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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Motion adopting CyRide's Transit Safety TargetsITEM #:2 DATE:09-22-26 DEPT:AAMPO SUBJECT:TRANSIT SAFETY TARGETS TRANSPORTATION POLICY COMMITTEE ACTION FORM BACKGROUND: Federal law requires both transit agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to set targets for a series of transit performance measures, including transit safety. Like roadway safety targets, these are data-driven benchmarks used to track how the transit system is performing over time. They reflect CyRide's recent operating experience rather than aspirational goals, and they do not represent a level of safety events that the AAMPO considers acceptable. Consistent with the National Public Transportation Safety Plan, the target for fatalities is always set to zero. On August 20, 2026, CyRide's Transit Board approved its Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) under 49 CFR Part 673. Section 3 of the attached PTASP sets the following transit safety targets, based on CyRide's previous five years of performance data: Safety Performance Measure Fixed Route Bus Paratransit Major Events (Total)0 0 Major Events (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Collisions (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Pedestrian Collisions (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Vehicular Collisions (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Fatalities (Total)0 0 Fatalities (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Transit Worker Fatalities (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Injuries (Total)0 0 Injuries (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Transit Worker Injuries (Rate)*0.00 0.00 Assaults on Transit Workers (Total)0 0 Assaults on Transit Workers (Rate)*0.00 0.00 System Reliability (Rate)**31,853.46 317,045 *Rates are per 100,000 vehicle revenue miles (VRM). **System reliability is VRM between major mechanical failures. Each MPO is required to establish transit safety targets within 180 days of the transit board's approval. The AAMPO must therefore adopt CyRide's targets or set its own by February 27, 2027. If an MPO chooses to set its own targets, the approach and techniques to do so must be approved by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the MPO is responsible for all efforts in order to establish their target. Historically the AAMPO has elected to support 1 and adopt CyRide's safety targets. Once the targets are adopted, the AAMPO must incorporate them into all future Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) updates. Those documents report system performance and describe how implementation contributes toward the targets. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Adopt CyRide's transit safety performance targets. 2. Direct staff to develop custom transit safety performance targets in coordination with CyRide. MPO DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: CyRide developed these targets from five years of local performance data, consistent with the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. The Transportation Technical Committee also unanimously recommended approval. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the MPO Executive Director that the Transportation Policy Committee adopt Alternative No. 1, as noted. ATTACHMENT(S): CyRide 2026 PTASP.pdf 2 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 1 Ames Transit Agency Safety Plan In Accordance with 49 C.F.R. Part 673 and 49 U.S.C § 5329 As of August 20, 2026 1. Transit Agency Information Transit Agency Name City of Ames, D/B/A, Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) Transit Agency Address 601 N. University Blvd. Ames, IA 50010 Name and Title of Accountable Executive Barbara Neal – Transit Director Name of Chief Safety Officer or SMS Executive Kevin Gries – Transit Chief Safety Officer Mode(s) of Service Covered by This Plan Fixed Route Bus Service (run directly by Ames Transit Agency), Para Transit (contracted by Heartland of Iowa Regional Transit Agency – HIRTA.) List All FTA Funding Types (e.g., 5307, 5337, 5339) 5307, 5310, 5339 Mode(s) of Service Provided by the Transit Agency (Directly operated or contracted service) Fixed-Route Bus Service, Para Transit Does the agency provide transit services on behalf of another transit agency or entity? Yes ☐ No ☒ Description of Arrangement(s) Not Applicable Name and Address of Transit Agency(ies) or Entity(ies) for Which Service Is Provided Not Applicable Name(s) and Type(s) of Urbanized Area(s) Served by the Transit Agency Ames, IA – Small Urbanized Area 3 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 2 2. Plan Development, Approval, and Updates Name of Entity That Drafted This Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) Cooperation with Frontline Employee Representatives Updated in Cooperation with Date of Update Meeting CyRide Safety Committee July 27, 2026 Signature by the Accountable Executive Signature of Accountable Executive Date of Signature August 20, 2026 Approval by the Board of Directors or an Equivalent Authority Name of Individual/Entity That Approved This Plan Date of Approval Ames Transit Agency Board of Trustees August 20, 2026 Relevant Documentation (Title and Location) August 20, 2026 Transit Board Meeting Minutes (https://www.cyride.com/about-us/board-of- trustees/board-meeting-packets-and-meeting-minutes) Certification of Compliance Name of Individual/Entity That Certified This Plan and Those of All Applicable Subrecipients Date of Certification Barbara Neal August 20, 2026 Relevant Documentation (Title and Location) Transit Director Version Number and Updates Record the complete history of successive versions of this plan. Version Number Section/Pages Affected Reason for Change Date Issued 0 New Document October 22, 2020 2021 All Annual ASP review and update August 11, 2021 2022 All Annual ASP review and update August 24, 2022 2023 All Annual ASP review and update August 17, 2023 2024.1 2, 9, 12 Mid-year update January 18, 2024 2024.2 All Annual ASP review and update August 22, 2024 2025 All Annual ASP review and update August 28, 2025 2026 All Annual ASP review and update August 20, 2026 4 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 3 Annual Review and Update of the Agency Safety Plan Describe the process and timeline for conducting an annual review and update of the ASP. Annual Review will be conducted by the Chief Safety Officer (CSO), Accountable Executive (AE), and other appropriate staff in May of each year. The ASP document and all proposed changes will be reviewed in cooperation with frontline employee representatives on the CyRide Safety Committee between May and August of each year. Final decisions on changes, if any, to the ASP will be made by the conclusion of the August transit board meeting each year. This ASP addresses all applicable requirements set forth in FTA’s Public Transportation Safety Program , 49 U.S.C. § 5329, and the National Public Transportation Safety Plan, 49 C.F.R. Part 673. 