Federal Transit Administration recently announced a series of special directives to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
According to a June 15 FTA news release, the directives are intended to improve safety for the Greater Boston area's rail transit system.
"Safety is our number one priority and must be the primary focus for the MBTA and the DPU," FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said in a news release. "Every transit passenger deserves a safe ride. Every transit worker deserves a safe workplace. The MBTA must immediately take action to improve its safety procedures for its passengers and workers."
An FTA special directive requires immediate action about safety issues within a specific period, according to the news release. FTA's special directives, four issued to MBTA and one to DPU, followed FTA's safety management inspection of MBTA that began April 14 after incidents that resulted in one fatality and many injuries to passengers and employees on the transit rail system.
Areas addressed in the directives for MBTA include operating Control Center staffing, general safety operating procedures, delayed critical maintenance and lapses in staff safety certifications. The DPU directive addresses outstanding safety issues from FTA's most recent audit of the DPU including hazard management, accident investigations, corrective action plans and rules compliance.
