The following is an excerpt from the summary paper’s overview of the Section 5329 safety program, specifically concerning new requirements for SSO programs:
State Safety Oversight
MAP-21 includes new requirements for the State Safety Oversight (SSO) program, through which States with heavy rail, light rail, and streetcar systems must establish safety oversight for these transit systems. MAP-21 requires State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOAs) to be legally and financially independent from the rail systems they oversee, and have the authority, staff training, and expertise to enforce Federal and State safety laws. FTA must certify whether each SSO is adequate and meets the requirements. FTA will oversee implementation of the SSO programs and audit each SSO agency at least triennially.
Through MAP-21, Congress directed FTA to engage in rulemaking to give effect to the statutory provisions, including for the enhanced SSO program. Accordingly, FTA promulgated 49 CFR Part 674 to replace the former SSO program rule, 49 CFR Part 659. By extension, the state rulemaking for Trans 10 is in direct response to both the statutory requirements of MAP-21 and the regulatory requirements of Part 674. To address the statutory and regulatory requirements in MAP-21 and 49 CFR Part 674, Trans 10 is divided into five parts, as follows: Part 1 details the purpose and scope of the transit safety oversight program, including the statutory authority for the program, and the program’s applicability to the Department and owners or operators of rail fixed guideway transportation systems.
Part 2 details the program’s high-level policy to oversee, enforce, investigate, and audit all safety aspects of all rail fixed guideway transportation systems in the state.
Part 3 specifies various definitions used within the transit safety oversight program.
Part 4 designates the Department as the authorized state safety oversight agency for the State of Wisconsin. The section also details the requirements and authority of the state safety oversight agency, as follows:
• Requires financial and legal separation from any public transportation agency under the Department’s oversight.
• Prohibits the Department from providing public transportation services in an area with a rail fixed guideway transportation system under the Department’s oversight.
• Requires the Department to have the ability to determine appropriate staffing levels for the transit safety oversight program.
• Prohibits the Department from employing certain individuals who administer or provide services to a rail fixed guideway transportation system under the Department’s oversight.
• Requires the Department to have the ability to determine employee qualifications compliant with a federal public transportation safety certification training program.
• Requires the Department to review, approve, oversee, and enforce the safety plan for every rail transit agency under the Department’s oversight.
• Requires the Department to audit the safety of plan of every rail transit agency under the Department’s oversight, at least once every three years.
• Authorizes the Department to enforce minimum standards for safety for rail fixed guideway transportation system under the Department’s oversight.
• Authorizes the Department to conduct inspections, audits, and investigations for events that occur on any rail fixed guideway transportation system under the Department’s oversight.
Part 5 requires the Department to have a state safety oversight program standard that applies to all rail fixed guideway transportation systems under the Department’s oversight.
Summary of, and Comparison with, Existing or Proposed Federal Statutes and Regulations: Trans 10 is consistent with both the authorizing legislation for SSO programs found in 49 U.S.C. § 5329(e), and the FTA’s final rule for SSO programs found in 49 CFR Part 674. Under federal law, 49 U.S.C. § 5329(e), the national public transportation safety program requires that:
…eligible State[s] shall have in effect a State safety oversight program approved by the Secretary under which the State…assumes responsibility for overseeing rail fixed guideway public transportation safety;…adopts and enforces Federal and relevant State laws on rail fixed guideway public transportation safety;…establishes a State safety oversight agency;…determines, in consultation with the Secretary, an appropriate staffing level for the State safety oversight agency that is commensurate with the number, size, and complexity of the rail fixed guideway public transportation systems in the eligible State;…requires that employees and other designated personnel of the eligible State safety oversight agency who are responsible for rail fixed guideway public transportation safety oversight are qualified to perform such functions through appropriate training, including successful completion of the public transportation safety certification training program established under subsection (c); and…prohibits any public transportation agency from providing funds to the State safety oversight agency….