5 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 4 3. Safety Performance Targets Safety Performance Targets Specify performance targets based on the safety performance measures established under the National Public Transportation Safety Plan. Targets below are based on review of the previous 5 years (April – March) of Ames Transit Agency’s NTD-reportable performance data. See appendix for more information. Mode of Transit Service Major Events Major Events (Rate) Collisions (Rate) Pedestrian Collisions (Rate) Vehicular Collisions (Rate) Fatalities Fatalities (Rate) Fixed Route Bus 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 Paratransit 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 Mode of Transit Service Transit Worker Fatalities (Rate) Injuries Injuries (Rate) Transit Worker Injuries (Rate) Assaults on Transit Workers Assaults on Transit Workers (Rate) System Reliability (Rate) Fixed Route Bus 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 31,853.46 Paratransit 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 317,045 Safety Performance Target Coordination Describe the coordination with the State and Metropolitan Planning Organization(s) (MPO) in the selection of State and MPO safety performance targets. Ames Transit Agency will submit yearly safety performance targets to Iowa DOT and the Ames Area MPO within 90 days of the completion of each fiscal year. These performance target submissions aid in planning processes (i.e. TIP/STIP, LRTP, SMP, etc.). Safety targets will be coordinated with Iowa DOT and Ames Area MPO staff, to the extent practicable, prior to submission of the targets by the CSO, or their designee. Targets Transmitted to the State State Entity Name Date Targets Transmitted Iowa Department of Transportation July 3, 2026 Targets Transmitted to the Metropolitan Planning Organization(s) Metropolitan Planning Organization Name Date Targets Transmitted Ames Area MPO July 3, 2026 6 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 5 4. Safety Management Policy Safety Management Policy Statement Use the written statement of safety management policy, including safety objectives. SAFETY MANAGEMENT POLICY To ensure transit safety and to comply with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements, Ames Transit Agency has developed and adopted this Safety Management Policy to address FTA regulations established by Section 5329(d) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act signed into law by President Barack Obama on July 6, 2012. Ames Transit Agency is committed to Safety Management Systems (SMS) as a systematic and comprehensive approach to identifying safety hazards and risks associated with transit system operations and related maintenance activities. Ames Transit Agency has established and implemented a Safety Management Systems framework that is appropriately scaled to the size, scope, and complexity of the agency as an explicit element of the agency’s responsibility by establishing a safety policy; identifying hazards and controlling risks; setting goals, planning, and measuring performance. Furthermore, Ames Transit Agency has adopted SMS as a means by which to foster agency-wide support for transit safety by establishing a culture where management is held accountable for safety and everyone in the organization takes an active role in attaining transit safety. Safety Objectives 1. Ensure all CyRide processes, decisions, and activities adhere to our core safety beliefs; 2. Build and nurture a strong safety culture; and 3. Provide means for all employees to report safety concerns quickly, easily, and fearlessly Safety Beliefs 1. Safety is our First Priority when making safety-sensitive decisions; 2. Safety excellence is a key component of our mission; 3. Safety is a source of our competitive advantage; our business will be strengthened by making safety excellence an integral part of all public transportation activities; and 4. Accidents and serious incidents are preventable and do not occur out of the blue; they are preceded by precursors (events, behaviors, and conditions) that can be identified, assessed and mitigated through physical, administrative and behavioral safety promotion strategies. Safety Culture Ames Transit Agency believes safety promotion is critical to the success of SMS by ensuring that the entire organization fully understands and trusts SMS policies, procedures, and structure. It involves establishing a culture that recognizes safety as a core value, training employees in safety principles, and allowing open communication of safety issues. Positive safety culture must be generated from the top-down. The actions, attitudes, and decisions at the policy-making level must demonstrate a genuine commitment to safety. Safety must be recognized as the responsibility of each employee with the ultimate responsibility for safety resting with the Transit Director (Accountable Executive) and the Ames Transit Agency Board of Directors. Employees must trust that they will have management support for decisions made in the interest of safety while recognizing that intentional breaches of safety will not be tolerated. Operations and maintenance employees are encouraged to report safety concerns through formal and informal methodologies without fear of blame or retribution. Ames Transit Agency is committed to enhancing its current Safety Culture with continuous education and development of safety protocols and procedures that improve