OPERATOR SAFETY
including active shooter and bomb
threat scenarios.
New this year, the organization
has begun off ering de-escalation
training for operators. Th e
objectives are to increase safety,
tactical communication and voluntary
compliance.
Implementation of this training
began aft er Cincinnati Metro began
noticing a slight increase in operator
assaults on board, which oft en
leads to lost wages for employees,
costly lawsuits, decreased ridership
and increased absenteeism.
Th rough de-escalation training,
Cincinnati Metro’s training
team works with operators to walk
them through uncomfortable and
potentially hostile situations they
may encounter with passengers on
board their buses.
Th is type of training for operators
is especially important, said
26-year-Operator Orlando King.
“While the situation may be nothing
personal against you, you are
probably the fi rst person they run
into aft er encountering a bad situation
with another operator or
someone else.”
Th e de-escalation training
aims to equip operators with tips
for dealing with disgruntled customers
and useful tools to help
de-escalate volatile situations.
A few of those tips:
• Always communicate respectfully
• Remember, you are trying to reduce
the level of agitation
• If it feels good to say it, don’t say it
• Realize the person you are dealing
with could have mental
health issues, a medical condition,
be under the infl uence of
drugs or alcohol, or even carrying
a weapon
When focusing on handling
verbal confl ict, operators are
trained to avoid using unprofessional
language or words that
express their personal feelings.
Th e goal is to provide a source of
defl ection by trying to redirect the
individual away from their threatening
behavior and lead them toward
compliance.
Compliance
Acquiring voluntary compliance
is key to getting passengers to follow
your directions in a calm and
safe manner. Successful achievement
of compliance oft en begins
with the operator’s tone of voice.
“Th e tone of the fi rst words
out of the operator’s mouth sets
the stage for the interactions to
follow,” said Weil. “Th e second
critical factor is body language,
including facial expressions,
when you are trying to establish
compliance.”
As the operator of the coach,
it is important to remember that
you are in charge of the vehicle
and the passengers on board, and
to not take the situation personal.
It’s not about being right or
wrong or making a point, rather
your mission is to de-escalate the
situation and get the passenger to
peacefully comply.
Cooperation
Cooperation is the process of
working together to achieve the
same goals. Th e disruptive passenger,
while being loud and perhaps
aggressive, ultimately wants
to get to his or her end destination
via the bus. Th e operator’s role
here is to help lead the passenger
to a place of cooperation.
To do this, ask, don’t tell.
Adults don’t like to be told what
to do. Simply rephrasing “Don’t
swipe your card, you have to dip
68 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
it,” comes across as more acceptable
if phrased “Would you mind
trying to swipe your card?”
It’s important to check your
words, tone and body language
and remember that if you are not
open and professional, getting
people to convert to your way of
thinking is nearly impossible.
Collaboration
Collaboration is the action of
working with someone to produce
or create something. Motivation
is essential to ensure collaboration.
Displaying a willingness to
help others can oft en open the
door to collaboration. Improving
your aptitude for listening and not
making the passenger feel rushed
or ignored is important. Everyone
simply wants to be heard and have
their viewpoints acknowledged.
Operators should always be observant,
watch body language, be
aware of their surroundings and
ultimately trust your instincts and
call for assistance if necessary.
“Show empathy, allow disgruntled
passengers to vent, remember
your customer service training
and make them feel that what
they’re saying is important and
that you will do all that you can
to resolve their issues,” said King.
“You can stop a confrontation
by how you handle the situation.
Treating people with kindness and
respect will stop the escalation at
the door.”
THROUGH
DE-ESCALATION
training,
Cincinnati
Metro’s training
team works with
operators to walk
them through
uncomfortable
and potentially
hostile situations
they may
encounter with
passengers
on board their
buses.
Brandy Jones is the
director of External
Affairs with the
Southwest Ohio
Regional Transit
Authority (Cincinnati
Metro).