2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual

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Office of Budget and Policy

National Transit Database
Safety & Security Policy Manual
January 2026

This guidance document is not legally binding in its own right and the Federal Transit
Administration will not rely upon it as a separate basis for affirmative enforcement
actions or other administrative penalty. Conformity with this document (as distinct
from existing statutes and regulations) is voluntary only, and nonconformity will not
affect rights and obligations under existing statutes and regulations.
This document supersedes the November 2025 National Transit Database Safety &
Security Policy Manual.

2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual

Table of Contents
Introduction: The National Transit Database .............................................................. 1
History ......................................................................................................................... 1
Safety and Security Reporting Requirements ............................................................ 2
Frequently Asked Questions........................................................................................ 2
Who Reports................................................................................................................ 2
Reporting Overview ..................................................................................................... 3
When to Report ........................................................................................................... 4
Where to Report .......................................................................................................... 5
Failure to Report, Late Reports, or Incomplete Reports .............................................. 5
S&S-20: Safety and Security CEO Certification.......................................................... 7
S&S-30: Security Configuration ................................................................................... 8
Overview...................................................................................................................... 8
Primary Security Configuration .................................................................................... 9
Secondary Security Configuration ............................................................................... 9
Personnel Totals........................................................................................................ 10
S&S-40: Major Event Report....................................................................................... 14
Overview.................................................................................................................... 14
When to Report a Major Event ............................................................................... 14
Predominant Use ................................................................................................... 15
Major Event Threshold Descriptions.......................................................................... 20
Fatality.................................................................................................................... 20
Injury ...................................................................................................................... 21
Property Damage ................................................................................................... 25
Evacuation ............................................................................................................. 28
Derailment.............................................................................................................. 29
Collisions Involving Tow-Aways ............................................................................. 30
Automatically Reportable Rail Collisions................................................................ 31
Runaway Trains ..................................................................................................... 32
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2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual
Event Types............................................................................................................... 33
Collisions................................................................................................................ 34
Evacuation (Sub-Form) .......................................................................................... 54
Derailments ............................................................................................................ 54
Fires ....................................................................................................................... 59
Hazardous Material Spills....................................................................................... 62
Acts of God ............................................................................................................ 63
Security Events ...................................................................................................... 65
Other Safety Events ............................................................................................... 77
S&S-50: Non-Major Monthly Summary Report ......................................................... 81
Overview.................................................................................................................... 81
Multi-Agency Facilities ........................................................................................... 82
Predominant Use ................................................................................................... 82
Non-Major Assaults on Transit Workers .................................................................... 83
Number of Other Safety Incidents ............................................................................. 86
Number of Non-Major Fires ....................................................................................... 88
Appendix A: Safety and Security Data Reports........................................................ 90

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List of Exhibits
Exhibit 1: Summary of NTD S&S Reporting Requirements ............................................. 3
Exhibit 2: NTD Safety and Security Reporting Timeline: S&S-40.................................... 4
Exhibit 3: NTD Safety and Security Reporting Timeline: S&S-50.................................... 5
Exhibit 4: Security Configuration Types........................................................................... 8
Exhibit 5: Reporting Thresholds .................................................................................... 16
Exhibit 6: Fatality Decision Flowchart............................................................................ 21
Exhibit 7: Injury Decision Flowchart .............................................................................. 24
Exhibit 8: Non-Rail Property Damage Decision Flowchart ............................................ 27
Exhibit 9: Evacuation Decision Flowchart...................................................................... 29
Exhibit 10: Derailment Decision Flowchart .................................................................... 30
Exhibit 11: Event Types................................................................................................. 33
Exhibit 12: Non-Rail Collision Decision Flowchart......................................................... 35
Exhibit 13: Rail Collision Decision Flowchart................................................................. 36
Exhibit 14: Suicide or Attempted Suicide Decision Flowchart ....................................... 37
Exhibit 15: Basic Information Screen Key Descriptions................................................. 39
Exhibit 16: Collision Event Information Form Key Descriptions—Location Selections .. 40
Exhibit 17: Collision Event Information Form Key Descriptions—Collision With
Selections...................................................................................................................... 42
Exhibit 18: Collision Information Additional Details ....................................................... 44
Exhibit 19: Transit/Other Vehicle Actions ...................................................................... 48
Exhibit 20: Transit and Other Vehicle Collision Type Key Descriptions......................... 49
Exhibit 21: Collision Impact Point Diagram.................................................................... 50
Exhibit 22: Collision Other Vehicle Involved Key Descriptions ...................................... 51
Exhibit 23: Injury and Fatality Type Form Details .......................................................... 52

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2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual
Exhibit 24: Derailment Event Information Key Descriptions .......................................... 56
Exhibit 25: Derailment Rail Transit Involved Key Descriptions ...................................... 58
Exhibit 26: Fire Decision Flowchart ............................................................................... 60
Exhibit 27: Rail Fire Event Details Key Descriptions ..................................................... 61
Exhibit 28: Hazardous Material Spill Decision Flowchart............................................... 62
Exhibit 29: Hazardous Material Spills Event Details Key Descriptions .......................... 63
Exhibit 30: Acts of God Details Key Descriptions .......................................................... 64
Exhibit 31: Security Event Decision Flowchart .............................................................. 66
Exhibit 32: System Security Event Details Key Descriptions—Security Event Types ... 67
Exhibit 33: System Security Event Details Key Descriptions—Location........................ 70
Exhibit 34: Personal Security Event Details Key Descriptions—Security Event Types . 72
Exhibit 35: Personal Security Event Details Key Descriptions – Locations ................... 75
Exhibit 36: Other Safety Event Decision Flowchart ....................................................... 78
Exhibit 37: Other Event Details Key Descriptions.......................................................... 79
Exhibit 38: Transit Worker Descriptions ........................................................................ 84
Exhibit 39: Location Selections ..................................................................................... 85
Exhibit 40: Number of Safety Incidents Key Descriptions ............................................87

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List of Examples
Example 1: Calculating Personnel Totals...................................................................... 10
Example 2: Allocating Security Personnel Example ...................................................... 11
Example 3: Security Configurations .............................................................................. 12
Example 4: Events Reportable to the NTD.................................................................... 18
Example 5: Events Not Reportable to the NTD ............................................................. 20
Example 6: Injuries........................................................................................................ 23
Example 7: Calculating Property Damage..................................................................... 27
Example 8: Collisions Involving Tow-Away ................................................................... 31
Example 9: Runaway Train ........................................................................................... 32
Example 10: Non-Reportable Collision.......................................................................... 38
Example 11: Reporting “Collision With”......................................................................... 44
Example 12: Collision Type........................................................................................... 50
Example 13: Derailment Reporting ............................................................................... 57
Example 14: Cyber Security Event Reporting ............................................................... 71
Example 15: Security Event Major Event Type Reporting............................................. 76
Example 16: Major Event Assault on Transit Worker Reporting.................................... 77
Example 17: Other Safety Event Major Event Type Reporting...................................... 80
Example 18: Non-Major Event Assault on a Transit Worker Reporting ......................... 84
Example 19: Safety Incidents Reporting........................................................................88
Example 20: Fire Event ................................................................................................. 89

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2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual

