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From page 5... ... 6 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide Assault specific risk factors, listed in Table 1, can be categorized as "system factors," "route factors," and "operation factors." • System factors are factors that potentially impact the risk of driver assault on any route within a given system. • Route factors are tied to a specific route and potentially impact the risk of driver assault on a specific route. Read the entire page →
From page 6... ... 7 The operator assault risk management toolbox is a practical toolbox developed to support transit agencies in their efforts to prevent, mitigate, and respond to assaults against operators. The toolbox consists of a series of customizable templates for systematically evaluating and analyzing assault risks, situational factors, technologies, agency efforts, and current countermeasures that assists transit agencies in identifying gaps and improvements that would provide the largest benefits to the agency. Read the entire page →
From page 7... ... 8 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide show that transit agencies can implement a more diverse and balanced countermeasure strategy in response to system-specific risks. Benefits of the Toolbox Agencies that choose to manage operator assault vulnerabilities and risks without a coherent strategy may be forced to make choices with unclear consequences using incomplete information. Read the entire page →
From page 8... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 9 image-capture capabilities that allow video images or extracted information to be compressed, stored, or transmitted over communication networks or digital data link. Category 6: Driver Protection Systems. Read the entire page →
From page 9... ... 10 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE: Category 1: Policies, Plans, and Protocols Countermeasure Questions Points Available Score Fare Collection Policies 3 1 1 TOTAL 3 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 TOTAL 3 1 0.5 0.5 TOTAL Communication Protocol for Violent Incidents (Incident Command System) Operator Assaults Zero Tolerance Workplace Violence Policy Coverage Does your agency have a fare collection policy to reduce potential for conflict over payment? Read the entire page →
From page 10... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 11 Figure 2. Vulnerability self-assessment final scores matrix. Read the entire page →
From page 11... ... 12 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide intensive, or difficult to use than others, impacting their maximum possible score as described in the weighted countermeasure scores section. These factors, while largely beyond agency control, are captured in the evaluation system and deployment of low-cost, easy-to-implement countermeasures may contribute to a higher average countermeasure score. Read the entire page →
From page 12... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 13 subtract your countermeasure score from the maximum possible score to calculate the number of remaining points available for each countermeasure. Higher remaining points available values indicate that an agency may significantly improve its score for a particular countermeasure by making improvements identified in the Countermeasures Guide to fulfill more of the criteria outlined in the vulnerability self-assessment questionnaire. Read the entire page →
From page 13... ... VULNERABILITY SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE Category 1: Policies, Plans, and Protocols Countermeasure Questions Points Available Score Fare Collection Policies Does your agency have a fare collection policy to reduce potential for conflict over payment? 3 3 Are employees trained to their responsibilities within the policy? Read the entire page →
From page 14... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 15 Passenger Code of Conduct Does your agency have a passenger code of conduct? 3 3 Is the code of conduct posted on every vehicle in the fleet? Read the entire page →
From page 15... ... 16 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide Worksheet 2. Vulnerability self-assessment final scores matrix (excerpted from the pilot test) Read the entire page →
From page 16... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 17 • Route factors are tied to a specific route and potentially impact the risk of driver assault on a specific route. Route factors include the presence of bars, sports venues, gang territories, schools, homeless shelters, or similar group facilities along any given route within a system.4 • Operation factors are within the purview of the transit company to manage and/or change in a system or on a specific route. Read the entire page →
From page 17... ... 18 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide System Factor Region and Population Density Risk Factor Rank South • Metropolitan areas • Cities • Nonmetropolitan areas 5 5 3 1 Midwest • Metropolitan areas • Cities • Nonmetropolitan areas 2 3 2 1 West • Metropolitan areas • Cities • Nonmetropolitan areas 3 3 6 2 Northeast • Metropolitan areas • Cities • Nonmetropolitan areas 2 3 5 3 Step 2: Route Factors Enter the route factors risk rank from the look-up table in Appendix B for each route factor. For example, for the incident history factor, it is assumed that the transit system using the routebased risk calculator has two routes. Read the entire page →
From page 18... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 19 Table 3 illustrates the completed route-based risk calculator for these two hypothetical routes. Step 4: Terminal/Transfer Stations Calculate the terminal and transfer station risk scores for each route, if applicable. Read the entire page →
From page 19... ... 20 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide The same approach is to be taken for transfer stations, although, in general transfer stations will not require a greater than one-block radius calculation. When several transfer stations are on a route, the total transfer station risk rank is determined by summing the ranks for each transfer station to derive the total transfer station risk rank. Read the entire page →
From page 20... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 21 Step 2. Enter the appropriate route factor risk ranks as derived from the look-up table in Appendix B for incident history, number of bars/crime prone spots, etc. Read the entire page →
From page 21... ... 22 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide Table 6. Example of terminal and transfer station risk ranks -- Route 1. Read the entire page →
From page 22... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 23 Table 6. (Continued) Read the entire page →
