Transit & Paratransit

Company

Jeff Cassell

President

Do it Right, The First

Time, Every Time

Jeff Cassell

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1. 21 years as V.P. Corporate Risk Manager for Laidlaw – Risk Manager, based in Naperville, Illinois

38,000 School Buses, 10,000 Transit Buses, Greyhound & 6,000 Ambulances.

3. Five years - President School Bus Safety Company

4. Three years – President TAPTCO, Safety for Transit & Paratransit

operations – Sell Training Courses for Transit & Paratransit operations.

The Challenge

• How can we help our drivers do it right, the first time, every time.

• Mistakes lead to accidents

• Mistakes lead to poor service

• Short cuts lead to problems

• Rushing leads to problems

It often takes more work and energy to do it wrong as it does to do it right. So, why don’t we always do it right?

Example one • School bus is following a pick up truck too close, driver of

pick up is on cell phone, not paying attention when he realizes tractor ahead is slowing down, so he brakes hard. School bus rear ends pick up, squashing pick up into the tractor – two killed.

• The school bus had been further back

• The bus driver had been looking ahead and seen the tractor slowing down.

• Two people would still be alive

If Only

Example Two • Transit bus making a left hand turn from the middle

lane. Driver does not rock and roll and hits five pedestrians, killing two. The pedestrians had a walk now signal.

• Driver had been in correct lane before turning left

• Driver had rock & rolled

• These two people would still be alive

If Only

Example Three

• Passenger starts argument with driver over the fare. Passenger is rude and objectionable. Driver gets upset and pushes passenger, fight starts, driver beats up the passenger, all caught on camera.

• Driver had been trained to stay professional and not take passenger comments and moods personal.

• Driver did not allow one fare to become a national media event

• Driver had professionally advised passenger he would dial 911 and then called 911

If Only

If a, could a, would a • An accident or problem occurs when a number of

factors come together.

• If just one of the factors is removed – no problem.

• Driver does not control all the factors but they do control at least one.

• A professional driver knows this and they act to remove the factor they control.

Patterns of unsafe behavior

Example of a rear end collision • Driver is only 2 seconds back

• Distracted for a moment by a child playing in road

• Car ahead does an unexpected sudden stop

• BANG – rear end collision

• 30% of all vehicle accidents are rear end collisions

A professional driver allows a cushion of safety – four seconds back. Under above scenario, they have time to react and stop – no rear end collision. They are a professional. They left themselves an out. They removed one of the factors.

Just imagine if:

• Every driver knew exactly what was expected of them under every scenario.

• They were all skilled in operating the bus.

• The normal way of operating was to only operate in a safe way – no unsafe acts – ever.

• Everyone in the location operated this way and indoctrinated new employees with this normal and usual way of operating.

• The NORMS were the right way, the first time, every time.

• Accidents were almost zero and passengers delivered safely.

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What are NORMS

• The socially acceptable normal way of acting

• The way everyone normally acts

• The normal and usual way we all do things

The goal is to create NORMS in your facility where everyone

follows the most efficient, safest way of working by natural

instinct, because everyone acts this way.

Examples:

No one would ever not wear a seat belt

Everyone stays back 4 seconds and

would be aghast if anyone follows closer

Backing up without a spotter is a taboo

How do we create safe NORMS?

• Knowledge – Do they know the correct behavior? Do they know why this is the correct behavior? Do they know the possible consequences of not following this behavior?

• Motivation – WIIFM

• Peer pressure

• Professionalism

• The right thing to do

• Personal Pride

• Not wanting to be the failure

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Clear and

unambiguous

expectations in

everything

required

&

Accountability

You set safe NORMS and

improve performance by:

Training, Training and Training backed up by Leadership

Leadership The quality and extent of your training is the most important factor in leadership.

It is the foundation of everything else you do and expect.

With new employees, you only get one chance to make a first impression and set the tone for future expectations.

WIIFM • To change driver behaviors and set safe NORMS, you must address

the WIIFM

• No wants to have an accident

• No one wants to be a failure

• We all want to value what we do

• We all want to feel important

• We all want to be valued as a professional

Napoleon

• Every driver knows exactly what to do for everything they need to do – they have the knowledge

• Every driver knows how to drive safely, provide great customer service and how to react to the many challenges they encounter each day – they have the skills

• This is the normal and usual way for everyone to operate. If you do not, you stand out and management, peer pressure and being accepted requires you to act this way

• You are a high quality, safe operation – this is the norm

You set the NORMS!

Play Video

For Example:

• If you stay back 4 seconds, you reduce the risk of a rear end collision

• If you rock & roll for turns, you reduce the risk of a pedestrian fatality

• If you never back up the bus you remove the risk of a backing accident

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1. Unsafe Conditions

• Risk comes from unsafe conditions

• Tires, Brakes, Steering, etc

• Drug Tests, MVR’s CRC’s Physicals etc.

• We engineer away the unsafe conditions

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Very few accidents are

caused by unsafe

conditions. Less than 1%.

Risk is created from two areas:

2. Unsafe Behaviors

• 99% of all accidents are caused by unsafe behaviors

• These are most often conscious deliberate behaviors

• These behaviors include: Every accident is caused and they are caused by deliberate and conscious unsafe behaviors

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Distracted driving – cell phones, texting etc

Following too closely Not Rock & Roll during turns Speeding for conditions Improper Lane changing Unsafe Backing Improper setting of mirrors Incorrect Lifting Not slowing for stale greens

What causes accidents?

99% of all accidents are caused by Unsafe Behaviors

Change the behaviors – you remove the causes – you prevent accidents!

