SEPTA riders told to expect delays Monday as employees undergo mandatory safety training
PHILADELPHIA - SEPTA riders should brace for delays on Monday as the company conducts "safety reinforcement training" for employees following a series of recent accidents involving SEPTA vehicles.
"SEPTA will make every effort to minimize the disruption to customers during this training," read a statement from SEPTA that encourage riders to stay up-to-date by using the company's website.
Every member of SEPTA's workforce will participate in the mandatory training over the next eight weeks. It will focus on emphasizing safety guidelines that are in-place and provide an open forum.
"The safety for our customers and employees is always our top priority, and we are redoubling our efforts to be even more intentional about safety in everything we do," CEO Lesile S. Richards said.
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SEPTA - the sixth largest transportation system in the country - has found itself in hot water after eight recent accidents involving their vehicles, including one that killed a 72-year-old bus passenger.
"The recent series of accidents has caused us to look internally with a critical eye to ensure we embrace safety as a core value every day," Richards said.
The dangerous spate of incidents prompted an investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board, and intervention from the Federal Transit Administration.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office recently charged an off-duty SEPTA employee with DUI after she's alleged to have run a red light and crashed into a SEPTA trolley, injuring four aboard.
"This commitment to reaching each and every employee means that SEPTA service will be impacted," Richards said. "When we say nothing is more important than safety, we mean it."