Safety & Security

FTA won’t enforce PTASP regulation until end of December

April 24, 2020

The administration says the flexibility with the regulation is in recognition of the disruption experienced due to the pandemic, as well as the role transit agencies play in the nation’s COVID-19 response.

Mischa Wanek-Libman

Public transportation agencies now have until Dec. 31, 2020, to meet requirements of the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) regulation following an announcement by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on April 23.

The final PTASP regulation was issued in July 2018 and requires transit agencies to incorporate Safety Management System (SMS) policies and procedures to manage safety risks. The regulation carried a deadline of July 20, 2020, for agencies to certify that they have established a compliant agency safety plan.

In a Notice of Enforcement Discretion, FTA says it expects agencies to continue to work toward the July deadline, but recognizes the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and will not enforce the regulation until Dec. 31.

“We understand that many transit agencies are experiencing disruptions to normal operating procedures during the COVID-19 public health emergency and, as a result, we are announcing this flexibility while they work to comply with the PTASP regulation,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. “To continue to support the transit industry during this unprecedented public health emergency, we are offering this flexibility, recognizing the vital role that transit agencies play in the response to COVID-19.”

The PTASP regulation impacts agencies that receive Urbanized Area Formula Program funds and rail transit agencies that are subject to the FTA State Safety Oversight Program to have an Agency Safety Plan. The Notice of Enforcement Discretion and additional PTASP resources are available on the FTA’s website.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.