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2022 Mid-Year Safety and Security & Risk Management Seminar - Program

This page is an overview of the conference schedule and subject to change.

 

Sunday, December 4

Registration

1 - 4 p.m.
Phoenix Foyer, 3rd Floor

MITRE Safety Culture Workshop with Keolis & WMATA

2 - 4:30 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Safety Seminar)

Building and sustaining a positive safety culture has the potential to improve overall safety of and across transit services. This interactive session will provide participants with insights into how to build a positive safety culture, a prerequisite for successful SMS implementation, within their organizations and across the transit industry. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to learn from their peers and industry experts about leading practices and challenges in building and maintaining a positive safety culture. 

Kick off Reception

5:30 - 7 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom E, 3rd Floor

Co-sponsored by
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Monday, December 5

Continental Breakfast

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Phoenix Foyer, 3rd Floor

Sponsored by
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Registration

8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Phoenix Foyer, 3rd Floor

Safety Briefing, Housekeeping, Welcome and Introductions

8:30 - 9 a.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor
Safety Briefing, Housekeeping and Welcome
  • Brian Alberts, Senior Director - Safety and Advisory Services, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
  • Polly Hanson, Senior Director - Security, Risk and Emergency Management, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
President's Video Welcome
  • Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC

Host Welcome Remarks

9 - 9:15 a.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor
Welcomes
  • Adrian Ruiz, Director of Safety and Security, Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ
  • Jessica Mefford-Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ

Battery Electric Bus Safety: Prevention / Management of BEB Fires

9:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Joint Session)
Discussion of Battery Electric Bus Safety, Bus Fires throughout the U.S. and Internationally

Join us for this important safety-related session focus on this important topic of battery electric bus safety.  Two transit agencies will present on their experiences with real-world thermal events, how they have responded, and how they are preparing their agencies for the future. In addition, an APTA business member will discuss how they have worked with bus transit agencies on this issue, and finally another business member and bus manufacturer will present on the need for safety standards that apply to battery electric buses.

Moderator
  • Gerard John Ruggiero, Senior Consultant, ADS System Safety Consulting, LLC, Baltimore, MD
Speakers
  • Michael C. Marks, Chair, APTA Bus Safety Committee; and Vehicle Maintenance Manager, King County Metro , Seattle, WA
  • Brian Clem, Director of Risk and Safety (CSO), Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo), Indianapolis, IN
  • Charlie Gamble, III, Sr. Associate/Project Manager, ADS System Safety Consulting, LLC, Baltimore, MD
  • Thomas Blazak, Vice President, Systems and Tech, Proterra Inc., Burlingame, CA

Networking Break

10:30 - 10:45 a.m.

Transit Worker Assaults, Crime Prevention and Bus Barriers

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Joint Session)

Transit Worker Assaults is an issue that has become very prevalent in the public transportation community, especially on bus. During this informative session, we will cover various prevention techniques, including de-escalation and bus barriers. We will hear from a multi-modal transit agency, including their mitigation techniques for preventing transit workers assaults. In addition, we’ll hear from academic and FTA partners as to the research that has been conducted in this area and the programs being implemented nationwide. Finally, we’ll hear from an APTA business member regarding safe and compliant bus barriers.

Moderator & Speaker
  • Sean Cagan, Director of Safety, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Speakers
  • Stewart Mader, Program Analyst (Policy), Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
  • Lisa Staes, Associate Director, Center for Urban Transportation Research, Tampa, FL
  • John Ryall, Specialty Glazing Leader, SABIC Functional Forms, Mount Vernon, IN

Joint Lunch and Valley Metro Host Presentation: Preparing and Reacting to Major Events in Phoenix, AZ

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom E, 3rd Floor

Hear from our host property, Valley Metro, during this special session to discuss prior and upcoming large-scale events taking place in Phoenix, AZ. This includes the upcoming 2023 Super Bowl, taking place in the Phoenix area in February. Learn best practices and what the transit agency is doing in terms of preparation, emergency management and special event planning.

