Bus Awards – Gold
Award: Bus COVID-19
Member Type & Size: Fewer than 4 million passenger trips annually
City of Gardena (GTrans)
At the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the City of Gardena (GTrans) quickly focused on the wellbeing, health and safety of its staff. Shift schedules were reconfigured due to the reduction in service levels, thus allowing GTrans to keep its workers minimally exposed. GTrans divided full-time workers into two groups: one group completed assignments for a week, while the other would be at home quarantined to ensure minimal exposure. Part-time workers were also placed into groups following the same one week on, one week off rotation. GTrans partnered with the city and emergency personnel teams to distribute PPE kits to its workers, including masks, gloves, and disinfectants. Chains were installed on every other seat in buses to ensure proper distancing was maintained. In addition, barriers were installed to keep riders separate from the operators. GTrans also purchased disinfecting fogging machines to help clean common areas daily and disinfect buses every night. Bus filters were changed out to MERV-13 filters to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. All of these measures, including attaining PPE supplies for operators and implementation of CDC recommendations (from social distancing to mask wearing) were positive steps in keeping operators and riders safe during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Award: Bus COVID-19
Member Type & Size: More than 4 million and fewer than 20 million passenger trips annually
Metrolinx (GO Transit)
At the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Metrolinx (GO Transit) ensured that its employees would have access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and would never have to work without the proper protection. The PPE distributed to employees included fabric face coverings, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes. Metrolinx also distributed reminders for social distancing and instructions on proper hand washing techniques. Touch-point cleaning occurred multiple times per day. In the rare event of a positive COVID-19 case, deep cleaning took place to minimize the risk. Barriers were installed on Metrolinx’s buses to keep operators separate from passengers. In addition, the front row of seats were blocked off to give even more space between the operator and passengers. Metrolinx also setup vending machines for customers to buy face coverings. In the event of any positive employee COVID cases, emails would be sent out to keep all workers informed. Overall, Metrolinx’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including cleaning multiple times per day, making PPE readily available to employees and keeping employees informed was ideal in dealing with the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Award: Bus COVID-19
Member Type & Size: More than 20 million passenger trips annually
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro)
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) created several measures that were focused on keeping agency employees safe. A COVID-19 Taskforce was activated to ensure guidelines were being enforced. In addition, LA Metro reviewed pandemic intelligence information and ensured that best practices were being implemented. Further, LA Metro acquired PPE for its employees, which consisted of both reusable and single use masks, face shields, disposable gloves, protective gowns and suits, shoe guards, hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray products approved by the EPA. Rear boarding was implemented on the agency’s buses and safety barriers were installed on all buses. A policy of masks being worn both by the employees and customers was also strictly enforced early on. LA Metro also installed mask dispenser units on all buses and bus terminals along with hand sanitizer stations throughout the system. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, LA Metro has implemented the recommended guidelines and has been on the forefront of health and safety which has paid off in protecting its employees and riders alike.
Award: Bus Safety
Member Type & Size: Fewer than 4 million passenger trips annually
City of Gardena, CA (G-Trans)
The City of Gardena, CA (G-Trans) implemented many safety programs and procedures over the past year. One of these includes the roll out of quarterly safety meetings for all bus operators. These quarterly safety meetings were created to emphasize the agency’s focus on safety as well as to reduce the number of accidents and provide a forum for safety-related information sharing. In addition, G-Trans introduced a Distracted Driving Program, which is an eight-hour training program that highlights defensive driving techniques. Through this program, G-Trans was able to consistently enforce existing policies, including those pertaining to disciple and retention of operators post-preventable accidents. G-Trans’s SMART course was fully implemented recently. This course is required for bus operators and supervisors and will be taking place annually for 8-hours. G-Trans’s implementation of these new safety programs, policies and procedure has greatly improved the overall safety of the agency’s bus operators and customers alike.
Award: Bus Safety
Member Type & Size: More than 4 million and less than 20 million passenger trips annually
METRO Regional Transit Authority
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the METRO Regional Transit Authority installed plexiglass barriers on all buses to help minimalize contact between bus operators and passengers. In addition, METRO conducts quarterly safety campaigns. Topics of these safety campaigns are oriented around the season at the time and common safety incidents in the transit industry, including rear-end collisions, mirror strikes, workplace safety and construction. Further, every two years METRO has bus operators partake in a sensitivity and refresher training, which is scenario-based and includes situational awareness training on the buses. METRO has excelled in keeping bus operators trained on awareness between the difference in common incidents and seasonal incidents. This has helped to keep the operators aware of dangers and inherent hazards on the overall METRO system.
Award: Bus Safety
Member Type & Size: More than 20 million passenger trips annually
The New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit)
The New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) is utilizing the Lytx DriveCam Event Recorder system to monitor the agency’s bus drivers closely and to address any behaviors that could result in an accident before that accident occurs. NJ Transit has put a larger focus on driver training as well as a continuous improvement model in the training of their bus drivers as of late. Since the implementation of this new system, there has been a 70-percent reduction in near collisions from 2010 to 2020. NJ Transit has also been below the national average for more than seven years in regard to the frequency and severity of incidents. With NJ Transit implementing a driver observation method/model, and increasing the focus on training, it has helped improved the safety of NJ Transit’s statewide-bus system.
