MBTA: Operations control center policies meet FTA requirements

All operations control center (OCC) employees have been in sustained compliance with two policy changes that further ensure employees have sufficient time off to recover between shifts, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) officials announced last week.

The compliance closes out two Federal Transit Administration findings issued in a June 15 special directive letter on June 15, 2022. The FTA reported that the finding on mandatory rest hours between shifts has been lifted, and the finding on eliminating dual scheduling for dispatcher and supervisor duties has also been lifted, MBTA officials said in a news release.

The changes to the OCC policies are part of the MBTA’s ongoing efforts to improve safety and security for  MBTA workers and riders. The MBTA is also working on 39 Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) to address broader and more long-term safety concerns in response to the FTA’s Safety Management Inspection issued in April 2022. More information can be found at mbta.com/FTAresponse.

The new policies are designed to ensure that OCC employees have adequate time to rest and recover between shifts, which can help to reduce fatigue and improve safety, MBTA officials said. The policies also prohibit dual scheduling for dispatcher and supervisor duties, which can help to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that employees are properly focused on their tasks.