HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 06 - SLO Transit's Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP)
Department Name: Public Works
Cost Center: 5201
For Agenda of: November 17, 2020
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Matt Horn, Director of Public Works
Prepared By: Gamaliel Anguiano, Transit Manager
SUBJECT: SLO TRANSIT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution (Attachment A) approving the City of San Luis Obispo Transit (SLO
Transit) Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) developed by Caltrans in
compliance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements (49 CFR Part 673).
DISCUSSION
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published the Public Transportation Agency Safety
Plan (PTASP) Final Rule on July 19, 2018 and the PTASP rule became effective on July 19,
2019. The PTASP rule requires operators of public transportation systems that receive federal
funds under FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants (49 U.S.C. § 5307) to develop safety plans
that include the processes and procedures to implement Safety Management Systems (SMS), as
well as a strategic approach to carry out the Transit Asset Management (TAM) Program.
In coordination with Caltrans, SLO Transit developed the contents of the PTASP (Attachment A)
to meet requirements specified in 49 CFR Part 673. The plan’s acceptance by Caltrans and FTA
requires some very specific language and requirements. Therefore, in advance of Council action,
staff has solicited and secured Caltrans’ review and approval of the attached Plan (Attachment B)
to ensure all specified requirements for the plan are being met. The plan being presented, meets
both Caltrans and FTA requirements.
The PTASP is based on the four (4) principles or pillars of SMS:
1. Safety Management Policy
2. Safety Risk Management
3. Safety Assurance
4. Safety Promotion
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This plan includes Safety Performance Targets, which are specific numerical targets based on
the Safety Performance Measures established by FTA in the National Public Transportation
Safety Plan including:
1. Fatalities
2. Injuries
3. Safety Events
4. System Reliability
FTA published a Notice of Enforcement Discretion on April 22, 2020 effectively extending the
PTASP compliance deadline from July 20, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Transit operators must
certify they have a safety plan in place meeting the requirements of the PTASP rule by
December 31, 2020. The plan must be updated, board approved, and certified by the transit
agency annually. Next update is scheduled for July 2021.
COVID Impacts
Note that the FTA requirement for the development of PTASP predates the known existence o f
COVID. The PTASP plan is very specific in its requirements and criteria and thus solely focused
on safety improvements tied to typical transit operations. Thus, the included PTASP is very
specific to addressing those requirements without diverging from them. The Transit division,
however, has developed its own internal pandemic related safety plan, based on CDC guidance
and industry best practice, for the benefit of transit staff and our transit operations contractor,
First Transit. The inclusion of the pandemic safety plan as Attachment C does not require any
City action and is only included as reference only.
Policy Context
Per FTA, this plan and subsequent annual plans will need to be adopted by City Council
Public Engagement
This is an administrative item, so no outside public engagement was completed. Public comment
can be provided to the City Council through written correspondence prior to the meeting and
through public testimony at the meeting.
CONCURRENCE
The plan has been submitted to Caltrans in advance of this meetings to solicit comments and
feedback. Caltrans has provided general acceptance of the attached plan as sufficient to meet
FTA requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in this
report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378.
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FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: N/A Budget Year: FY 2020-21
Funding Identified: N/A
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding Sources Current FY Cost
Annualized
On-going Cost
Total Project
Cost
Transit Fund N/A
State – LCTOP*
State – SGR**
Federal - 5307
Other:
Total
There are no fiscal impacts to the City by establishing and certifying a PTASP. However, if the
City chooses not to establish and certify a PTASP future Urbanized Area Formula Funding
(5307) provided by the FTA may be jeopardized resulting in adverse fiscal impacts to the Transit
Enterprise Fund. The City typically receives approximately $1.3 Million of 5307 funds annually.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Deny submittal of the PTASP established and certified by Caltrans in compliance with
FTA requirements. However, there are potential adverse fiscal impacts to the Transit
Enterprise Fund.
2. Direct Staff to revise and resubmit the PTASP.
Attachments:
a - Draft Resolution
b - Draft Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
c - SLO Transit COVID-19 Emergency Response and Enhanced Cleaning Protocol
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Item 6
R ______
RESOLUTION NO. _____ (2020 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
TRANSIT (SLO TRANSIT) PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY
SAFETY PLAN (PTASP)
WHEREAS, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published the Public Transportation
Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) Final Rule on July 19, 2018 and the rule became effective on July
19, 2019; and
WHEREAS, SLO Transit is required to meet the PTASP rule as a public transportation
system that receives federal funds under FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants (49 U.S.C. §
5307); and
WHEREAS, Caltrans developed the contents of the SLO Transit PTASP to meet the FTA
requirement that a State must draft and certify a safety plan on behalf of any small transportation
provider that is located in that State as specified in Part 673.11(d); and
WHEREAS, the PTASP and subsequent updates must be approved by SLO Transit’s City
Council as specified in Part 673.11(a)(1); and
WHEREAS, FTA published a Notice of Enforcement Discretion on April 22, 2020
effectively extending the PTASP compliance deadline from July 20, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
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Item 6
Resolution No. _____ (2020 Series) Page 2
R ______
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo
that the City of San Luis Obispo Transit (SLO Transit) Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
(PTASP) is hereby approved.
Upon motion of _______________________, seconded by _______________________,
and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was adopted this _____ day of _____________________ 2020.
____________________________________
Mayor Heidi Harmon
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City
of San Luis Obispo, California, on ______________________.
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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City of San Luis Obispo Transit
SLO Transit
919 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP)
Adopted November 17, 2020
_____________________________________ ____________
Signature of Accountable Executive Date
Gamaliel Anguiano, City Transit Manager
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Item 6
Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan Regulation (49 CFR Part 673)
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Contents
Definitions .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Section 1 Transit Agency Information .......................................................................................................... 5
Subsection 1.1 Accountable Executive ......................................................................................................... 5
Subsection 1.2 Chief Safety Officer ............................................................................................................. 5
Section 2 Plan Development, Approval, and Updates .................................................................................. 5
Subsection 2.1 Drafting the Plan................................................................................................................... 6
Subsection 2.2 Signature by the Accountable Executive and Approval by the Board ................................. 6
Subsection 2.3 Certification of Compliance ................................................................................................. 6
Subsection 2.4 Plan Review and Updates ..................................................................................................... 6
Section 3 Safety Performance Targets (SPTs) .............................................................................................. 7
Subsection 3.1 Target Development ............................................................................................................. 7
Section 4 Overview of the Agency’s Safety Management Systems (SMS) ................................................. 9
Section 5 Safety Management Policy ........................................................................................................... 9
Subsection 5.1 Safety Management Policy Statement .................................................................................. 9
Subsection 5.2 Safety Management Policy Communication ...................................................................... 10
Subsection 5.3 Employee Safety Reporting Program ................................................................................. 11
Subsection 5.4 SMS Authorities, Accountabilities, and Responsibilities ................................................... 12
Subsection 5.4.1 Accountable Executive .................................................................................................... 12
Subsection 5.4.2 Chief Safety Officer ........................................................................................................ 13
Subsection 5.4.3 Agency Leadership and Executive Management ............................................................ 13
Subsection 5.4.4 Key Staff .......................................................................................................................... 13
Section 6 Safety Risk Management (SRM) ................................................................................................ 14
Subsection 6.1 Safety Hazard Identification ............................................................................................... 14
Subsection 6.2 Safety Risk Assessment ...................................................................................................... 16
Subsection 6.3 Safety Risk Mitigation ........................................................................................................ 17
Section 7 Safety Assurance ......................................................................................................................... 18
Subsection 7.1 Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement ............................................................ 18
Section 8 Safety Promotion ........................................................................................................................ 20
Subsection 8.1 Safety Communication ....................................................................................................... 20
Section 9 Documentation ............................................................................................................................ 21
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Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan Regulation (49 CFR Part 673)
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Definitions
Accident means an Event that involves any of the following: a loss of life; a report of a serious injury to a
person; a collision of public transportation vehicles; an evacuation for life safety reasons.