safety performance. The safety culture has significant involvement of transit drivers, dispatchers, maintenance employees, and support personnel. Affirming the Four Priorities of Safety First, Teamwork, Value-Added Service, and Maintaining the Schedule are central to sustaining our employee involvement. A strong and robust safety culture is present in a system that defines protocols and processes safety issues systematically. Prevented accidents as reported through ESRP close -call reports are given positive feedback and periodic recognition to distinguish outstanding work and encourage further effort to drive defensively. Safety events are 7 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 6 analyzed for root causes using standard safety analysis techniques with the goal of reducing repeat events of a similar nature. The safety systems are not a function of individual personalities but result from the collective performance of all individuals who create the overall system performance. A high level of trust between operating employees and the executive management team creates a robust safety culture. The safety program is ingrained at Ames Transit Agency and transitions in employment positions will not change Ames Transit Agency’s commit ment to safety. Safety Reporting Ames Transit Agency is committed to the safest possible transit operating standards. To achieve this, it is imperative that Ames Transit Agency encourages uninhibited reporting of all safety events and concerns which may compromise the safe conduct of our operations through our Employee Safety Reporting Program. To this end, every employee and contract service provider is responsible for the communication of any information that may affect the integrity of trans it safety. Such communication must include thorough protections from reprisal. Cooperation with Frontline Transit Worker Representatives Describe the approach to cooperation with frontline transit worker representatives and how frontline transit worker representatives cooperate in the development and update of the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan. All substantial changes to the Ames Transit Agency Safety Plan are reviewed with frontline employee representatives before implementation. This includes annually scheduled Agency Safety Plan revisions and other changes to Agency Safety Plan content. Cooperation with frontline employee representatives includes at a minimum: • Providing draft copies of the Agency Safety Plan with proposed changes to frontline employee representatives • Reviewing the draft with the Chief Safety Officer and other frontline employee representatives • Providing sufficient opportunity for frontline employee representatives to ask questions about the draft • Providing sufficient opportunity for frontline employee representatives to provide input for the draft Safety Management Policy Communication Describe how the safety management policy is communicated throughout the agency. Include dates where applicable. Safety management policies are communicated through the hiring and training process in verbal and written formats. Safety elements are incorporated into current documents including driver training programs for new hires; Fall and Spring Meetings for all operations personnel; OSHA mandated shop safety trainings. Safety performance information will be posted quarterly in multiple places to maximize employee exposure to relevant safety issues. Documents that include safety elements are: • Driver Manual • Dispatch Manual • Shop Safety Procedures • Lane Worker Manual 8 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 7 Authorities, Accountabilities, and Responsibilities Describe the role of the following individuals for the development and management of the transit agency’s Safety Management System (SMS). Accountable Executive (AE) Transit Director – ensures and is accountable for overall SMS performance and implementation – annual safety review process and ongoing evaluation; prioritizes identified mitigations; holds highest level of approval power, other than the transit board, for authorizing SMS expenditures Chief Safety Officer or SMS Executive (CSO) Chief Safety Officer – designated by and direct report to Accountable Executive; responsible for day-to-day implementation and operation of the SMS; provides overview of SMS vision to all employees; generates SMS reports; adds identified hazards to Safety Risk Register; keeps all SMS documents a minimum of three years; distributes safety data to Agency Leadership and Key Staff; subject matter expert on SMS; trains Key Staff on SMS Principles; creates safety reports for distribution to Dispatchers, Transit Drivers, and Fleet and Facilities personnel; trains personnel on the ESRP; approves low-cost SMS expenditures in consultation with AE and Agency Leadership; ensures that the companies with whom we contract services follow sufficient safety protocols; coordinates all submissions of performance targets to the MPO and DOT Agency Leadership and Executive Management Assistant Director for Operations – directs implementation of operational safety mitigations and expenditures related to the SMS up to Accountable Executive level; ensures adequate safety risk management and safety assurance activities Assistant Director for Fleet and Facilities – directs implementation of fleet and facilities mitigations and expenditures related to the SMS up to Accountable Executive level; ensures adequate safety risk management and safety assurance activities; communicates safety expectations to contractors and vendors Transit Scheduler/Administrative Analyst – verifies accuracy of transit data; leads safe schedule development; communicates safety data to the organization and to the National Transit Database (NTD) Key Staff AM, Mid-day, PM Transit Operations Managers – communicate Safety First priority during employee interactions (especially in disciplinary/guiding interactions with drivers and dispatchers); conduct check rides and review bus videos to ensure adherence to safety procedures; conduct accident investigations to identify causal factors; provide input on service changes; subject matter experts on safety issues pertaining to operations and dispatch Maintenance Coordinator – communicates