Transit Bus Operator Distraction Policies (2013)

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44 APPENDIX A Survey Introduction Dear Survey Recipient, The American Public Transit Association (APTA), through its nonprofit research organization, the Transit Development Corpora- tion, Inc. (TDC), is cooperating in a research project to prepare a synthesis of current practice on Transit Bus Operator Distraction Policies and Outcomes. This is part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), which was authorized in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), to be managed by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in cooperation with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and TDC. The synthesis will provide practical information and guidance for transit agencies of all sizes in profiling innovative and successful practices, lessons learned, and gaps in information. The purpose of this study is to provide public transit agencies with information about transit bus operator distraction policies and outcomes in order to assist them in developing and evaluating their own policies and programs to address and prevent distracted driving incidents. This survey questionnaire is being distributed to public transit bus systems. If you are not the appropriate person at your agency to complete this survey, please forward it to the correct person. Please compete and submit this survey questionnaire by April 30, 2012. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our principal investigator Christopher Kozub at ckozub@comcast.net or 732-261-4170. Thank you very much for participating in this survey! QUESTIONNAIRE INSTRUCTIONS 1. To view and print the entire questionnaire, Click on the following link and print using “control p” http://surveygizmo library.s3.amazonaws.com/library/64484/TCRP_Project_J07_Topic_SF17.docx 2. To save your partial answers, or to forward a partially completed questionnaire to another party, click on the “Save and Continue Later” link in the upper right hand corner of your screen. A link to the partially completed questionnaire will be e-mailed to you from SurveyGizmo. To return to the questionnaire later, open the e-mail from SurveyGizmo and click on the link. To invite a colleague to complete part of the survey, simply click on the “Save and Continue” link and enter your col- league’s e-mail address. Please note that the questionnaire can be saved and passed around multiple times, but respondents must use the link e-mailed from SurveyGizmo. We suggest using the “Save and Continue Later” feature if there will be more than 15 minutes of inactivity while the survey is opened, as some firewalls may terminate due to inactivity. 3. To view and print your answers before submitting the survey, click forward to the page following question 60. Print using “control p”. 4. To submit the survey, click on “Submit” on the last page. Contact Information Please enter the date (MM/DD/YYYY).* Please enter your contact information. First Name*: Last Name*: Title*: Agency/Organization*: Street Address: Suite: City*: State*: Zip Code*:

45 Country: E-mail Address*: Phone Number*: Fax Number: Mobile Phone: URL: Transit System Profile 1) Which bus modes does your agency either directly operate or operate using a contractor?* [ ] Fixed-route suburban/urban [ ] Paratransit [ ] Commuter [ ] Bus rapid transit [ ] Rural fixed route/on-demand [ ] Other 2) How many total riders does your system carry on an annual basis?* 3) How many bus operators does your system employ?* Defining Distracted Driving 4) Does your system have a definition of distracted driving behaviors?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 5) If “Yes” please provide a copy of the definition 6) Were bus operators included in the development and/or review phases of creating this definition? ( ) Yes ( ) No 7) Was there an effort to assess bus operators work environment and behavioral patterns to determine the full universe of distracted driving hazards, contributing factors, and outcomes? ( ) Yes ( ) No 8) Were any individual bus operators or labor representatives included in this assessment effort? ( ) Yes ( ) No Laws and Regulations 9) Within your state, are there laws or motor vehicle regulations prohibiting or limiting the use of cell phones while operating a vehicle?* ( ) Yes ( ) No

46 10) Are any of these laws or regulations specifically written to address bus operators? ( ) Yes ( ) No ( ) Not sure 11) Do these laws or regulations address other potentially distracting behaviors such as eating, reading, using MP3 players, using hand-held radios, or other similar activities? ( ) Yes ( ) No ( ) Not sure 12) Are there any laws in your state prohibiting your agency or local government from passing laws or creating regulations beyond what is covered in the state law?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 13) What are the penalties for breaking a distracted driving/cell phone law in your state? 1st Offense: 2nd Offense: 3rd Offense: Agency Rules and Policies 14) Does your agency have specific rules that address the possession and/or use of cell phones while operating a bus?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 15) Do these rules prohibit an operator from carrying a personal cell phone while on duty? ( ) Yes ( ) No 16) Do these rules require an operator carrying a cell phone to have the power turned off while operating a bus? ( ) Yes ( ) No 17) Is there a policy that limits or prohibits the use of hand-held phones while allowing the use of hands-free devices?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 18) Is there a policy for using cell phones in an emergency situation?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 19) Provided it is allowed by law, does your agency issue cell phones to your operators? ( ) Yes ( ) No 20) Does your agency have a policy prohibiting or restricting the use of hand-held radios while a bus is in motion?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 21) Does your agency have a policy prohibiting an operator from eating while a bus is in motion?* ( ) Yes ( ) No

