Safety
Public transportation offers safety benefits for its riders, who are statistically less likely to be in an accident than car collisions. ARTBA supports the National Public Transportation Safety Plan, which establishes voluntary minimum safety standards for public transportation systems, including roadway worker protections.
As intermodality and microtransit use increases, taking appropriate measures to ensure the safety of all transportation system users, including those that build and maintain these systems, is paramount.
Railway/Highway Grade Crossings
ARTBA believes the development and expansion of safe and efficient rail networks depends on improving highway-railway grade crossings. Unsafe or inefficient grade crossings have a severe impact on quality of life and the movement of goods.
To help improve grade crossings, ARTBA supports the continuation and expansion of the Railway/Highway Crossing Program (RHCP). While incidents have improved since the program’s creation in 1973, the number of incidents has stagnated over the past 15 years, indicating new approaches and increased investment may be needed.
To ensure that funding provided under this program is used most effectively, ARTBA supports:
- Providing state highway agencies the authority to determine grade crossing priorities.
- Expanding eligibility under the RHCP to include certain “private grade crossings” that are now fully accessible and used by the general public.
- Use of engineering studies to determine the location and type of crossing improvements, ensuring the most efficient and cost-effective improvements possible.
- Use of technology and innovative approaches to reduce or eliminate hazards, like active warning systems, positive protection and photo enforcement should be explored.
- Establishment of a long-term RHCP priority to improve safety at grade crossings on the National Highway System.
- When possible, at-grade crossings should be eliminated if present at the site of a capital improvement project or close to another at-grade crossing.
To provide maximum benefits to the overall surface transportation system, federal public transportation investments should be increased to meet the systems needs as quantified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The federal role in funding public transportation should be maintained as a “needs–based system,” providing investment in transit facilities, equipment, and service where justified.
To provide maximum benefits to the overall surface transportation system, federal public transportation investments should be increased to meet the systems needs as quantified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The federal role in funding public transportation should be maintained as a “needs–based system,” providing investment in transit facilities, equipment, and service where justified.
The nation’s public transportation systems are owned and operated by state and local governments or governmental agencies, in partnership with the federal government. The private sector also plays a significant role in this system, designing and constructing capital facilities, furnishing rolling stock and equipment, as well as managing and operating services for governmental partners.
Public transportation systems range in capital construction and maintenance requirements, given the varied type of systems. However, ARTBA encourages all transit systems to be developed with certain considerations.
ARTBA encourages and supports federal involvement and funding of education and research programs to improve public transportation technology and safety, including enhancing public awareness and understanding of transit operations and safety matters.