BART fined $200K in track workers’ deaths
Cal/OSHA cited the rail agency for "willful serious safety violations" over an Oct. 19 incident in which two track workers were killed by a train that officials say was operated by an inexperienced driver with inadequate supervision.
Eric Fischer via Wikimedia Commons
SAN FRANCISCO — The AP reported that the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) fined Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) $210,000 over the deaths of two track workers who were killed by a train on Oct. 19 that officials said was operated by an inexperienced driver with inadequate supervision.
Cal/OSHA officials told the AP that a high-ranking manager who was supposed to be instructing the driver of the fast-moving train was not in the cab with the trainee when the incident occurred.
Cal/OSHA cited the rail agency for "willful serious safety violations" because the manager "was not located in a position to closely view the trainee's actions and observe the track" before the train hit Christopher Sheppard, a BART engineer, and Laurence Daniels, a rail consultant.
The transit system has since changed its rules. It now requires trains to slow down, stop or change course as they approach track workers and has implemented new communication protocols. For the full story, click here.
More Management
Transit Agencies Nationwide Gear Up to Move World Cup Crowds
As millions of fans prepare to descend on host cities, transit leaders are turning a month-long global event into a proving ground for the future of customer experience, mobility, and crowd management.
Read More →
OCTA Approves $2 Billion Budget for FY 2026-27, Prioritizing Transit Investments
More than half of the agency’s upcoming spending plan is dedicated to transit as OCTA balances infrastructure investment with fiscal stability.
Read More →
Joshua Schank on Transportation Innovation, Risk, and the Future of Mobility
In this edition of METROspectives, Joshua Schank discusses lessons from launching LA Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation, the challenges of advancing new mobility technologies, and much more.
Read More →
Reinventing Fleet Maintenance with Real-time Visibility and AI
Transit leaders need to know what needs fixing, where to look, who is responsible, when work is completed, and what it costs without having to chase information across disconnected systems.
Read More →
Alstom Acquires Delaware Site to Support Amtrak NextGen Acela Fleet
The company is investing more than $55 million to acquire and improve the property and will employ approximately 100 people at this site once it is operational.
Read More →
SamTrans Sets Priorities for Potential Connect Bay Area Revenue
The board-approved framework allocates future funding to maintaining service, rider improvements, equity initiatives, and infrastructure repairs.
Read More →
Federal Transit Officials Launch MARTA Safety Probe
FTA has given MARTA 15 days to provide records on crime prevention, fare evasion enforcement, and security funding as part of a broader safety investigation.
Read More →
ABA's Ferguson Testifies in Support of BUS Act, National Standards for Bus Operators
The BUSES Act would create a nationwide framework preventing state and local governments from enforcing bus idling restrictions of less than 15 minutes, a threshold consistent with existing Environmental Protection Agency guidance.
Read More →
When Routine Fails: How Public Transit Must Adapt for the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will test transit agencies’ ability to manage unpredictable travel patterns, making real-time data and operational flexibility critical to moving millions of visitors efficiently.
Read More →
Florida’s JTA Puts Innovation in Motion Ahead of America250
The agency unveiled a commemorative America250 bus during a visit from U.S. DOT's Seval Oz and showcased its autonomous mobility programs.
Read More →