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The APTA Bus Safety Awards program recognizes
transportation systems and transit contractors for
their commitment to improving the safety of transit employees, customers, and communities through
application of effective safety initiatives. The award
recipients should demonstrate exemplary achievements
in the development and implementation of
educational, training, and supportive programs that
create and sustain a culture of safety within the
workplace and result in exceptional service.
Public transportation systems are divided into
categories based upon annual, unlinked passenger
trips:
Public transportation systems providing fewer
than 1 million annual passenger trips
Public transportation systems providing more
than 1 million and fewer than 4 million annual
passenger trips
Public transportation systems providing more
than 4 million and fewer than 30 million annual
passenger trips
Public transportation systems providing more
than 30 million annual passenger trips
Private companies providing contracted transportation
management and services to public
transportation systems
This year’s awards program introduces enhancements
designed to not only recognize exceptional
safety performance for individual transit providers,
but to also better serve the industry by benchmarking
successful programs for others to adopt.
Private transit providers are expected to meet the
same threshold of excellence in safety as public
transportation systems; however, private operators
typically are not responsible for public outreach and
education. Therefore, private operators have been
placed in a separate category. The criteria for
evaulating private operators are identical to those
for public transportation systems. Entries by private
operators are considered to be corporate level;
the information submitted should therefore be
include all contracted services.
Evaluation Criteria |
| Effectiveness |
30 percent |
| Benefit Level |
35 percent |
| Innovation |
20 percent |
| Transferability |
15 percent |
SAFETY PROGRAM/PROJECT
Effectiveness – 30 PERCENT
Creating a safety culture within the organization begins
at the top. The organization should be able to demonstrate
a high level of resource allocation and management
participation in the development and implementation of
safety initiatives. When considering whether to enter
your program, ask yourself: “Does the program/project
have a clear focus with specific intended results?” The
organization should also be able to demonstrate solid
and progressive results tied to overall agency goals and
objectives. “Is there before/after data that will support
the efficacy of the program/project?” At a minimum,
each organization must submit its safety data for the previous
three years to demonstrate how the program or practice
has effectively influenced the achievement of goals and
objectives. “Does data support that reductions are being
sustained?” Data must be clearly defined and all data submitted
must be validated and approved in writing by the
organization’s chief executive officer (president, general
manager). “Can the program/project be reasonably assumed
to have led to the improvements?” Other types of data to
document safety performance might include:
Statistics on accident claims paid indicating the economic
benefit of safety improvements
Data reflecting reduction in on-the-job injuries related
to a specific initiative
Trend data on public comments related to operator
driving safety
Benefit Level – 35 PERCENT
The bottom line of an effective safety program should be
reflected in the organization’s key performance metrics.
Organizations should submit evaluations of safety projects,
programs, and initiatives that reflect the benefits the
organization has derived from the program or practice.
Organizations should be able to demonstrate gains or
efficiencies in a variety of formats by being able to address
some of the following questions:
What net financial benefits were accrued through
implementation of this program/project?
How do direct savings compare to the program/project costs?
What indirect or non-financial benefits were achieved?
Did the program/project address a significant issue facing the agency?
Innovation – 20 PERCENT
Bus transportation is a dynamic, constantly changing
environment that challenges organizations to adapt to new
situations. A systematic approach to safety must include
consideration of ongoing changes within this environment.
The organization should be able to demonstrate methods
used to advance safety issues that address these external
or internal circumstances. Organizations should submit
descriptions of innovative efforts that have a positive effect
on the operating environment and the safety of drivers,
pedestrians, passengers, or the public who are the principal
inhabitants of that locale. Your submission should illustrate
the following:
How does this program/project differ from traditional
approaches to the problem?
Does the program/project enhance common practices?
Does the program/project reflect a totally new or unusual
approach?
How do the unique or innovative attributes of this
program/project contribute to the effectiveness/benefits
achieved?
Transferability – 15 PERCENT
To be considered an Industry Leading Effective Practice,
other transit providers must be able to replicate the
program and implement it with similar results. Measures
viewed as promising can then be implemented within other
systems, which over time improves the entire industry.
Organizations should submit descriptions of initiatives
they developed that can address the following:
Does this program/project address an issue that is of
significance to many agencies?
Can the program/project be reasonably incorporated by
other agencies?
Is the program/project likely to be more attractive than
other existing approaches to the same types of safety
issues?
These questions and examples are provided only as a
guide. A single program could relate to multiple criteria.
Nomination Procedures
Read each of the foregoing descriptions carefully
before preparing a nomination. Please use the
nomination form as a cover sheet. Use additional
sheets as necessary. The form must be signed by your
agency’s chief executive officer/general manager.
No fee is required to enter the competition.
Award Nomination Selection
The APTA Bus Safety Committee will appoint an
awards subcommittee to determine the winners
in each category as specified. The winners will be
announced at the APTA Bus and Paratransit
Conference, May 4-7, 2008, in Austin, TX.
Awards
Within each category, one award and/or a certificate
will be presented. These are:
Gold Award—presented to the system from each
category with the best overall safety record
Certificate of Achievement—presented to the system
from each category considered by the subcommittee
as a finalist in competition for the gold award of
that category
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