October 28, 2014

GOV. MALLOY STATEMENT ON THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD'S REPORT DETAILING CAUSES OF METRO-NORTH INCIDENTS

NTSB Releases Report Announcing Probable Causes of the Five Accidents Involving Metro-North Between May 2013 and March 2014

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today received the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report which provides information and identifies probable causes of five major Metro-North incidents over the past 18 months. Cited in the report are lapses in oversight and performance by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Metro-North Railroad and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

"This report confirms the concerns that I raised with Metro-North leadership regarding their business practices well over a year and half ago. Since then, much has been accomplished, but it will take an ongoing commitment to ensuring a safety culture in the organization as well as investing in the essential safety, maintenance and training resources at Metro-North. The Department of Transportation has been working diligently with Metro-North on the performance improvement strategies, and the State of Connecticut has ensured them that we will provide the necessary resources to achieve a safe and reliable railroad."

Some of the investments include implementing Positive Train Control and video and audio recording devices as recommended by the FRA.

Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker cited several examples of actions taken at the Governor's urging to address the safety culture of the organization. Train schedules were revised to ensure adequate time for track maintenance, testing and training programs have been revamped, a new Office of System Safety was created, a System Safety Plan has been developed, the close-call reporting system is being implemented, and there is clear evidence of communicating safety messages across the organization.

"We will continue to work with Metro-North on delivering safe and reliable service," said Commissioner Redeker. "That is what the customers and taxpayers of Connecticut deserve."

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For Immediate Release: October 28, 2014

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