Accountable Executive means the single, identifiable person who has ultimate responsibility for carrying
out the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan of the Agency; responsibility for carrying out the
Agency’s Transit Asset Management Plan; and control or direction over the human and capital resources
needed to develop and maintain both the Agency’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, in
accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 5329(d), and the Agency’s Transit Asset Management Plan in accordance
with 49 U.S.C. § 5326.
Agency or Transit Agency means the City of San Luis Obispo Transit (SLO Transit).
San Luis Obispo City Council means governing body of SLO Transit.
Caltrans means the California Department of Transportation
Chief Safety Officer means the adequately trained individual who has responsibility for safety and reports
directly to the Transit Agency’s chief executive officer.
CFR means Code of Federal Regulations.
Event means any Accident, Incident, or Occurrence.
FTA means the Federal Transit Administration, an operating administration within the United States
Department of Transportation.
Hazard means any real or potential condition that can cause injury, illness, or death, damage to or loss of
the facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure of the system, or damage to the environment.
Incident means an Event that involves any of the following: a personal injury that is not a serious injury,
one or more injuries requiring medical transport, or damage to facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or
infrastructure that disrupts the operations of the Transit Agency.
Investigation means the process of determining the causal and contributing factors of an accident,
incident, or hazard, for the purpose of preventing recurrence and mitigating risk.
National Public Transportation Safety Plan means the plan to improve the safety of all public
transportation systems that receive federal financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53.
Occurrence means an Event without any personal injury in which any damage to facilities, equipment,
rolling stock, or infrastructure does not disrupt the operations of the Transit Agency.
Part 673 means 49 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 673.
Performance Measure means an expression based on a quantifiable indicator of performance or condition
that is used to establish targets and to assess progress toward meeting the established targets.
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Performance target means a quantifiable level of performance or condition, expressed as a value for the
measure, to be achieved within a time period required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Risk means the composite of predicted severity and likelihood of the potential effect of a hazard.
Risk mitigation means a method or methods to eliminate or reduce the effects of hazards.
Safety Assurance means processes within the Transit Agency’s Safety Management Systems that function
to ensure the implementation and effectiveness of safety risk mitigation, and to ensure that the Transit
Agency meets or exceeds its safety objectives through the collection, analysis, and assessment of
information.
Safety Management Policy means the Transit Agency’s documented commitment to safety, which defines
the Transit Agency’s safety objectives and the accountabilities and responsibilities of its employees in
regard to safety.
Safety Management Systems (SMS) means the formal, top-down, organization-wide approach to
managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of a Transit Agency’s safety risk mitigation. SMS
includes systematic procedures, practices, and policies for managing risks and hazards.
Safety Performance Target (SPT) means a Performance Target related to safety management activities.
Safety Promotion means a combination of training and communication of safety information to support
SMS as applied to the Transit Agency’s public transportation system.
Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) means the formal activity whereby the Transit Agency determines Safety
Risk Management priorities by establishing the significance or value of its safety risks.
Safety Risk Management (SRM) means a process within the Transit Agency’s Public Transportation
Agency Safety Plan for identifying hazards and analyzing, assessing, and mitigating safety risk.
Serious injury means any injury which: (1) requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours, commencing
within seven days from the date the injury was received, (2) results in a fracture of any bone (except
simple fractures of fingers, toes, or noses), (3) causes severe hemorrhages, nerve, muscle, or tendon
damage; (4) involves any internal organ, or (5) involves second or third-degree burns, or any burns
affecting more than five percent of the body surface.
State of Good Repair (SGR) means the condition in which a capital asset is able to operate at a full level
of performance.
Transit Asset Management Plan means the strategic and systematic practice of procuring, operating,
inspecting, maintaining, rehabilitating, and replacing transit capital assets to manage their performance,
risks, and costs over their life cycles, for the purpose of providing safe, cost-effective, and reliable public
transportation, as required by 49 U.S.C. 5326 and 49 CFR part 625.
U.S.C. means United States Code.
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Section 1 Transit Agency Information
The City of San Luis Obispo Transit (SLO Transit), a program of the City’s Public Works
Department, is the local fixed-route public transit operation within the city limits of San Luis
Obispo and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). Service operations and vehicle
maintenance are provided by a third-party contractor (First Transit, Inc.). SLO Transit is a
recipient of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5307 funds and does not provide
transportation services on behalf of another entity.
Subsection 1.1 Accountable Executive
SLO Transit’s Accountable Executive is the City Transit Manager. The City Transit Manager is
the single, identifiable person who has ultimate responsibility for carrying out this Agency Safety
Plan and the Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan, and control or direction over the human
and capital resources needed to develop and maintain both this Plan and the TAM Plan.
The City Transit Manager is accountable for ensuring that the Agency’s Safety Management
Systems (SMS) is effectively implemented throughout the Agency’s public transportation
system. The City Transit Manager is accountable for ensuring action is taken, as necessary, to
address substandard performance in the Agency’s SMS. The City Transit Manager may delegate
specific responsibilities, but the ultimate accountability for the Transit Agency’s safety
performance cannot be delegated and always rests with the City Transit Manager.
Subsection 1.2 Chief Safety Officer
As a small public transportation provider, SLO Transit’s designated Chief Safety Officer is the
contracting General Manager who has the authority and responsibility for day-to-day
implementation and operation of the Agency’s SMS. The Chief Safety Officer has a strong
working relationship with the operations and asset management functions at SLO Transit.
Section 2 Plan Development, Approval, and Updates
Caltrans developed the contents of this SLO Transit plan to meet requirements specified in 49 CFR
Part 673 and comply with Part 673.11(d) regarding Caltrans’ responsibility to develop an ASP for
any small public transportation provider that is located in California. This Plan is based on the four
(4) principles or pillars of the Safety Management Systems (SMS). SMS is defined as the formal,
top-down, organization-wide, data-driven approach to managing safety risk and assuring the
effectiveness of safety mitigations. It includes systematic policies, procedures, and practices for the
management of safety risk. The four principles or pillars of SMS are: (1) Safety Management Policy;
(2) Safety Risk Management; (3) Safety Assurance; and (4) Safety Promotion.
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Subsection 2.1 Drafting the Plan
Caltrans drafted this Plan, thus meeting the requirements of 49 CFR Part 673.11(d). FTA will
oversee compliance with the requirements of Part 673 through the existing Triennial Review
processes.
