CATS Board Approves Updated Agency Safety Plan

At their October 18, 2022 meeting, the Capital Area Transit System (CATS) Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the agency’s updated Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan.

“The safety of our employees and loyal riders is our first priority here at CATS,” said Interim CEO Dwana Williams. “Team CATS has promised to do all we can to ensure the safety of every single person who interacts with our services, and this updated Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan is just another way that we are putting that promise into action.”

CATS’ original Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan was approved by the Board of Commissioners in 2020, but the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Law implemented new federal requirements for Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans. The updated CATS Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan includes:

• Updated methods for identifying and evaluating safety risks throughout the CATS system;
• New strategies to minimize the public, staff, and property to hazards and unsafe conditions;
• The creation of performance targets and criteria to ensure all property and rolling stock are in a state of good repair; and
• The designation of a Safety Officer to oversee safety functions within the agency.

In addition to these updates, CATS has also created a Safety Committee, which is comprised of an equal number of front line employees and management representatives. The CATS Safety Committee will meet quarterly to identify and address safety concerns within the agency, with the goal of minimizing any potential risks to both employees and the general public.

The updated CATS Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan will now be submitted to the Federal Transit Administration, per federal regulations.