FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 18, 2024
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Interim City Manager Alex Posada
BY: Director of Public Works Brett Fulgoni
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Adoption of Santa Maria Regional Transit 2024 Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
Description:
The City Council will consider approving the Santa Maria Regional Transit’s 2024 Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan.
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution approving the adoption of the 2024 Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) regulation (49 CFR Part 673) requires that all public transportation system operators that receive federal funds under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Urbanized Area Formula Grants (Section 5307), and rail transit agencies subject to the FTA State Safety Oversight (SSO) program, to develop an Agency Safety Plan (ASP) that includes the processes and procedures to implement a Safety Management System (SMS) in its practices.
DISCUSSION:
All public transit agencies must certify that they have safety plans in place to help keep riders and employees safe on their transit systems. This is necessary for compliance with federal regulation (49 CFR Part 673) for public transportation system operators that receive federal funds, such as Santa Maria Regional Transit, as demonstration of the Transit Division’s commitment and methods for improving safety. The PTASP Final Rule requires all agencie s that receive FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants to set safety performance targets in a Safety Plan that is reviewed and certified every year. Any agency that fails to file a conforming Safety Plan could become ineligible for further federal grants from FTA.
2 Santa Maria Regional Transit’s PTASP plan was developed in collaboration with the help of various inputs. Industry best practices along with front -line work feedback were used to develop the proposed plan. The plan includes Safety Management System p rinciples and practices. These practices allow management and labor to come together, addressing risk, analyzing data, and providing a safer ride for passengers, while protecting workers and operators.
Alternative(s)
An alternative is to not approve the proposed Santa Maria Regional Transit 2024 PTASP.
This alternative, however, is not recommended as this action would mean that the City of Santa Maria would be out of compliance with federal regulations and would no longer qualify for federal financial assi stance, a major funding source for the City’s transit program.
Fiscal Considerations
There is no impact on the City’s General fund nor the Transit Division’s Enterprise fund by adopting this plan. There can be, however, financial consequences for not adopting a plan. Any agency that failed to file a compliant Safety Plan by the deadline wo uld have been ineligible for further grants from FTA.
Impact to the Community
There is no negative impact on the community for applying for the Santa Maria Regional 2024 PTASP. Rather, the adoption of the plan memorializes the efforts undertaken by the Transit Division to make safety a top priority.
ATTACHMENTS
A. 2024 PTASP Plan Draft