System Safety Program

FRA is issuing this final rule to mandate that commuter and intercity passenger railroads develop and implement a system safety program (SSP) to improve the safety of their operations. A SSP is a structured program with proactive processes and procedures, developed and implemented by commuter and intercity passenger railroads to identify and mitigate or eliminate hazards and the resulting risks on each railroad's system. A railroad has the flexibility to tailor a SSP to its specific operations. A SSP will be implemented after receiving approval by FRA of a submitted SSP plan. FRA will audit a railroad's compliance with its SSP.