Award: Bus Safety
Member Type & Size: Private Companies Providing Contracted Service
MTM Transit (Sarasota County)
MTM Transit implemented a safety program to help improve drivers’ abilities while operating vehicles and to prevent unsafe driving. To accomplish this, operators’ dash cameras were reviewed and then provided with a score to rate the safety of operators. The number of incidents at MTM Transit has gone down from over one hundred to just a handful of unsafe incidents over the past year. The agency’s Safety Management System (SMS) was also used to help increase safety by having operators and maintenance workers proactively engaged in the Safety Action Plan. By implementing the SMS and continuing to monitor operators to ensure safe actions are being taken, the overall safety of MTM Transit has been dramatically improved.
Award: Bus Security
Member Type & Size: More than 4 million and less than 20 million passenger trips annually
The METRO Regional Transit Authority has implemented a passenger ban program throughout the system. This has helped to eliminate passengers on buses that cause incidents and trouble. Real-time video surveillance has been installed on METRO buses to allow officers arriving on the scene to have more information and descriptions of the events. In addition, the surveillance system helps to deter security and safety-related incidents from happening on the agency’s buses. Further, monitors were installed on fixed route buses to allow passengers to see what is happening in real-time as well. METRO Regional Transit Authority installing the video surveillance system and allowing the passengers to observe what is happening in real time, along with banning those who break the rules, helps to keep the buses much more safe and secure.
Award: Bus Security
Member Type & Size: More than 20 million passenger trips annually
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC)
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) installed and upgraded lighting in over one-thousand bus stop shelters. This project was done to help deter crime throughout the agency’s bus shelters and on the system. Standalone solar powered lights were installed at bus stops where there was no room for a free-standing shelter. In addition, cameras were installed in 2018 on RTC’s buses. This has allowed law enforcement to have a live stream of each bus throughout the system. In 2021, the surveillance systems were upgraded to provide better resolution and to improve video capabilities. By updating the camera systems on buses and installing better lights at the bus stops to help deter crime, RTC has made strides to keep the customers and workers safe.
Bus Awards – Certificates of Merit
Award: Bus COVID-19
Member Type & Size: Fewer than 4 million passenger trips annually
Manatee Country Area Transit
In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Manatee Country Area Transit implemented rear-boarding on its buses, obtained PPE for its workers (including operators and mechanics), and conducted daily temperature screenings. Manatee County Area Transit also installed mask dispensers next to the farebox on all buses, for customers to utilize if they did not have a mask with them at the time. Further, plexiglass bio-shield barriers were installed on all transit vehicles to help keep operators safe from exposure to the Coronavirus. In addition, the agency provided cleaning and sanitization equipment to all employees. Manatee County Area Transit’s response to COVID-19 was swift and effective and therefore they are be honored with a certificate of merit for their efforts.
Award: Bus COVID-19
Member Type & Size: More than 4 million and fewer than 20 million passenger trips annually
Palm Tran
During the Coronavirus Pandemic, Palm Tran promoted numerous safety policies, including implementation of a mask mandate, maximum occupancy restrictions, and heightened sanitation/cleaning onboard vehicles. Further, buses are cleaned and disinfected at the beginning and end of all line buses, along with regular spot checks to ensure supplies are well-maintained. Cleaners are also utilized at every transit hub that Palm Tran serves. A Quantum System was installed that allows wheelchair securement to be touchless, thus lessening operator and passenger potential exposure to COVID-19. Ultraviolet filtration systems were also installed to clean the air and help protect against the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne pathogens. Palm Tran’s increase in cleaning, mask mandate and installation of a state-of-the-art air filtration system was a very effective response to combat the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Award: Bus COVID-19
Member Type & Size: More than 20 million passenger trips annually
AC Transit
In March of 2020, in response to the World Health Organization’s pronouncement that the Novel Coronavirus was a global pandemic, AC Transit developed a COVID 19 response program that focused on the safety of employees and riders. The plan involved the commitment and participation from AC Transit’s management team, increased inventory of PPE and strengthened safety measures onboard conveyances and at all AC Transit properties. AC Transit activated its Emergency Operations Center to ensure that they were following the mandates issued by federal, state, and local governments. An Executive Taskforce developed and implemented Standard Operating System Procedures to mitigate the rapidly changing procedures, guidelines and standards that needed to be to be followed. Protective shields were installed on the entire fleet to protect the operators, rider capacity limits were instituted, enhanced disinfecting was introduced, and AC Transit developed a comprehensive communications and engagement campaign. AC Transit installed PPE dispensers on all coaches that offered masks and hand sanitizer. AC Transit’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic employed effective measures to enhance safety and keep workers and riders safe.