Moderator
  • Jodi Godfrey, Senior Research Associate, Center for Urban Transportation Research, Tampa, FL
Speakers
  • Adrian Ruiz, Director of Safety and Security, Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ
  • Daniel Filippino, Manager, Rail Operations, Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ
  • Susan A. Tierney, Communications Manager, Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ

AON/APTA Public Transit Liability Benchmark Survey Results

1:15 - 2:45 p.m.
Camelback, 2nd Floor

(Risk Management Seminar)

The benchmark survey is aimed at providing insight into transit organizations with research and data regarding liability risks. This session will outline the results of the latest Aon/APTA Public Transit Liability Benchmark Survey and allow for a conversation with AON and attendees about risk.

Moderator
  • Brian Clem, Director of Risk and Safety (CSO), Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo), Indianapolis, IN
Presenters
  • Mario Richard, Actuarial Consultant, AON Risk Services, Dallas, TX
  • Michele Palmieri, Excess Casualty Broker Rail & Transit Practice, AON Risk Services, Owings Mills, MD

FTA and Transit Agency Safety Updates: SMS and PTASP Implementation, Safety Committees, and SMI Findings

1:15 - 2:45 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Safety Seminar)

This session will include a discussion of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) safety-related rulemakings and updates, including PTASP as well as the Bi-partisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) requirements. In addition, during the panel there will a discussion of SMS and PTASP Implementation from 3 large to mid-size transit agencies as well as creation of the 50% management and 50% labor safety committees (which need to be in place by July 31, 2022 and approving of an agency’s PTASP by December 31, 2022, per the BIL). Finally, one transit agency will share best practices from a recent Safety Management Inspection (SMI).

Moderator
  • Walter Heinrich, Vice Chair, APTA CR Safety & Security Subcommittee; and Senior Safety Consultant, K&J Safety and Security Consulting Services, Inc., Cypress, TX
Speakers
  • Joseph DeLorenzo, Associate Administrator for Transit Safety and Oversight, Chief Safety Officer, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
  • Cyrell R. McLemore, Regional Engineer, Federal Transit Administration, Chicago, IL
  • Vijay Khawani, Executive Officer, Risk, Safety, & Asset Management, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles, CA
  • Ralph McKinney, WSO-CSE, CSP, TSSP, Chief of Safety & Quality Assurance, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Atlanta, GA
  • Ronald L. Ester, Jr., Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Boston, MA

Break

2:45 - 3 p.m.

NCHRP 23-04 Statewide Transit Insurance Pools & Key Transit Risk Exposure Reduction

3 - 4:15 p.m.
Camelback, 2nd Floor

(Risk Management Seminar)

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is completing the Transit Risk Pool Insurance Guide. This session will share the tools to evaluate whether a shared-risk pool could better serve the needs of a transit agency for managing their risk of loss. The guide and how transit agencies can establish a shared-risk pool will be explained. The steps to establish a pool and begin operation will be described, including initial organization, claim adjustment, funding, and loss mitigation programs. In reducing losses, transit agencies and the transit industry can then focus more on Safety Management System implementation and identifying emerging safety and monetary risks of loss such as battery electric buses and automated vehicle guidance.

Moderator
  • Kenneth Reed, Director of Risk Management, Ohio Transit Risk Pool, Wadsworth, OH
Presenters
  • Amelija Sorg-Taylor, Project Analyst, Transportation Resource Associates, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
  • Chris LaRue, TSSP Rail, TSSP Bus, CSSO, Sr Transit Planning Project Manager / Transit Safety & Security Discipline Lead, AECOM, Dallas, TX

Safety Certification Session

3 - 4:15 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Safety Seminar)

Join us for this informative session on Safety Certification processes taking place on new construction and other projects throughout the rail and bus transit industries. During this session, an APTA business member will present on Safety Certification of Products Developed under CENELEC Standards. Further two transit systems, Sound Transit and Denver RTD will discuss best practices applied to safety certification. Sound Transit will provide information on its Operational Hazard Analysis conducted on the World’s First Light Rail Over a Floating Bridge. In addition, RTD will provide lessons learned from the safety certification of RTD’s North Metro Commuter Rail Project. Finally, there will be a presentation on APTA’s recently created Safety Certification Recommended Practice effort and this working group’s next steps for publication.

