written by
Marybeth Luzak, Editor-in-Chief
(Image source: FTA via Twitter)
The Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) is inviting applicants for a research project to help transit agencies address operator and rider aggression.
“According to the National Transportation Database (NTD), the number of traffic worker and passenger assault incidents is on the rise,” the FTA reported in its December 15 edition. Federal Gazette (download below). ‗The data show that from 2009 (319 reported incidents) to 2019 (1539 reported incidents), there was an almost five-fold increase in reported transport assault incidents. increase.”
To address this problem and reduce attacks on the nation’s transit system, the FTA will competitively award up to $500,000 in funding for the Public Transportation Innovation Program (49 USC 5312) to improve the safety of transit operators. Improve your rider.
According to the FTA, the Transit Worker and Rider Safety Best Practices Research Project will be implemented in two phases.
- Phase I: Transportation Worker and Passenger Safety Best Practices Report.
- Phase II: Crew and Passenger Safety Pilot Demonstration Project.
The FTA said notices of project funding opportunities are for Phase 1 only, when selected applicants conduct research in the following areas:
- By evaluating available data on operator and rider attacks from a variety of sources, including NTDs, we identify key issues and trends in operator and rider attacks.
- Evaluate the quality and accuracy of attack data reported to the NTD.
- Documenting and evaluating mitigation strategies and solutions to identified problems and trends.
- Development of outreach materials and tools that industry can use to effectively implement identified mitigation measures.
- It proposes “audacious and innovative pilot demonstration projects that can showcase the utility of these mitigation strategies and promote the adoption of their solutions.” The FTA said it could “implement a proposed pilot demonstration project in phase two.”
Eligible applicants include public transit providers, state or local transit agencies, and public transit providers, including federally recognized Native American tribes. commercial and non-commercial private organizations, consultants, research consortia, and trade associations; Organizations such as state, city, or local government agencies (including multijurisdictional partnerships), and metropolitan planning organizations. According to the FTA, higher education institutions such as large research universities, technical colleges and community colleges, especially those with minority service institution status.
The agency said it is looking for projects that can begin implementation within three months after the cooperation agreement is awarded. The maximum performance period allowed for a work eligible for an award shall not exceed 24 months from the date of award.
The deadline for Phase I funding proposals is February 13, 2023. Phase I,” he reported the FTA.
