dc streetcar lessons learned · state safety oversight agency (ssoa) ... dc streetcar lessons...

DC StreetcarLessons Learned

Timothy Borchers

SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit Inc., Principal Consultant

Tampa, FL

Key Presentation Take-Aways

2

• System Overview – FAQ’s

• History – Modern Streetcars for DC

• Challenges – Solutions

• Lessons Learned

System Overview - FAQ’s

3

• Owner - District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

• Operator - RATP Dev McDonald Transit Associates (RDMT)

• Fleet – Total of 6 cars - 3 Inekon Trio (12) & 3 US Streetcar (100)

4

System OverviewFAQ’s

Images courtesy DDOT & SNC-Lavalin.

5


• Route - Union Station to Oklahoma Ave (running on H St / Benning Rd)

• Length - 2.2 miles

• Maintenance Facility - Corner of Benning Rd and 26th St NE

• Operations - In Street Sharing Traffic Lanes

• Frequency - 10 to 15 Minutes

• Fare - Free (trial period)

• Revenue Service - February 27 2016

Image courtesy DDOT.

6


• Monday-Thursday: 6:00 am – midnight

• Friday: 6:00 am – 2:00 am

• Saturday: 8:00 am – 2:00 am

• Sunday Closed (Sunday service may be phased in at a later date.)

• Holidays: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm

Images courtesy DDOT.

History – Modern Streetcars for DC

7

• 2002 – Study of a 37m 59.5km Streetcar System

• 2004/2012 – Anacostia Line Constructed (1.1m)

• 2007/2013 – H St NE/Benning Rd Line Constructed (2.2m)

• 2007 – 3 Inekon Cars Stored in Czech Republic

• 2009/2010 – Inekon Cars to DC, Stored in the Open

• 2013/2014 – 3 United Streetcar Cars Arrived in DC

8

HistoryModern-Streetcars for DC

All dates estimated.

• 2012 – Signed Contract for New Maintenance Facility Corner of Benning Road and 26th St NE

• 2015 (February) – NTP New Maintenance Facility corner of Benning Road and 26th St NE

• 2012 – Five Year Operation and Maintenance Contract signed with RATP Dev McDonald Transit (RDMT)

• 2012 – Streetcars Initially Operate on Anacostia

• 2013 – Streetcars Initially Operate on H St NE/Benning Rd

9



• 2012 – DC Fire & EMS Department (DCFEMS) designated as the State Safety Oversight Agency (SSOA)

• 2014 – DC Council Act providing DCFEMS to “Order the partialor complete cessation of an activity undertaken by the Districtgovernment, or any entity acting on the District government’sbehalf, in connection with the operation of the DC Streetcar”and “take any other action necessary” to achieve the functionsand responsibilities of a SOA.

10



• 2013 /2014 – Streetcar goes through Safety Certification Process and 2 Attempts at Pre-revenue Operations (PRO)

• 2014/Early 2015 – DDOT and SSOA Cannot Reach Agreement on the System’s Safety Certification

• 2015 (January) – DC Mayor Muriel Bowser nominates Leif Dormsjo as DDOT Director and Streetcar as Priority 1

• 2015 (March) – APTA at DDOT’s Request Conducts Peer Review

11




• 2015 (April) – APTA Releases (Draft) Peer Review

• 2015 (May) – SNC Lavalin Engaged and Launch Manager Named

• 2015 (June) – APTA Releases (Final) Peer Review, No Fatal Flaws to Prevent Safety Certification (Revenue Service) and Recommends 18 Items Required Prior to Revenue Service

12



• 2015 (May) to 2016 (February) – 10 Months

• 2016 (February) – System Safety Certification

• 2016 (February) – Revenue Service on Saturday, February 27

13




Challenges - Solutions

14

• Launch Manager’s sole objective was to achieve safety certification and have DC Streetcar enter revenue service in the shortest time safely practical.

• APTA Peer Review listed 18 “Recommendations” to be implemented prior to revenue service and 15 “Other Observations.”

• Following are the actions taken.

15

ChallengesSolutions

DDOT RTA• DDOT to understand their Level of Responsibility as the

Project Owner

• Internal Education

• Understanding of Duties and Responsibilities (Staff and Organization)

• Reset “Institutionalized” Culture Preventing Project from Reaching Conclusion

16

ChallengesSolutions

DDOT RTA & Organizational Chart• Compliant

• Represents a RTA

• Functional

• Inclusive

• Assigns Responsibility

17

ChallengesSolutions

DDOT Safety Meeting Structure• Relevant Competences

• Conflict of Interest

• Independent QA/QC

• Control Delegation

18

ChallengesSolutions

DDOT Staff• DDOT Staff unaffected by History of Project, Solution

Orientated and with Rail Transit Experience

• Establish Accountability

• Positions Restructured - Associated Director, Chief Safety Officer, Streetcar Program Manager (Engineering)

• Maintain Accountability

19

ChallengesSolutions

SSOA• Formal Meeting Schedule and Structure

• Minutes – Court Reporter

• Subject Matter Experts

• Regular Meetings with SSOA Immediate Managers/Chief

• Establishing of DC SSOA

• Competences of DC SSOA

• Change of People DC SSOA

20

ChallengesSolutions

DDOT Project PMOC• Consultants unaffected by History of Project, Solution Orientated

and with Rail Transit or Relevant Experience

• Establish Accountability

• Worked with PMOC to Restructure Positions – Project Director, S&S Manager, S&S Coordinator, Safety Manager, Security Manager, Program Coordination & Controls (Project Scheduling), Operations Planner


21

ChallengesSolutions

DDOT Contract Operator• Working with Contract Operator focusing on Contract to Better

Define O&M Requirements

• Contract Staff unaffected by History of Project, Solution Orientated and with Relevant Rail Transit Experience

• Establish Accountability (to Contract)

• Worked with Contract Operator to Restructure Positions –General Manager, Director Maintenance


22

ChallengesSolutions

Rolling Stock & Infrastructure• Serviceability of Rolling Stock

• Rolling Stock Spares

• Rolling Stock Training

• Passenger Platforms

• Street Railway Type Operational Signs and Devices

• Infrastructure Spares

• Infrastructure Training

23

ChallengesSolutions

General Items• Introduce Independent Consultancy Firm to Solely Manage

Schedule

• Introduced Specialists - Safety Certification, FTA Rail Safety and Security, Technical Writing (Procedure and Rule), Hazard Analysis, Streetcar Operations & Maintenance, Compliance Attorney, Transportation Law

• Writing and Rewriting of Plans, Rules and Procedures

• Assess Competencies of Staff – All Areas

24

ChallengesSolutions

25


DC Streetcar – Lessons Learnt

26


Foundation for any project is a solid planning

process, discipline of plan adherence and

properly configuring any

changes.

RTA to understand it has

ownership and responsibility for

the project.

As necessary, delegate

authority not responsibility.

27


Monitor institutionalization and its ability to paralyze or make

nonsensical decisions for the

project.

Ensure staff has relevant

rail competences

and are solution

orientated.

Cultivate formal but

friendly working

relationship SSOA.

Trust, but verify, (Ronald

Reagan) regulatory

requirements.

28


Images courtesy DDOT.

dc streetcar lessons learned · state safety oversight agency (ssoa) ... dc streetcar lessons...

Documents