81 FR 30605 - Compendium of Public Transportation Safety Standards

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 95 (May 17, 2016)

FTA is inviting the public to evaluate and provide comments on its Compendium of transit safety standards and protocols. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) requires the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a review of public transportation safety standards and protocols to document existing standards and protocols and examine their efficacy. Following the review, the Secretary also is required to engage with the public in an evaluation of the standards to assess the need to establish additional Federal minimum public transportation safety standards. Upon completion of the review and evaluation, the Secretary must issue a report presenting the findings of the review of standards; the outcome of the evaluation; a comprehensive set of recommendations to improve the safety of the public transportation industry, including recommendations for regulatory changes, if applicable; and actions that the Secretary of the Department of Transportation will take to address the recommendations provided.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30605-30606]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11585]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[Docket No. FTA-2016-0024]


Compendium of Public Transportation Safety Standards

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FTA is inviting the public to evaluate and provide comments on 
its Compendium of transit safety standards and protocols. The Fixing 
America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) requires the Secretary 
of Transportation to conduct a review of public transportation safety 
standards and protocols to document existing standards and protocols 
and examine their efficacy. Following the review, the Secretary also is 
required to engage with the public in an evaluation of the standards to 
assess the need to establish additional Federal minimum public 
transportation safety standards. Upon completion of the review and 
evaluation, the Secretary must issue a report presenting the findings 
of the review of standards; the outcome of the evaluation; a 
comprehensive set of recommendations to improve the safety of the 
public transportation industry, including recommendations for 
regulatory changes, if applicable; and actions that the Secretary of 
the Department of Transportation will take to address the 
recommendations provided.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by June 16, 2016. Comments filed 
after the deadline will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Please submit your comments by only one of the following 
methods, identifying your submission by Docket Number (FTA-2016-0024).
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Submit electronic comments and 
other data to http://www.regulations.gov.
     U.S. Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building, Ground Floor, at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, at (202) 493-2251.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name (Federal Transit 
Administration) and Docket Number (FTA-2016-0024) for this notice, at 
the beginning of your comments. If sent by mail, submit two copies of 
your comments. Due to security procedures in effect since October 2001, 
mail received through the U.S. Postal Service may be subject to delays. 
Parties submitting comments should consider using an express mail firm 
to ensure the prompt filing of any submissions not filed electronically 
or by hand. If you wish to receive confirmation that FTA received your 
comments, you must include a self-addressed stamped postcard. All 
comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 
Anyone is able to search the electronic form for all comments received 
into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the 
comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the United 
States Department of Transportation's (DOT) Privacy Act system of 
records notice for the DOT Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) in 
the Federal Register published on December 29, 2010 (75 FR 82132) at 
http://www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-12-29/pdf/2010-32876.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program matters, contact Brian 
Alberts, Office of Transit Safety and Oversight, (202) 366-1783 or 
[email protected]; or Raj Wagley, Office or Research and 
Innovation, (202)-366-5386 or [email protected].
    Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Overview
II. Summary of Compendium of Public Transportation Safety Standards
III. Questions
IV. Use of Stakeholder Comments

I. Overview

    Section 3020 of the FAST Act requires the Secretary of 
Transportation to conduct a review of public transportation safety 
standards and protocols to assess the efficacy of those standards and 
protocols. The content of the review must include minimum safety 
performance standards developed by the public transportation industry 
and safety performance standards, practices, or protocols in use by 
rail fixed guideway public transportation systems. The review also must 
include rail and bus safety standards, practices, or protocols in use 
by public transportation systems regarding (1) rail and bus design and 
the workstation of rail and bus operators, (2) scheduling fixed route 
rail and bus service with adequate time and access for operators to use 
restroom facilities, (3) fatigue management, (4) and crash avoidance 
and worthiness. Section 3020(b) of the FAST Act requires the Secretary 
to conduct an evaluation following the review in consultation with the 
public transportation industry to assess the need to establish 
additional Federal minimum public transportation safety standards.
    FTA has placed in the docket and on FTA's Web site its review of 
public transportation safety standards and protocols contained as a 
``Compendium of Public Transportation Safety Standards'' (Compendium) 
provided in tabular format. Included within this Compendium are 
standards for all public transportation modes (where available), 
including commuter rail and ferry boat, modes for which regulatory 
oversight rests within another DOT modal administration. FTA seeks 
comments from the public transportation industry on the utilization of 
the standards contained within the Compendium, observations or data 
driven statements of the effectiveness of the standards, and areas

[[Page 30606]]

for which standards should be established by FTA through subsequent 
rulemaking activity.

