Important Deadline

 

FTA today announced that Virginia and Colorado have obtained federal certification of their rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) Programs, in advance of an important safety deadline.

 

Federal law requires states with rail transit systems in the engineering or construction phase of development or in operation to obtain FTA certification of their SSO Programs by April 15, 2019. In Virginia, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation is responsible for providing safety oversight of Hampton Roads Transit. In Colorado, the Public Utilities Commission is responsible for providing safety oversight of the Regional Transportation District.

 

Thirty states must obtain FTA certification of their SSO Programs by April 15, 2019. Six other states have already met the deadline.

 

Links:

FTA State Safety Oversight Program
State Safety Oversight Certification Status
SSO Certification Status Table