MTA NYC Transit Honored
Just a short while ago, the MTA issued a press release to announce an award that was earned by the bus division of MTA NYC Transit. The safety award was given out by the New York State Public Transit Association and the Bus Association of New York. Here is the full press release courtesy of the MTA:
Providing safe and reliable surface transportation for the 2.4 million daily passengers who rely on bus service in the five boroughs is New York City Transit’s Department of Buses primary goal. Today, one of the Department’s key managers was recognized for an industry-leading commitment to safety, receiving the 2008 Senator Norman J. Levy Bus Public Transportation Safety Award. The award, sponsored by the New York State Public Transit Association and the Bus Association of New York, was presented today by PTSB member John S. Delaney at the New York State Public Transit Conference in Utica.
Patrick Sullivan, General Manager of Road Control for MTA NYC Transit and MTA Bus, received the award for his dedication to reducing fatalities, pedestrian accidents and injuries that result from accidents and bus collisions.
“Pat Sullivan is truly an industry safety innovator,” said Joseph J. Smith, Sr. V.P. of Buses at NYC Transit. “Pat and his team have charted a clear course for this department to follow in our ongoing efforts to ensure that we are providing the safest service possible both for our employees, customers and pedestrians,” added Smith.
Prior to his current position, Sullivan was Chief Officer of Safety and Training between 2005 and 2007. In that position he initiated a multi-pronged approach to safety that resulted in a 71-percent decrease in fatal accidents in 2007. Utilizing training, safety awareness, equipment enhancements and direct in-service intervention techniques, Sullivan and his team were able to achieve significant safety improvements.
In addition to a reduction in fatal accidents, Sullivan and his assembled team of mangers from across the bus division also produced a 29-percent reduction in pedestrian accidents as well as a 19-percent reduction in injuries as a result of bus collisions during the same period.
Among some of the team’s achievements was the creation of a Unified Task Force of managers from each division and borough to come together to conduct focused safety blitz campaigns on Bus Operator performance; facilitated invention and/or modification to mirror improvement to eliminate blind spots while simultaneously pursuing new lighting systems which are being incorporated into new bus procurements; created a Hybrid Deceleration Program to reduce the take off speed of the Hybrid equipment which contributed to a spike in customer injuries on these model buses, and; worked with the Office of Corporate Communications to produce BusTalk cards for display on buses, as well as development of Take-One materials to educate customers on how to prevent injury while using our system, including a targeted public outreach to Senior Citizens (which accounted for 80% of the fatality incidents).
According to Sullivan, the true recipient of this award is really the NYC Transit and MTA Bus operators. “They have the toughest job of all, driving a bus day in and day out in New York City is no easy task,” said Sullivan. “We gave them the tools needed to improve their safety performance and fortunately they accepted the challenge and rose to the occasion,” added Sullivan.
“Patrick Sullivan and the staff and management who support him at MTA New York City Transit deserve to be commended for their success in making improvements that have saved lives,” said NYSDOT Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn. “Mr. Sullivan spearheaded changes in driver training, supervision and equipment that have made the city’s transit system safer for passengers, pedestrians, bus drivers and other motorists.”
The Public Transportation Safety Award program was initiated in 1996 to recognize both individuals and public transportation systems that have demonstrated excellence in developing and promoting safety initiatives for their systems. Award categories are leadership in transit safety, excellence in transit safety and transit system safety.
Transit Blogger salutes the men & women who helped the bus division earn this award!
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Comments
They got an award for reducing fatalities & pedestrian accidents? Is Mr. General Manager Sullivan aware of and including in his results, the Jan. 22, 2009 death of a man on Jamaica Ave. & 146th Street, Queens, by one of his “safe” bus drivers? Left turns across oncoming traffic with no turning lane lights will never be a safe thing for buses to do! Let him & his team work on that problem. Many of these horrible accidents occur while the bus is making a left turn! Families are devastated and the MTA gets an award for safety???
i feel the mta is not safest, i am unsafe at night, men flashing, or robbing, kids brutal to passengers. Innocent bystanders are subject to harrassment, not enough cops or security cameras, and if there are cops , they focus on wrong issues, i am disabled and have a pass to get in half price, i look healthier, and always ask for my ID, instead of looking at crime and harrassment going on.