Safety First priority during employee interactions (especially in interactions with mechanics and lane workers); subject matter expert on safety issues related to maintenance and facilities; communicates with shop and contractors about safety expectations Transit Trainers – communicate Safety First priority during employee interactions (especially in disciplinary/guiding interactions with new drivers ); provide initial training including CDL, defensive driving, hazard perception, ESRP; subject matter experts on Out-of-Service and In-Service training; support safety communication by introducing and reinforcing the core concept of using Safety First priority for safety sensitive decisions 9 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 8 Employee Safety Reporting Program Describe the process and protections for employees to report safety conditions to senior management. Describe employee behaviors that may result in disciplinary action (and therefore, are excluded from protection). Employees report immediate safety concerns that require quick action to any dispatcher or manager. Non-urgent safety concerns are reported using the Employee Safety Reporting Program (ESRP) form. Employees can report safety concerns verbally or via the ESRP form to the CSO. The CSO will process all safety reports through CyRide’s ESRP workflow (see Appendix). These non-urgent concerns can include hazards, assaults, near-misses or close-calls, unsafe acts, and events encountered or observed during operations and maintenance tasks. The CSO reviews and determines the safety risk of all reported hazards. Those hazards which are determined to be ‘medium,’ ‘serious,’ or ‘high’ risk are reviewed at weekly management meetings with members of Agency Leadership, Executive Management, and Key Staff. The CSO, or designee, will communicate with the employee who reported the safety concern to inform them of the next steps and ensure understanding of any issues. ESRP forms will be logged and communications will be archived in the Safety Register. Employees who participate in the self-reporting process are assured no action will be taken against any employee who discloses a safety concern, unless disclosure indicates gross negligence or deliberate disregard of federal, state, or local law or Ames Transit Agency regulations and procedures. In order to increase confidentiality, the CSO makes an initial determination about whether the employee's report falls within ESRP protections. Most typically, when the CSO identifies a report that may require discipline, it will be forwarded to the appropriate Assistant Director (Operations or Fleet/Facilities), without identifying information, as a double check on the judgment of the CSO. When staffing issues complicate this, such as when an assistant director serves as acting CSO, the other assistant director, or a qualified person acting on their behalf, would provide this increased degree of confidentiality. When an ESRP report is found to be in violation of the above guidelines by both the CSO and the Assistant Director, it will be forwarded to the employee’s direct supervisor for disciplinary action. Taking the step of disciplining an employee who reports a safety issue through ESRP would be avoided whenever feasibly possible, as it may lower trust in the reporting process. 10 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 9 5. Safety Risk Management Safety Risk Management Process Describe the Safety Risk Management process, including: • Safety Hazard Identification: The methods or processes to identify hazards and consequences of the hazards. • Safety Risk Assessment: The methods or processes to assess the safety risks associated with identified safety hazards. • Safety Risk Mitigation: The methods or processes to identify mitigations or strategies necessary as a result of safety risk assessment. Safety Risk Management Process (SRM) The SRM process at Ames Transit Agency consists of formal and informal mechanisms for reporting, analyzing, mitigating, and managing safety risks. Its purpose is to ensure the safety of our operations, passengers, employees, vehicles, facilities, and the public by minimizing exposure to hazards and unsafe conditions including, but not limited to: • Organizational hazards (resource, procedural, training, supervisory) • Technical hazards (operational, maintenance, design, equipment) • Environmental hazards (weather, natural, health) The processes include: • Hazard Identification – identifying credible hazards to Ames Transit Agency and the community • Risk Assessment – determining the likelihood and severity of potential consequences of identified hazards to determine acceptability • Safety Risk Options – considering options for mitigating safety risk, including financial feasibility • Safety Risk Mitigation – developing a safety risk control plan, including process documentation • Safety Risk Monitoring – evaluating the effectiveness of safety risk decisions and control measures over time Ames Transit Agency has established the HIRAM (Hazard Identification – Risk Assessment – Mitigation) process as the formal process for safety risk management. Informal communication between operators , dispatchers, and management is also present and used to address immediate safety problems. Ames Transit Agency’s Chief Safety Officer leads the SRM process. The CSO works with all Ames Transit Agency employees to identify hazards, and with Key Staff to assess safety risks, potential consequences, and mitigate safety risk. The results of Ames Transit Agency’s HIRAM process are documented in our Safety Register. Ames Transit Agency’s SRM process applies to all elements of our system including our operations and maintenance; facilities and vehicles; personnel recruitment, training, and supervision. Safety Hazard Identification The safety hazard identification process provides Ames Transit Agency with an expanded ability to identify hazards and potential consequences in the operation of our system. Hazard identification sources include: • ESRP • Observations of operations and facilities by supervisors • Review of onboard video footage • Inspections – Transit Asset Management (TAM) • Internal safety investigations and audits • Accident reports • Information reports • Industry data • Management, administration, dispatch, and driver meetings • Data and information provided by governmental sources (FTA, the State of Iowa, NTSB, TSI, Iowa DOT) 11 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 10 • Data and information regarding exposure to infectious disease provided by the CDC and/or IDPH • Safety concerns identified through Safety Assurance activities • Customer and public feedback Safety events, in any form, will be reported to Ames Transit Agency’s CSO. The CSO will list them in the Safety Register and conduct further investigations and analyses. From these data, the CSO will prepare safety summaries for management meetings. Should more timely changes be required, the CSO will collaboratively work with the appropriate assistant director, or their designee, to mitigate the safety risk. This mitigation will be brought before Key Staff at the next management meeting. Informally mitigated hazards, such as mentioned above, will go through the formal HIRAM process to ensure consideration from a viewpoint that has more institutional knowledge and expertise brought to bear. Safety Risk Assessment Key Staff will receive appropriate training in safety risk assessment. The CSO and Key Staff determine safety risks associated with identified hazards. The process is primarily analytical and separates risks by likelihood and severity of potential consequences. The following criteria will be included: • Likelihood of event occurring • Severity of potential consequences if hazard remains unmitigated • Exposure of employees or customers to the hazard (number of people/day/month/year) • Prioritization of identified safety hazards • Examination of current conditions, existing safety risk mitigations, and claim/event occurrence experience • Examination of “near miss” reporting (formal and informal) • Review of relevant guidance from governmental sources • Informal prediction of changing conditions that will affect current conditions • Categorization of events by high, serious, medium, low safety risk The CSO performs an initial risk assessment of each safety hazard. If initial risk assessment is low, management review is not required. For cases in which the initial risk assessment is medium, the hazard and details of the risk assessment will be brought to Key Staff at the next management meeting for review and discussion of potential reassessment and mitigation options. For cases in which the initial risk assessment is serious or high, the CSO compiles safety risk assessment packets pertaining to the identified safety hazards for review by Key Staff and distributes them for review at least two business days before the next management meeting. Key Staff will review and/or assess the risks objectively utilizing a Risk Assessment Matrix (RAM). Hazards found by Key Staff to be serious risk should be mitigated if practical. Hazards found by Key Staff to be high risk must be mitigated to lower risk to an acceptable level. The CSO will keep record of any assessed risks and other information related to identified safety risks for a minimum three-year period from the generation date. See the Appendix for more information on these assessment processes. Safety Risk Mitigation The mitigation process includes risk-analysis, strategy development, and cost-analysis to reduce risk. Sources for safety risk mitigation can include: • Guidance provided by FTA, CDC, IDPH and other governmental sources • Input from the Accountable Executive, CSO, Agency Leadership, Key Staff, and Frontline Employee Representatives • Input from other transit agencies • Input from other City of Ames departments • Public and customer comments The Chief Safety Officer proposes potential safety risk mitigations with cost estimates to Key Staff for consideration during management review. Key Staff considers these potential mitigations along with any that are proposed by other Key Staff members. Specific, actionable policy or control measures will be recommended when practical. The CSO and Accountable Executive prioritize activities requiring significant financial investment and Transit Board approval within Ames Transit Agency’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Low-cost initiatives may be authorized by the CSO and/or Assistant Director for Operations and/or Assistant Director for Fleet and Facilities. Some examples of prioritization include: 12 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 11 • Infrastructure/resource investment – simple signage, PPE, technology, all the way to major construction • Administration policies – personnel policies, standard operating procedures, initial training, refresher training, check rides, schedule adherence, route modifications, schedule modifications, other risk reduction changes • Actions by others – public and/or private infrastructure, public education, policies of other agencies • Cost analysis Safety risk mitigations that are implemented via the SRM process are recorded in the Safety Register and monitored by the CSO. Infectious Disease Exposure Control Describe strategies to minimize exposure of the public and personnel to infectious diseases consistent with guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or a State health authority. Ames Transit Agency implements various strategies to minimize exposure to infectious diseases based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). These strategies can vary depending on factors including, but not limited to risk of exposure, method of transmission, and severity of symptoms. Strategies can include: • Sign posting • Hand washing • Hand sanitizing • Covering coughs and sneezes • Surface disinfecting • Air purification • Vaccination • Social distancing • Masks • Encouraging employees to stay home when sick 6. Safety Assurance Through our Safety Assurance process, Ames Transit Agency: • Evaluates compliance with operations and maintenance procedures to determine whether our existing rules and procedures sufficiently control safety risk • Assesses safety risk mitigation effectiveness • Investigates safety events to identify causal factors • Analyzes safety-reporting information, including data about safety failures, defects, or conditions Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement Describe activities to