Secretary LaHood opens historic first meeting of transit oversight group
Written by jrood
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood opened the first meeting of the Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS), an advisory group created to guide Federal Transit Administration safety rulemakings when the Obama Administration's Public Transportation Safety Program Act of 2009 becomes law.
FTA is currently prohibited
from directly overseeing transit agency safety programs and promulgating safety
regulations and standards. The Obama Administration sent Congress the President’s
Public Transportation Safety Program Act of 2009, which would authorize the
Department of Transportation to establish federal safety standards for rail
transit systems, reversing a prohibition that has been in effect since 1964.
TRACS was created after a series of accidents in Chicago, Washington, D.C., San
Francisco and Boston raised widespread concern regarding the safety of rail
transit passengers and employees.
"Safety is our highest
priority, and this impressive group of professionals will let us hit the ground
running when the Public Transportation Safety Program Act becomes law," said
Secretary LaHood. "Their vast knowledge and safety-related experience will help
us keep public transit one of the safest modes of transportation in the nation."
TRACS is charged with
analyzing transit safety issues and developing recommendations for minimum
national transit safety standards. TRACS was established in accordance with the
requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
"It makes sense to have the
most-experienced transit professionals from across the country in one room with
one question to answer – how do we keep America’s rail transit riders safe?"
asked FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff, who addressed TRACS members’ inaugural
meeting. "But without legislation that authorizes FTA to establish and enforce
safety standards, those who rely on transit to get to school, work and back
home every day cannot benefit from the advisory committee’s efforts."
The proposed safety
oversight legislation marks the first time any Administration has sent a bill
to Congress specifically about transit safety.
In a bipartisan manner, the
Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee unanimously reported to the
full Senate, S. 3638, the Public Transportation Safety Act of 2010.
During his remarks, Secretary
LaHood announced that he had sent a letter to Senate Leader Harry Reid and
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urging them to pass S. 3638.
TRACS members were selected
based on their expertise in the field of safety, transit operations or
maintenance, representation of stakeholder interests that would be affected by
transit safety requirements, policy experience, leadership, organizational
skills and region.