47 22) Does your agency have a policy prohibiting an operator from drinking (water, coffee, soft drinks, etc.) while a bus is in motion?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 23) Does your agency have a policy prohibiting an operator from using an MP3 player with headphones while a bus is in motion?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 24) Does your agency have a policy prohibiting an operator from using an MP3 player without headphones while a bus is in motion?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 25) Does your agency have a policy regarding operator/passenger conversations while a bus is in motion?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 26) Does your agency have rules for passengers that address behavior and conduct, covering behaviors that could be distracting to the operator such as attempting to question or converse with her/him while driving?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 27) If “Yes” where are these rules posted or how are they otherwise communicated to passengers? 28) What are the penalties for passengers who violate these rules? 1st Offense: 2nd Offense: 3rd Offense: 29) What is the penalty for an operator who violates a policy/rule on cell phone use and/or possession?* 1st Offense: 2nd Offense: 3rd Offense: 30) What is the penalty or penalties for an operator who violates any other rules covering distracted driving behaviors? 1st Offense: 2nd Offense: 3rd Offense: 31) How are policies regarding cell phone use and/or other distracting behaviors communicated to new operators?* 32) How are new or revised policies regarding cell phone use and/or other distracting behaviors communicated to existing operators?* 33) Were the aforementioned policies and relative penalties developed by: (Please check all that apply.) [ ] Management [ ] With input from other transit systems [ ] With input from active labor/management committees [ ] Copying an existing policy from another source

48 34) Is there a formal process for assessing the effectiveness of these policies that measures any reduction in distracted driv- ing occurrences, operator retention, and on-time performance statistics? ( ) Yes ( ) No 35) Are employee or labor union representatives a part of this assessment process? ( ) Yes ( ) No Reporting and Enforcement 36) Are street or route supervisors specifically directed to look for distracted behavior policy violations?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 37) Are on-board cameras used to enforce distracted driving policies?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 38) Are on-board cameras used to investigate reports of distracted driving policy violations?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 39) Are stop-light or traffic cameras used to enforce distracted driving policies?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 40) Are stop-light or traffic cameras used to investigate reports of distracted driving policy violations?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 41) Are passengers encouraged to report distracted driving behaviors demonstrated by operators?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 42) Are passengers given a specific contact number for making such reports? ( ) Yes ( ) No 43) Are operators given an opportunity to explain their behaviors and/or appeal decisions?* ( ) Yes ( ) No Countermeasures 44) Are procedures in place for family members to contact operators through the control center in the event of an emergency?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 45) Have schedules been examined and/or modified to allow for sufficient time during breaks to eat and use restroom facilities?* ( ) Yes ( ) No

49 46) Have on-board duties such as fare collection, making announcements, or answering questions from passengers or the control center been examined for possible modification and adjustment?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 47) Have one-way or two-way communications or alarm devices, monitors or instruments been modified or removed from the operator’s work-space to reduce operator distractions?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 48) Have technological advancements such as shielding or signal interrupters been installed on buses or around operator work spaces to prevent cell phone signal transmissions?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 49) If the law or policy permits for anything less than termination of employment on the first offense, is there any interven- tion or assistance program for the offending operator?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 50) If there is an intervention program, is it: [ ] agency sponsored? [ ] peer/union local sponsored? [ ] combination of above? Training 51) Does your agency have a training program that addresses distracted driving behaviors and consequences?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 52) If you do have a training program, is it offered to: [ ] Existing Operators [ ] New Operators 53) How long (in hours) is the course or module on distracted driving? 54) Which of the following behaviors or activities are addressed in the training? (Check all that apply.) [ ] Talking on a hand-held cell phone [ ] Talking on a hands-free cell phone [ ] Text messaging [ ] Using an MP3 player [ ] Talking with passengers [ ] Eating [ ] Grooming [ ] Reading [ ] Drinking 55) Does the training material cover laws/policies/punitive actions such as suspension, termination, and/or loss of license? ( ) Yes ( ) No

50 56) Does the training material cover real-world consequences such as accidents involving fatalities, injuries, and extensive property damage? ( ) Yes ( ) No 57) Was the training material developed internally or acquired through an external source? ( ) Developed internally ( ) Acquired ( ) Customized/modified acquired program 58) Were operators/labor representative involved in developing and/or reviewing the training material prior to implementation? ( ) Yes ( ) No 59) Has your agency used, conducted, or sponsored any behavioral or safety science research in connection with developing strategies, policies, and/or training materials to address distracted driving?* ( ) Yes ( ) No 60) If “Yes” please specifically list what has been used and/or done and, if possible, provide contact information for someone involved in the research: Response Review Thank You! Thank you for taking our survey. Your response is very important to us. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Christopher Kozub at: • E-mail: ckozub@comcast.net • Phone: 732-261-4170 • Mailing Address: 270 Church Street, Woodbridge, NJ 07095