WSTIP

This member is considering updating their policy for cell phone use for operators and paratransit drivers. Their goal is to reduce phone usage while driving. Their questions are:
• Does your agency have a cell phone usage policy for your coach operators?
• If yes, does it prohibit cell phone use while driving? Does it allow cell phone use at other times?
• Have you ever had to enforce the policy?
• Is there disciplinary action taken for not following the policy? If so, what disciplinary action?
If you have a written policy, please ask your human resources director to upload the policy into the "transit policies" section of the WSTIP website under your agency name.

A Washington State Transit Insurance Pool member (WSTIP) is concerned about Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVR) on 29 of its buses. They suspect GVR problems may resonate nationwide. We have offered to collect information on this topic because we agree this is a risk management issue that could impact the entire Pool. The chassis on these particular buses are Ford E-450’s. The GVR for these buses are 14,050 with a seat configuration of 21. According to the WSTIP member, transit industry standards are an estimate of 150 pounds per person on these buses. The airlines went to 180 pounds per person. The member thinks the transit industry is going to 170 -175 pounds a person soon.Their concern is this:
• Scale Weight of the bus is 11,480
• 21x 150 = 3,300
• Manufacturer GVR = 14,050
• 14,050 – 11,480 = 2,570
• 2,570 – 3,300 = 700 pounds short
Manufacturer specifications don’t meet the reality of today’s American who has gained some girth
in the last 20 years. What are other transits doing about this issue especially with their small buses.

Do you make ANY EXCEPTIONS to the rule of stopping at railroad crossings.

Do you use the National Safety Council’s “million mile” driving award program? If so, how do you calculate or determine when a driver has reached the million mile mark?

Do you have a policy or procedure in regards to passengers who just ride the bus all day? If you have a written policy can you please send me a copy? If you have a procedure, can you please reply and describe your strategy?

What are your policies and/or procedures concerning breaks for paratransit drivers? How much flexibility is given to where the driver can take a restroom break or buy coffee and food? The system asking this question already has a policy for fixed route operators designating break areas on the fixed routes. Their operators are to use these areas only in the event of emergency. Ben Franklin Transit says… Our labor agreement doesn't contain provisions for breaks,

Do you use any long-term bus passes? If so, are the passes quarterly, semiannual, or annual passes? If you do, how does your program work? Please share policies (if you have them).
Lastly, if you have a long-term passes, please share a sample of what the pass looks like.

How does your agency handle unique service dogs or animals? ... Do you have guidelines for determining whether an animal is truly a service animal or a pet in disguise?

Do you have a process or procedure used during the hiring process that ensures applicants can physically perform the job ... specifically for mechanics?

Have you had any problems with customers slipping on the metal lifts on the Dial- A-Ride vehicles? If you have this problem, what is your solution?

Do you have a policy regarding the age a minor can ride the bus unaccompanied by an adult? If so, at what age can unaccompanied children ride the bus?

What are your policies regarding scooter passengers and where they sit while traveling on the bus? Is it legal, or a violation of some ADA rule, to require scooter riders to switch
to a bus seat (if physically able to do so)? If possible, please send a copy of your policy.

Do you provide fire extinguisher training for your coach operators? If so, why, or if not, why not.

Do you allow your road supervisors to carry pepper spray and use it in the event of ongoing assault of passengers or drivers? If you do, do you have a policy for such use?

Do you request driver abstracts for non-CDL employees on regular and consistent basis? Do you have a written policy on non-CDL employee driver abstracts? Do you require the non-CDL employee to supply the abstract or do you request them yourself? If you request driver abstracts what service do you use?

If you assign vehicles to employees so they may respond at all times, what kind of parameters do you place on personal use of the vehicle? Do you allow passengers in the vehicle? Do you have a written policy that you can share?

A member has a new cutaway van with a wheelchair lift. When the door for the wheelchair lift is open a loud grating buzzer is activated the entire time the door is open. They were told by their maintenance staff that a new law became effective on either June 1st or July 1st making it mandatory for the buzzer to go off when the door is open. If that is the case, can the buzzer be changed from the flat grating sound it now emits to a more pleasant beeping tone?

Has anyone dealt with "diesel smell" complaints (from drivers and passengers) in the interior of Ford E-450's (ours are being used for paratransit service)? If yes, what did you do to correct the problem? If not, is there anything you can recommend on correcting the problem?

Please describe your accident preventability review process. Please include who makes the determination on preventability, where appeals go (if anywhere), and where the final decision rests.

Do you reward safe driving? If so, please describe your safe driving awards program.

Do you currently post a sign over the inside of the rear door on your fixed route buses saying something like "No standing allowed in the step wells?" If so, can you please tell us where you purchased the decal from? If you are not currently posting this sign and are interested in doing so, please let me know. Perhaps a joint order can help reduce the price. If you have a distributor you use for other types of interior decals/signs, this information would be helpful as well.