Should SLO Transit no longer meet the definition of a small public transportation provider or
choose to opt-out of the Caltrans Agency Safety Plan, within one year from the date of notifying
the State of either development SLO Transit will draft and certify its own Agency Safety Plan. If
SLO Transit operates more than 100 vehicles SLO Transit must fulfill requirements of systems
operating more than 100 vehicles.
Subsection 2.2 Signature by the Accountable Executive and Approval by the Board
Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 673.11 (a)(1), this Agency Safety Plan and subsequent updates must be
signed by the Accountable Executive and approved by SLO Transit’s Board. Documentation of
Board approval is found in Appendix A.
Subsection 2.3 Certification of Compliance
Pursuant to 49 CFR Parts 673.13(a) and 673.13(b), Caltrans certifies that it has established this
Agency Safety Plan, meeting the requirements of 49 CFR Part 673 by July 20, 2020 and will
certify its compliance with 49 CFR Part 673.
FTA published a Notice of Enforcement Discretion on April 22, 2020 effectively extending the
PTASP compliance deadline from July 20, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Transit operators must
certify they have a safety plan in place meeting the requirements of the rule by December 31,
2020. The plan must be updated and certified by the transit agency annually.
After Caltrans initial certification, and on an annual basis SLO Transit must update this Agency
Safety Plan by July in perpetuity. All Agency Safety Plan updates shall be signed by the
Accountable Executive and approved by SLO Transit’s Board.
FTA does not require this plan to be submitted to FTA. Instead, Caltrans will certify that it has
established this Safety Plan, which fulfills the requirements under Part 673. FTA annually
amends and issues the list of Certifications and Assurances. Caltrans will review such guidance
for incorporation into the safety program as necessary.
Subsection 2.4 Plan Review and Updates
SLO Transit updates this Safety Plan when information, processes or activities change within the
Agency and/or when Part 673 undergoes significant changes, or annually, whichever comes
sooner. As SLO Transit collects data through its Safety Risk Management and Safety Assurance
processes, shared with Caltrans and the local Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as
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described in subsection 3.1 below, the MPO and Caltrans will evaluate SLO Transit’s safety
performance targets (SPTs) to determine whether they need to be changed, as well.
This Plan will be jointly reviewed and updated by the City Transit Coordinator, with the
assistance of subject matter experts, each April. The Accountable Executive will approve any
changes, then forward on to the Board for approval.
This Plan may need to be reviewed and updated more frequently based on the following:
We determine our approach to mitigating safety deficiencies is ineffective;
We make significant changes to service delivery;
We introduce new processes or procedures that may impact safety;
We change or re-prioritize resources available to support SMS;
We significantly change our organizational structure.
Version Number and Updates
Record the complete history of successive versions of this plan.
Version
Number Section/Pages Affected Reason for Change Date Issued
1.0 All Original Plan 11/17/2020
Section 3 Safety Performance Targets (SPTs)
Subsection 3.1 Target Development
SLO Transit includes SPTs in this Safety Plan. These targets are specific numerical targets set by
SLO Transit and based on the safety Performance Measures established by FTA in the National
Public Transportation Safety Plan. In the most recent version, the 2017 NSP3, FTA adopted four
initial safety Performance Measures: (1) Fatalities, (2) Injuries, (3) Safety Events, and (4) System
Reliability.
SLO Transit developed safety performance targets that it will review and update annually. The
specific safety performance targets are based on the safety performance measures established
under the National Public Transportation Safety Plan and the safety performance goals set by
Caltrans based on the past three (3) fiscal years of data. The Safety Performance Targets for SLO
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Transit for the Fiscal Year 2020-21 is expected to stay within 1% +/- of previous three years data
pertaining to fatalities, injuries, safety events, and system reliability.
Note: Baseline data for each target will need to be provided by each agency for Caltrans to
develop goals.
FTA requires Caltrans to coordinate with SLO Transit and the Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO), San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), to the maximum
extent practicable. Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 673.15(a), SLO Transit will make safety
performance targets available to SLOCOG to aid in the planning process upon certification of
this plan. Additionally, SLO Transit will transmit performance data against the safety
performance targets to Caltrans and SLOCOG on an annual basis.
Caltrans will conduct coordination meetings with SLOCOG for the selection of State and MPO
safety performance targets and goals.
SLO Transit established safety performance targets for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30,
2021, based on safety performance measures established under the National Public Transportation
Safety Plan.
Safety Performance Targets
Based on the safety performance measures established under the National Public Transportation Safety Plan.
Mode of Transit Service Fatalities
(total)
Injuries
(total)
Safety
Events
(total)
System
Reliability
(VRM / failures)
Fixed Route Integer Target 0 0 0 4,211
Fixed Route Target per Vehicle Revenue Mile 0 0 0 0.01
Safety Performance Target Coordination
Targets
Transmitted to
the State
State Entity Name Date Targets Transmitted
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 11/17/2020
Targets
Transmitted to
the Metropolitan
Planning
Organization
Metropolitan Planning Organization Name Date Targets Transmitted
San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
(SLOCOG)
11/17/2020
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Section 4 Overview of the Agency’s Safety Management Systems (SMS)
SMS is a comprehensive, collaborative approach that brings management and labor together to
build on the transit industry’s existing safety foundation to control risk better, detect and correct
safety problems earlier, share and analyze safety data more effectively, and measure safety
performance more carefully. SLO Transit’s SMS focuses on applying resources to risk and is
based on ensuring that SLO Transit has the organizational infrastructure to support decision-
making at all levels regarding the assignment of resources. Some key parts of SLO Transit’s
SMS include:
Defined roles and responsibilities;
Strong executive safety leadership;
Formal safety accountabilities and communication;
Effective policies and procedures; and
Active employee involvement
Furthermore, SLO Transit’s SMS have four distinct components, which are discussed in
subsequent sections to this Safety Plan:
Safety Policy
Safety Risk Management
Safety Assurance
Safety Promotion
Section 5 Safety Management Policy
The first component of SLO Transit’s SMS is the Safety Management Policy, which is the
foundation of SLO Transit’s safety management system. It clearly states the organization’s
safety objectives and sets forth the policies, procedures, and organizational structures necessary
to accomplish the safety objectives. The Safety Management Policy clearly defines management
and employee responsibilities for safety throughout the organization. It also ensures that
management is actively engaged in the oversight of the system’s safety performance by requiring
regular review of the Safety Management Policy, budget and program by the designated
Accountable Executive.
Subsection 5.1 Safety Management Policy Statement
Safety is a core value at SLO Transit, and managing safety is a core business function. SLO
Transit will develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve processes to ensure the
safety of our customers, employees, and the public. SLO Transit’s overall safety objective is to
proactively manage safety hazards and their associated safety risk, with the intent to eliminate
unacceptable safety risk in our transit operations.
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SLO Transit will:
Clearly, and continuously explain to all staff that everyone working within SLO Transit
must take part and be responsible and accountable for the development and operation of
the Safety Management System (SMS).
Work continuously to minimize safety risks. Work to comply with and, wherever
possible, exceed legislative and regulatory requirements and standards for passengers and
employees.
Work to ensure that all employees are provided appropriate safety information and
training, are competent in safety matters, and assigned tasks commensurate with duties
and skills.
