Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board Action/Information Summary

Transcription

1 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board Action/Information Summary Action Information MEAD Number: Resolution: Yes No TITLE: Incident Management and Communications Update PRESENTATION SUMMARY: This presentation provides an update to the Board on incident management and communications for 2013, and reviews actions taken subsequent to a panel on the subject with the Riders' Advisory Council. PURPOSE: To update the Committee, customers, and the public on Metro s incident management process and communications protocols during incidents. The update will also provide information on how Metro employees keep informed during incidents and how this information is then provided to customers and the public. DESCRIPTION: Since the Incident Communications Panel met on October 11, 2012, Metro has made many improvements to its incident management processes, revising its communications protocols and procedures. This presentation reviews the actions that have been implemented to improve accuracy and the timely distribution of information to appropriate employees, customers and the general public. Key Highlights: Metro has made significant process improvements and clearly defined roles and responsibilities related to incident management and incident communications. Based upon customer research and feedback, actions have been taken to provide customers with information as fast as possible, including rapidly deploying managers and police to incidents that arise, and providing station managers with information technology tools that allow them to more quickly get information that they are then able to relay to riders. A joint supervisory training program was developed for incident response employees, including Rail Transportation, Transit Police and Emergency Management staff. More business intelligence tools are used in incident management decision making, such as: Closed circuit cameras, ridership analytics and social media. Kiosk screens, which have been installed at every station entrance to Page 5 of 16

2 respond to rider feedback requesting advance notification of incidents prior to paying their fares. Expansion of MetroAlerts to include more than 75,000 customers. A new mobile website that features a breaking news bar for incidents that appears on every page. Background and History: Metro delivers 1.2 million bus and rail riders a day to their destinations, and using a twotrack system, Metrorail currently serves 750,000 of those customers on an average weekday. During one hour of a peak period, the oldest and most heavily traveled line, the Red Line, operates trains approximately every three minutes in each direction between Grosvenor and Silver Spring stations with each train carrying up to 1,000 riders. Any train malfunction or change in track condition can have an instant effect not only on one train, but on all trains of the line, and delays domino quickly due to the close arrival of trains. When an incident occurs on Blue/Orange or Yellow/Green Lines, the delays not only impact trains on one line, but the ripple effect can quickly reach other lines due to close arrival of trains and shared track segments. Unlike highways, there is no other lane or third track to route trains around. Since the late 1990s, average weekday ridership has grown nearly 50 percent and Metro is operating more and longer trains. In fact, the number of cars required for peak service increased from 638 in the late 1990s to 878 today. While Metro Forward efforts to rebuild the system and campaigns on car maintenance are yielding good results, Metro continues to operate an aging track infrastructure with an aging rail fleet where one in four cars are approaching 40 years old. Improved incident management and communications is essential for our customers, even after Metro s new rail cars replace the existing fleet. As Metro achieves a steady state of good repair, incidents will still arise as they do in all forms of transportation. To assist customers, it is important that staff be prepared to respond quickly and communicate effectively with riders. Discussion: Within the past year, several key steps were taken to improve incident management, including: Provided refresher training and drills to increase compliance with procedures for communications between Rail supervisors and Metro Transit Police (MTPD) on the scene; Reviewed processes for coordination between MTPD Operations Control Center Liaison and Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC); Conducted joint training between incident command participants; Increased and enhanced Bus Transportation support; Improved situational awareness for Bus managers in the field; and Developed dynamic sign capabilities to display local station specific information. Page 6 of 16

3 To improve incident communications, internal changes were made to the channels through which our employees get information to enable them to better respond to an incident. A conference line protocol was established that connects and enables senior rail and bus operations staff, police, safety and communications officials to rapidly make decisions. The conference call assists communications staff by allowing them to quickly gather information and translate operational information into messages for distribution internally and externally. Senior managers on the call are able to share information that they gather by monitor the customers experience using tools, such as cameras in the stations, ridership analytics that show volume, feedback from our customer call center, and social media. All of these tools enable staff to pinpoint responses to crowding or other conditions as they arise. To further improve Metro s response, additional employees are strategically moved to incident locations. Digital radios have been distributed to staff and a dedicated radio channel has been established to improve local responses. In addition to rail supervisors having digital radios and bull horns, station managers have been provided radios to improve their mobility and information stream during incidents. The channel is monitored by dedicated Rail Operations Information Specialists located in the ROCC. Metro has introduced multiple electronic channels of information that convey timely, understandable and actionable messages directly to customers before and during their trips. The best way to know what to expect on the system is to subscribe to MetroAlerts and checking for messages before departing for a trip. Within the system, improved Passenger Information Display Systems (PIDS) and the Kiosk Information Display System (KIDS) screens are at each station, which provide the same information as MetroAlerts and wmata.com. A mobile website was introduced that, during major service disruptions, displays a breaking news bar with service information on every mobile page. Riders also benefit from the many media outlets including TV, radio and websites that monitor alerts as well as our news releases and relay real time information to the public. FUNDING IMPACT: New customer communication systems and equipment were funded through the 2013 Operating Budget. Page 7 of 16

4 TIMELINE: Previous Actions July-September/2012 Staff worked with the Board and Rider s Advisory Council (RAC) to determine Incident Command Protocol panel format and content. October 11, 2012 The Incident Communications Panel discussion was convened by the Board, in partnership with the RAC. Anticipated actions after presentation February 13, 2014 At Board s request, follow up action may be made. RECOMMENDATION: N/A Page 8 of 16

5 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Incident Management and Communications Update Safety and Security Committee February 20, 2014 Page 9 of 16

6 Incident Communications Purpose To better serve customers during service disruptions Page 10 of 16

7 Incident Management Improved Incident Command Rail disruption conference line Monitoring rider experience to pinpoint responses to crowding Faster deployment at onset of incident Fire brigade information sharing Providing alternate travel directions Page 11 of 16

8 Incident Communication Flow CONFERENCE CALL ICP MESSAGE WEBSITE RAIL INFORMATION OPERATIONS MEDIA EMPLOYEES MTPD STAKEHOLDERS METRO ALERTS PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS (PA) Passenger Information Display System (PIDS) TRAIN OPERATORS MWCOG/MATOC ICP: Incident Communications Protocol MTPD: Metro Transit Police MWCOG: Washington Council of Governments Page 12 of 16 MATOC: Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination

9 Communication Improvements Incident Communications Progress Bull Horns Station/Vehicles Station Manager Digital Radio Metrorail Alerts Bus, Emergency Management and Transit Police Bus Operations Communication Center (BOCC) communicate directions to Bus Operators Page 13 of 16

10 Communication Improvements Incident Communications Progress Disruption Information on Kiosk Screens Station Manager Direct Text Message to Bus and Rail Supervisors Bus Supervisors support Rail Managers Page 14 of 16