Moderator & Speaker
  • Kevin Jones, WSO-CSSD / CSE, Principal, Eastern Region, ADS System Safety Consulting, LLC, Baltimore, MD
Speakers
  • Alice "Ziwen" Fang, Project Consultant, Hatch, Boston, MA
  • Svetlana Grechka, P.E., Project Closeout, Regional Transportation District, Denver, CO
  • Matthew Mitchell, Transit Safety & Security Manager, Sound Transit, Seattle, WA
  • Carl Buck, Transit Systems Engineering, Dallas, TX

APTA Safety, Security and Emergency Management Awards

4:20 - 5 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Joint Session)

During this session we will watch a short video highlighting the achievements of the 2022 Bus and Rail safety and security gold award winning projects. Then, we will hold a panel (including this year’s gold award winners) and conduct a Q&A, to discuss: What is to be expected for agencies that apply in 2023, How to submit your application(s), What the judges are looking for, and finally APTA will introduce the newest award category for 2023: Emergency Management.

Moderators
  • Brian Alberts, Senior Director - Safety and Advisory Services, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
  • Polly Hanson, Senior Director - Security, Risk and Emergency Management, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC

Joint Networking Reception

6 - 8 p.m.
The Vig Fillmore

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Reception Sponsored by
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               and
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Tuesday, December 6

Continental Breakfast

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Sponsored by
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Registration

8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Phoenix Foyer, 3rd Floor

Safety Briefing/Housekeeping

8:30 - 8:45 a.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Joint Session)

Risk Management Committee Meeting and Round Robin

8:45 - 10 a.m.
Camelback, 2nd Floor

(Risk Management Seminar)

Safety Committee meetings – Bus Safety, Rail Safety, and CR S&S Subcommittee

8:45 - 10 a.m.

(Safety Seminar)
8:45 – 9:45 am: Break outs for Modes and Committee Meetings
  • Rail Safety Committee – Phoenix Ballroom E
  • Bus Safety Committee – Phoenix Ballroom D
  • Commuter Rail Safety & Security Subcommittee – Paradise Valley Room
9:45 – 10 am: Report Outs for Committees

Break

10 - 10:15 a.m.

Cyber Security Liability

10:15 - 11:45 a.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Joint Session)

Cybersecurity is in the news daily. This session will examine the cybersecurity security directives issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the rapidly evolving cyber liability insurance space, and discuss current trends and hot button issues in cyber liability and the best practices and tools for mass transit and passenger rail cyber security.

Moderator
  • Polly Hanson, Senior Director - Security, Risk and Emergency Management, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Presenters
  • Ronald Pavlik, Jr., Deputy Assistant Administrator, Surface Operations, Transportation Security Administration, Washington, DC
  • Michael Echols, CEO, Max Cybersecurity LLC , Washington, DC
  • Thomas Joyce, Associate Producer, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc., San Francisco, CA

Keynote Luncheon

12 - 1:15 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom E, 3rd Floor

Sponsored by
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Introduction
  • Jessica Mefford-Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ
Keynote Speaker
  • Laura Pastor, Vice Mayor, City of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ

Host Site Tours– Valley Metro

1:15 - 4:30 p.m.
Off-Site

Tour 1: Northwest Phase II Light Rail Extension Project
Tour participants will be transported by bus from the conference location to the project and will return on the same bus at the conclusion of the tour.  The tour will include the option to walk on the elevated station platform and across the new bridge over the I-17 highway.
 
Personal Protective Equipment Required: Closed toe shoes, high-visibility vest and eye protection. 
 
Capacity: 45 attendees 
 
Tour 2: South Central/Downtown Hub Light Rail Extension Project (SCE/DH) & City of Phoenix Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Following a breakout session “virtual overview” of the project in an adjacent conference room, tour participants will be transported by bus from the conference location to the SCE/DH project and the City of Phoenix EOC and will return on the same bus at the conclusion of the tour.  The tour will include one stop on the SCE/DH project alignment followed by a stop at the Phoenix Fire Department Emergency Operations Center for a walking tour.
 
Personal Protective Equipment Required: Closed toe shoes, high-visibility vest and eye protection.

Capacity: 45 attendees
  
Tour 3: Valley Metro Operations and Maintenance Center (OMC)
Tour participants will be escorted on foot from the hotel to the 3rd Street and Jefferson station. The group will be transported on a light rail train to the Operations and Maintenance Center and will return downtown on the same train at the conclusion of the tour.
 