Acronyms and Abbreviations
General Terms
Acronym

Description of Term

CEO

Chief Executive Officer

CFR

Code of Federal Regulations

DO

Directly Operated

FRA

Federal Railroad Administration

FTA

Federal Transit Administration

FTE

Full-Time Equivalents

IT

Information Technology

NTD

National Transit Database

PT

Purchased Transportation

RTA

Rail Transit Agency

RVI ID

Revenue Vehicle Inventory Identification number

S&S

Safety and Security

SUV

Sport Utility Vehicle

TOS

Type of Service

Modes
Acronym

Description of Term

AR

Alaska Railroad

CB

Commuter Bus

CC

Cable Car

CR

Commuter Rail

DR

Demand Response

FB

Ferryboat

HR

Heavy Rail

IP

Inclined Plane

JT

Jitney

vi – Acronyms and Abbreviations

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Acronym

Description of Term

LR

Light Rail

MB

Bus

MG

Monorail/Automated Guideway

PB

Público

RB

Bus Rapid Transit

SR

Streetcar Rail

TB

Trolleybus

TN

Transportation Network Company

TR

Aerial Tramway

VP

Vanpool

YR

Hybrid Rail

Vehicle Type Codes
Acronym

Description of Term

AB

Articulated Bus

AO

Automobile

BR

Over-the-Road Bus

BU

Bus

CC

Cable Car

CR

Commuter Rail Vehicle

CU

Cutaway

DB

Double Decker Bus

FB

Ferryboat

HR

Heavy Rail Passenger Car

IP

Inclined Plane Vehicle

LR

Light Rail Vehicle

MV

Minivan

PB

Público

RL

Commuter Rail Locomotive

Acronyms and Abbreviations – vii

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Acronym

Description of Term

RP

Commuter Rail Passenger Coach

RS

Commuter Rail Self-Propelled Passenger Car

SB

School Bus

SV

Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV)

TB

Trolleybus

TR

Aerial Tramway Vehicle

TS

Taxicab Sedan

TV

Taxicab Van

TW

Taxicab Station Wagon

VN

Van

VT

Vintage Trolley/Streetcar

viii – Acronyms and Abbreviations

2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual

Report Year 2026 System Changes and Clarifications
Found in
Manual

Description of Update

Type of Update

Form(s) Affected

Disabling Damage subselection when Substantial
Damage is chosen

Data Collection
Change by Form

Rail Collision Set
Up Screen 2

—

The term “Disabling damage”
Update
was removed from the question,
“Did this event result in a towaway due to disabling
damage?”

Non-Rail Collision
Set-up Screen 2;
Rail and Non-Rail
Other Vehicle
Involved; and
Non-Rail Transit
Vehicle Involved

—

Reporting events that occur
during the same time and place

Clarification

S&S-40

—

Copper Wire Theft reporting
hierarchy

Clarification

S&S-40 System
Security

—

New Service Stop location
option for Non-transit Collisions

Data Collection
Change by Form

Rail and Non-Rail
Non-Transit
Collision

—

Security Configuration launch
date for fixed-guideway modes

Update

S&S-30

—

Injury exclusion additional
guidance

Clarification

—

—

Life-Safety situation additional
guidance

Update

—

—

Vandalism and Sabotage
events and substantial damage
threshold

Clarification

—

—

— Not applicable.

2026 Safety and Security (S&S) System Changes – ix

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x – 2026 Safety and Security (S&S) System Changes

2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual

Introduction: The National Transit Database
History
The National Transit Database (NTD) was established in 1974 and has evolved into the
Nation’s primary source of information and statistics on transit systems. The Federal
Transit Administration (FTA) provides billions of dollars each year in transit assistance, in
part based on the data collected through the NTD. For a more complete history of the
NTD, list of legislative requirements, list and definitions of public transit modes, and
general reporting requirements and definitions, visit the most recently published NTD
annual NTD Full Reporting Policy Manual.

Introduction – 1

2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual

Safety and Security Reporting Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
For convenience, FTA maintains a Frequently Asked Questions page to address common
concerns about when, how, and what to report (refer to the “Safety and Security” section).

Who Reports
Safety and Security (S&S) reporters are those transit agencies that submit a Full Report
to the NTD, also called “Full Reporters.”1 Transit agencies reporting as Reduced
Reporters or Rural Reporters do not report S&S data on the reporting forms on the Safety
& Security tab. Instead, these agencies report S&S data on their Annual Report. For more
information about NTD reporting types, please refer to the most recently published NTD
Full Reporting Policy Manual.
Beneficiaries and recipients of §5307 and §5311 funds must file an Annual Report with
the NTD. FTA defines a Federal grant beneficiary as a transit agency that directly or
indirectly receives §5307 or §5311 money. This includes grant money that agencies
receive from pass-through funding, contracts, or purchased transportation agreements.

FTA assigns an S&S analyst to each transit agency. Please contact your S&S
analyst if you need assistance reporting S&S data. If you do not know the name
or contact information of your S&S analyst, please contact the NTD Help Desk
at [email protected].

1

For the purposes of this manual, FTA refers to NTD reporters as “transit agencies” for simplicity and
consistency with other NTD reporting manuals.

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2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual

Reporting Overview
Transit agencies provide transit-related S&S data and reportable events that meet NTD
reporting thresholds. Exhibit 1 presents a summary of NTD S&S reporting requirements.
Exhibit 1: Summary of NTD S&S Reporting Requirements
NTD S&S Reports

Who reports?

Chief Executive Officer Certification
(S&S-20)

All Full Reporters

Security Configuration (S&S-30)

All Full Reporters

Major Event Report (S&S-40) (safety
events)

All Full Reporters, except Commuter Rail
(CR) and Alaska Railroad (AR) modes

Major Event Report (S&S-40) (security
events)

All Full Reporters

Non-Major Monthly Summary Report
(S&S-50)

All Full Reporters. CR and AR modes
must only report non-major assaults on a
transit worker.

Transit agencies provide detailed information about severe S&S events on the Major
Event Report (S&S-40). Transit agencies must submit one report for each major event
that meets NTD reporting thresholds. For more information about major event thresholds,
refer to the “S&S-40: Major Event Report” section of this manual.
Transit agencies summarize less severe events on the Non-Major Monthly Summary
Report (S&S-50), which captures safety events that meet the NTD injury threshold in
addition to non-major fires and non-major assaults (security events) on a transit worker.
Assaults on a transit worker do not require an injury to be reportable on the S&S-50.
Transit agencies must submit an S&S-50 each month. For more information about nonmajor events, refer to the “S&S-50: Non-Major Monthly Summary Report” section of this
manual.
Note: CR, AR, and selected YR modes only report security events (including suicides,
attempted suicides, security-related evacuations, assaults, etc.) to the NTD. Therefore,
CR, AR, and selected YR modes will submit monthly S&S-50 reports for non-major
assaults on a transit worker.

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2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual

When to Report
The S&S reporting module covers the 12-month calendar year. This reporting period may
differ from NTD reporters’ fiscal years. S&S reporters must provide all S&S data for 2026
by January 31, 2027. The previous reporting year will remain open for edits until the end
of April the following calendar year (e.g., reporters may edit 2025 data through April 2026).
Agencies reporting rail modes, or non-rail modes with Fixed Guideway segments, report
with the initiation of the engineering or construction phases of the project. This is based
on the Commitment Date on the Modes (P-20) form. Please refer to the “When to Report
a Major Event” section of this manual for rail mode exclusions to reporting.
Exhibit 2: NTD Safety and Security Reporting Timeline: S&S-40
The Major Event Report S&S-40 is due no later than 30 days after the date of the
event.
System Tips:
•

To create a new Major Event Report, select “File New S&S-40.”

•

The NTD system automatically generates the Non-Major Event Report at the
beginning of each month for each mode and type of service (TOS).

Transit agencies must submit the Security Configuration (S&S-30) for each mode/TOS to
enable the Non-Major Event (S&S-50) form or the S&S-40 Major Event form. This form is
due by February 28, 2026.
Transit agencies are to complete an S&S-40 Major Event form within the timeline
(Exhibit 2) if an event meets the reporting threshold (Exhibit 5 can assist in
determining a reportable event).
Transit agencies must submit the Non-Major summary form (S&S-50) for each mode and
TOS on their Annual Report every month, even if no event occurs.

