BEST PRACTICES Operator Safety How agencies keep their operators safe. Philadelphia, Penn. Bill Miller Chief Operations Officer Port Authority of Allegheny County In this setting, operators are trained to make one — and only one — attempt to collect a passenger’s fare. 42 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | APRIL/MAY 2017 More at www.MassTransitmag.com/12308676 T THE PORT AUTHORITY OF Allegheny County, our bus and light rail operators are tasked with providing more than 200,000 rides a day while maneuvering through traffi c and construction; collecting fares; providing assistance and directions; and — most importantly — assuring the safety of each of our riders. We know, however, that operators can’t worry about rider safety if they themselves don’t feel safe. Th at’s why Port Authority goes to great lengths to make sure our operators are safe while performing their jobs. For us, safety begins before an operator even steps on a bus with classroom training on how to engage with riders. In this setting, operators are trained to make one — and only one — attempt to collect a passenger’s fare. If a passenger refuses to pay, operators are instructed to allow the passenger on board, call dispatch, and one of our 50 uniformed Port Authority police offi cers will meet them at the nearest stop to remove the passenger. Th is allows operators to avoid confrontation and permits our police offi cers to uphold the rules. But it’s not always the passengers who refuse to pay their fares who cause trouble. For riders who engage in inappropriate conduct on board the bus, Port Authority police offi cers frequently perform ride-alongs while in uniform. Th is dissuades most riders who would otherwise be disruptive. It also provides passengers who are just going to or from work, a doctor’s appointment or school with a sense of safety. Recently, Port Authority instituted Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to help operators better identify confrontations before they start or to extinguish them quickly. CIT training teaches operators how to respond in potentially challenging situations and defuse such encounters. Another way in which Port Authority protects operators is a new protective shield that has been installed on our newer buses and is available as a retrofi t on older models. Th e clear Plexiglas can be used (it’s optional) to provide operators with a safety barrier against riders who want to cause them harm. Finally, Port Authority buses are each equipped with several surveillance cameras that can be used to investigate incidents. Th is last line of defense can both dissuade riders from inappropriate or illegal conduct and help police catch perpetrators if such behavior occurs.
MassTransit_AprilMay_2017
To see the actual publication please follow the link above