Fiscal Year 2000 Safety Action Plan

U.S. Department of Transportation	Deputy Administrator	400 Seventh St. S.W.     Washington, D.C. 20590
Federal Transit Administration

Dear Colleague:

The Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) strategic goal mirrors the Department's strategic safety goal to "Promote the public health and safety by working toward the elimination of transportation related deaths, injuries and property damage."

On April 16, 1999, the FTA Administrator convened an interdepartmental Task Force of transportation professionals and safety experts to examine the Federal role in transit safety. The industry, American Public Transportation Association, Community Transportation Association of America and the unions provided technical information on industry practices to the Task Force. The Task Force was charged with the development of recommendations in the areas of operational best practices, human factors and design standards.

Representatives from FTA, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (formerly the Office of Motor Carriers within Federal Highway Administration), Federal Railroad Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of the Secretary of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and Research and Special Programs Administration developed recommendations in the three original areas (noted above) as well as in the area of "data."

As a derivative on the Task Force efforts, we are pleased to release the FY 2000 Safety Action Plan which describes how FTA will implement the findings of the Task Force. The Safety Action Plan translates the Task Force recommendations into six major areas and associated actions. The six areas and associated actions are described in the enclosed brochure.

We believe that the Safety Action Plan will carry FTA and the industry into the new millennium in the spirit of cooperation and will further improve the industry's already fine safety record. We look forward to working with you to implement this plan.

Sincerely,
Nuria I. Fernandez
Acting Administrator

Enclosure