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2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual
Exhibit 3: NTD Safety and Security Reporting Timeline: S&S-50
Month

Due Date

January

February 28

February

March 31

March

April 30

April

May 31

May

June 30

June

July 31

July

August 31

August

September 30

September

October 31

October

November 30

November

December 31

December

January 31

Where to Report
Transit agencies complete the required forms, waivers, and declarations using the NTD
Reporting Tool. The Safety and Security Reporting Package launches at the beginning of
the calendar year, typically by January 4. The reporting tool automatically generates the
Security Configuration (S&S-30) and monthly Non-Major Summary Report (S&S-50).
Once users complete their S&S-30s, they may complete the required S&S screens.

Failure to Report, Late Reports, or Incomplete Reports
Federal law requires transit agencies reporting to the NTD to submit complete reports by
their due date (refer to 49 CFR 630.6). Failure to report may occur when an agency does
not submit a report, submits a late report, or submits an incomplete report. Please refer
to the most recently published NTD Full Reporting Policy Manual for more information on
a Failure to Report.
An S&S-50 report is considered late if it is not submitted by the due date.
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2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual
A report is incomplete if an agency has not performed the following:
•

Completed the required reporting components,

•

Submitted the required data, or

•

Submitted information in conformance to NTD reporting requirements.

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2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual

S&S-20: Safety and Security CEO Certification
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of each transit agency must submit an annual Safety
and Security CEO Certification (S&S-20). The S&S-20 serves as an agency’s
confirmation that all the S&S data submitted are accurate for the calendar year 2024.
The S&S-20 automatically tallies the number of events, injuries, and fatalities that the
agency reports across Major Event reporting forms. It also includes the number of events,
injuries, fires, and assaults on transit workers on the Non-Major Summary form. It only
tallies submitted reports that have submission dates; reports that have only been saved
(and thus have no submission dates) are not included.
If the number of events, injuries, or fatalities is incorrect, the agency may edit, add, or
delete the applicable reports or check that all reports are submitted. The S&S-20
automatically incorporates any submitted changes. Once submitted, agencies cannot
resubmit the S&S-20.
The agency’s CEO must complete the S&S-20 by the end of February 2026. Completing
the form involves checking the submit boxes and selecting “Submit.” To prevent agencies
from inadvertently submitting the S&S-20 prior to the end of the reporting calendar year,
the S&S-20 becomes available only after February 1. The “Submit” button will be
unavailable if any S&S-30 or S&S-50 form shows a Status of “Open” or “Returned” or any
S&S-40 shows a status of “Open,” “Returned,” or “Submitted.”

S&S-20 CEO Certification – 7

2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual

S&S-30: Security Configuration
Overview
The Security Configuration (S&S-30) indicates the number and type of personnel that
respond to security events or provide security on a transit agency’s property. The agency
chooses the type of personnel that most closely represents its configuration from a list of
seven selections. The agency must complete one S&S-30 for each reported mode and
type of service (TOS). The S&S-30 is due by February 28, 2026.
For fixed-guideway modes where agencies are required to submit reportable events
during the engineering or construction phases of a project, most commonly rail modes,
there may be an extended period before the modes Start Date. Therefore, if the
Commitment Date is during or before the S&S Report Year and there is no Start Date, or
the Start Date is after the S&S Report Year, then the reporter is able to enter S&S-40 and
S&S-50 data for that mode without an S&S-30 launched and populated.
Exhibit 4: Security Configuration Types
Type

Definition

Dedicated transit
police force

A (sworn) police force that works only for the transit agency.

Dedicated
(transit) unit of
local police

A municipal police force or sheriff’s department (not paid for
directly by the agency) that has a specific transit unit or
department.

Contracted local
law enforcement

A local police department or sheriff’s department that is
contracted by a transit agency to provide security services.

Transit agency
security force

In-house non-sworn security guards (i.e., not sworn police
officers). In this case, the security guards are employees of the
transit agency.

Contracted
security force

Contracted non-sworn security guards (i.e., not sworn police
officers).

Off-duty police
officers

Off-duty police officers who “moonlight” at a transit agency (e.g.,
the agency contracts directly with individual off-duty officers as
opposed to contracting with a private company that may be
staffed by a combination of off-duty police officers and other
personnel).

8 – S&S-30 Security Configuration

2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual
Type

Definition

Use of local
police (noncontracted)

Local police or a sheriff’s department provides security for a
transit agency. An agency would select this option if it does not
pay for this coverage through a contractual arrangement. The
local police or sheriff’s department includes transportation in its
general policing activities.
Note: Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) are always 0 for this type of
personnel.

Security personnel are reported as “Primary” and/or “Secondary” configurations and are
defined as follows:
•

Primary security personnel are those who routinely patrol or respond to events on
transit property.

•

Secondary security forces are those who occasionally respond to events occurring
on transit property or those who assist the primary force.

If an agency has a dedicated transit police force that responds to events across two
modes, but one of those modes never requires a security response, the agency may
report 0 security personnel for that mode.
Note: Agencies must complete the S&S-30 prior to entering data in any other S&S event
report.

Primary Security Configuration
Agencies may only report one primary security type on the S&S-30 form. If an agency
has more than one type of security force, the agency must choose one (typically the larger
or more often used security force) to report as primary and report the other(s) as
secondary. On the form, enter the Number of Primary Security Personnel.

Secondary Security Configuration
Secondary security forces occasionally respond to events occurring on transit property or
assist the primary force. An agency may report as many Secondary Security
Configuration types as are applicable. On the form, enter the Number of Secondary
Security Personnel.

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2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual

Personnel Totals
Agencies must report security personnel in terms of FTEs according to the staffing levels
at the beginning of the year. One FTE means one full-time equivalent, typically working
40 hours per week (or 2,080 hours per year). An agency may use any reasonable method
to allocate personnel across modes, such as allocating based on modal ridership or on
modal annual trips.
In certain instances, agencies may base personnel numbers on the prior year’s total hours
worked. For example, if an agency contracts for security and pays a monthly fee based
on services provided, it may use the prior year’s total-hours-worked to arrive at the
number of security FTE for the current year.
To report personnel that spend only part of their time providing security, agencies may
prorate the estimated FTE number and allocate that number across modes. If personnel
provide transit security for more than one mode, agencies may allocate the prorated
estimated FTE number across modes. S&S reports may provide numbers rounded to the
nearest tenth.
Example 1: Calculating Personnel Totals
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: An agency operates Demand
Response (DR) and Bus (MB) service and
contracts with a security company that
provides two security personnel to patrol
the transit center 8 hours a day, 5 days a
week. Each person works a 4-hour shift, or
20 hours per week. The MB/Directly
Operated (DO) mode uses the transit
center, but the DR/DO mode does not.

Scenario A: For Primary Security
Personnel, the agency would report 1 FTE
for MB/DO and 0 for DR/DO. The Number
of Secondary Personnel is 0 for each
mode.

10 – S&S-30 Security Configuration

2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual
Example 2: Allocating Security Personnel Example
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: Enumerating Security
Personnel

Solution A:

A transit agency uses four full-time
employees plus one-third of an
additional employee’s time to provide
security on its buses.
Scenario B: Allocating Security
Personnel With Varying Use Across
Modes
A transit agency operates both MB and
Light Rail (LR) service. The transit
agency has 12 security guards to patrol
its non-revenue facilities (administrative
buildings). The transit agency contracts
an additional five guards to respond only
to events on its light rail vehicles. This
means there are a total of 17 full-time
security guards. The agency also uses
Non-Contracted Local Police for the MB
mode. There are 400 MB and 100 LR
employees working in the administrative
buildings.

