Immediate Actions for Transit Agencies

Because they work in venues that demand wide and rapid public access, transit operators and other agency employees need to recognize and quickly respond to emergencies, such as passengers’ acute health events or criminal acts against customers, colleagues, or transit property. Often transit employees who encounter potential or actual life-threatening situations have only seconds to respond appropriately to protect people and minimize potentially severe consequences. It is imperative that these employees respond considering the best interest of their customers and colleagues without putting their own lives in added danger. Most transit agencies have operating procedures that direct office and facilities staff, vehicle operators, and field staff about what to do in case of emergencies. For example, vehicle operators and field supervisors may “call in” to a control center to report emergencies and receive instructions on how to proceed. However, depending on the nature of an emergency, it may not be possible, or even advisable, for transit employees to immediately report emergencies. When immediate reporting is not possible, transit employees faced with emergencies must use their best judgments to assess the situations and take appropriate actions. The transit employees most likely to initiate immediate actions are bus or rail operators, station agents, and other employees working in close proximity to customers. However, any employee, including executive, administrative, and maintenance staff, may take immediate actions. By including immediate actions in their procedures, transit agencies can provide and train their employees in the basic immediate actions to take under a variety of emergency scenarios.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Rizek, Jodi M
  • Sutherland, Pamela J
  • Gerhart, Richard L
• Conference:
  • 2011 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Rail Conference
  • Location: Boston MA, United States
  • Date: 2011-6-12 to 2011-6-15
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 9p
• Monograph Title: APTA Rail Conference 2011 Proceedings

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Emergency management; Emergency training; Employees; Judgment (Human characteristics); Transit operating agencies; Transit operators
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Public Transportation; Railroads; Security and Emergencies; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01357510
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 29 2011 1:43PM