The Arizona Department of Transportation, Georgia Department of Transportation, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recently obtained federal certification of their rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) Programs from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
The 28 states with a rail transit system along with Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico must obtain certification. Only 11 states have, and six others are under review.
An SSO Program provides oversight at rail transit agencies and gives more authority to SSO agencies to oversee transit agencies.
“FTA is pleased that Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania have developed safety oversight programs that meet federal certification requirements and will strengthen rail transit safety in their states,” FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams said. “With this certification, these three states’ transit agencies can continue to receive federal funding.”
To be certified, an SSO Program and a state’s SSO agency must meet several federal statutory requirements. SSO employees also must be trained.
The deadline for obtaining certification is April 15, 2019, and will not be waived or extended. FTA suggested states submit their programs between April 15, 2018, and Sept. 30, 2018, for review.
If a state misses the deadline, it will not be eligible for new federal transit funds.