Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program (PTSCTP) Certificate
On October 26, 2023, FTA published a Federal Register Notice soliciting feedback on proposed updates to FTA’s Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program (PTSCTP)regulation. This proposed update to the regulation will build upon existing training requirements for safety professionals in rail transit agencies and ensure that the training curriculum is more responsive to evolving industry needs.
The comment period closed on December 26, 2023.
FTA issued Final Rule 49 CFR Part 672, Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program, to provide minimum training requirements for Federal and State personnel and contractors who conduct safety audits and examinations of transit systems and for transit agency personnel and contractors who are directly responsible for safety oversight to enhance the technical proficiency.
The PTSCTP has three different Individual Training Plan (ITP) tracks. The different ITP tracks are stated below:
- State Safety Oversight (SSO) – State Safety Oversight Agency personnel and contractors who conduct safety audits and examinations of rail transit systems
- Rail Transit Agency (RTA) – Rail transit agency personnel and contractors who are directly responsible for safety oversight
- Bus - Bus transit agency personnel and contractors who are directly responsible for safety oversight
Individuals enrolled in the PTSCTP have a FTA-approved ITP in one or more of the ITP tracks. Each track has a specific curriculum a participant must complete.
To enroll in the PTSCTP and obtain an Individual Training Plan (ITP), email your request to the FTA Safety Promotion Team at ftasafetypromotion@dot.gov. Include the following information in your email:
- The agency you work for
- Job title/your role within that agency
- Your phone number
- ITP track you are requesting
The Individual Training Plan specifies the minimum training requirements an individual must complete to satisfy the PTSCTP requirements.
FTA reviews and approves all ITP requests. TSI will track and issue your certificate of completion within 30 days of your last class. All previously completed PTSCTP courses, delivered by TSI, will count towards those listed in your ITP.
The table below reflects the nine courses in the PTSCTP curriculum.
PTSCTP Training Curriculum
| 1 | SMS Awareness |
| 2 | SMS Safety Assurance |
| 3 | SMS Principles for Transit |
| 4 | Transit Rail System Safety |
| 5 | Transit Rail Incident Investigation |
| 6 | Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies |
| 7 | SMS Principles for SSO Personnel |
| 8 | Fundamentals of Bus Collision Investigation |
| 9 | Transit Bus System Safety |
The table below reflects the curriculum for each ITP track.
ITP Track Curriculum
| SSO TRACK | RTA TRACK | BUS TRACK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMS Awareness | SMS Awareness | SMS Awareness |
| 2 | SMS-Safety Assurance (VLT) | SMS-Safety Assurance (VLT) | SMS-Safety Assurance (VLT) |
| 3 | SMS Principles for Transit | SMS Principles for Transit | SMS Principles for Transit |
| 4 | Transit Rail System Safety | Transit Rail System Safety | Transit Bus System Safety |
| 5 | Transit Rail Incident Investigation | Transit Rail Incident Investigation | Fundamentals of Bus Collision Investigation |
| 6 | Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies | Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies | Effectively Managing Transit Emergencies |
| 7 | SMS Principles for SSO Personnel | N/A | N/A |