Personal Protective Equipment Required: Closed toe shoes, high-visibility vest and eye protection.

Capacity: 50 attendees
 

Dinner on Your Own

5 p.m. -
 

Wednesday, December 7

Continental Breakfast

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Phoenix Foyer, 3rd Floor

Registration

8 - 11 a.m.
Phoenix Foyer, 3rd Floor

Safety Briefing/Housekeeping

8:30 - 8:45 a.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Joint Session)
 

Insurance Requirements in Contracts 101

8:45 - 10:15 a.m.
Camelback, 2nd Floor

(Risk Management Seminar)

Attend an insurance requirement in contracts 101 masterclass. The type of insurance, appropriate limits, and language that a transit agency should require in their contracts will be discussed. A blueprint of the types and limits that should be required in MOST agency contracts, including specific categories of contracts and the requirements to match, will be takeaways.

Moderator
  • James Keane, Port Authority of NY & NJ, Jersey City, NJ
Presenter
  • Rex Jorgensen, Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc., Newport Beach, CA

RWP, Grade Crossing and Other Safety-related Technologies

8:45 - 10:15 a.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Safety Seminar)

Please join us for this important session to learn about Right-of-Way Protection programs, including systems being developed for bus and rail protection by two APTA business members. In addition, we will learn about a system that allows employees and passengers alike to send in safety issues and concerns in real time and provide safety and security-related alerts back to the proper authorities at a transit agency. Finally, we will hear from an APTA business member that has developed a product for wireless grade crossing detection.

Moderator
  • Ronald Edwards, TSSP, WSO-CSSD, VP, Public Transportation and Safety Management Systems, ADS System Safety Consulting, LLC, Baltimore, MD
Presenters
  • Ed English, CEO, ELERTS Corporation, Hingham, MA
  • Jerry Specht, Senior Director, Product Management, Wabtec Corporation , Overland Park, KS
  • Clay Bunting, Deputy Director – Safety and Measurement Technology Applications, Protran Technology, a division of Harsco Rail, Newton, NJ
  • Timothy Schultz, Principal Systems Engineer, Wabtec Railway Electronics, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Kevin Garben, Director of Technical Services, RailWorks Corporation, New York, NY
  • Brent Fransen, Technical Sales Manager, Miller Ingenuity, Winona, MN

Break

10:15 - 10:30 a.m.

FRA, Operation Lifesaver Inc. and Trespassing Project Updates

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor

(Safety Seminar)

Please attend this session to hear from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) about their various safety-related rules, projects, and programs that have been implemented as of late. Further, hear from Operation Lifesaver Inc. about its programs to promote rail safety and protect individuals along railroad tracks and at rail transit agencies. In addition, hear about trespassing related programs being implemented in Florida, and finally learn about research that has been conducted to mitigate trespasser and suicide fatalities/injuries nationwide.

Moderator
  • Louis J. Brown, Jr., P.E., Senior Project Manager - Engineering, HNTB Corporation, Lake Mary, FL
Presenters
  • Michael T. Long, Director, Railroad Operations & Outreach, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC
  • Todd Hirt, Transit Consultant, Operation Lifesaver, Grove City, PA
  • Jodi Godfrey, Senior Research Associate, Center for Urban Transportation Research, Tampa, FL
  • Michael Carman, Director of Operations, Jacobs, Orlando, FL

State of the Insurance Market

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Camelback, 2nd Floor

(Risk Management Seminar)

Join this session for a comprehensive presentation on the current state of the Insurance Market, covering property & casualty lines, with an emphasis on Public Transit. The session will also enable a discussion on emerging trends. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the current insurance market conditions, and the factors affecting the availability and pricing of insurance in the world of public transit.

Moderator
  • Kathy Brittin, Director of Risk Management, Bi-State Development Agency (dba Metro), St. Louis, MO
Presenter
  • P.J. Skarlanic, CPCU, ARM, Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc., San Francisco, CA

Risk Management Seminar Wrap Up, Key Takeaways & Adjourn

12 - 12:15 p.m.
Camelback, 2nd Floor

Safety Seminar Wrap Up, Key Takeaways & Adjourn

12 - 12:15 p.m.
Phoenix Ballroom D, 3rd Floor