The agency reports 4.3 for the “Number of
Primary Security Personnel.”

Solution B:
For MB mode:
• The agency reports 9.6 for the “Number
of Primary Security Personnel.”
400 MB employees ÷ 500 total
employees = 0.8
0.8 × 12 security guards = 9.6
• The agency selects “Transit agency
security force” for the primary
configuration.
• The agency reports 0 for the “Number of
Secondary Personnel.”
The agency selects “Local police noncontracted” for secondary configuration.
For LR mode:
• The agency reports 5 for the “Number of
Primary Security Personnel.”
• The agency selects “Contracted security
force” for the primary configuration.
• The agency reports 2.4 for the “Number
of Secondary Personnel” (The “Total
Number of Security Personnel” will
calculate to 7.4).
100 LR employees ÷ 500 total
employees = 0.2
0.2 × 12 security guards = 2.4
2.4 + 5 security guards = 7.4

S&S-30 Security Configuration – 11

2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual
Scenario

Solution
• The agency also selects “Transit agency
security force” for the secondary
configuration.

Scenario C: Use of Part-time Security
Personnel:
A transit agency operates LR and MB
service. The agency has a full-time
dedicated transit police force of
30 officers for both modes and has a
contract with the local police to use 10
off-duty police officers for 4-hour shifts
during peak periods. This means that
they have 15 full-time security personnel
for each mode plus 2.5 part-time security
personnel for each mode (10 part-time =
5 full-time divided by 2 modes).

Solution C:
For both the LR S&S-30 and the MB
S&S-30:
• The agency reports 15 for the “Number
of Primary Security Personnel.”
• The agency selects “Dedicated transit
police force” for the primary
configuration.
• The agency reports 2.5 for the “Number
of Secondary Personnel.”
• The agency selects “Off-duty police
officers” for the secondary configuration.

Example 3: Security Configurations
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: Primary and Secondary
Security Configurations

Solution A:

A transit agency that operates only MB
service uses 12 transit-employed security
guards to patrol their non-revenue facilities
and respond to any events that may occur
on their buses. Local police are called
occasionally to respond to more serious
events. The agency considers the security
guards to constitute their primary security
configuration.

12 – S&S-30 Security Configuration

• The agency reports 12 “Primary
Security Personnel” and 0 “Number of
Secondary Personnel.”
• The agency selects “Transit agency
security force” for the primary
configuration.
• The agency selects “Use of local police
(non-contracted)” for the secondary
configuration.

2026 Safety & Security Policy Manual
Scenario

Solution

Scenario B: Multiple Secondary Security
Configurations

Solution B:

A transit agency that operates only MB
service employs a dedicated transit police
force of 15 officers that they consider their
primary means of security. In addition, the
agency hires 20 security guards to patrol
parking lots and occasionally calls the
local police department to respond to
events.

Scenario C: Same Primary and
Secondary Personnel Types
A transit agency operates Streetcar Rail
(SR) service. The agency uses
two contracted local law enforcement
personnel dedicated to patrol two service
stops. The agency also uses two
contracted local law enforcement
personnel to ride the streetcar on
two routes.

• The agency reports 15 for “Primary
Security Personnel.”
• The agency reports 20 for “Number of
Secondary Personnel.”
• The agency selects “Dedicated transit
police” for the primary configuration.
• The agency selects “Contracted
security force” and “Use of local police
(non-contracted)” for the secondary
configuration.
Solution C:
• The agency reports 2 for the “Number
of Primary Security Personnel.”
• The agency reports 2 for the “Number
of Secondary Personnel.”
• The agency selects “Contracted local
law enforcement” for the both the
primary and secondary configuration.

S&S-30 Security Configuration – 13

2026 Safety and Security Policy Manual

S&S-40: Major Event Report
Overview
The Major Event Report (S&S-40) captures detailed information on severe safety and
security (S&S) events that occur within a transit environment. Agencies must complete
one S&S-40 per reportable event, regardless of how many thresholds an event meets.
For example, if a transit bus and an automobile collide, resulting in a fatality, and the auto
is towed due to disabling damage, this event meets multiple reporting thresholds, but the
agency would only submit one report.

When to Report a Major Event
A reportable event is one that meets any NTD reporting threshold (as specified herein)
and includes the following:
•

Occurs at a transit revenue facility, maintenance facility, or rail yard;

•

Occurs on transit right-of-way or infrastructure (the underlying framework or
structures that support a public transportation system);

•

Occurs during a transit-related maintenance activity; or

•

Involves a transit revenue vehicle.

This event reporting requirement does not include the following:
•

Events that occur off transit property where affected individuals, vehicles, or
objects come to rest on transit property after the event;2

•

Occupational safety events occurring in administrative buildings;

•

Events that occur during the engineering or construction phases of a new rail
transit system or the extension of an existing rail transit system, unless they involve
transit-related activities such as operations, testing, simulated service, prerevenue service, or a transit-related maintenance activity;

•

Deaths that are confirmed to be a result of illness, drug overdose, or other natural
causes, outside of a reportable event (deaths of undetermined cause in a rail right
of way that may be the result of collision or electrocution are reportable);

2

This is an event that causes an injury or death that occurs off the property, but the individual ends up on
transit property. For example, the following events would not be reportable:
• A car hits a person on a city street and throws the person onto the rail right-of-way.
• An individual is injured in an assault off transit property and comes to the station seeking assistance.

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•

Other events (assault, robbery, non-transit vehicle collisions, etc.) occurring at bus
stops or shelters that are not on transit-owned property unless the event involves
either a transit vehicle or a person boarding/alighting from a vehicle;
o Bus stops or shelters owned by municipalities or authorities that also
operate transit systems are not considered “transit-owned” property (refer
to the most current annual NTD Full Reporting Policy Manual for more detail
distinguishing bus stops from facilities).

•

Collisions that occur while transit personnel are travelling to or from a transitrelated maintenance activity in a service vehicle or maintenance vehicle; and

•

Collisions involving a supervisor car or other non-revenue transit service vehicle
operating on public roads.

Predominant Use
The Predominant Use Rule is applied when an event affects more than one mode. If
two or more transit modes within an agency are affected by an event, the agency would
report the event in only one mode. For example:
•

If the event involves rail and non-rail, the agency reports the event in the rail mode.

•

If the event involves two rail modes or two non-rail modes, the agency selects the
mode to report based on predominant use.

The volume of passengers served by a mode most often measures predominant use. For
example, if an event occurred in a multimodal station served by Heavy Rail and LR, the
agency would report the event under LR based on the higher volumes of LR boarding
passengers.
For every reporting threshold that an event meets, the agency must provide further
information related to that threshold. For example, if an event results in three injuries, the
agency must provide basic details for every injured person, including their gender, age,
and “person type” (passenger, transit employee, cyclist, pedestrian, etc.).
Note: CR and AR modes only report security events (including suicides, attempted
suicides, security-related evacuations, assaults, etc.) to the NTD. Therefore, CR and AR
modes will submit monthly S&S-50 reports for non-major assaults on a transit worker.

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Exhibit 5: Reporting Thresholds
Non-Rail and Ferry Modes

Rail Modes

Fatalities:

Fatalities:

• Confirmed within 30 days, and
• Include suicides.

• Confirmed within 30 days, and
• Include suicides

Injuries: Immediate transport away
from the scene for medical attention for
one or more persons.

