The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, which manages the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner® service, has rolled out Operation Safe Surfs, a Rail Safety Initiative. The initiative is designed to enhance rail safety awareness and curtail pedestrian and automobile incidents along the railroad.Operation Safe Surfs adopts a multi-faceted strategy for enhanced rail safety education and awareness through innovative methods. The initiative will include:
- Rail safety advertisements displayed on internet connected televisions and streaming platforms for individuals residing within the counties where incidents are the most prevalent.
- Geofenced safety messaging distributed through cell phone advertising in areas considered incident hotspots using display advertisements, in-app advertisements and cell phone notifications.
- Installation of signage along high-risk sections of the railroad, providing resources for suicide prevention and instructions for rail safety.
- Engagement of volunteer groups to provide outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness in proximity to the tracks and offer rail safety information, support and care packages containing essential items and resources.
“Rail safety is an important priority for our agency,” said Jewel Edson, chair of the LOSSAN Board of Directors. “With Operation Safe Surfs, we’re not only expanding rail safety, but also providing support to our most vulnerable populations. We are confident this initiative will save lives and make a meaningful difference for our communities.”
The inception of the initiative follows an in-depth analysis of trespasser incident data along the 351-mile LOSSAN corridor between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. The data indicates specific stations and adjacent sections of track experience higher rates of pedestrian and automobile incidents. Areas near the Solana Beach, Oceanside, Fullerton, Los Angeles, Carpinteria and Santa Barbara stations stand out as opportunities to incite positive change. While the root causes of these incidents vary, they often involve unauthorized track crossings for beach access, encampments of unhoused individuals close to the tracks and mental health challenges.