Reaffirm that responsibility for making our operations safer for everyone lies with all
employees – from executive management to frontline employees. Each manager is
responsible for implementing the SMS in their area of responsibility and will be held
accountable to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to perform activities established
through the SMS.
Caltrans established safety performance targets to help measure the overall effectiveness of our
processes and ensure we meet our safety objectives. SLO Transit will keep employees informed
about safety performance goals and objectives to ensure continuous safety improvement.
Subsection 5.2 Safety Management Policy Communication
The Safety Management Policy is communicated throughout the Agency, to all employees,
managers, and executives, as well as contractors, and to the Board.
This is accomplished through various processes such as:
Workshops/training sessions - Conducted for Senior Management, Directors, Managers,
Supervisors. Once this Plan or any update to this Plan has been signed by the
Accountable Executive approved by the Board and certified by Caltrans it will become
standard practice in perpetuity so that SMS becomes standard business practice. All
Union representatives will be kept informed.
New Hire Safety Orientation – All new employees regardless of their classifications will
be trained about their roles and responsibilities pertaining to PTASP and the principles of
SMS.
Safety bulletins, email safety newsletter blasts to staff, and monthly safety meetings
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Subsection 5.3 Employee Safety Reporting Program
SLO Transit implemented a process that allows employees and contracted employees to report
safety conditions to senior management, protections for employees who report safety conditions
to senior management. The purpose, description and protections for employees to report unsafe
conditions and hazards are described in the Employee Safety Reporting Program as below:
Purpose:
a) To establish a system for SLO Transit employees to identify unsafe conditions or hazards at
work and report them to their department management without fear of reprisal. However,
disciplinary action could result if the condition reported reveals the employee willfully
participated in or conducted an illegal act, gross negligence or deliberate or willful disregard of
regulations or procedures, including reporting to work under the influence of controlled
substances, physical assault of a coworker or passenger, theft of agency property, unreported
safety events, unreported collisions, and unreported passenger injuries or fatalities.
b) To provide guidelines for facilitating the timely correction of unsafe conditions or hazards by
SLO Transit management.
Description:
a) This program provides a method for SLO Transit management to identify, evaluate, and
correct or avoid unsafe conditions or hazards, procedural deficiencies, design inadequacies,
equipment failures, or near misses that adversely affect the safety of employees.
Examples of voluntary safety reports include:
Safety hazards in the operating environment (for example, county or city road
conditions),
Policies and procedures that are not working as intended (for example, insufficient time
to complete pre-trip inspection),
Events that senior managers might not otherwise know about (for example, near misses),
and
Information about why a safety event occurred (for example, radio communication
challenges).
b) The program also involves recommending corrective actions and resolutions of identified
unsafe conditions or hazards and/or near miss.
c) All employees have the obligation to report immediately any unsafe conditions or hazards and
near miss to their immediate supervisor /department manager and may do so without fear of
reprisal.
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d) Unsafe conditions or hazards may also be identified as a result of occupational injury or
illness investigations and/or by accident investigation.
e) Other means by which hazards may be identified are inspections/audits or observations made
by the supervisors/management staff as referenced in agency’s Safety Inspection Program.
f) Findings will be published immediately following mitigation actions. If employee
identification is available, direct feedback regarding mitigation will be provided.
Subsection 5.4 SMS Authorities, Accountabilities, and Responsibilities
This Plan has assigned specific SMS authorities, accountabilities, and responsibilities to the
designated Accountable Executive; Chief Safety Officer; Agency’s Leadership/Executive
Management; and Key Staff/Employees as described below and displayed in Appendix B:
Subsection 5.4.1 Accountable Executive
SLO Transit’s Accountable Executive is the City Transit Manager. The City Transit Manager is
accountable for ensuring that the Agency’s SMS is effectively implemented throughout the
Agency’s public transportation system. The City Transit Manager is accountable for ensuring
action is taken, as necessary, to address substandard performance in the Agency’s SMS. The City
Transit Manager may delegate specific responsibilities, but the ultimate accountability for SLO
Transit’s safety performance cannot be delegated and always rests with the City Transit
Manager. The City Transit Manager is accountable for ensuring that the Agency’s SMS is
effectively implemented, and that action is taken, as necessary, to address substandard
performance in the Agency’s SMS. The Accountable Executive may delegate specific
responsibilities, but not accountability for SLO Transit’s safety performance.
The City Transit Manager’s roles include, but are not limited to:
Decision-making about resources (e.g. people and funds) to support asset management,
SMS activities, and capital investments;
Signing SMS implementation planning documents;
Endorsing SMS implementation team membership; and
Ensuring safety concerns are considered and addressed in the agency’s ongoing budget
planning process.
Ensuring transparency in safety priorities: for the Board and for the employees.
Establishing guidance on the level of safety risk acceptable to the agency.
Assuring safety policy is appropriately communicated throughout the agency.
Other duties as assigned/necessary.
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Subsection 5.4.2 Chief Safety Officer
The Chief Safety Officer has the authority and responsibility for day-to-day implementation and
operation of SLO Transit’s SMS.
Chief Safety Officer’s Roles include:
Decision-making about resources (e.g., people and funds) to support asset management,
SMS activities, and capital investments;
Overseeing the safety risk management program by facilitating hazard identification,
safety risk assessment, and the development and implementation of safety risk
mitigations.
Monitoring safety risk mitigation activities;
Providing periodic reports on safety performance;
Briefing the Accountable Executive on SMS implementation progress;
Planning safety management training; and
Developing and organizing annual audits/reviews of SMS processes and the Agency
Safety Plan to ensure compliance with 49 CFR Part 673 requirements.
Maintaining safety documentation.
Other duties as assigned/necessary.
Subsection 5.4.3 Agency Leadership and Executive Management
The contracting General Manager, Operations Manager, Safety Manager, and Maintenance
Manager comprise Agency Leadership. Some of their responsibilities include:
Day-to-day implementation of the Agency’s SMS throughout their department and the
organization.
Communicating safety accountability and responsibility from the frontline employees to
the top of the organization.
Ensuring employees are following their working rules and procedures, safety rules and
regulations in performing their jobs, and their specific roles and responsibilities in the
implementation of this Agency Safety Plan and the Agency’s SMS.
Ensuring that employees comply with the safety reporting program and are reporting
unsafe conditions and hazards to their department management; and making sure reported
unsafe conditions and hazards are addressed in a timely manner.
Ensuring that resources are sufficient to carry out employee training/certification and re-
training as required by their job classifications.
Subsection 5.4.4 Key Staff
The agency Key Staff/Employees may include managers, supervisors, specialists, analysts,
database administrators, and other key employees who are performing highly technical work and
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overseeing employees performing critical tasks and providing support in the implementation of
this Agency Safety Plan and SMS principles in various departments throughout the agency.
SLO Transit’s Key Staff/Employees responsibilities include:
Ensuring that employees are complying with the safety reporting program.
Ensuring supervisors are conducting their toolbox safety meetings
Promoting safety in employee’s respective area of responsibilities – That means: zero
accidents; absence of any safety concerns; perfect employee performance; and
compliance with agency rules and procedures and regulatory requirements.
Ensuring safety of passengers, employees, and the public.
