Big Blue Bus Honored with the Gold Award for Bus Safety
April 17, 2018 11:04 AM
SANTA MONICA, CA – Big Blue Bus (BBB) was awarded the 2018 Bus Safety and Security Gold Award by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in the category of Safety for transit agencies with more than 4 million but fewer than 20 million passenger trips annually.
The Gold Award honors organizations with the best overall bus safety and security program for all transit organizations throughout the United States. Additionally, recipients play an integral part in benchmarking successful programs that can be adopted by other public transit systems aiming for similar benefits.
“I would like to thank every BBB staff member for their contributions, especially our Motor Coach Operators who operate our fleet of 200 buses in one of the most congested and challenging service areas in the country. We have invested significant resources over the last three years to launch a comprehensive employee safety program that provides intensive training and retraining programs for all BBB staff. These strategic investments are paying off with a tangible reduction in preventable accident rates and passenger injuries. We are honored to have the hard work of staff recognized by APTA with this top award,” said Ed King, Director of Transit Services.
BBB highlighted its proactive approach to reducing preventable accidents and improving system safety by enhancing its existing programs and introducing new ones. These enhancements included:
Rollout of a comprehensive and interactive accident review and retraining process- Extensive rail safety education campaign prior to the inauguration of Metro’s Expo Line in 2016
Relaunch of BBB’s “Hazard/Near Miss” employee safety reporting program- Mandatory quarterly safety meetings for all Motor Coach Operators with safety topics focused on service delivery
As a result, BBB has steadily decreased its preventable accident rate from 2.21 accidents per 100,000 miles in
About Big Blue Bus
Big Blue Bus operates a fleet of 200 vehicles transporting more than 54,000 customers daily across a 58 square mile service area. Nationally recognized for its long-standing commitment to a cleaner environment, the entire fleet operates on alternative fuels, including renewable natural gas (RNG), a form of liquefied and compressed natural gas (LNG/CNG), which helps cut emissions by up to 90 percent. Serving Santa Monica and the Los Angeles area since 1928, Big Blue Bus has won numerous awards for its marketing, customer service, safety, and efficiency.
###
Media Contact
Jennie Campos
Community Engagement & Customer Experience Manager
Jennie.Campos@SMGOV.NET
Departments
More Information
/Media/Default/Users/smgov_5Cjennie_2Ecampos/BBB/Courtesy%20of%20Big%20Blue%20Bus.jpg
