Safe Transit Accountability Act

The Safe Transit Accountability Act would modify the way safety decisions are made within transit agencies that receive federal funding. Specifically, it designates a single “accountable executive” as the final decisionmaker on whether to implement risk-based safety mitigations recommended by the agency’s Safety Committee and as the sole tiebreaker in any disputes over Safety Committee resolutions. The accountable executive is defined as the top official who has ultimate responsibility for the agency’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP), oversees the Transit Asset Management Plan (TAMP), and controls the human and capital resources needed to maintain both plans. In short, the bill consolidates final say on safety-related recommendations and dispute outcomes in one person within the agency. This change shifts decision authority from any broader committee or process to a clearly identified individual within the agency, aiming to streamline and strengthen accountability for safety and asset management decisions.