What is your system, grading criterion, or process for the final approval of a trainee? I'm looking specifically for what standards you use to pass / fail the trainee.

Does anyone have experience with locking gas caps on fleet vehicles? Please let me know if you are using them now or if you considered using them, but decided not to install them and why.

What type of vehicle inspection/check do you require your relief drivers to conduct when taking over a bus from another driver?

Do you have an apprentice program for training new mechanics? If so, please send us your written program. In your reply, let us know how the old the program is, and who
administers the program.

One of our employees recently received a second citation for committing a traffic violation in a transit vehicle. According to DOL, both citations are categorized as being serious in
nature and under the CDL rules, the employee's license could be suspended for 60 days. Our question is, how are you handling these situations as it pertains to retaining the employee after the suspension is served? Are you disciplining, or terminating the employee?

Do you require your mechanics to have their own tools or do you provide them? If you require mechanics to have their own tools, please send a copy of the required tool list

Do you run FMLA benefits concurrent with the use of workers compensation?

Has anyone established a reward program for vandalism? You know, something like you get a reward if you can give info leading to the arrest of someone who vandalizes a shelter or facility of some sort. If so, can you please send the details of the program and a contact person’s name?

Do you have a sick-leave buy-back program for employees out on L&I? If so, please attach a copy of your policy. If not, what is your policy regarding use of paid leave during
an L&I absence?

Does your agency offer domestic partner benefits or not? What considerations went into your decision-making process? If you have domestic partner benefits, how is your program set up? Do you treat partners the same as spouses? Do you offer full-family coverage if a domestic partner brings children into the relationship? Are the premium cost-shares the same as they are for spouses?

What policies do you have regarding driving near parked cars on the right side.

Do you pay your shop stewards additional pay when they come in at the request of a member to speak with management? If you do pay the shop stewards, at what point are they allowed into meetings with the employees, is it only when it may lead to discipline or at any meeting?

We are in the process of developing a vehicle collision review policy. We would like to know what other members do when a preventable accident occurs and results in a fatality. How is the status of the involved operator addressed?

Does your agency have a Board approved ridership standard for their fixed route? If yes, what criteria are used to establish these standards? Do you have a ridership standard for your paratransit routes as well? What is a ridership standard: Ridership standards as in the amount of riders each route must sustain per hour in order to be considered a healthy route and not looked at for changes.

A member is installing new bus shelters, information kiosks, etc. in their downtown area. Due to tight deadlines the member would like to know if you have a bus shelter contract? A kiosk contract? Or an installation contract, or all of the above they could piggyback on. If you do please send a name and phone number.

Do you allow bicycles inside the coach? If you do, what are your policies for securing the bicycle?

What would you do if you were to get more than one service animal on the bus?

What is your policy regarding bus operator cell phone use? Allowed or banned?

We are in the planning phase of conducting a long overdue rider opinion survey, and would like to know how other properties go about doing this type of survey. How do you attempt to get a representative sampling? Control for one response per rider? Obtain answers from illiterate riders? If you have used survey takers, how has that worked for you? Any information is appreciated.

Do you have a written hiring practices policy? If you have a written hiring practices policy, please attach it to your reply. If you do not have a written policy, but have standards you apply, please outline. Do you do any pre-hire fitness testing?

What is your policy/practice to provide assistance to a Driver for loading/unloading a large passenger (400+ lbs) in a Wheelchair (i.e., send assistance from Trainer, Road Supervisor or another Driver)?

We have a passenger that uses an electric wheelchair. The combined weight of the passenger and the chair is in excess of 700 pounds. On several occasions the battery on the chair has died and our dispatcher has asked the driver, and on occasion another employee like the bus washer, to push the passenger and chair to his destination. Our service is door-to-door, but if there is a mechanical failure like the battery running out, does it then become our responsibility to accommodate the passenger? In the past our philosophy was to assist the passenger off the vehicle, but not to load them into the vehicle if the chair battery was already dead. Our drivers do not wear back belts for heavy lifting or pushing. What do you do in this situation?

Per RCW 36.57A.130 we have to use either the County or a County-approved entity as our Treasurer. Do you use anybody other than your County to be your Treasurer?

What do you do if your ADA passenger’s combined weight (wheelchair and person) exceed lift capacity?

How do you address preventative maintenance and repairs on wheelchair lifts? Will you weld components if cracks are found on major components (assuming the lift is past the warranty period?)

Who starts the coaches? Do drivers start their own or does the Maintenance Staff have them running and warmed up? In both scenario's; how long do you allow for pre-trips

Do you have a policy on how old a child needs to be before they can ride unattended? If you do have a policy, is it the same for fixed route and paratransit?

What type of fare media does your organization use? (ie., passes, smart cards, encoded cards?) Do you sell annual passes? Are they available from Jan – Dec or for a rolling twelve month period? What type of fare card reader do you use?

How do you procure mobility devices used for training? Do you use a procurement process to purchase?