monitor the system for compliance with and sufficiency of procedures for operations and maintenance. Ames Transit Agency monitors operations and maintenance procedures to ensure employee compliance and sufficiently robust procedures. Monitoring activities include: • Direct supervisor monitoring • Informal inspections • Check rides • Review of customer comments, collision reports, information reports, and documented conversations • Performance appraisals • Workplace accident reviews • Review of onboard camera footage to assess drivers and specific incidents • ESRP 13 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 12 • Investigation of safety occurrences (fatalities, injuries, safety events, system reliability) • Safety review prior to launch or modification of any route or event service • Regular vehicle/facility inspections and preventative maintenance • After Action Reports following major events – e.g. Odyssey of the Mind, Flood Evacuation Service, COVID-19 Service, Dorm Move Ins, Derecho, etc., when something is atypical an Assistant Director calls for an AAR Ames Transit Agency addresses non-compliance with operational and maintenance procedures through a variety of activities including: • Counseling • Documented conversations • Additional training or retraining • Disciplinary procedures • Procedure re-evaluation Insufficient procedures are addressed through the SRM process by the CSO and Key Staff. The CSO and Executive Management Team annually review results of existing processes to identify non -compliance and assess procedure sufficiency. Should a compliance or sufficiency issue arise with a procedure, Key Staff collaboratively work to determine ways to adjust and enhance the procedure. Describe activities to monitor operations to identify any safety risk mitigations that may be ineffective, inappropriate, or were not implemented as intended. Ames Transit Agency monitors safety risk mitigations to identify ineffective, inappropriate, or improperly implemented changes. Prior to implementation, safety risk mitigation objectives will be documented. The CSO and Key Staff determine appropriate safety performance measures (when plausible) to gauge safety risk mitigation effectiveness. Monitoring will occur formally during each quarterly safety review carried out by the CSO and informally by Agency Leadership and/or Key Staff via direct observations and related reports submitted by employees. Monitoring outcomes are recorded in the Safety Register by: • Specifying the risk or hazard the mitigation is intended to address • Quantifying the improvement – occurrence rate, severity, cost, etc. – the mitigation intends to provide, if practical • Recording and monitoring reports and events to evaluate whether sufficient improvement took place – comparing Risk Assessment Matrix quantified values before and after implementation The CSO is responsible for monitoring and verifying the application of safety risk mitigations but may delegate these tasks to appropriate member(s) of Agency Leadership or Key Staff. The CSO will strive to make use of existing Ames Transit Agency processes and activities before assigning new information collection activities. The CSO and Key Staff review the performance of safety risk mitigations quarterly and determine whether a mitigation was implemented as intended by comparison of observations, quantified values, and supplemental reports. If a mitigation meets the objective(s) set for it four quarters in a row, Key Staff and CSO will close it. That mitigation will no longer be reviewed. If a mitigation is found to be ineffective, inappropriate, or improperly implemented, the CSO will work with appropriate staff to identify solutions. The CSO and Key Staff revise the mitigation to resolve any issues and re-implement the mitigation. If the issues cannot be reasonably resolved, the CSO, in coordination with the Accountable Executive or designee, may repeal the mitigation. Describe activities to conduct investigations of safety events, including the identification of causal factors. Ames Transit Agency investigates reportable safety events, as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Reporting Manual. Other collisions or events that do not meet the NTD threshold are investigated by the CSO and/or the appropriate Assistant Director or their designee. Ames Transit Agency maintains a Safety Event Investigation Guide for conducting investigations of safety events to find causal factors. The CSO maintains all documentation of Ames Transit Agency’s investigation procedures, data, and results for safety events. As detailed in Ames Transit Agency’s procedures, a safety event report (collision report, information report, and/or ESRP report) is prepared and sent to the CSO and/or appropriate Assistant Director for investigation. In addition, collision reports and information reports are reviewed by all members of Key Staff and Agency Leadership. In the event of a collision, the Assistant Director determines whether: • The collision was preventable or non-preventable 14 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 13 • Personnel require discipline or retraining For all other safety events, Key Staff determines whether: • Personnel require discipline or retraining In all instances, the CSO determines whether: • The causal factor(s) indicate(s) that a safety hazard contributed to or was present during the event • The accident appears to involve underlying, organizational causal factors beyond employee behavior Describe activities to monitor information reported through internal safety reporting programs. Internal safety reporting systems are monitored and managed by the CSO, Assistant Directors, and Key Staff members. These systems are utilized in the following ways: • Collision reports are processed and archived for future reference. Relevant data is extracted and recorded in the accident register for monitoring accident statistics and trends. Video is pulled, when available, and reviewed to investigate and monitor safety concerns. • Information reports are reviewed by the Accountable Executive, Agency Leadership, and Key Staff. Video is pulled, when available, to investigate safety and customer service concerns. • ESRP reports are processed via SRM. Safety data is extracted