Responding to customer complaints and expectations for frequency, reliability, and
convenience of service.
Replacing and maintaining aging facilities, equipment, and infrastructure.
Meeting increasing demands for fixed route, commuter service and paratransit service.
Developing and maintaining programs to gather pertinent data elements to develop safety
performance reports and conduct useful statistical analyses to identify trends and system
performance targets.
Establishing clear lines of safety communication and holding accountability for safety
performance.
Assisting as subject matter experts in safety risk assessment and safety risk mitigation
processes.
Section 6 Safety Risk Management (SRM)
The second component of SLO Transit’s SMS is Safety Risk Management, which includes
processes and procedures to provide an understanding of the Agency’s operations and vehicle
maintenance to allow individuals to identify hazards associated with those activities.
SLO Transit has implemented a Safety Risk Management process for all elements of its
transportation system. The Safety Risk Management process includes the following activities:
safety hazard identification, safety risk assessment, and safety risk mitigation.
Subsection 6.1 Safety Hazard Identification
Hazard identification is the first step in the Safety Risk Management process and a key component. It
involves these fundamental safety-related activities: Identifying safety hazards and their
consequences; assessing the risks associated with the consequences of the hazards; and developing
mitigations to reduce the potential consequences of the identified hazards.
The following is SLO Transit’s methods and processes to identify hazards. The Agency
considers, as a source for hazard identification, data and information provided by an oversight
authority and the FTA. Hazards are identified through a variety of sources, including:
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Employee safety reporting,
Review of vehicle camera footage,
Review of monthly performance data and safety performance targets,
Observations from supervisors,
Maintenance reports,
Comments from customers, passengers, and third parties,
Safety committee, driver and all-staff meetings,
Results of audits and inspections of vehicles and facilities,
Results of training assessments
Investigations into safety events, incidents and occurrences, and
Information from FTA and oversight authorities.
When a hazard has been identified, whatever the source, it is reported to the SLO Transit Chief
Safety Officer, who enters it into the Hazard Log. The Chief Safety Officer also may enter
hazards into this log based on reviews of operations and maintenance activities and procedures.
The Chief Safety Officer will investigate hazards to collect information and determine if hazards
need to be entered into the safety risk assessment process. In following up on identified hazards,
the Chief Safety Officer may:
Reach out to the reporting party, if available, to gather all known information about the
reported hazard,
Conduct a walkthrough of the affected area, assessing the possible hazardous condition,
generating visual documentation (photographs and/or video), and taking any
measurements deemed necessary,
Conduct interviews with employees in the area to gather potentially relevant information
on the reported hazard,
Review any documentation associated with the hazard (records, reports, procedures,
inspections, technical documents, etc.),
Contact other departments that may have association with or technical knowledge
relevant to the reported hazard,
Review any past reported hazards of a similar nature, and
Evaluate tasks and/or processes associated with the reported hazard.
Any identified hazard that poses an immediate risk to transit operations, the health and safety of
employees or the public, or equipment must immediately be brought to the attention of the
Accountable Executive and placed through the Safety Risk Management process for safety risk
assessment and mitigation. Otherwise, hazards will be prioritized for further Safety Risk
Management activity.
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Subsection 6.2 Safety Risk Assessment
Safety risk assessment defines the level or degree of the safety risk by assessing the likelihood
and severity of the consequences of hazards and prioritizes hazards based on the safety risk. The
Chief Safety Officer, with assistance from key staff subject matter experts, is responsible for
assessing identified hazards and ratings using the safety risk matrix below. Prioritizing safety
risk provides the Accountable Executive with the information needed to make decisions about
resource application.
The following matrix, adopted from the TSI Participation Guide – SMS Principles for Transit,
facilitates the ranking of hazards based on their probability of occurrence and severity of their
outcome.
Probability Levels
Description Level Specific Individual Item Fleet Inventory
Frequent A Likely to occur often in the life of an item. Continuously experienced.
Probable B Will occur several times in the life of an
item. Will occur frequently.
Occasional C Likely to occur sometime in the life of an
item. Will occur several times.
Remote D Unlikely, but possible to occur in the life
of an item.
Unlikely, but can reasonably be expected
to occur.
Improbable E
So unlikely, it can be assumed occurrence
man not be experienced in the life of an
item.
Unlikely to occur, but possible.
Eliminated F
Incapable of occurrence. This level is used
when potential hazards are identified and
later eliminated.
Incapable of occurrence. This level is used
when potential hazards are identified and
later eliminated.
The measuring goes from A to F with A being frequent or likely to occur frequently and E being
improbable or expected that this event will most likely never occur. The designation F is used
when potential hazards are identified and later eliminated.
Severity Levels
Description Level Mishap Result Criteria
Catastrophic 1
Could Result in one or more of the following: death, permanent total disability,
irreversible significant environmental impact, or monetary loss equal to or exceeding
$10M
Critical 2
Could result in one or more of the following: permanent partial disability, injuries or
occupational illness that may result in hospitalization of at least three personnel,
reversible significant environmental impact, or monetary loss equal to or exceeding
$1M but less than $10M
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Severity Levels
Marginal 3
Could result in one or more of the following: injuries or occupational illness resulting in
one or more lost work day(s), reversible moderate environmental impact, or monetary
loss equal to or exceeding $100k but less than $1M
Negligible 4
Could result in one or more of the following: injuries or occupational illness not
resulting in lost work day, minimum environmental impact. Or monetary loss less than
$100k.
The Safety Risk Severity Table presents a typical safety risk. It includes four categories to denote
the level of severity of the occurrence of a consequence, the meaning of each category, and the
assignment of a value to each category using numbers. In this table, 1 is considered catastrophic
meaning possible deaths and equipment destroyed and 4 is considered negligible or of little
consequence with two levels in between.
Safety Risk Probability and Safety Risk Severity are combined into the Safety Risk Index
Ranking to help prioritize safety risks according to the table below.
Safety Risk Assessment Matrix
Severity
Probability
Catastrophic
1
Critical
2
Marginal
3
Negligible
4
A-Frequent 1A 2A 3A 4A
B- Probable 1B 2B 3B 4B
C-Occasional 1C 2C 3C 4C
D- Remote 1D 2D 3D 4D
E- Improbable 1E 2E 3E 4E
F- Eliminated
Safety Risk Index Ranking
1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B High Unacceptable
1D, 2C, 3A, 3B Serious Undesirable - With management decision required
1E, 2D, 2E, 3C, 3D, 3E, 4A, 4B, Medium Acceptable - with review by management
4C, 4D, 4E Low Acceptable - without review
The Chief Safety Officer documents recommendations regarding hazard rating and mitigation options and
reports this information to the Accountable Executive.
Subsection 6.3 Safety Risk Mitigation
The Chief Safety Officer, assisted by Key Staff subject matter experts, reviews current safety
risk mitigations and establish procedures to 1) eliminate; 2) mitigate; 3) accept specific risks.
Prioritization of safety remediation measures is based on risk analysis and a course of action
acceptable to SLO Transit management.
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The safety risk must be mitigated if ranked as Unacceptable (High- Red). Those safety risks that
have been mitigated, even those mitigated risks shown as Acceptable status (Low -Green)
undergo regular and consistent monitoring to ensure the mitigation strategy is effective.
