From
Tony Flowers
Title
Resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit Fiscal Year 2020 Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan to Texas Department of Transportation
Presenter
Walter Shumac, Director of Transportation
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (Map-21) granted the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) the authority to establish and enforce a comprehensive framework to oversee the safety of public transportation throughout the United States. MAP-21 expanded the regulatory authority of FTA to oversee safety, providing an opportunity to assist transit agencies in moving towards a more holistic, performance-based approach to Safety Management Systems (SMS). This authority was continued through the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act).
In compliance with MAP-21 and the FAST Act, FTA promulgated a Public Transportation Safety Program on August 11, 2016 that adopted SMS as the foundation for developing and implementing a Safety Program. FTA is committed to developing, implementing, and consistently improving strategies and processes to ensure that transit achieves the highest practicable level of safety. SMS helps organizations improve upon their safety performance by supporting the institutionalization of beliefs, practices and procedures for identifying, mitigating and monitoring safety risks.
There are several components of the national safety program, including the National Public Transportation Safety Plan (NSP), that FTA published to provide guidance on managing safety risks and safety hazards. The Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan is one component, which was developed and implemented across the industry in 2018. The subject of this document is the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) rule, 49 CFR Part 673, and guidance provided by FTA.
Safety is a core business function of all public transportation providers and should be systematically applied to every aspect of service delivery. At Grand Connection, all levels of management, administration and operations are responsible for the safety of their clientele and themselves. To improve public transportation safety to the highest practicable level in the State of Texas and comply with FTA requirements, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has developed this Agency Safety Plan (ASP) in collaboration with the City of Grand Prairie and the Grand Connection (Grand Connection).
To ensure that the necessary processes are in place to accomplish both enhanced safety at the local level and the goals of the NSP, the Grand Prairie City Council and Grand Connection adopt this ASP and the tenets of SMS including a Safety Assurance (SA), and Safety Promotion (SP), per 49 U.S.C. 5329(d)(1)(A). While safety has always been a primary function at Grand Connection, this document lays out a process to fully implement an SMS over the next several years that complies with the PTASP final rule.
Financial Consideration
No financial consideration required for this resolution.
Body
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT FISCAL YEAR 2020 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN; TO ENSURE THAT THE NECESSARY PROCESSES ARE IN PLACE TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH ENHANCED SAFETY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND THE GOALS OF THE NSP, THE GRAND PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL AND GRAND CONNECTION ADOPT THIS ASP AND THE TENETS OF SMS INCLUDING A SAFETY MANAGEMENT PLAN (SMP) AND THE PROCESSES FOR SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT (SRM), SAFETY ASSURANCE (SA), AND SAFETY PROMOTION (SP), PER 49 U.S.C. 5329 (D)(1)(A); WHILE SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRIMARY FUNCTION AT THE GRAND CONNECTION, THIS DOCUMENT LAYS OUT A PROCESS TO FULLY IMPLEMENT AN SMS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS THAT COMPLIES WITH THE PTASP RULE
Whereas, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) requires that the City Council reviews and approves the Public Transportation Agency safety Plan; and
WHEREAS, TxDOT requires that grant recipients, such as the Grand Connection Transit, submit a Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan documenting compliance with FTA; and
Whereas, the 2020 Public Transportation Agency safety Plan Program has no major programmatic changes, but includes :Updates to several program components, including demographics of the Transit Zone and customers; the Language Assistance Plan; the Public Participation Plan; monitoring of service standards; and Public Transportation Agency safety Plan; and
Whereas, the City of Grand Prairie and the Grand Connection is committed to ensuring that its policies and programs are designed to ensure meaningful participation in and equal access to transit services for under the Public Transportation Agency safety Plan.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas that:
Section 1. that, the City Manager is authorized to execute and file applications on behalf of the City of Grand Prairie with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to Section 9 of the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, as amended.
Section 2. that, the City Manager is authorized to execute and file with such application an assurance or any other document required by the U.S.l Department of Transportation effectuating the purpose of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
SECTION 3. that, the City Manager is authorized to set forth and execute affirmative minority business policies in connection with the project's procurement needs.
SECTION 4. that, this Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, JUNE 2, 2020.