from each report to the safety register before archival. This data is reviewed quarterly. • Customer comment forms are reviewed by select members of Agency Leadership and Key Staff. Related video is pulled to investigate and document reported safety and customer service concerns. • Check rides are conducted and observations of safety concerns are addressed with the employee and recorded in our employee database. • Documented conversations may occur for a number of reasons including safety. These documented conversations are recorded in our employee database. • OSHA logs are kept for all work-related employee illnesses/injuries resulting in a doctor visit. Relevant data is extracted from these sources to inform choices on safety risk mitigations. When necessary, the CSO and/or Key Staff ensure that concerns are investigated or analyzed through Ames Transit Agency’s SRM process. Continuous Improvement Describe activities to assess safety performance annually including the identification of deficiencies in the transit agency’s SMS and deficiencies in the transit agency’s performance against safety performance targets. Ames Transit Agency assesses its SMS and Safety Performance Targets on a yearly basis during its annual ASP review & revision process. This process includes: • Identifying inconsistencies between the ASP and current rules at 49 CFR Part 673 and 49 USC §5329 • Identifying inconsistencies between the ASP and current practices • Updating ASP contents to address identified inconsistencies • Comparing recent performance against safety performance targets • Updating safety performance targets (see appendix for more information) Describe activities to develop and carry out, under the direction of the Accountable Executive, a plan to address any deficiencies identified through the safety performance assessment. Any deficiencies identified within Ames Transit Agency’s SMS are addressed by the CSO under the direction of the Accountable Executive during the annual ASP review & revision process. During this process, a new version of the ASP is drafted by the CSO with updates to comply with current rules within 49 CFR Part 673 and 49 USC §5329. Safety Performance Target deficiencies are identified and addressed via the SRM process. Safety Performance Targets are then updated in the draft based on recent agency and NTD data (see appendix for more information). The draft is reviewed by the Accountable Executive and frontline employee representatives with any further changes being coordinated with the CSO. The draft is then certified by the Accountable Executive before going to the Transit Board for final approval. 15 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 14 7. Safety Promotion Competencies and Training Describe the safety training program for all operations transit workers and transit workers directly responsible for safety. Ames Transit Agency has a strong program of initial training, yearly performance reviews, and recurring training for all operations transit workers and transit workers directly responsible for safety . This program covers areas including de- escalation training, safety concern identification and reporting training, and refresher training. Employees with specific performance problems will have individual retraining sessions designed to address their specific performance issue s. Ames Transit Agency’s Driver’s Manual, Lane Worker Manual, and shop safety procedures document the safety training program for operations and maintenance employees. Training program content is developed collaboratively by the CSO, Transit Trainers, and appropriate personnel. Training program c ontent is archived for review. The CSO will complete appropriate National Transit Institute (NTI) and Transit Safety Institute (TSI) training programs to assure competence in ability to perform the duties of the position. The CSO shall ensure that relevant safety protocols are included in the training programs for transit trainers and in -service instructors. The CSO will collaboratively review and revise with Key Staff the initial driver training program and other Ames Transit Agency training programs. The initial driver training program is provided by Ames Transit Agency’s transit trainers and driver instructors. Out-of- service training occurs during the first 30 to 40 hours of a driver’s tenure. It instructs drivers in policies, bus maneuveri ng, defensive driving, and prepares them to pass the CDL inspection, drive, and road test. In-service training occurs after trainees have obtained their CDL and have satisfactorily completed Out-of-Service training. In-Service takes 60 to 100 hours to complete and depends on trainee competence. Ames Transit Agency trains to a “competent and confident” level and training may be extended based on Transit Trainers’ discretion. The initial training program documents each employee’s training record. Fall and Spring Meetings have safety components developed by the CSO, after review of the previous year performance in the Annual Review process and any prominent safety issues identified in management meetings. Performance targets and areas of emphasis are defined and communicated to all operators in sessions during the Fall and Spring Meetings by the CSO. Maintenance employees attend regular training meetings to refresh and review important safety topics. They are briefed and consulted during their safety meetings when safety performance targets and other areas of emphasis impact the execution of their duties. Safety Communication Describe processes and activities to communicate safety and safety performance information throughout the organization. Ames Transit Agency has a strong and effective safety communication platform for general distribution and individual response. Ames Transit Agency posts detours and memos with information for drivers to review each day at check -in. Updates to the Agency Safety Plan, results of cooperation with frontline employee representatives, p eriodic summaries of ESRP statistics and results, and information on hazards, safety risk, and mitigating actions taken in response to ESRP reports are posted on the safety board and covered in recurring meetings. Changes to operating procedures and policies are communicated via memo. Immediate emergencies are broadcast from dispatch via radio. The internal newsletter and quarterly safety reports are utilized for communicating SMS information and actions taken in response to reports submitted through the ESRP. Individual employees who express a safety concern via the Online Suggestion Box are answered by the CSO or Key Staff through individual conversation. This two-way conversation is documented using an electronic database and the Safety Register when appropriate. For many of these issues, documentation should be as concise as the statement, “I talked to NAME about CONCERN (identify concern), issue resolved.” Some activities from the HIRAM process may result in partial mitigation, no mitigati on, or unintended consequences. If the mitigation process does not completely resolve the issue, the hazard will be incorporated into training, either in initial operator training or in Fall and Spring Meetings. 