Key strategies to minimize the types of risks that potentially exist include:
Development and deployment of policies and procedures that address known hazards and
risks,
Discussion of other actions, strategies and procedures that might help safeguard against
unknown/unforeseen risks,
Training of drivers and other agency staff on all safety policies and procedures,
Training of drivers and other agency staff on methodologies for handling emergencies,
and
Training of drivers and staff on proper and effective use of emergency equipment and
communication technologies and protocol.
Safety risk mitigations are tracked and updated in the Hazard Log by the Chief Safety Officer.
Section 7 Safety Assurance
The third component of the Agency’s SMS is Safety Assurance, which ensures the performance
and effectiveness of safety risk controls established under safety risk management. Safety
assurance also helps ensure that the organization meets or exceeds its safety objectives through
the collection, analysis, and assessment of data regarding the organization's performance. Safety
assurance includes inspection activities to support oversight and performance monitoring.
SLO Transit monitors its operations and maintenance protocols and procedures, and any safety
risk mitigations to ensure that it is implementing them as planned. Furthermore, the Agency
investigates safety events (as defined in Appendix C) and any reports of non-compliance with
applicable regulations, standards, and legal authority. Finally, the Agency continually monitors
information reported to it through any internal safety reporting programs, including the employee
safety reporting program.
Some of the key elements of SLO Transit’s Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement
are shown below in subsection 7.1:
Subsection 7.1 Safety Performance Monitoring and Measurement
As part of the Safety Assurance Process, SLO Transit:
Monitors the system for compliance with, and sufficiency of, the Agency’s procedures
for operations and maintenance through:
o Safety audits,
o Informal inspections,
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o Regular review of on-board camera footage to assess drivers and specific
incidents,
o Safety surveys,
o Employee safety reporting program,
o Investigation of safety occurrences,
o Safety review prior to the launch or modification of any facet of service,
o Daily data gathering and monitoring of data relating to the delivery of service,
o Regular vehicle inspections and preventative maintenance, and
o Continuous feedback loop between leadership and all levels of the agency.
Monitors its operations to identify any safety risk mitigations that may be ineffective,
inappropriate, or were not implemented as intended through:
o Reviewing results from accident, incident, and occurrence investigations,
o Monitoring employee safety reporting,
o Reviewing results of internal safety audits and inspections, and
o Analyzing operational and safety data to identify emerging safety concerns.
Conducts investigations of safety events to identify causal factors; and
Monitors information reported through any internal safety reporting programs.
o The Chief Safety Officer routinely reviews safety data captured in employee
safety reports, safety meeting minutes, customer complaints, and other safety
communication channels. When necessary, the Chief Safety Officer ensures that
the issues and concerns are investigated or analyzed through the safety risk
assessment process.
o The Chief Safety Officer also reviews the results of internal and external reviews,
including audits and assessments, with findings affecting safety performance,
compliance with operations and maintenance procedures, or the effectiveness of
safety risk mitigations. The Chief Safety Officer discusses relevant safety issues
and concerns with the Accountable Executive and executive management and
documents the results of these reviews in the Hazard Log.
In the event of a fatality, SLO Transit complies with all FTA drug and alcohol requirements.
In California, every driver involved in an accident that results in death, injury, or property
damage over $1000, effective January 1, 2017, must report the accident on a Report of Traffic
Accident Occurring in California (SR 1) form to DMV. The report forms are available at
www.dmv.ca.gov, by calling 1-800-777-0133, and at CHP and DMV offices. Also, under
California Vehicle Code §16002(b) the driver of a vehicle that is owned or operated by a
publicly owned or operated transit system, or that is operated under contract with a publicly
owned or operated transit system, and that is used to provide regularly scheduled transportation
to the general public or for other official business of the system shall, within 10 days of the
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occurrence of the accident, report to the transit system any accident of a type otherwise required
to be reported pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 16000 . SLO Transit requires driver
notification to SLO Transit immediately and maintains records of any report filed pursuant to
this paragraph.
Section 8 Safety Promotion
The fourth component of the Agency’s SMS is Safety Promotion, which includes a combination
of training and communication of safety information to employees to enhance the Agency’s
safety performance. Safety Promotion sets the tone for the SMS and helps SLO Transit to
establish and maintain a robust safety culture. Safety Promotion has two-components: (1) Safety
Communication; and (2) Competencies and Training.
Subsection 8.1 Safety Communication
SLO Transit communicates safety and safety performance information throughout the
organization that, at a minimum, conveys information on hazards and safety risks relevant to
employees’ roles and responsibilities and informs employees of safety actions taken in response
to reports submitted through an employee safety reporting program.
Ongoing safety communication is critical and SLO Transit ensures communication occurs up,
down, and across all levels of the organization. Any lessons learned are communicated to all
concerned. Management commitment to address safety concerns and hazards is communicated
on a regular basis. Management encourages and motivates employees to communicate openly,
authentically, and without concern for reprisal; ensures employees are aware of SMS principles
and understand their safety-related roles and responsibilities; conveys safety critical information
such as accident data, injuries, and reported safety concerns and hazards and their resolutions to
employees. SLO Transit’s tools to support safety communication include:
Safety bulletins
Safety notices
Posters
CDs or Thumb drives or online safety video access
Newsletters
Briefings or Toolbox talks
Seminars and workshops
New employee training and refresher training
Intranet or social media
Monthly Safety Meetings
Competencies and Training: Executive Management ensures that all employees attend the
training provided to understand their specific roles and responsibilities for the implementation of
SMS. SLO Transit provides SMS training in the following areas:
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All Employees:
Understanding of Safety Performance Targets
Understanding of fundamental principles of SMS
Understanding of Safety Reporting Program – Reporting unsafe conditions and
hazards/near misses
Understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities under SMS
Managers and Supervisors
Understanding of Safety Risk Management
Understanding of Safety Assurance
Understanding of Safety Promotion
Understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities for SMS
Executive Management:
Understanding of management commitment to and support of all SMS activities.
All employees are required to acquire the competencies and knowledge for the consistent
application of their skills as they relate to safety performance objectives. SLO Transit dedicates
resources to conduct effective safety-related skill training. The scope of the safety training is
appropriate to each employee’s individual safety-related job responsibilities and their role in
SMS. Components of SLO Transit’s skill-related training include:
Conducting training needs analyses to ensure that the right information is being taught to
the right employees using the most efficient training methods.
Communicating purpose, objectives, and outcome.
Ensuring relevant content by directly linking training to the trainee’s job experiences so
trainees are more motivated to learn.
Using active hands-on demonstrations and practice to demonstrate skills that are being
taught and provide opportunities for trainees to practice skills.
Providing regular feedback during hands-on practice and exercises.
Reinforcing training concepts in the post-training work environment by giving employees
opportunities to perform what they’ve learned.
Section 9 Documentation
Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 673.31, SLO Transit maintains records related to this Safety Plan and
SMS implementation for a minimum of three years. These documents include but are not limited
to the results from SMS processes and activities. SLO Transit will make these documents
available to FTA Region 9, Caltrans, and other Federal and state agencies upon request.