…[e]xplicitly acknowledge the State's responsibility for overseeing the safety of the rail fixed guideway public transportation systems within the State;…establish minimum standards for the safety of all rail fixed guideway public transportation systems within its oversight…review and approve the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan for every rail fixed guideway public transportation system within its oversight…oversee an RTA's execution of its Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan…enforce the execution of a Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, through an order of a corrective action plan or any other means, as necessary or appropriate…[and]…ensure that a Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan meets the requirements at 49 U.S.C. 5329(d)…[have] primary responsibility for the investigation of any allegation of noncompliance with a Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan…[and have] primary responsibility for the investigation of an accident on a rail fixed guideway public transportation system. Wisconsin’s SSO program is tailored to meet the requirements under 49 U.S.C. § 5329(e) and the rules promulgated by FTA under 49 CFR Part 674. Consistent with federal law, s. 85.066(2), Stats. authorizes the Department to develop and administer such a program. Comparison with Rules in Adjacent States:
• Illinois: Illinois has qualifying rail fixed guideway public transportation systems and has an SSO program; as a result, Illinois is also required to comply with the new federal requirements under 49 CFR Part 674. Currently, bills seeking to bring the Illinois SSO program into federal compliance are pending in both houses of the Illinois legislature: SB2527 (filed 2/16/2016) and HB6206 (filed February 11, 2016). • Iowa: Iowa does not have any qualifying rail fixed guideway public transportation systems and so does not have an SSO program; as a result, Iowa is not required to comply with the new federal requirements under 49 CFR Part 674. • Michigan: Michigan has qualifying rail fixed guideway public transportation systems and has an SSO program; as a result, Michigan is also required to comply with the new federal requirements under 49 CFR Part 674. Michigan is currently drafting legislation seeking to bring the Michigan SSO program into federal compliance, though it has no current plans for an administrative rule. • Minnesota: Minnesota has qualifying rail fixed guideway public transportation systems and has an SSO program; as a result, Minnesota is also required to comply with the new federal requirements under 49 CFR Part 674. To achieve federal compliance, Minnesota has adopted the federal law and approach concerning its SSO program; currently, Minnesota has one related state law: 299A.017 STATE SAFETY OVERSIGHT, and has no current plan for an administrative rule. Summary of the Factual Data and Analytical Methodologies: N/A
Analysis Regarding Rule’s Effect on Small Businesses: N/A
Effect on small business: N/A
The agency contact person listed below is also the small business regulatory coordinator for this proposed rule. This proposed rule, fiscal estimate, and other related documents may be viewed at https://health.wisconsin.gov/admrules/public/Home. Agency Contact Person:
Eric Stoegbauer
State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Division of Transportation Investment Management
4802 Sheboygan Avenue Room 951
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
Phone Number: 608-267-6680
Place Where Comments Should Be Submitted and Deadline:
Comments may be submitted to the agency contact person listed above or through the Legislature’s Administrative Rules website http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code until the deadline given in the forthcoming notice of public hearing. TEXT OF RULE
SECTION 1: Ch. Trans 10 is created to read: Trans 10.01 Purpose and scope.
(1) STATUTORY AUTHORITY. This chapter interprets and implements s. 85.066(2), Stats., and establishes the administrative policies and procedures for the transit safety oversight program for rail fixed guideway transportation systems in the state. (2) APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies to the department and any person that owns or operates rail fixed guideway transportation systems in the state.
Trans 10.02 Policy.
(1) As authorized by s. 85.066(2), Stats., and in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 5330 49 U.S.C. § 5329(e), 49 CFR Part 659, until rescinded, 49 CFR Part 674, and this chapter, the department shall develop and administer the transit safety oversight program for the purpose of overseeing the safety of rail fixed guideway transportation systems within the state. (2) The department shall oversee, enforce, investigate, and audit all safety aspects of all rail fixed guideway transportation systems in the state in accordance with the program standard established under this chapter and applicable federal and state law.
(3) The department shall have sufficient authority, resources, and qualified personnel to oversee the number, size, and complexity of rail fixed guideway transportation systems that operate within the state in accordance with this chapter.
Trans 10.03 Definitions.
In this chapter:
(1) “Agency safety plan” means the document or documents describing an RTA’s safety policies, objectives, responsibilities, and procedures.
(2) “CAP” means corrective action plan.
(3) “Department” means the Wisconsin department of transportation.
(4) “FTA” means the federal transit administration, an agency within the United States department of transportation.
(5) “National public transportation safety plan” means the federal plan to improve the safety of all public transportation systems that receive federal financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53. (6) “Person" means any natural person, partnership, corporation, business entity, or governmental body.
(7) “Public transportation safety certification training program” means either the certification training program for federal and state employees, or other designated personnel, who conduct safety audits and examinations of public transportation systems, and employees of public transportation agencies directly responsible for safety oversight, established through interim provisions in accordance with 49 U.S.C. § 5329(c)(2), or the program authorized by 49 U.S.C. § 5329(c)(1).
(8) “Rail fixed guideway public transportation system” means any fixed guideway system, whether in engineering, construction, or revenue operation, that uses rail, is operated for public transportation, is within the jurisdiction of the state, and is not subject to the jurisdiction of the federal railroad administration.
(9) “Rail fixed guideway transportation system” has the meaning given in s. 85.066(1), Stats., and refers to the same systems as “rail fixed guideway public transportation system” in Trans 10.02(6).
