Building a Transformational Safety Culture in Transit

Transit agencies face tremendous pressure. The workforce and leadership must balance politics, customer experience, fare policy, aging infrastructure, financial constraints and public safety concerns on a rolling and real-time basis. Transit has rapidly evolved during the past 25 years and many continue to build their transit programs and modernize on the backbone of a reality that no longer exists.   

The Wathen Group works with agencies across the country and the globe and many team members have led transit agencies. We are increasingly witnessing how these challenges compound into safety concerns and have identified universal best practices we hope others can use as they rise to meet this moment.  

What creates a robust safety culture? 

The quality of an organization’s safety culture is only as good as its relationship with its workforce. Rank-and-file workers have unparalleled insight into operational challenges and many possess the institutional knowledge of what works, what doesn’t and how to reach a specific outcome. When we leverage employee feedback to identify critical issues and support strategy development, we have seen improvements in operating performance, reductions in employee injuries, increased attendance and customer and employee satisfaction. 

When should agencies ask for help with their safety culture?  

We often work with agencies after a significant incident but a more proactive approach can avoid those incidents entirely. The best way to fight a fire is to prevent it from happening. Transit agencies should audit their safety-related operations biennially and during leadership transitions. The assessment should not be limited to one discreet area, but conducted holistically across all verticals.   

Why are some agencies unsuccessful in addressing their safety culture? 

Public transit is notoriously hierarchical in structure and processes and agencies often address a discrete issue at a micro level. A safety culture cannot exist in a vacuum and must be consistent and pervasive across all departments. Agencies must shift to a holistic and consumer-driven model that centers its workforce on its mission to deliver strong operating and safety performance instead of playing “whack-a-mole” - hammering at the day's issue instead of engaging in the systemic analysis and the shifts needed. Both top-down and bottom-up participation are critical to facilitating ongoing feedback, clarifying responsibilities and ensuring accountability.  

What is the “secret sauce “ for The Wathen Group’s approach to safety culture? 

First, we help agency leadership initiate a comprehensive review process by opening themselves to feedback and supporting changes that increase transparency. This sometimes means leaning into uncomfortable dynamics, being open and vulnerable and creating a safe place for workers to share their lived experiences. The work is hard but it is vital to positive outcomes.  

Often, we find agencies trying to do this work themselves while simultaneously delivering service. Without a third-party partner helping an organization look in the mirror, pull things out and reflect, it can be overwhelming.  

Once leadership sets the table for the review, a robust employee engagement process must underpin the assessment and implementation phases. This process must widely disseminate the findings and allow for ongoing responses to make improvements. The implementation program must clarify responsibilities and accountabilities for delivery with feedback.  

Beyond just operational safety, what does a strong safety culture provide? 

A strong safety culture creates an environment that prioritizes both psychological and physical safety and security. This fosters an engaged and committed workforce and leads to better on-time performance, happier passengers and increased profitability.  

A strong safety culture also takes basic practices such as gap analyses, safety management systems  and safety committees to the next level. It embeds safety into every aspect of operations and strengthens teamwork. Employees, leadership, union members and customers share the common goal of getting home safely. A safety culture embodies this powerful shared vision to drive the entire organization.