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Appendices
A – Council Resolution – SLO Transit Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP)
B – Organizational Chart (FY 2020-21)
C – Examples of Safety Event Investigation (First Transit)
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Appendix A – Board Approval – Signed Council Resolution
Signed Council resolution to be included following Board approval.
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Appendix B - Organizational Chart FY 2020-21
Approving Board
San Luis Obispo City
Council
Accountable Executive
City Transit Manager
Chief Safety Officer
Contracting General
Manager
Key Staff
Contracting Safety
Manager
Key Staff
Contracting Operations
Manager
Key Staff
Contracting
Maintenance Manager
Supporting Review
Team
City Transit Coordinator
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Appendix C – Examples of Safety Event Investigation (First Transit, Inc.)
Report of Unusual Incident
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Near Miss and Hazard Report
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Root Cause Analysis
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COVID-19 – Emergency Response and Enhanced Cleaning Protocol for
SLO Transit
The City of San Luis Obispo continues to provide fixed -route public transit (SLO Transit) to meet travel
needs within our community. Many individuals depend on public trans it for access to vital services
including employment, medical care, and community services. SLO Transit has been taking preventative
steps to provide healthy and safe public transit for all.
In response to the California declared State of Emergency, the City began implementing emergency
response plans as well as extra precautions as guided by the County of San Luis Obispo Public Health
Department to reduce the spread of COV ID-19. These precautions include a more stringent and
regimented cleaning schedule and enhanced cleaning methods to keep buses disinfected and sanitized.
Enhanced cleaning efforts include disinfecting vehicles every 24 hours and cleaning frequently touched
surfaces during daily service.
Additionally, the City implemented modified bus service, limited passenger capacity, and reduced seating
to help promote physical distancing on board. Service levels have been monitored and adjusted to meet
service demand and promote passenger distancing.
To help protect the health of fellow passengers and drivers, SLO Transit passengers are encouraged to use
public transit for essential travel, wash hands regularly, and remain home or pursue alternatives to public
transit if sick. In accordance with the California State mandate, passengers are required to wear face
coverings when waiting for or riding on the bus.
SLO Transit will continue to implement these measures to maintain health and wellness within our
community. SLO Transit is here for you now with essential travel and we are here for you as our
community is supporting one another on the road to recovery.
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Precautionary Measures
Face Coverings
• Provided to operations team for employee PPE. Face coverings include N95 protective masks ,
single use face masks (3ply), and SLO Transit promotional masks.
• Drivers wear face coverings while in service on buses as well as at the bus yard and public
facilities.
• June 2020 – Per the State mandate, passengers are required to wear a face covering when waiting
for or riding on public transportation. Face coverings help minimize the spread of COVID-19.
Nitrile Gloves
• Provided to operations team for employee PPE. Drivers wear nitrile gloves while in service.
• Nitrile is a chemical resistant and puncture resistant material for protection against most
chemicals and infectious agents.
Infrared Thermometers
• Provided to operations team for employee health screening.
• Infrared thermometers allow temperature to be measured from a distance if needed.
First Aid Medical Kits
• Provided to operations team to address health and safety concerns as well as small incidents
that can be managed outside of further overwhelming the medical system .
• Nitrile gloves, alcohol wipes, skin cleansing wipes, and fever strips included.
Driver Barriers
• July 2020 – Protective plexiglass driver barriers installed on every vehicle to physically separate
drivers from passengers .
• Barriers provide added protection against airborne virus transmission.
Hand Sanitizer
• Sept 2014 – Two touch-free hand sanitizer dispensers installed on every vehicle , one toward
front entrance and one toward the back exit. Dispensers initially installed near front door
entrance in anticipation of the winter cold/flu season.
• Sept 2019 – Program expanded to include dispensers near the rear door exit on every vehicle.
• March 2020 – Three dispensers installed in various areas of bus yard facility.
• Sanitizer solution is alcohol-based and contains 70% ethyl alcohol. Per the CDC, using a hand
sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading ge rms to others
by quickly reducing the number of microbes on your hands.
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Limited Capacity
• March 2020 – Passenger capacity reduced to 15 passengers to promote distancing and prevent
overcrowding on buses. Standby drivers and chase vehicles available when capacity is reached.
• April 2020 – Limited seating notices posted on seats in buses. Notice s reduce seating by
approximately 50 percent and serve as guidance for passengers to maintain distance
(approximately two seats) from other passengers.
• August 2020 – Summer service levels (“A” and “B” routes) implemented. Passengers encouraged
to ride “A” and “B” routes to reduce passenger capacity on individual buses.
“Maintain Six Feet” Floor Decals for Distancing
• June 2020 – “Maintain Six Feet” concrete floor decals applied at Transit Center and high
ridership bus stops. Vinyl floor decals also applied on every fixed -route vehicle and at bus yard
facility. Decals are reminders for passengers to maintain distance from other passe ngers.
Digital Bus Passes
• Digital bus passes available on the Token Transit mobile app. D igital bus passes help minimize
cash handling and reduce passenger interaction. These passes allow passengers to manage bus
passes easily from their mobile device.
• July 2020 – Social media and physical ads released to encourage passengers to use digital bus
passes.
Public Engagement
• March 2020 – CDC notices and public health guidance shared through social media, the website,
and on buses
• Late March 2020 – SLO Transit began a campaign of awareness through social media, the website,
and the on-board infotainment system. Graphics displaying healthy guidelines such as using
transit for essential travel only, washing hands, remaining home if sick, and encouraging face
coverings and physical distancing were designed and posted. Riders were encouraged to follow
guidelines while waiting for or riding on public transportation.
• April 2020 – SLO Transit released posts highlighting the essential work of drivers and employees
and reminding the community we are working together to maintain wellness on the bus.
• June 2020 – SLO Transit created the “We Are Here for You” campaign reassuring the community
that SLO Transit is taking extra precautions to maintain wellness on the bus. This campaign is
aimed to capture the eye of our audience and reassure them that the wellness of riders and our
community is our top priority. Photo and copy released in the June/July, Aug/Sept, and Oct/Nov
edition of SLO LIFE magazine .
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• Sept 2020 – SLO Transit developed “We Are Here for You” video spot for television and social
media distribution. Video spot highlighted the cleaning procedures and steps SLO Transit is taking
during this unprecedented time.
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Enhanced Cleaning Products and Equipment
UVC Surface Sterilizers (Qty 12) (Secured March 2020)
• UVC sterilization for bus interior cleaning protocol to be used at bus yard facility.
• Light wave: UV -C 253.7nm wavelength
• UV intensity: 169 µW/cm²
• More info here
HEPA Air Purifiers (Qty 4) (Secured March 2020)
• Air purification to enhance buses and bus yard facility
• Medical Grade True HEPA filter (MERV17) tested to remove 99.99% of airborne particulates at
0.3 microns, 98.79% at 0.1 microns and 97.34% at 0.03 microns (30 nanometers).
• More info here
Cintas Signet Neutral Disinfectant (DS1)
• Provided to drivers for cleaning and disinfecting interior surfac es
• Meets the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criteria for use against SARS -CoV -2, the cause
of COVID-19.
• DS1 is a one -step disinfectant that is effective against a broad -spectrum of bacteria, is virucidal,
and inhibits the growth of mold and mildew a nd their smells when used as directed.