• Injuries (non-serious): Immediate
transport away from the scene for
medical attention for one or more
persons.
• Serious injuries: At least one of the
following applies to any persons
involved as a result of the event:
o Hospitalization for more than
48 hours, commencing within 7 days
from the date of the event;
o A fracture of any bone (except simple
fractures of fingers, toes, or nose);
o Severe hemorrhages or nerve,
muscle, or tendon damage;
o Internal organ(s) are affected; or
o Second- or third-degree burns or any
burns affecting more than 5 percent of
the body surface.

Estimated property damage equal to or
exceeding $25,000

Substantial damage: Damage to any
involved vehicles, facilities, equipment,
rolling stock, or infrastructure that disrupts
the operations of the rail transit agency and
adversely affects the structural strength,
performance, or operating characteristics of
the asset, such that it requires towing,
rescue, on-site maintenance, or immediate
removal prior to safe operation.

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Non-Rail and Ferry Modes

Rail Modes

Collisions that:

Collisions that:

• Meet an injury, fatality, property
damage, or evacuation threshold;
• Involve a transit revenue vehicle
and the towing away of any
vehicles (transit or non-transit)
from the scene;
• Include suicides, attempted
suicides, assaults, or homicides
resulting in an injury or fatality that
involve contact with a transit
vehicle; or
• Include collisions that do not
involve a transit revenue vehicle
but meet a threshold.

• Meet an injury, fatality, substantial
damage, or evacuation threshold;
• Include suicides, attempted suicides,
and assaults or homicides that involve
contact with a transit vehicle;
• Occur at a rail grade crossing or
intersection;
• Involve an individual;
• Involve a rail transit vehicle and a
second rail transit vehicle; or
• Include collisions that do not involve a
transit vehicle but meet a threshold.

Evacuations include:

Evacuations include:

• Evacuation of a transit facility or
vehicle for life-safety reasons.

• Evacuation of a transit facility or vehicle
for life-safety reasons; or
• Evacuations to controlled rail right-ofway (excludes evacuation to a platform,
except for life safety).
o Both transit-directed evacuations and
self-evacuations that meet either of
the two criteria described.

(Not applicable)

Derailments: Both mainline and yard
derailments and non-revenue vehicle
derailments.

(Not applicable)

Runaway Train: Events involving a moving
runaway train with or without the operator on
board. These include movement of a rail
transit vehicle on the mainline, yard, or shop
that is uncommanded, uncontrolled, or
unmanned due to an incapacitated,
sleeping, or absent operator, or the failure of
a rail transit vehicle’s electrical, mechanical,
or software system or subsystem. (Limited
to revenue vehicles.)

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A reportable event may involve a vehicle operated by a transit agency that is not providing
revenue service. Any event meeting the thresholds for a reportable event and involving a
transit revenue vehicle, regardless of whether that vehicle is in revenue service at the
time of the event, is reportable to the NTD. Examples of such events are highlighted in
Example 4 and Example 5.
Example 4: Events Reportable to the NTD
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A patron riding the escalator
in a transit station trips and falls,
knocking over two other patrons.
Two patrons require immediate
transportation to receive medical
attention. The third patron refuses
medical attention, leaves the station, and
does not appear to have serious injuries.

Solution A: Reportable as a Major Safety
Event due to two or more injuries.

Scenario B: Two non-revenue rail
service vehicles collide in the yard. There
are no fatalities or injuries, nor is there
substantial property damage.

Solution B: Rail-to-rail collisions are
automatically reportable as a rail collision,
including collisions with rail maintenance
vehicles.

Scenario C: A rail maintenance vehicle
collides with a person in the yard. There
is one injury.

Solution C: This involves a non-revenue rail
vehicle collision and meets the injury
threshold. It is therefore reportable as a Rail
Transit Collision (include one Other vehicle).

Scenario D: Two rail workers are injured
in a manhole while providing
maintenance on rail infrastructure
beneath the street level.

Solution D: The workers were maintaining
transit property when injured, therefore the
event is reportable as an Other Safety
Event.

Scenario E: A person is pushed in front
of a train and is struck by the train and
injured.

Solution E: Since the event resulted in a
collision, the event is reportable as a
Collision, and you must select “Assault” on
the Injury form. If the same scenario had
resulted in a fatality, then you would choose
“Homicide” on the Fatality form.

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Scenario

Solution

Scenario F: During pre-revenue testing
of a new streetcar system in the
engineering or construction phases, a
streetcar collides with a pedestrian,
resulting in a fatality.

Solution F: Because this pre-revenue event
involved transit operations or transit-related
maintenance, the event would be reportable
to the NTD as a fatal rail collision.

Scenario G: The Information Technology
(IT) department at a rail transit agency
detected activity showing that there had
been unauthorized access to the transit
agency’s servers. As a result, ticketing
kiosks were down. Access to employee
email accounts was disrupted in addition
to employee access to agency
databases.

Solution G: Because the event impacted
the agency’s IT infrastructure (computer
systems) and resulted in a disruption of
transit agency operations, the substantial
damage threshold is met, and the event is
reportable as a Cyber Security Major Event.

Scenario H: An agency hosted the
annual Roadeo competition. During the
event, two of the individuals riding the
bus during the competition fell and
needed emergency medical services to
transfer to them to the hospital.

Solution H: Reportable as a Major Safety
Event due to the involvement of a transit
vehicle.

Note: S&S-40 reports are due no later than 30 days from the date of a reportable event.
By contrast, examples of events that are NOT reportable to the NTD are provided in
Example 5.

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Example 5: Events Not Reportable to the NTD
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A private vehicle swerves to
avoid a collision and hits a bus stop sign
and a bus bench, resulting in two injuries.

Solution A: Though there were injuries,
because the bus stop is located on a city
street and not on transit property, and the
event does not involve a transit vehicle,
the event would not be reportable to the
NTD.

Scenario B: A construction worker helping Solution B: This event is related to the
to build a Light Rail extension falls from
extension of an existing rail system.
scaffolding and is seriously injured.
However, because the event is
construction-related and not related to
transit operations or transit-related
maintenance, the event would not be
reportable to the NTD.

Major Event Threshold Descriptions
Fatality
Agencies must always report events that result in fatalities.
Fatalities that occur because of illnesses, drug overdoses, or other natural causes
(including individuals who are found deceased) are not reportable. For example, if a
passenger suffers a fatal heart attack in a transit facility or vehicle, the event is not
reportable to the NTD. Deaths of undetermined cause in a rail right-of-way that may be
the result of collision or electrocution are reportable.
An agency must report a fatality due to a reportable S&S event if it is confirmed to have
occurred within 30 days of the event. If an agency receives confirmation that a death
occurred within 30 days of an event to a person initially reported as an injury, then you
may have to update the submitted major event report.
For information on Person Type categories, refer to Exhibit 23, “Injury and Fatality Type
Key Descriptions.”

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Exhibit 6: Fatality Decision Flowchart

Injury
Injury means any harm to persons as a result of an event that requires immediate medical
attention away from the scene. It does not include harm resulting from a drug overdose,
exposure to the elements, illness, natural causes, or occupational safety events occurring
in administrative buildings.
You must report each person transported away from the scene for medical attention as
an injury, whether or not the person appears to be injured. If an individual seeks medical
care several hours after an event or in the days following an event, or if the person seeks
medical attention after leaving the scene on foot, these do not constitute immediate
medical transportation away from the scene.
This criterion requires that the individual receive medical attention at a location other than
the location at which the event occurred. This distinction serves to exclude minor first aid
or other minor medical assistance received at the scene.
For rail events, in addition to injuries requiring transport from the scene, injuries defined
as serious are automatically reportable. Individuals with serious injuries may or may not
have been transported away from the scene for medical attention. A serious injury is one
that meets any of the following criteria:
•

Requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours within 7 days of the event;

•

Results in a fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or nose);

•

Causes severe hemorrhages, or nerve, muscle, or tendon damage;

•

Involves an internal organ; or

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•

Involves second- or third-degree burns or any burns affecting more than 5 percent
of the body surface.

