After two years of hard work in addition
to their day-to-day responsibilities, three Public Transportation Division
employees have reached and exceeded a goal that will not only benefit the
department, but will also have a lasting, positive impact on the riders of
North Carolina’s transit systems.
Safety and Security Program Manager
Richard Jones (far left in picture) and Security Specialist Henry Staten (far right in picture) are the first in the history
of the division to acquire Manager of Environmental, Safety and Health Programs
(MESH), and Transit Safety and Security Program (TSSP) certifications. Safety
and Security Specialist Malcum Massenburg (center in picture) has also received TSSP certification
and is currently completing requirements for MESH certification. These
achievements are vital to the oversight of safety at the rural and small urban
public transportation systems that serve riders in all 100 North Carolina
counties.
“Working directly with North
Carolina’s transit systems, we have seen first-hand the importance of safety
training not only for the safety of vehicle
operators, but for the safety and well-being of all
citizens who depend on these services to get where they need to go on a daily
basis,” said Jones. “We are grateful for the support of Secretary Tony Tata and
Deputy Secretary Richard Walls and hope that these certifications will enable
us to help the department reach its goal of connecting people and places
safely.”
The initial goal of Jones, Massenburg
and Staten was to acquire the MESH certification to help improve safety
oversight and provide technical assistance to transit agencies across the state,
as well as give them the tools to better develop and implement various safety
and security program plans. The MESH certificate program is sponsored by the
N.C. Department of Labor, North Carolina State University Industrial Extension
Service, and the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina.
While working on the required 100 course
hours for MESH certification, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st
Century (MAP-21) federal law was passed. As part of this law, federal and state
employees who conduct safety audits and examinations of public transportation
systems are now required to receive safety certification. To meet this
requirement, Jones, Massenburg and Staten began training to earn the Transit
Safety and Security Program (TSSP) certification provided through the USDOT
Transportation Safety Institute (TSI)/Research and Innovative Technology Administration
(RITA).
TSI’s training is the epitome of USDOT’s
safety, security and emergency management training concept. The training takes
into account the implementation of MAP-21 in addition to the latest
requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and Transit
Rail Regulation 49 CFR Part 659. To receive certification, several courses must
be completed in the areas of transit safety and security, focusing on
effectively managing emergencies, processes for investigating bus collisions,
bus system safety and transit system security.
By completing the required courses for
TSSP, Jones, Massenburg and Staten now have a broad-based understanding of
safety and security principles applicable to transit operations and management,
and the knowledge to develop and implement safety and security program plans.
In addition to receiving MESH and TSSP training,
the trio also completed TSI courses in substance abuse management and program
compliance, reasonable suspicion determination and transit industrial safety management.
By completing these additional courses, Jones, Massenburg and Staten now
qualify to receive a World Safety Organization (WSO) certification. The WSO offers
multiple certifications in the area of safety in the fields of construction,
technology and transportation, just to name a few.
The Public Transportation Division’s
Safety and Security Program serves as a resource for transit systems serving
riders in all 100 North Carolina counties. The program performs safety
oversight at transit systems and provides safety training for system employees.
