AGENDA ITEM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE*
title
Approve Updates to Chapel Hill Transit’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP)
presenter
RESPONSIBLE STAFF, TITLE, DEPARTMENT*
Brian M. Litchfield, Director, Transit Department
STAFF RECOMMENDATION*
That the Council approve the updates to Chapel Hill Transit’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
body
ACTION/DECISION POINTS*
Council must approve or reject the Updated Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan.
LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT*
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) Final Rule (49 CFR Part 673), which requires certain operators of public transportation systems that receive federal funds under FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants to develop safety plans and included processes and procures to implement Safety Management Systems (SMS) in 2022. Town Council approved the original PTASP in November of 2022. FTA has since published updates to the PTASP regulation, which incorporates Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requirements to make transit safer for both transit workers and passengers, in 2024. Town Council approval is required to incorporate updates to Chapel Hill Transit’s PTASP.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT*
Town Council approved item 22-0818, Chapel Hill Transit Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, at its November 2nd, 2022 meeting. Since that time, The Federal Transit Administration has issued new guidance related to communicable disease in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These updates have been incorporated by Transit staff to the PTASP and have been reviewed and approved by FTA’s PTASP Technical Assistance Center, Chapel Hill Transit Safety Committee, and Chapel Hill Transit Funding Partners.
TRADEOFFS, ALTERNATIVES, IMPACTS*
The Town of Chapel Hill must approve these updates by October 31, 2024 to satisfy the requirements of Chapel Hill Transit’s recent Triennial Review.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Failure to adopt these updates could endanger future United States Department of Transportation funding for the Town.
ATTACHMENTS
PTASP - 2024 Updates to PTASP Plan
PTASP - Council Resolution (2022-11-02/R-2) <https://chapelhill.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11418252&GUID=71657E7E-0170-4D7A-9198-7B0C46B48F20>
A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE UPDATES TO CHAPEL HILL TRANSIT’S PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN (PTASP) (2024-10-09/R-2)
WHEREAS, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) Final Rule (49 CFR Part 673), which requires certain operators of public transportation systems that receive federal funds under FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grants to develop safety plans and included processes and procures to implement Safety Management Systems (SMS); and
WHEREAS, the PTASP must be updated to include the requirements of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Town of Chapel Hill must certify they have a safety plan in place meeting these requirements of the rule by October 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the PTASP for Chapel Hill Transit was written to comply with FTA requirements and to support Chapel Hill Transit’s objective of providing transportation services responsive to the needs of residents of the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and visitors to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and
WHEREAS, Chapel Hill Transit developed the PTASP to integrate safety into all operations and services; and
WHEREAS, Chapel Hill Transit will use the procedures contained in the PTASP to continue to improve the safety and security of operations and services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby approves the attached Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) for Chapel Hill Transit as provided in the October 9, 2024 meeting materials.
This the 9th day of October, 2024.
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