Delays expected on SEPTA trolley, bus lines for next few weeks as safety training begins
PHILADELPHIA - Riders utilizing SEPTA buses and trolleys have been asked to expect delays over the next few weeks as new, mandatory training begins for the company’s employees.
All SEPTA workers must go through the "Safety Stand Down" training with their departments over the course of the next two to three weeks.
SEPTA announced the new training requirements last week in the wake of a series of recent accidents involving SEPTA vehicles.
"Wobbly all over the place," said Christina Leggert from North Philadelphia. "They get distracted, they get a text or a phone call or something, or get engaged in a conversation."
The training program is said to focus on emphasizing safety guidelines that are already in place and provide an open forum for employees.
SEPTA riders told to expect delays Monday as employees undergo mandatory safety training
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 - 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.
They say their aim is to focus on a "culture of safety" moving forward.
"Don’t you think you have a culture of safety. Wouldn’t that be inherent?" said Scott Sauer, SEPTA Chief Operating Officer. "I believe we do have a culture of safety, but any culture has to be examined from time to time for improvement."
The dangerous spate of incidents prompted an investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board, and intervention from the Federal Transit Administration.
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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.
"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," SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards said.
"This commitment to reaching each and every employee means that SEPTA service will be impacted," Richards added. "When we say nothing is more important than safety, we mean it."