• Meets the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen standard for decontamination of blood and bodily fluids
and is bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal.
• More info here
Peroxigard Disinfectant Wipes
• Provided to drivers for cleaning and disinfecting interior surfaces
• Designed to meet each of the three levels defined in the EPA’s Emerging Viral Pathogen
Guidance.
• In cases of emerging viral pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, when
there is no test that can be conducted to validate the efficacy of a disinfectant, the EPA utilizes
Emerging Viral Pathogen Guidance to determine the expected efficacy of a disinfectant agains t
an emerging virus. This guidance, used p re viously during the 2003 SARS epidemic, mandates
that for disinfectant products to be approved, they must be an EPA registered Hospital or Broad -
Spectrum disinfectant and have proven efficacy against two small, no n-enveloped viruses, such
as Poliovirus and Parvovirus.
• More info here
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Sani-Kleen Disinfectant Cleaner
• Virucide, bactericide, disinfectant, germicidal cleaner, non -rinse sanitizer (D1)
• More info here
SaniDate All Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner
• EPA-registered, antibacterial disinfectant, cleaner and deodorizer
• More info here
Ongoing Cleaning Products
• Cintas Signet Neutral Disinfectant (DS1)
• Road Away All Vehicle Wash Concentrate
• Zep Concentrated Industrial Lemon Grass Deodorant
• Lemon Clean Disinfectant Virucidal Cleaner
• Clorox Bleach
• Simple Green Industrial Cleaner and Degreaser
• Misty Disinfectant Foam Cleaner
• PineSol Disinfectant Cleaner
• Magic Upholstery Cleaner and Protectant
• Windex Window Cleaner
Ongoing Cleaning Procedures
Inside of buses cleaned and sanitized daily, process takes about 30 – 45 minutes per bus:
• Sweep and mop the interior. Mop water changed for each bus.
• Wipe down the seats with disinfectant
• Wipe down all handrails with disinfectant.
• Wipe down all surfaces with disinfectant.
• Wipe down driver area, steering wheel, dash, and controls with disinfectant.
• Clean windows and door with window cleaner.
• Two UV lights placed in vehicle for 20 minutes
• Peroxigard wipes and neutral dis infectant spray provided in each bus for drivers to wipe down
interior surfaces.
• Weekend detailer repeats and uses the vacuum on cloth seats and any dirt left behind from
sweeping.
Bus yard facility cleaned and sanitized every evening.
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Response Timeline
January 2020
• January 20 – First confirmed COVID-19 case in the United States
• January 26 – First confirmed COVID-19 case in California
February 2020
• Early February – City and First Transit begin meeting weekly to review emergency response
plans and procedures
• February 27 – SLO Transit established and implemented new COVID -19 policies and procedures
to help reduce the spread.
March 2020
• March 3 – SLO Transit orders personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhan ced cleaning
equipment for disinfection and sanitization . Includes N95 Protective Masks, Nitrile Gloves, First
Aid Medical Kits, UVC Surface Sterilizers, HEPA Air Purifiers , and Infrared Thermometers .
• March 4 – City verifie s First Transit cleaning, disinfection, and sanitization solutions meets WHO
and CDC guidance for COVID-19.
• March 4 – Governor Newsom declares California State of Emergency
• March 5 – SLO Transit enacts e nhanced cleaning and disinfection requirements
• March 11 – HEPA MERV-17 medical grade air purifiers delivered to bus yard facility
• March 13 – N95 Protective Masks delivered to bus yard facility and available to employees. Face
coverings optional provision for drivers and not yet a mandate .
• March 13 – First Aid Medical Kits arrived and intended to address small incidents that can be
managed outside of further overwhelming the medical system
• March 14 – First confirmed COVID-19 case in SLO County
• March 17 – Press Release – City Takes Action to Implement Emergency Response Measures for
SLO Transit
• March 17 – SLO Transit encourages passengers to take essential trips only to promote social
distancing, use onboard hand sanitizer when entering the bus, purchasing physical and digital
bus passes to limit cash handling, and stay home if sick.
• March 19 – SLO Transit implements weekend service levels (“A” routes only) 8am - 8pm and
authorizes six standby drivers for emergency response.
• March 23 – SLO Transit now fare -free to alleviate drivers from handling cash and bus pass es.
Passengers encouraged to enter and exit from the rear door, as they are able, to limit close
contact with drivers.
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• Late March – SLO Transit limits bus capacity to 15 passengers to promote distancing on board
and prevent overcrowding. Standby drivers an d chase vehicles available when capacity is
reached.
• Late March – SLO Transit shares CDC notices and public health guidance through social media,
the website, and on buses.
• Late March – SLO Transit begins public engagement campaign encouraging health and wellness
on the bus.
April 2020
• Early April – Limited seating notices posted on buses.
• Mid-April – SLO Transit releases public engagement content highlighting essential work of
drivers and employees.
• Mid-April – SLO Transit posts notices on buses stating “SLO Transit strongly encourages face
coverings while on the bus.”
• April 14 – UVC Surface Sterilizers delivered to bus yard facility and implemented in evening
cleaning protocol. Two units provided to San Luis Obispo Regional Trans it Authority (RTA).
May 2020
• May 27 – SLO Transit orders “Maintain Six Feet” floor decals to encourage passenger distancing
on buses and at high ridership bus stops.
June 2020
• Early June – SLO Transit releases the “We Are Here for You” public engagement campaign
reassuring the community that SLO Transit is taking extra pre cautions to maintain wellness on the
bus.
• June 11 – SLO Transit orders protective plexiglass driver barriers.
• June 11 – “Maintain Six Feet” concrete floor decals applied at Transit Center and high ridership
bus stops.
• June 12 – “Maintain Six Feet” vinyl floor decals applied on buses.
• June 18 – Governor Newsom issues State mandate requiring the use of face coverings in high -
risk settings. This includes waiting for or riding on public transportation. Per State issue d
guidance, SLO Transit now requires all riders to wear face coverings while on the bus and
waiting at stops, unless a medical condition prevents them from doing so .
• Mid-June – SLO Transit posts new face covering notices in buses stating “The State of California
now requires the use of face coverings in high -risk settings. This includes when waiting for or
riding on public transportation. Certain people are exempt from wearing a face covering under
specific circumstances.”
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July 2020
• July 1 – SLO Transit reinstates full-fare. Digital bus passes are encouraged to limit cash handling.
• July 22 – SLO Transit begins installing plexiglass driver barriers.
August 2020
• August 3 – SLO Transit implements summer service levels (“A” and “B” routes ) 6am - 8pm.
Passengers encouraged to ride “A” and “B” routes to reduce passenger capacity on individual
buses.
September 2020
• Early Sept – SLO Transit secures promotional masks and distribute s to drivers and passengers.
• Sept 12 – SLO Transit airs “We Are Here for You” commercial on TV and social media.
Further
• Daily/ongoing – City and Local First Management hold a call on transit related issues
• Daily/ongoing – Industry periodicals and best practices shared with First Transit
• Daily/ongoing – Communication shared between transit partners; SLOCOG, Cal Poly, and RTA
• Daily/ongoing – First Transit briefings and updates from Corporate Safety and our regional VP’s
• As needed – City staff holds phone conversations with First Transit Corporate
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