FTA won’t enforce PTASP regulation until end of December
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.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. 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 served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
