A Critical Resource during COVID-19: American Public Transport Association
April 21, 2020
WRITTEN BY CAITLIN ALLEN-CONNELLY, PROJECT DIRECTOR
Transit agencies across the United States and the globe are grappling with how to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic has been the focus of operators’ attention for the last three months and required implementation of measures in real time to stay ahead of the curve and ensure the safest possible physical environment for workers and riders. It has been a daunting, costly task.
In the U.S., no guidelines were issued by the federal government to transit operators until April. This lack of guidance left transit agencies largely unsupported by the government and on their own to interpret their contagious virus response plans and to prioritize the implementation of response measures. Many therefore turned to the American Public Transport Association (APTA) for help.
APTA has longstanding guidelines to assist transit operators in developing and implementing pandemic preparedness and response plans. The association re-issued these critical guidelines in February 2020 and created a dedicated COVID-19 page on their website to provide continuous updates and support. APTA was also a leading advocate to make sure the transportation industry received federal emergency assistance.
APTA will continue to play an active role to prepare transit agencies for a new normal. APTA recently formed a Mobility Recovery & Restoration Task Force, which will develop a roadmap for the recovery and resilience of public transportation services. The new task force will be chaired by Phillip A. Washington, CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Joanna M. Pinkerton, president and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority, and Paul Wiedefeld, GM/CEO of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, will serve as co-chairs. It will convene on May 1st and will aim to present recommendations by September 1st.
The public transportation industry is facing an unprecedented paradigm shift precipitated by response measures to COVID-19, specifically stay-at-home orders and advisories, as well as the perceived public health risks associated with taking public transportation. Public transit agencies must prepare, today, for the “new normal” in order to support the re-opening of the economy, while keeping workers and passengers safe and healthy. APTA resources are essential tools that will enable the industry to successfully navigate this challenge.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
APTA Guidelines: https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/COVID-19_Virus_Fact_Sheet.pdf; https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/APTA-Coronavirus-Brief-03-05-20.pdf;
APTA Mobility Recovery & Restoration Task Force: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/APTA-Chair-Creates-Mobility-Recovery---Restoration-Task-Force.html?soid=1127252305719&aid=7TsNcS_6iMU; https://www.metro-magazine.com/management-operations/news/738145/apta-forms-mobility-recovery-and-restoration-task-force