II. Summary of Compendium of Public Transportation Safety Standards

    The Compendium includes those standards or protocols applicable to 
or used in those transit modes referenced in the National Transit 
Database, including: Rail Transit (Alaska Railroad, Cable Car, Commuter 
Rail, Heavy Rail, Hybrid Rail, Inclined Plan, Light Rail, Monorail/
Automated Guideway, and Streetcar) and Non-Rail Transit (Aerial 
Tramway; Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, Commuter Bus, Demand Response, Demand 
Response Taxi, Ferryboat, Jitney, P[uacute]blico, Trolleybus, and 
Vanpool).
    The Compendium identifies state and Federal regulations, minimum 
safety performance standards that have been developed by the public 
transportation industry (within modes described above), as well as 
those specific standards or protocols in use by rail fixed guideway 
public transportation systems, including those related to emergency 
plans and procedures for passenger evacuations, training programs that 
ensure personnel compliance and readiness in emergency situations, and 
coordination plans with emergency responders.
    The Compendium is a single Excel file with individual tabs within 
the workbook titled ``bus,'' ``rail,'' ``other modes,'' ``and all 
modes'' to aid in the review of the standards presented. Within each of 
these tabs, standards are presented alphabetically by specific source. 
As an example, standards and recommended practices from APTA would 
appear first and standards from ``States'' would be presented last. The 
Compendium is further organized by a series of worksheet column 
headings that include the title of the standard, and the type of 
standard and standard sub and sub-function categories, further defined 
below. The standard development entity, whether a Federal agency, 
Standard Development Organization (SDO), State, State Safety Oversight 
Agency (SSOA), or specific industry association is also identified. 
Hyperlinks to specific standards, protocols, and classification content 
are provided in the Compendium to allow an opportunity for a thorough 
review of those standards and protocols.
    The ``standard types'' used in the Compendium include those 
standards and protocols related to vehicle standards (including 
performance), infrastructure and related items, operational standards, 
personnel (including operator and fatigue management), State of Good 
Repair (SGR), emergency/incident management, and training and 
certifications. Each of these standard types is presented below with 
associated standard sub categories.
    Vehicle Standards: The Vehicle Standards include the following sub 
categories: Vehicle Components and Passenger Equipment Safety 
Standards; Vehicle Crashworthiness; Vehicle Interface/Communications 
Systems; and Vehicle Safety Standards (not related to design of 
construction).
    Infrastructure Standards and Related Items: The Infrastructure 
Standards include the following sub categories: Infrastructure--Fixed 
Structures (includes elevators and escalator safety standards and 
recommended practices); Bridge Safety Standards; Track and Roadbed; and 
Signals and Grade Crossings.
    Operational Standards: The Operational Standards include the 
following sub categories: Operating Rules and Practices and Personnel 
Communications/Communication Procedures.
    Personnel Standards (including Operator and Fatigue Management): 
The Personnel Standards include the following sub categories: Hours of 
Service Standards, Workplace/Worker Safety, Qualifications and 
Certifications of Operators and Engineers, Medical Examination 
Certification, Drug and Alcohol Testing, and Training and 
Certifications.
    State of Good Repair/Maintenance Standards: The State of Good 
Repair/Maintenance Standards include the following sub categories: 
Maintenance and Safety Inspection Standards.
    Emergency/Incident Management Standards: The Emergency/Incident 
Management Standards include the following sub categories: Emergency 
Preparedness/Management and Incident Investigation, Reporting, and 
Recovery.
    If a state or industry organization adopts a Federal regulation by 
reference or a standard developed by a standard development 
organization, this regulation or standard is not reflected in the 
section of the Compendium specific to that state or organization, but 
rather is included within the list of standards from the source Federal 
regulatory body or standard development organization.

III. Questions

    FTA seeks specific comments, and any related statements or 
observations, to the following questions.
    1. Are there standards in place for your system that are not 
reflected in the Compendium?
    2. Are the standards utilized within your system, but not listed in 
the Compendium mandated or promulgated by a Federal or State agency, 
State Safety Oversight Agency, regional regulatory body, or other 
entity? If so, what are they?
    3. What observations or data driven statements can you provide 
stating or documenting the effectiveness of the standards included in 
the Compendium (or those in place for your system, but not reflected in 
the Compendium)?
    4. Based on your experiences or safety-related trends at your 
agency, are there areas of concern for which standards should be 
established by FTA through subsequent rulemaking activity? If so, what 
are they?
    5. Are there specific transit modes and associated areas of risk 
that should be areas of focus for FTA more than others? If so, what are 
they?
    6. If standards were established based on various determinants of 
risk, how should those areas of risk be prioritized? Should standards 
be established based on exposure rates (passenger/vehicle miles), 
number or rate of injuries, or number or rate of fatalities, as 
examples?
    7. Are there any safety standards utilized in the public 
transportation industry that are not reflected in the Compendium nor in 
place within your agency that should be included in the Compendium? If 
so, what are they?
    8. Are you aware of safety standards utilized in other industries 
that should be examined? If so, what are they?
    9. FTA was unable to identify any standards or protocols relates to 
the following topics:
     Reduce blind spots,
     protect rail and bus operators from assaults, and
     allow sufficient time within route schedules for operators 
to use restroom facilities.
    Are you aware of any existing safety standards or protocols that 
may address any of these areas of risk? If so, please identify each 
standard or protocol by its reference and source and provide 
information you may have related to the efficacy of such standard or 
protocol.

IV. Use of Stakeholder Comments

    Comments received will be included in FTA's ongoing evaluation of 
safety standards and the effectiveness of those standards and will be 
reflected in the report issued in accordance with Section 3020(c) of 
the FAST Act.

    Issued on: May 12, 2016.
Carolyn Flowers,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2016-11585 Filed 5-16-16; 8:45 am]
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