Welcome to the
Florida Transit Safety and Operations Network (FTSON)
The purpose is to provide resources and a platform for discussion of safety and operational challenges, opportunities, and initiatives impacting public transportation providers in Florida.
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) was signed into law by President Obama on December 4, 2015. The Act authorizes transit programs for five years through September 30, 2020. In the area of public transportation safety, the FAST Act builds upon the FTA regulatory framework established in MAP-21 and expands their mission to include:
The FAST Act further requires FTA to conduct a review of safety standards and protocols used in public transportation systems and examine the efficacy of those standards and protocols. Included within these standards are those related to emergency management, preparedness, emergency evacuation and drills; maintenance, testing, and inspection programs for rail system tunnels, stations, vehicle ventilation systems, signals and train controls, and other infrastructure; rail and bus design and workstations to reduce blind spots and protect rail and bus operators from the risk of assault; rail and bus scheduling to allow adequate time and access for operators to use the restroom; fatigue management; and crash avoidance and worthiness. It includes an evaluation process with stakeholder input to determine the need to establish additional Federal minimum public transportation safety standards.
This research is funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and is being conducted by the National Center for Transit Research at the Center for Urban Transportation Research. This report summarizes the data findings from…
Fixed route transit systems provide a valuable transportation service for many of our citizens. As users depend on bus transit to access to the essentials of life, maintaining transit service is a critical issue. Given…
In this study, researchers at the National Center for Transit Research performed a multi-topic comprehensive examination of bus operator-related critical safety and personal security issues. The goals of this research effort were to: Identify and…
Rule Chapter 14-15.017, Florida Administrative Code references the Safety and Security Oversight Program Standards Manual for Fixed Guideway Transportation Systems. Additional guidance is available on the FDOT Fixed Guideway Transportation System Online SSO Document Management System.