As MARTA’s general manager — and a regular MARTA customer — my top priority is ensuring that our transit system is as safe as possible. That’s why I’m working with our board of directors, my management team and employees to establish a top-to-bottom “safety culture” that permeates this agency.
I want to stress that while MARTA is a safe transit system, we recognize the need to do more to improve the overall reliability, appearance and safety of our buses, trains and Mobility vehicles. The fact is, MARTA faces challenges similar to other transit systems whose aging bus fleets are subjected to heavy-duty traffic conditions and relentless wear and tear. Although MARTA must replace or “swap out” a number of buses each day that are not deemed roadworthy, a small fraction of them are pulled from service for specific safety reasons.
Still, we are replacing and renewing our bus fleet, upgrading our programs and taking every opportunity to instill a commitment to safety excellence. We are also re-investing in our employees, some of whom have gone nearly a decade without a pay raise, to boost morale and foster pride in their work.
Representatives of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 732, are aware of these efforts and have been invited to meet with management to share their ideas and expertise. As such, I was surprised to hear claims by ATU’s leadership that MARTA is ignoring legitimate safety issues just to save money.
There is no disputing that MARTA must get its fiscal house in order to improve existing transit services while positioning ourselves for future investment and expansion. We are now transforming MARTA through prudent but aggressive cost-cutting measures, efficiency innovations and new revenue-generation opportunities.
But MARTA will not knowingly allow the safety of our transit system to be compromised for any reason. Despite cuts proposed for most departments in MARTA’s 2014 budget, we plan to add staff and resources to areas that directly impact our customers, especially those involving safety and security.
Our chief operating officer recently formed an inter-departmental task force of staff and union representatives who work side-by-side to review MARTA’s existing, pre-trip protocol for bus operators and make safety improvements as needed.
MARTA has also responded in writing to an ATU letter about safety and provided the labor union with a detailed, point-by-point explanation of how we are addressing their concerns. We eagerly await their reply. We are also in the midst of a comprehensive assessment of MARTA’s operations and welcome the opportunity to work with stakeholders with the Federal Transit Administration and others to make improvements.
None of these activities can be accomplished without the participation of every employee. Our bus operators, radio dispatchers, mechanics and service workers are, of course, paramount to our success.
I encourage ATU leaders and membership to work with us and remain focused on making our transit system as safe as it can be for the well-being of customers, employees and the general public.
Keith Parker is MARTA CEO and general manager.
