EMS Training & Assistance – Round 2

On August 13, 2007, FTA published in the Federal Register an invitation to state and local transit agencies to apply for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) training and assistance.  FTA-funded training and assistance will take the form of workshops, on-site technical advice, consultation and comprehensive training in the development of an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001-based EMS for chosen transit facilities.  An EMS is a set of operational procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state and local environmental regulations, as well as to facilitate environmental stewardship.  These procedures address energy conservation, efficient water use, material recycling and waste minimization, vehicle emissions reduction, improved fueling operations and hazardous material management and substitution, among other practices.  Evidence suggests that adoption of environmental management systems results in better regulatory compliance and fine avoidance, as well as advantages in financing, insurance, marketing, regulatory compliance, and other areas of operations.

This initiative responds to requests from transit industry representatives that FTA re-institute an EMS training and assistance program similar to the one that FTA successfully concluded in January 2006.  A cooperative agreement was executed with an organization experienced in EMS training to assist FTA staff in this endeavor.  The Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement at Virginia Tech will provide classroom training, phone and on-site assistance over a period of two years for the selected agencies.  At the conclusion of the program, FTA will issue a report detailing the results of the training and assistance, as well as participating agencies’ case studies and recommendations to assist other transit agencies throughout the country in implementing EMS.   Ten state and local transit agencies applied for the second round of FTA-sponsored EMS training.  Two of the agencies declined to be interviewed by FTA staff for the training and assistance and a third dropped out late in the initiation process.   FTA staff reviewed the written submissions of the transit agencies and conducted phone interviews.  Based on the reviews and interviews, FTA believes that the executive and managerial staffs of these transit agencies have a high level of commitment to the intensive two-year training and implementation program for which the agencies applied.  Each agency acknowledged, on its own initiative, that EMS is a sound business decision, as well as a socially responsible act of environmental stewardship.

In December 2007, FTA Administrator James Simpson approved the selection of the agencies listed below for participation in the 2nd Round of FTA assisted EMS training:

 ·     Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority

  ·   City of Asheville Transit System

·    Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

·    Maryland Transit Administration

·    Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

·    Miami-Dade Transit

·    Worcester Regional Transit Authority

Training is designed to help agencies develop and implement a complete EMS, using the 14001 Standard of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).  The 14001 Standard is a toolbox of management techniques to minimize harm to the environment.  The 14001 Standard is serving as the basis of the EMS training, although it will be at the discretion of the agency whether to pursue ISO certification.  FTA will assemble a final report that includes the participating transit agencies’ case studies and assesses training results.  The report will be available on this website at the conclusion of the program. 

toolbox of management techniques to minimize harm to the environment.  The 14001 Standard is serving as the basis of the EMS training, although it will be at the discretion of the agency whether to pursue ISO certification.  FTA will assemble a final report that includes the participating transit agencies’ case studies and assesses training results.  The report will be available on this website at the conclusion of the program.