By Shiho O. Thompson

In mass transit, the safety and security of employees and riders is a fundamental objective. Accidents and crime –– including acts of terrorism –– are prevailing concerns for many transit officials, particularly in large cities where demographics like population and ridership are major factors. An increased sense of vulnerability since 9-11 has caused some in urban areas to be wary of public transportation. However, for most riders, public transportation is a cost-efficient, convenient way to commute, go to school, and travel when alternatives –– walking, biking, driving –– are inconvenient or challenging. Avoiding the use of public transportation out of fear is not practical or appropriate. In a time when safety and security are prevalent, visible issues in the national eye, it is important for transit officials to underscore the significance of initiatives and participatory methods that demonstrate safety and security.

Transit Watch –– the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)'s latest public awareness campaign –– focuses on enhancing transit riders' and employees' safety and security awareness levels. With the highly successful Neighborhood Watch crime prevention program of the National Sheriff's Association in mind, FTA developed recognizable logos and slogans for Transit Watch. The goal of Transit Watch is to provide transit agencies of all sizes with a uniform public awareness campaign, including materials that reinforce safety and security messages for passengers and enlist the support of transit employees. Building upon transit agencies' existing safety and security programs, the campaign encourages active participation of riders in reporting unsafe behavior and any suspicious activity to transit officials or uniformed security officers. Additionally, the campaign is aimed at fostering a feeling of partnership among riders and employees as they work together to ensure safety and security within respective transit regions.

At the September 2003 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City –– where the Transit Watch campaign was launched –– FTA Administrator Jennifer Dorn commented, "Safety and security are top priorities of the Bush Administration and Secretary Mineta. Our nation's transit agencies are better prepared and more secure today than they have ever been, and this program is an important next step in the industry's efforts to ensure that public transportation passengers and employees are aware of their surroundings, alert to suspicious activities, and know what to do when and if they observe something unusual."

Following months of research and consideration, FTA, along with industry partners including APTA, Community Transit Association of America (CTAA), Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), and Transportation Security Administration (TSA), began developing the Transit Watch campaign in June 2003. During campaign development, FTA and its partners conducted a series of meetings to define interests and create a research methodology that included extensive background examination of transit agencies nationwide as well as surveys, focus groups, and development of creative materials. Detailed analysis and surveys were conducted by Frances Kernodle Associates with 16 “steering committee” transit agencies representative of small, mid-size and large systems throughout the U.S. including:

Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (Birmingham, Alabama)

City of Phoenix Transit Department/Valley Metro (Phoenix, Arizona)

Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (San Jose, California)

Miami-Dade Transit Agency (Miami, Florida)

ValleyRide/Ada-Canyon Counties Transit System (Boise, Idaho)

Indianapolis Public Transit (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Transit Authority of River City (Louisville, Kentucky)

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (Boston, Massachusetts)

City of Jackson Transit System (Jackson, Mississippi)

Bi-State Development Agency (Saint Louis, Missouri)

Capital District Transportation Authority (Albany, New York)

Charlotte Area Transit System (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston, Texas)

Utah Transit Authority (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Mason County Transit Authority (Shelton, Washington)

King County Department of Transportation (METRO Transit)

In addition to supplying information and responding to the survey, many of the agencies supplied current safety and security materials. The background research served to underscore the validity of, and need for, the Transit Watch program, particularly in small or mid-sized communities.

In mid-August, a series of focus group meetings were conducted in three of the “steering committee” communities — Boston, Massachusetts; St. Louis, Missouri; and Mason County, Washington. Passengers and employees participating in the focus groups expressed their views on various logos, taglines, messages and other aspects of the Transit Watch prototypes. Ultimately, the campaign encourages transit agencies to obtain free Transit Watch toolkits from the FTA and to customize them to reflect the unique needs and interests of the community in promoting safety and security.

Although Transit Watch was conceived in a post 9-11, security conscious environment, FTA's campaign is not solely a security initiative developed as a countermeasure against potential acts of terrorism. In fact, avoiding a blatant message underscoring mitigation of terrorism was an important aspect in developing Transit Watch. During campaign development, FTA along with industry partners and several transit agency officials observed that information that leads to feelings of anxiety or panic is counterproductive. It is vital to allay fears and concerns among transportation personnel and transit riders not only by providing visible changes that enhance infrastructure security but also initiatives that offer a sense of psychological well-being and personal responsibility. By providing free campaign materials to transit agencies throughout the U.S., FTA aims to accomplish that goal.