From page 23... ... 24 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide Table 7. Example of terminal and transfer station risk ranks -- Route 2. Read the entire page →
From page 24... ... Table 7. (Continued) Read the entire page →
From page 25... ... 26 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide TERMINAL AND TRANSFER STATION RISK RANKS TERMINAL AND TRANSFER STATION RISK RANKS RISK FACTOR TERMINAL A – TRANSIT CENTER ROUTE B TERMINAL CHARACTERISTICS RISK FACTOR RANK REGION South 5 POPULATION DENSITY Metropolitan 5 INCIDENT HISTORY Multiple Simple Assaults/36 Months 7 NUMBER OF BARS/CRIME PRONE SPOTS Multiple Bars, Nightclubs/Gang Issues 7 KNOWN THREAT Multiple Known Threats 7 HOURS OF OPERATION Evening/Late Night/Early Mornings 7:00 p.m. Read the entire page →
From page 26... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 27 TERMINAL AND TRANSFER STATION RISK RANKS RISK FACTOR TERMINAL A – TRANSIT CENTER ROUTE C TERMINAL CHARACTERISTICS RISK FACTOR RANK REGION South 5 POPULATION DENSITY Metropolitan 5 INCIDENT HISTORY Multiple Simple Assaults/ 36 Months 7 NUMBER OF BARS/CRIME PRONE SPOTS Multiple Bars, Nightclubs/ Gang Issues 7 KNOWN THREAT Multiple Known Threats 7 HOURS OF OPERATION Evening/Late Night/Early Mornings 7:00 p.m. Read the entire page →
From page 27... ... 7This table can be reproduced to cover as many routes in a transit agency's system as denoted by n in the last row. See Appendix C Read the entire page →
From page 28... ... 8This table can be reproduced to cover as many routes in a transit agency's system as denoted by n in the last row. See Appendix C Read the entire page →
From page 29... ... 30 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide How to Use the Route-Comparison Summary Table For every route in the entire system, a route risk score would be derived and the scores for each route would be entered into a route-comparison summary table (see Tables 11 and 12) Read the entire page →
From page 30... ... ROUTE-COMPARISON SUMMARY TABLE – PART B – ROUTES 1, 2, AND 3 ROUTES ROUTE FACTOR: SELECT RISK FACTOR RANK FROM LOOK-UP TABLE IN APPENDIX B OPERATION FACTOR SELECT RISK FACTOR RANK FROM LOOK-UP TABLE IN APPENDIX B ROUTE RISK SCORE – PART B TOTAL ROUTE RISK SCORE – A + B BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, AND ENTERTAINMENT HIGH INCIDENT VENUES -- TAVERNS, BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, AND SPORTS BARS/STADIUMS HIGH INCIDENT GANG AREAS HIGH JUVENILE CRIME AREAS KNOWN THREATS TERMINALS AND TRANSFER STATIONS HOURS OF OPERATION A 0 0 0 0 0 31 10 31 51 B 0 0 0 0 0 70 15 70 95 C 0 0 0 0 0 44 10 44 64 Table 14. Route-comparison summary table -- Part B: pilot study Routes 1, 2, and 3. Read the entire page →
From page 31... ... 32 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide This section adds countermeasures to the calculus. Table 15 groups the countermeasures according to the risk components [i.e., threat (T) Read the entire page →
From page 32... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 33 Countermeasure TVC Effectiveness Weight Countermeasures Impacting Threats Policies, Plans, Protocols Fare Collection Policy and Procedures T 5 Passenger Screening T 5 Operator Assaults Zero Tolerance Workplace Violence Policy Coverage T 4 Passenger Code of Conduct T 4 Assault Legislation T 3 Barring Systems T 3 Passenger Awareness Programs T 3 Surveillance and Observation Systems Visible Surveillance Systems - Cameras in Plain Sight T 4 Driver Protection Services Public Address System and Signage T 3 Countermeasures Impacting Vulnerabilities Police or Security Staffing Staffing On Board Conveyance V 5 Driver Protection Services Physical Barriers/Compartment Barriers or Shielding -- Full or Partial V 5 Driver-Side Exit Doors V 4 Defensive Weapons V 3 Training Driver/Operator Security V 5 Driver/Operator Self-Defense V 3 Countermeasures Impacting Consequences Policies, Plans, Protocols Communication Protocol for Violent Incidents C 5 Violent Incident Emergency Response Plan C 4 Police or Security Staffing Centralized On-Board Alarms, Panic Buttons with Immediate Force Response C 5 Data Communications and Telemetry Systems Vehicle Disabling C 4 Anti-Theft -- Secure Driver Sign On C 4 Anti-Theft -- Enroute C 4 Electronic Distress Signs C 3 Countermeasures Impacting Combined T/V Surveillance and Observation Systems Bus Stop Lighting T/V 3 Driver Protection Services On-Board Vehicle Fire Suppression Equipment T/V 5 Countermeasures Impacting Combined T/C Policies, Plans, Protocols Post-Incident Action Steps T/C 4 Driver Protection Services DNA Swipe Kits T/C 2 Table 15. Threat (T) Read the entire page →
From page 33... ... 34 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide Route 2 -- Midwest city, route with one assault over the last 60 months, one bar along the route. If bus stop lighting is implemented on the route in a Midwest city that has one bar and one assault over the last 60 months, how much will this reduce the risk of bus driver assault on that route? Read the entire page →
From page 34... ... Operator Assault Risk Management Toolbox 35 Integrating the Route-Based Risk Calculator and Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool By comparing the results of the route-based risk calculator with the route-based scores from the vulnerability self-assessment tool, agencies may gain a deeper understanding of the value of specific countermeasures relative to the risks present along each route -- information that helps maximize the value of investment in individual countermeasures. To compare the relative risks along each route with corresponding countermeasure scores for the route, populate Table 16 with the route risk score, average countermeasure score, and the total number of countermeasures for each route being evaluated. Read the entire page →
From page 35... ... 36 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide Interpreting the Results Resources to combat operator assaults are limited, most agencies depend upon agency policy target routes with the highest risk for the deployment of new countermeasures. Agencies should seek to deploy a large number of countermeasures that fulfill the vulnerability selfassessment tool criteria along each high-risk route. Read the entire page →

From page 5...

... 6 Tools and Strategies for Eliminating Assaults Against Transit Operators: User Guide Assault specific risk factors, listed in Table 1, can be categorized as "system factors," "route factors," and "operation factors." • System factors are factors that potentially impact the risk of driver assault on any route within a given system. • Route factors are tied to a specific route and potentially impact the risk of driver assault on a specific route.