You must describe serious injuries in terms of one or more of these criteria in the Event
Description field (refer to the “Basic Information Form” section of this manual) whenever
possible. When a person receives immediate medical attention away from the event, that
individual may seek medical attention through any means of vehicular transport, including
by transit vehicle, an ambulance, another emergency vehicle, private vehicle, or via
stretcher to the hospital.
Not all events that result in immediate transport for medical attention are reported on the
major event report. One exception is for Other Safety Events, which are events that are
NOT collisions, fires, security events, hazardous material spills, acts of God, or
derailments. These events include slips, trips, falls, smoke events, fumes, runaway trains
and electric shock. Only report these events when they meet either the fatality,
evacuation, or property damage threshold or result in two or more injured persons. Other
Safety Events that result in one person immediately transported from the scene for
medical attention but do not trigger any other major reporting thresholds are reported on
the Non-Major Summary Report.

Exclusions
Agencies do not report illnesses that require transport away from the scene for medical
attention if the illness is unrelated to an S&S event. For example, a passenger suffering
a seizure or a heart attack would not count as an injury. However, a transit operator
suffering the same condition is included as an injury if the condition occurred as a result
of a collision. For example, it a bus is involved in a collision, and a passenger has a heart
attack as a result, then that is a reportable injury.
Individuals who are transported away from the scene for the following reasons are not
reportable:
•

Solely for: illness, natural causes, exposure to the elements, intoxication, drug
overdose, or mental health evaluation unrelated to a specific reportable event; or

•

Declarations or allegations of self-harm with no evident injury.

Please refer to the following examples.

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Example 6: Injuries
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: Transported by Ambulance
An ambulance transports an occupant of a
motor vehicle away from the scene of a
collision with a transit bus.

Solution A: The agency reports this as
a Major Event since one person required
immediate medical attention away from
the scene of the collision.

Scenario B: Transported by Alternate
Means
Three transit passengers are hurt in a
collision. Rather than wait for an ambulance
to arrive, a security guard drives them to a
nearby hospital.

Solution B: The agency reports this as
a Major Event since one or more people
required immediate medical attention
away from the scene of the collision.

Scenario C: Events Qualifying as a Serious
Injury
A person is struck by a train and leaves the
station. That evening the person seeks
medical attention and is hospitalized for
5 days due to an internal injury. The person
notifies the transit agency.

Solution C: The agency reports this as
a Major Event since it meets the
definition of a serious injury due to a rail
collision. The injury is serious because it
requires hospitalization for more than
48 hours within 7 days of the event. The
same scenario resulting from a collision
with a bus would not be reportable.

Scenario D: Transported for Trauma
Resulting from Event
A train strikes a pedestrian resulting in an
injury or fatality and the operator is
transported for trauma.

Solution D: The collision is a reportable
event, and the operator suffered harm
meeting the definition of an injury. The
operator injury would be included in the
collision report in addition to the
pedestrian injury or fatality.

Scenario E: Transported for Mental Health
Without an Associated Event
A person acting erratically on a station
platform, who could injure themselves by
their behavior, is transported for a mental
health evaluation.

Solution E: There is no reportable event
or injury, and this is therefore not
reportable.

Scenario F: Event Not Qualifying as a
Reportable Major Event

Solution F: The bus operator was not
transported for medical attention away
from the scene, so the event is not
reported on the S&S-40. However, the
assault on a transit worker is reported on
the S&S-50 Monthly Summary form.

A bus operator requests that a passenger
pay the fare. The passenger refuses and
spits on the operator. The operator denies
transport for medical attention and resumes
service.

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Exhibit 7: Injury Decision Flowchart

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Property Damage
Non-rail modes: Transit agencies must provide data on the S&S-40 for events resulting
in estimated property damage equal to or exceeding $25,000, regardless of injuries or
other thresholds. Estimated damage includes not only damage to transit property but also
the cost of clearing wreckage and damage to all other vehicles and property involved in
or affected by the event.
Note: While the damage threshold for a major event is $25,000, any damage incurred
must be included for any reportable event.
FTA allows agencies to report property damage estimates. When reporting property
damage, an agency may decide to perform the following:
•

Establish standard property damage totals for specific event types,

•

Estimate the value of each event on a case-by-case basis,

•

Use the amount paid to repair or replace property, or

•

Use estimates made for insurance purposes.

Rail modes: Transit agencies must provide data on the S&S-40 for events resulting in
substantial damage, regardless of injuries or other thresholds. Substantial damage is
damage to any involved vehicles, facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure that:
•

Disrupts the operations of the rail transit agency, AND

•

Adversely affects the structural strength, performance, or operating characteristics
of the vehicle, facility, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure, such that it
requires towing, rescue, on-site maintenance, or immediate removal prior to safe
operation.

Substantial damage excludes damage that is limited to:
•

Cracked windows;

•

Dents, bends, or small puncture holes in the body;

•

Broken lights or mirrors; or

•

Removal from service under the vehicle’s own power for minor repair or
maintenance, testing, or video and event recorder download.

When an agency selects “Substantial damage” to either “To transit property only” or “To
both transit and non-transit property,” a new subsection stating “Did the event result in
Disabling damage to a rail transit vehicle” will appear. The definition of “Disabling

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Damage” is “damage to a rail transit vehicle resulting from a collision and preventing the
vehicle from operating under its own power.”
Non-rail mode forms that include the phrase “Was this vehicle towed from the scene due
to disabling damage as a result of the collision?” have been revised to “Was this vehicle
towed from the scene due to damage as a result of the collision?” to avoid confusion with
the new rail mode disabling damage concept.
Agencies should evaluate the following types of property when assessing and reporting
damage:
•

Vehicles, including transit and non-transit;

•

Transit stations (including non-transit facilities);

•

Right-of-way and items surrounding the right-of-way, such as utility poles;

•

Bus stop shelters in a transit station;

•

Private property (e.g., buildings, fences, traffic signals, walls); and

•

Bicycles and personal mobility devices.

The value of total property damage includes the cost to clear the scene and restore
service. This includes towing costs and other costs to clear wreckage and debris.
Agencies must not include the following when reporting damage:
•

The cost of medical attention (hospital or doctor fees);

•

The cost of an accident investigation or criminal investigation; and

•

Damage to personal property, such as the value of personal laptops, personal cell
phones, or other personal items.

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Example 7: Calculating Property Damage
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A Bus Collides with a Private
Car

Solution A: The agency reports property
damage of $27,000 ($15,000 + $12,000).

The car is totaled, and the bus incurred
body damage. The car has an estimated
value of $15,000 (the transit agency uses
the car’s Kelley Blue Book value or
another reasonable source to estimate the
present value). The cost of the bus body
damage is estimated at $12,000.
Scenario B: A Collision Requires a
Rescue Train
A rail vehicle is disabled when it collides
with an object on the track, and a rescue
train is dispatched to transport the
passengers.
Scenario C: A Collision Requires TowAway of a Private Vehicle
A rail vehicle collides with a private vehicle
and the private vehicle is damaged and
towed away from the scene.

Solution B: The agency reports
“Substantial damage” since the event
required a rescue train.

Solution C: The agency reports
“Substantial damage” since the event
required towing a vehicle.

