49 C.F.R. § A to Part 672
A. Required Curriculum Over a Three-Year Period
(1) FTA/SSOA personnel and contractor support, and public transportation agency personnel with direct responsibility for safety oversight of rail fixed guideway public transportation systems:
(a) One (1) hour course on SMS Awareness-e-learning delivery (all required participants)
(b) Two (2) hour courses on Safety Assurance-e-learning delivery (all required participants)
(c) Twenty (20) hours on SMS Principles for Transit (all required participants)
(d) Sixteen (16) hours on SMS Principles for SSO Programs (FTA/SSOA/contractor support personnel only)
(e) TSSP curriculum (minus Transit System Security (TSS) course) (all required participants-credit will be provided if participant has a Course Completion Certificate of previously taken TSSP courses)
(i) Rail System Safety (36 hours)
(ii) Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies (32 hours)
(iii) Rail Incident Investigation (36 hours)
(2) FTA/SSOA/contractor support personnel (technical training component):
(a) Each SSOA shall develop a technical training plan for designated personnel and contractor support personnel who perform safety audits and examinations. The SSOA will submit its proposed technical training plan to FTA for review and evaluation as part of the SSOA certification program in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5329(e)(7) . This review and approval process will support the consultation required between FTA and SSOAs regarding the staffing and qualification of the SSOAs' employees and other designated personnel in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5329(e)(3)(D) .
(b) Recognizing that each rail fixed guideway public transportation system has unique characteristics, each SSOA will identify the tasks related to inspections, examinations, and audits, and all activities requiring sign-off, which must be performed by the SSOA to carry out its safety oversight requirements, and identify the skills and knowledge necessary to perform each task at that system. At a minimum, the technical training plan will describe the process for receiving technical training in the following competency areas appropriate to the specific rail fixed guideway public transportation system(s) for which safety audits and examinations are conducted:
(i) Agency organizational structure
(ii) System Safety Program Plan and Security Program Plan
(iii) Knowledge of agency:
(I) Territory and revenue service schedules
(II) Current bulletins, general orders, and other associated directives that ensure safe operations
(III) Operations and maintenance rule books
(IV) Safety rules
(V) Standard Operating Procedures
(VI) Roadway Worker Protection
(VII) Employee Hours of Service and Fatigue Management program
(VIII) Employee Observation and Testing Program (Efficiency Testing)
(IX) Employee training and certification requirements
(X) Vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, schedules and records
(XI) Track inspection and maintenance programs, schedules and records
(XII) Tunnels, bridges, and other structures inspection and maintenance programs, schedules and records
(XIII) Traction power (substation, overhead catenary system, and third rail), load dispatching, inspection and maintenance programs, schedules and records
(XIV) Signal and train control inspection and maintenance programs, schedules and records
(c) The SSOA will determine the length of time for the technical training based on the skill level of the designated personnel relative to the applicable rail transit agency(s). FTA will provide a template as requested to assist the SSOA with preparing and monitoring its technical training plan and will provide technical assistance as requested. Each SSOA technical training plan that is submitted to FTA for review will:
(i) Require designated personnel to successfully:
(I) Complete training that covers the skills and knowledge needed to effectively perform the tasks.
(II) Pass a written and/or oral examination covering the skills and knowledge required for the designated personnel to effectively perform his or her tasks.
(III) Demonstrate hands-on capability to perform his or her tasks to the satisfaction of the appropriate SSOA supervisor or designated instructor.
(ii) Establish equivalencies or written and oral examinations to allow designated personnel to demonstrate that they possess the skill and qualification required to perform their tasks.
(iii) Require biennial refresher training to maintain technical skills and abilities which includes classroom and hands-on training, as well as testing. Observation and evaluation of actual performance of duties may be used to meet the hands-on portion of this requirement, provided that such testing is documented.
(iv) Require that training records be maintained to demonstrate the current qualification status of designated personnel assigned to carry out the oversight program. Records may be maintained either electronically or in writing and must be provided to FTA upon request.
(v) Records must include the following information concerning each designated personnel:
(I) Name;
(II) The title and date each training course was completed and the proficiency test score(s) where applicable;
(III) The content of each training course successfully completed;
(IV) A description of the designated personnel's hands-on performance applying the skills and knowledge required to perform the tasks that the employee will be responsible for performing and the factual basis supporting the determination;
(V) The tasks the designated personnel are deemed qualified to perform; and
(VI) Provide the date that the designated personnel's status as qualified to perform the tasks expires, and the date in which biennial refresher training is due.
(vi) Ensure the qualification of contractors performing oversight activities. SSOAs may use demonstrations, previous training and education, and written and oral examinations to determine if contractors possess the skill and qualification required to perform their tasks.
(vii) Periodically assess the effectiveness of the technical training. One method of validation and assessment could be through the use of efficiency tests or periodic review of employee performance.
B. Voluntary Curriculum
Bus transit system personnel with direct safety oversight responsibility and State DOTs overseeing safety programs for subrecipients:
(a) SMS Awareness-e-learning delivery
(b) Safety Assurance-e-learning delivery
(c) SMS Principles for Transit
(d) Courses offered through the TSSP Certificate (Bus)
i. Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies
ii. Transit Bus System Safety
iii. Fundamentals of Bus Collision Investigation
49 C.F.R. §A to Part 672