The National Transit Institute (NTI) presented its 2017 Champions Award to Steve Vidal, vice president of Transportation, Safety and Training, New York City Transit Department of Buses, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Regional Bus Operations.
Steve Vidal began his career in 1990 as senior director of Transportation Training at a time when the agency was under heavy scrutiny for a less than stellar safety record. Over the next 27 years, Vidal has led a nearly 50 percent reduction in collisions per million miles. He has implemented a holistic “cradle to grave” training approach that provides employees with training, monitoring and refresher courses throughout the life of their careers. During a typical year, the Safety and Training Department delivers more than 44,000 days of training and conducts 27,000 in-service observations for the 12,000 bus operators who make 17,588,000 bus trips serving 775 million customers annually.
The world class safety program which evolved under Steve’s careful stewardship includes many innovations and
enhancements over the years, including:
- 1990 Standardized New York State DMV Regulatory Compliance Protocols
- 1992 Introduced Criterion Based Training
- 1993 Adopted National Safety Council Preventability Standards
- 1994 Implemented Probationary Review Program
- 1995 Implemented Performance Monitoring Program
- 1998 Incorporated bus simulators in the Safety and Training curriculum
- 2002 Implemented an Accident Review System
- 2010 Implemented a Zero Tolerance Cell Phone Policy
- 2014 Vision Zero Initiative which is focused on pedestrian safety (there has been an over 25 percent reduction in pedestrian accidents since it began)
- 2016 Incorporated video from on-board cameras into training
The great success of the innovations and enhancements to training at the Safety and Training department under Vidal's guidance has made other organizations sit up and take notice. He has been invited by other transit agencies to discuss the use of simulators in training and to assist in the development and implementation of effective performance monitoring programs. He has spoken on TCRP topic panels and is a regular presenter at the New York Public Transit Association, the National Safety Council, and at APTA conferences.
Vidal's long-time commitment to safety and training in transit makes him a Champion.
The Training Professional of the Year award recognizes the exceptional contribution and sustained impact of a transit training professional on his or her organization and the industry as a whole. The Training Professional of the Year is chosen based on an applicant’s innovation, impact, professional development, and a number of reference letters.
The National Transit Institute was created by Congress and receives funding from the Federal Transit Administration to develop, promote, and deliver training and education programs for the public transit industry. NTI’s mission is to provide training and educational resources in support of public transportation and quality of life in the United States.