Exhibit 8: Non-Rail Property Damage Decision Flowchart

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Evacuation
A reportable evacuation is a condition that occurs when persons depart from transit
vehicles or facilities for life-safety reasons. A life safety reason is a situation, such as a
fire, the presence of smoke or noxious fumes, a fuel leak, a vehicle fuel leak, an electrical
hazard, a bomb threat, a suspicious item, or other hazard, that constitutes a real or
imminent danger to any person.
Hazard means any real or potential condition that can cause injury, illness, or death;
damage to or loss of the facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure of a public
transportation system; or damage to the environment.
In addition, rail modes must report all evacuations to controlled rail right-of-way.
Evacuations to the right-of-way refer to rail mode only. For example, if a bus breaks down
during service, and passengers must evacuate to the sidewalk or highway shoulder lane,
the agency will not report the event unless another threshold is met.
Causes of evacuations that constitute an imminent danger (life-safety) to passengers,
employees, contractors, or other persons may include the following:
•

Fires,

•

Presence of smoke or noxious fumes,

•

Hazardous material spills,

•

Vehicle fuel leaks,

•

Weapon fired on a vehicle,

•

Electrical hazards,

•

Bomb threats,

•

Suspicious items,

•

Security,

•

Power failure (if there is imminent danger to passengers),

•

Mechanical failure (if there is imminent danger to passengers), or

•

Other events (Other Safety Events).

Evacuations of vehicles or facilities are reportable even if the event is off property. For
example, if there is a called-in bomb threat, gas leak, or fire on adjacent property that
causes an agency to evacuate a nearby station, then the agency must report the
evacuation.

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Self-evacuations, which occur when people vacate transit property without direction from
transit personnel or another authority, are not automatically reportable.
Transit agencies should not report evacuations due to a mechanical failure unless the
evacuation occurs onto the right-of-way. Evacuations to a station platform or a rescue
train are not reported unless there was an imminent danger to passengers.
Note: The removal of an injured person from a vehicle does not qualify as an evacuation.
Exhibit 9: Evacuation Decision Flowchart

Derailment
Agencies must report any derailment of a rail transit revenue vehicle or of a non-revenue
service vehicle. This includes both mainline and yard derailments.
If a derailment is a result of a collision, report the event as a collision and include the
number of derailed vehicles on the “Rail Transit Train Involved” form. This form is used
even if the vehicle was a maintenance vehicle, such as a hi-rail vehicle.)
Excluded from this event reporting requirement are events that occur during the
engineering or construction phases of a new rail transit system or the extension of an
existing rail transit system unless they involve transit-related activities such as operations,
testing, simulated service or pre-revenue service, or a transit-related maintenance
activity.

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Exhibit 10: Derailment Decision Flowchart

Collisions Involving Tow-Aways
Agencies must report all collisions involving revenue roadway vehicles in which one or
more motor vehicles sustained damage that required the vehicle(s) to be towed away
from the scene by a tow truck or other motor vehicle. This includes both transit and
non-transit vehicles, regardless of the severity of the damage.
Note: This threshold refers to towing away a motor vehicle only and excludes the towing
away of rail cars or ferry boats. Further, please note that the relative forms have removed
the term “disabling” from the question “Did this event result in a tow-away due to disabling
damage?” and therefore now reads “Did this event result in a tow-away due to damage?

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Example 8: Collisions Involving Tow-Away
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: Car Towed Away Due to a
Flat Tire

Solution A: Report this as a collision
event since the automobile was towed
away from the scene.

A transit bus and an automobile collide,
and the automobile must be towed away
due to a flat tire. There are no injuries
and property damage is under $25,000.
Scenario B: A Truck Towed Away After
a Collision With a Light-Rail Vehicle
A light rail vehicle and a truck collide in
mixed traffic (not at an intersection), and
the truck must be towed. There are no
injuries.

Solution B: Report this as a collision
event. The truck was towed away
therefore the event meets the substantial
damage threshold criterion.

Automatically Reportable Rail Collisions
Certain instances of rail collisions are automatically reportable, regardless of whether they
meet other reporting thresholds.

Rail Grade Crossing or Intersection Collisions
Agencies must report any collision involving a rail transit vehicle occurring at a grade
crossing or intersection. A grade crossing is defined as any place where a rail guideway
used for transit operations is crossed at grade by a road or path, including crosswalks at
stations. However, this excludes parking lot entrances or exits and driveways. You must
report rail grade crossing collisions whether or not they meet any other reporting
threshold.

Rail Collisions with an Individual
Agencies must report any collision between a rail transit vehicle and an individual,
regardless of whether the event resulted in injuries. For a collision to occur, the transit
vehicle must be in motion. Impact between a stopped transit vehicle and a person are
reported as a fall on the Non-Major Monthly Summary form.

Rail Collisions with Another Rail Vehicle
Agencies must report any collision between a rail transit vehicle and a second rail vehicle.
Rail-to-rail collisions are reportable whether or not they meet any other reporting

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threshold. This includes all collisions between a transit revenue train and another revenue
train, a revenue train and a non-revenue rail service vehicle, or between two non-revenue
rail service vehicles. Rail transit vehicles exclude hand-powered devices that are not part
of a vehicle consist.
Report one “Transit vehicle involved” for each revenue train and one “Other vehicle
involved” for each non-revenue vehicle (maintenance/service) vehicle. Note: Collisions
that do not involve any rail transit vehicles but involve equipment and meet a reporting
threshold are reported as “Non-Transit Collisions.”

Runaway Trains
Any event that involves a runaway train is reportable regardless of any other threshold. A
runaway train is a train that is moving and no longer under the control of a driver (whether
or not the operator is physically on the vehicle at the time). This is limited to rail vehicles
that are used for revenue service, regardless of whether the event occurred in revenue
service.
You should report a runaway train event under the event type that occurred as a result of
the runaway train (a Collision, Derailment, or Other Safety Event). A runaway rail
service/maintenance vehicle that does not result in a safety event that meets reporting
thresholds does not need to be reported.
Example 9: Runaway Train
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: Revenue Train Has an
Undesired Uncoupling With Movement

Solution A: Report as a “Other Safety
Event” (Runaway Train) because the car
is moving uncontrolled.

A revenue train consist has an undesired
uncoupling at a station and pulls away
leaving the uncoupled car behind. The
car brakes do not set as designed, and
the car starts rolling.

Scenario B: Revenue Train Has an
Solution B: Do not report this as a
Undesired Uncoupling Without Movement “Runaway Train” because the car is not
A revenue train consist has an undesired moving uncontrolled.
uncoupling at a station and pulls away
leaving the uncoupled car behind. The
car brakes set as designed and the car
remains stationary.

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Event Types
Exhibit 11 provides an overview of reportable event types for events meeting a reporting
threshold.
Exhibit 11: Event Types
Event Type

Description

Safety Events

• Collisions (including those involving attempted suicide,
suicide, and assault/homicide),
• Fires (suppression),
• Derailments (mainline and yard) including non-revenue
vehicles,
• Hazardous Material Spills,
• Acts of God, and
• Other Safety Events (events that do not fall into any of the
other categories, yet meet a reporting threshold other than
immediate transport for medical attention for one person).

System Security
Events

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Bomb Threat/Bombing,
Chemical/Biological/Radiological/Nuclear Release,
Arson,
Sabotage,
Burglary,
Vandalism,
Hijacking,
Cyber Security Events,
Suspicious Package, and
Other System Security Events (such as projectiles thrown at
vehicles).

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Event Type

Description

Personal
Security Events

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Assault (including Assault on a Transit Worker),
Attempted Suicide,
Suicide,
Homicide,
Motor Vehicle Theft,
Robbery,
Rape,
Larceny/Theft, and
Other Personal Security Events.

