Urges Federal Transit Administration to strengthen safety oversight by improving its guidance to states.
Impact
If adopted, AR36 could lead to significant improvements in rail safety regulations at the state level by ensuring that the FTA develops a comprehensive plan for risk-based inspections. This would address the concerns raised in the GAO report, which pointed out inefficiencies in how state agencies allocate their resources without proper guidance from the FTA. The expected outcome is a potential reduction in overlooked safety issues, thereby enhancing overall rail transit safety for New Jersey residents who depend on these services for commuting and travel.
Summary
Assembly Resolution No. 36 (AR36) aims to urge the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to enhance safety oversight in rail transit by improving its guidance to state agencies responsible for safety. The resolution highlights findings from the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) report GAO-18-310, which assessed the FTA's oversight capabilities following changes that granted it additional responsibilities in rail transit safety since 2012 and 2015. The goal of AR36 is to ensure that state safety agencies receive the necessary guidance and support to develop effective safety inspection programs for rail transit operations.
Contention
There may be some contention around the implementation of the recommendations from the GAO report and the urgency of the measures proposed through AR36. Stakeholders, including state safety agencies and rail transit operators, might express varying opinions on how swiftly and effectively these guidelines should be enacted. Additionally, the ongoing effectiveness of the monitoring methods that the FTA is urged to develop deserves attention to ensure that they result in meaningful oversight improvements. Further discussions may arise about the adequacy of resources allocated to support these new measures.
Urging the President of the United States to take clear action in preventing future railroad disasters by strengthening Federal oversight and adjusting regulations to increase safety.