16 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 15 Appendix Supporting Documentation Include or reference documentation used to implement and carry out the ASP that are not included elsewhere in this Plan. Ames Transit Agency will maintain documentation for the ASP and all other referenced information as outlined in its Records Retention Policy for a minimum of three years. 17 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 16 18 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 17 Below are the risk assessment matrices used in the Risk Assessment phase of the safety plan: 19 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 18 20 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 19 21 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 20 Safety Performance Targets The Safety Performance Target for fatalities is always zero. The other Safety Performance Targets aim to consistently perform better than previous years with respect to Vehicle Revenue Miles (VRM). Safety Performance Targets are reviewed and revised if they are met or unmet for 3 consecutive years. Term Definition Major Events (Total) Yearly (April – March) sum of all NTD-reportable safety & security major events as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual. Major Events (Rate) Major Events (Total) per 100,000 Vehicle Revenue Miles (VRM). Collisions (Rate) Rate of all NTD-reportable collisions as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual per 100,000 VRM. Pedestrian Collisions (Rate) Rate of all NTD-reportable collisions “with a person” as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual per 100,000 VRM. Vehicular Collisions (Rate) Rate of all NTD-reportable collisions “with a motor vehicle” as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual per 100,000 VRM. Fatalities (Total) Yearly (April – March) sum of all NTD-reportable fatalities as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual. Fatalities (Rate) Fatalities (Total) per 100,000 VRM. Transit Worker Fatalities (Rate) Rate of all NTD-reportable transit worker fatalities, including the categories “Transit Employee/Contractor,” “Transit Vehicle Operator,” and “Other Transit Staff,” as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual per 100,000 VRM. Injuries (Total) Yearly (April – March) sum of all NTD-reportable injuries as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual. Injuries (Rate) Injuries (Total) per 100,000 VRM. Transit Worker Injuries (Rate) Rate of all NTD-reportable transit worker injuries, including the categories “Transit Employee/Contractor,” “Transit Vehicle Operator,” and “Other Transit Staff,” as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual per 100,000 VRM. Assaults on Transit Workers (Total) Yearly (April – March) sum of all NTD-reportable assaults on transit workers as defined in the NTD Safety and Security Policy Manual. Assaults on Transit Workers (Rate) Assaults on Transit Workers (Total) per 100,000 VRM. System Reliability (Rate) Yearly (April – March) VRM per major mechanical failure. Major mechanical failure: Mechanical failure which prevents a vehicle from completing or starting a scheduled revenue trip because actual movement is limited or because of safety concerns. Definitions of Special Terms Used in the ASP Term Definition In-Service Training Second phase of training where trainees drive routes and pick up passengers while being observed by an Ames Transit Agency instructor who normally drives the shift, there are different instructors each shift Out-of-Service Training First phase of training where trainees learn to drive the bus, obtain CDL, and are taught expectations for defensive driving, hazard perception, and awareness of the differences between driving a transit bus and driving a personal vehicle Safety First Priority instilled from day one in the organization that safety is Ames Transit Agency’s primary objective and drives decision-making for drivers on the road, dispatchers 22 Agency Safety Plan Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) 21 deciding whether or not to switch out a bus, managers making personnel and discipline decisions, and maintenance personnel actions Safety Event An unexpected outcome resulting in injury or death; damage to or loss of the facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure of a public transportation system; or damage to the environment List of Acronyms Used in the ASP Acronym Word or Phrase AE Accountable Executive AAMPO Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization ASP Agency Safety Plan CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDL Commercial Driver’s License CSO Chief Safety Officer DOT Department of Transportation ESRP Employee Safety Reporting Program EEO Equal Employment Opportunity FTA Federal Transit Administration HIRAM Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Mitigation Approach to SRM IDPH Iowa Department of Public Health KSC Key Staff Committee LRTP Long Range Transportation Plan MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act NTD National Transit Database NTI National Transit Institute NTSB National Transportation Safety Board OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration SMS Safety Management System SRM Safety Risk Management TAM Transit Asset Management TSI Transportation Safety Institute VRM Vehicle Revenue Miles 23