written by
Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
“Americans deserve the best rail system in the world,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said on Dec. 22. “The investments announced today will help modernize NEC for generations of passengers.” Let’s go,” he said.
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) today announced the appointment of 24 members to the Federal Transportation Administration’s (FTA) Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS). TRACS provides information, advice and recommendations on transit safety and other issues determined. By the Secretary of Transportation and FTA Administrators.
According to the FTA, TRACS members, who serve two-year terms, “reflect the diversity of geographies, sizes, and issues across the transportation industry,” and include rail and bus operators large and small, state safety oversight agencies. , academia, nonprofits and labor unions range from rural communities to America’s most populous cities.
Among the new board members is Edward Abel, Director of Operations Safety for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Brian Alberts, Senior Director of Safety and Advisory Services, American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Donna Johnson, Chief Safety Officer, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Rachel Maleh, Executive Director of Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI).
Additional Commission members for the 2022-2024 term are:
- Johanna Cockburn, Transportation Commissioner, City of Greensboro, North Carolina
- Beverly Edwards, Chief Operating Officer, First Transit, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Rebecca Frankhouser, Chief Safety Officer and Managing Director of Safety, Security and Quality Assurance, King County Metro, Seattle, Washington.
- David Harris, Director, Department of Transportation and Railroads, New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT)
- Molly Hughes, Public Transportation Safety Administrator, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
- Laura Karr, Associate General Counsel, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU)
- Jim Keane, General Manager, Operations Safety, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ)
- Thomas Lamb, Chief of Innovation and Technology, New York City Transportation Authority (NYCT), Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
- Brian Lapp, Senior Vice President and Chief Safety Officer, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit)
- Raymond Lopez, Deputy Executive Officer of Corporate Safety, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (Subway)
- Santiago Osorio, Chief Safety Officer, Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO), Houston, Texas.
- Karen Philbrick, Director of Mineta Transportation Research Institute, San Jose State University
- Ashley Porter, Traffic Safety Program Manager, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
- Patrick Preusser, Director of Rapid Transit, Department of Transportation Services, City and County of Honolulu
- Reggie Reese, Chief Safety Officer, Pierce Transit, Lakewood, WA
- Adam Sharkey, Deputy Director, River Cities Public Transit, Pierre, S.Dak.
- Justin Sobeck, State Safety Oversight Program Manager and Passenger Railroad Safety Specialist, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)
- Lisa Staes, Associate Director, Traffic Safety and Workforce Development Program, University of South Florida, Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)
- Gardner Tabon, Executive Vice President, Systemwide Accessibility and Chief Safety Officer, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro) in Austin, Texas.
- Curtis Tate, Transport Workers Union (TWU) International Management Vice President
“The Department of Transportation’s top priority is ensuring the safety of all travelers, including workers,” said Buttigieg. “Representing professionals in big cities, small towns, academia, nonprofits, organized workers and more, he will work with his 24 members of TRACS to create ongoing public transportation initiatives across America. We look forward to supporting their safety.”
As a full committee, TRACS will meet at least once a year. Meetings will be published in the Official Gazette and open to the public. The first meeting he will hold in early 2023.
According to the FTA, since 2009, TRACS has “provided valuable recommendations on critical issues such as establishing fatigue management programs for the bus and rail transportation industry and investigating transportation worker accidents and fatalities. The TRACS Charter has been updated in February 2022.