300 : 29 : 1 – Heinrich’s Safety Theory

Reduce 300 unsafe acts, 29 goes down and the 1 never happens

Every driver clearly links their behaviors to reducing the 300 – Reduce unsafe behaviors

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Recap: • Safety = Freedom from Risk

• Risk = The possibility of harm or damage to property

• Risk is created by unsafe conditions – we engineer these away

• Most risk is created by unsafe behaviors

• These behaviors are conscious and deliberate

• 300 unsafe behaviors leads to 29 minor accidents and one catastrophe

• We totally control our behaviors.

• If we know which behaviors involve risk and lead to accidents, why would we EVER practice these behaviors?

Professionals do not do this, do they?

So, what should professionals do? • Examine the following list of unsafe behaviors

• Commit, as a professional to avoid every one of these behaviors, at all times. No 300.

Distracted driving – cell phones, texting etc Rushing Following too closely Not Rock & Roll during turns Speeding for conditions Improper Lane changing Unsafe Backing Improper setting of mirrors Incorrect Lifting Not slowing for stale greens Not using reference points Not paying attention Rolling through stop signs Not leaving room around the bus

Get the drivers involved

• Once you have explained safety, risk, where risk comes from and the goal of removing risk, ask the drivers how to do this as a team.

• Ask each driver to examine their own driving behaviors and commit to removing the 300

Safety Best Practices

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When explained this way this clearly connects the

dots between the safe intentions and the day to day

practices of the drivers. They will know exactly what is

expected of them, what is NOT expected of them and

why.

Once drivers know exactly what is expected of them

and you continually act to set the safe NORMS, will

get closer to doing it right, the first time, every time.

Challenging their professionalism helps to get them

to avoid unsafe acts.

Safety

Follow Up

1. Continual follow up. Regularly remind them of

the ten most desired safe behaviors. Use posters

to reinforce the messages. If anyone has an accident,

go over the behaviors that led to the accident.

2. Ensure every accident is discussed as to the behavior

that led to that accident and why the driver continued

that behavior. Ask for their help in getting all drivers to

change the behaviors.

3. Track all accidents by the behaviors that led to these accidents and

publish/share these behaviors and the consequences to encourage others to

learn by the mistakes. Do not name the driver, just the behavior.

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4. Hang this sign at the exit to every yard

5. Continually reinforce the desired behaviors

6. Highest Management support for this

direction

7. Never tolerate unsafe behaviors

8. You set the Norms – no 300, ever

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Clear and

unambiguous

expectations in

everything

required

&

Accountability

Manager says - “ You are to stay back at least four seconds at all times. This

means when travelling at 30 MPH, 5 MPH or 60 MPH. A minimum of four

seconds following distance at all times, without exception, is that clear?

Manager “ There are no buts, no exceptions, ever. Four seconds

at all times, is that clear – do you understand?”

Driver – “Yes, four seconds at all times, I understand.”

Manager – “So, you are committing to always staying

back at least four seconds at all times,

no matter what?”

Driver – “Yes, I am committing to four seconds

at all times”

Manager – “Fantastic, that is what professionals do”

Leave no room for flexibility

It is not merely a suggestion!

Here is the most powerful question to

ask:

• As professionals, if you know a behavior involves risk - is

unsafe, why in the world would you continue that behavior?

• Professionals would never do that, would they?

• The rewards for taking risks are minimal and short term. The penalty, having an accident, is huge and permanent.

• Do all you can to eliminate the 300 and be the best that you

can be. You deserve this.

How do you track accidents?

Most transportation operations track accidents by what happened, not by

what caused the accident

Such as:

Intersection accident

Rear end collision

Pedestrian accident

Hit parked car or fixed object

Failure to yield right of way

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Focus on the unsafe behavior that

led to the accident

Rear end collision accident Following too closely Not Paying attention Driving too fast for conditions

Backing accident Not doing all possible to avoid backing Not using a spotter Not getting out and looking

Intersection accident Getting in correct lane late Not slowing for stale green Not rock & rolling Not checking mirrors Not using reference points etc

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If we know the behaviors

that lead to the accidents,

we can share these unsafe

behaviors as part of the

strategy to change them

Maryland

Transit

It really is very simple

• Identify the behaviors that lead to accidents and problems

• Change those behaviors

• Eliminate the accidents and problems

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The challenge is in the execution?

Some more techniques to use

• Get drivers to share details of accidents, discuss

the behaviors that caused them – get buy in

• Discuss five prior accidents and the causes. Who

still practices those unsafe behaviors – why?

• Ask drivers to share unsafe driving practices they

still perform and now agree to change – challenge

their professionalism

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Still More!

• In future will discuss all accidents as a group

and conclude the unsafe behaviors. No one

wants this, it focuses on what they did wrong.

• Ask, as professionals, if they know a behavior

is unsafe, why in the world would they

continue this behavior – professionals do not

do that

• Regularly discuss a poster that identifies the

ten unsafe behaviors that lead to accidents –

reinforcement and repetition

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LLLC Defensive Driving

• Look Ahead

• Look Around

• Leave Room

• Communicate

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Tie a Defensive Driving

program into the ideas and

practices to achieve the safest

NORMS.

Smith System

• Aim high in steering

• Keep your eyes moving

• Get the big picture

• Leave room

• Make sure they see you

This enables you to set your Norms:

• Every driver knows exactly what to do for everything they need to do – they have the knowledge

• Every driver knows how to drive safely, provide great customer service and how to react to the many challenges they encounter each day – they have the skills

• This is the normal and usual way for everyone to operate. If you do not, you stand out and management, peer pressure and being accepted requires you to act this way

• You are a high quality, safe operation – this is the norm

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It’s all about the drivers and what they do

Train them well and convince them of the right,

safe behaviors & continually follow up

They will be safer, more productive professionals

Conclusion

Focus on the desired behaviors Take action on all unsafe behaviors Create the safest, most efficient norms

To do it right, the first time,

every time.