Share this article
Safety concerns are on the rise for transit workers. In the past few years, transportation workers experienced higher rates of workplace violence when compared to other industries. In fact, the transportation industry was in the top five occupational groups with the highest rates of workplace homicide.
This is a troubling trend. It endangers the well-being of your workers and decreases the public’s confidence in public transportation systems. The situation has got so out-of-hand that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has ordered 700 transit agencies to protect workers amid rising assaults.
What Do Transit Agencies Need to Know About The Directive?
- General Directive 24-1 issued, mandating over 700 transit agencies to protect frontline workers from assaults.
- Transit agencies must conduct thorough risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and threats.
- Agencies are required to develop and implement strategies to mitigate identified risks.
- Joint labor-management Safety Committees must be involved in large urban areas.
- The directive ensures accountability for protecting transit workers and preventing assaults.
- Addresses the significant increase in assaults on transit workers, emphasizing immediate and effective action.
Fortunately, technology offers some promising solutions that can enhance safety and protect your workers. Here are a few ways technology can keep your workers and riders safe.
Surveillance and Monitoring Systems
More and more, transit agencies are using surveillance technology to safeguard workers. CCTV cameras on buses have the ability to deter potential aggressors and help collect evidence if an incident does occur. This helps law enforcement identify and prosecute the offenders, increasing accountability and the public’s trust.
Equipping driver interfaces with emergency buttons is another way to enhance the safety of your drivers. When activated, these systems send automatic alerts to emergency responders. This ensures rapid assistance and helps provide quick interventions. They also act as a deterrent to potential attackers.
Mobile Communication and GPS Tracking
Mobile communication tools can significantly enhance the safety of transit workers. With connected devices like radios and smartphones, drivers can report suspicious activities directly to control centers. This immediate communication allows for swift interventions.
GPS tracking is another crucial technology that can increase the safety of your transit system. By monitoring the exact location of buses, dispatchers can quickly send assistance or law enforcement officers to precise locations. This reduces the time it takes to address incidents and improves worker safety.
Contactless Ticketing and Barriers
Implementing contactless ticketing systems can help reduce interactions between transit workers and passengers. Adopting mobile apps or smart cards for payments can minimize fare disputes and decrease the potential for confrontations. Protective barriers around drivers add a further physical layer of safety. Automated fare gates can also enhance security by controlling access to transit areas, allowing only authorized passengers to enter. Combined, these safety measures can help deter aggressive behavior and prevent assaults altogether.
How Ecolane Keeps Your Drivers Safe
Ecolane provides technology solutions that enhance the safety of transit workers, particularly drivers who face risks on the road every day. Our Ecovision product helps address safety concerns through advanced monitoring and communication features.
Ecovision is a camera solution that can improve drivers' behavior though AI detected events which calculates a safety score for training purposes. It also allows for multiple cameras that provide angles in the vehicles to ensure passenger safety and around the vehicle to protect against false claims.
A cutting-edge communication feature keeps drivers connected with dispatch systems. During emergencies or when suspicious activities do occur, drivers can alert authorities without delay. This direct line of communication is vital for addressing incidents before they escalate.
We also help streamline incident reporting. By simplifying the process, drivers are more likely to document encounters that pose safety threats. The collected data can then be analyzed to identify patterns and implement preventive measures across your entire transit system.
We’ve designed Ecovision to completely integrate with your existing transit management systems. This compatibility allows you to enhance your safety protocols without overhauling current operations. Combining new technology with established practices leads to a more cohesive approach to driver safety.
Investing in these technologies helps safeguard workers and increases public trust in transit systems. Transit agencies should continuously adopt and update technological solutions as safety challenges evolve. By prioritizing worker safety, you can substantially reduce violence in your transit network.
Learn more about how Ecolane can enhance the safety of your transit network and keep your agency compliant with the FTA. Request a demo of software today!
About the Author