For multiple events that occur at the same time and place, please report the event type
under the event that occurred first. Additional information may be found in the “Security
Events” section. Exceptions to this includes assault or homicide (individual pushed in front
of a transit vehicle in motion), and suicide or attempted suicide by impact with a transit
vehicle are reported as collisions.

Collisions
A collision is a vehicle or vessel accident in which there is an impact of a transit vehicle
or vessel with another vehicle or object, such as (but not limited to) the following:
•

Another transit vehicle,

•

A non-transit vehicle,

•

A person,

•

An animal,

•

An object,

•

A rail vehicle,

•

A vessel, or

•

A dock.

A reportable non-rail collision is one that results in the following:
•

An injury requiring transport away from the scene,

•

A fatality,

•

An evacuation for life-safety reasons,

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•

Property damage of $25,000 or more, or

•

Towing of the transit or non-transit vehicle.
Exhibit 12: Non-Rail Collision Decision Flowchart

A reportable rail collision is one that:
•

Results in an injury requiring transport away from the scene,

•

Results in a serious injury,

•

Results in a fatality,

•

Results in an evacuation for life-safety reasons or to the rail right-of-way,

•

Results in substantial damage,

•

Results in a runaway train,

•

Occurs at a grade crossing or intersection, or

•

Involves a collision with a person or another rail vehicle.

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Exhibit 13: Rail Collision Decision Flowchart

Collisions Involving Suicide, Attempted Suicide, Assault (Injury), or Homicide
(Fatality)
Suicides, attempted suicides, assaults (including assaults on transit workers), and
homicides by impact with a transit vehicle are reported as collisions.
An attempted suicide is self-inflicted harm where death does not occur, but the intention
of the person was to cause a fatal outcome. The intent can be determined by any
reasonable method including police reports and eyewitness accounts. The event
description must clearly state how the person inflicted self-harm and that the intent was
suicidal.
Only record a collision with an individual as a suicide or attempted suicide if the intent is
established by a third party in the form of police reports, security personnel reports, or
other eyewitness statements.

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Exhibit 14: Suicide or Attempted Suicide Decision Flowchart

An assault is an attack by one person on another without lawful authority or permission.
A homicide is the killing of one human being by another, including the following:
•

Murder and non-negligent manslaughter: The willful (non-negligent) killing of
one human being by another.

•

Negligent manslaughter: The killing of another person through gross negligence.

Reporting Collisions
Non-transit vehicle collisions on or involving transit property that do not involve transit
revenue vehicles may still meet reporting thresholds. For example:
•

A pedestrian is struck by a private vehicle in a transit parking lot.

•

Maintenance equipment collides with anything except a rail transit vehicle away
from the rail right-of-way.

Agencies can enter non-transit collisions by selecting “No” to either the question “Were
transit revenue vehicles involved in this event?” or the question “Were Transit Revenue
Vehicles OR Non-revenue Rail Transit Vehicles involved in this event?” on Setup
Screen 2.

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Example 10: Non-Reportable Collision
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: Non-Transit Collision

Solution A: Events occurring at simple
bus stops are not reportable to the NTD,
unless the patron is boarding or alighting
from the transit vehicle. These events are
not reportable even if the transit agency
owns the bus stop.

Two patrons are sitting on a bench
waiting for a bus at a simple bus stop
owned by the transit agency. A car loses
control and crashes into the bench, killing
both patrons.
Scenario B: Transit Collision
A passenger exiting a bus is hit by a car.
A passenger exits a transit bus, crosses
the street in front of the bus, and is struck
and killed by a passing motor vehicle.

Solution B: This event is not reportable
because the transit passenger was
outside of the transit system/property.

Collision forms vary depending on mode. Typically, the following four screens are
available to select from when reporting a transit collision, excluding the Basic Information,
Injury, or Fatality forms:
•

Collision Event Information,

•

Collision Information,

•

Transit Vehicle Involved Information, and

•

Other Vehicle Involved Information.

The following sections provide instructions for completing the required form by event type
and includes key descriptions pertaining to the information collected on the forms. For
injury or fatality descriptions, please refer to Exhibit 23, “Injury and Fatality Type Key
Descriptions.” For the purpose of this manual, the following selections are multimodal,
whereas the database selections are based on mode.
Please note: Some of these selections only appear on forms for specific modes.
For example, “Bus or Service Stop” will not appear for rail modes.
Basic Information Form
The Basic Information screen is used for each event type. The Suicide and Attempted
Suicide selections appear only for Collisions.

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Exhibit 15: Basic Information Screen Key Descriptions
Item

Basic Information Screen Key Description

Event Date

The actual date the event occurred

Event Time

The actual time the event occurred

Approximate
Address of
Event

The actual address, or, if unknown, the approximate address,
nearest intersection, or milepost where the event occurred

Latitude

Choose either “Search by Latitude & Longitude” or “Search by
Address”

Longitude

Choose either: “Search by Latitude & Longitude” or “Search by
Address”

Suicide
Checkboxes

Check box that applies:

Event
Description

A clear, concise account of the event that includes the following
information:

• Attempted Suicide Event: Collision is due to an attempted
suicide (non-fatal).
• Suicide Event: Collision is a suicide (fatal).

•
•
•
•

What occurred (how and indicate impact points);
When (verifies time of day);
Where (intersection, parking lots, etc.);
Who and how many people (those affected, including the
number transported for medical attention);
• A corroboration of reported damage; and
• Whether any vehicles were towed.
Collision Event Information Form
The Collision Event Information portion of the S&S-40 collects information on the location
of the collision (Exhibit 16), what the collision was with (Exhibit 17), the number of transit
vehicles involved, and additional details about the event (Exhibit 18).

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When reporting Number of Non-Rail Transit Vehicles Involved, Number of Rail
Transit Trains Involved, or Number of Ferries Involved:
•

Enter the number of transit revenue vehicles.
o If your agency’s transit revenue vehicle collides with another agency’s
transit vehicle, DO NOT include the other agency’s transit vehicle here.
o If your agency’s transit revenue vehicle collides with one of your agency’s
hi-rail, work train, or maintenance vehicles, include only the revenue vehicle
here and include one Other vehicle to report the maintenance vehicle.
Exhibit 16: Collision Event Information Form Key Descriptions—Location
Selections

Location Selection

Location Description

Revenue Facility:
Transit Center/
Station or Terminal

A passenger boarding/deboarding facility with a platform,
which may include stairs, elevators, escalators, passenger
controls, canopies, wind shelters, ticket office or machines,
restrooms, or concessions. This includes the following:
• All fixed-guideway passenger facilities (except for onstreet cable car and light rail stops);
• Busway passenger facilities;
• Underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations
• Ferryboat (FB) terminals; and
• Transportation/transit/transfer centers, park-and-ride
facilities, and transit malls with the listed components,
including those only used by buses.
Does not include stops (which are typically on-street locations
at the curb or in a median, sometimes with a shelter; signs; or
lighting for bus, light rail, and cable car).

Non-Revenue
Facility

A facility or an area that is not used to enable individuals to
board or alight from transit vehicles and that is primarily
staffed by transit workers.

Revenue Facility:
Other

Another location within the facility, such as a control room,
equipment room, or turnstile. May be used to indicate areas
around the facility that are on transit property.

Roadway:
Intersection

An intersection or crossroad usually involves a crossing over
of two streets or roads. The intersection may be a Tintersection or a multi-leg or traffic circle configuration. In

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Location Selection

Location Description
areas where there are blocks, the crossing streets or roads
are perpendicular to each other. However, two roads may
cross at a different angle.

Right-of-Way:
Intersection

An intersection or crossroad where street-running rail crosses
in mixed traffic. This excludes driveways and parking lot
entrances.

Roadway: Grade
Crossing or Rightof-Way: Grade
Crossing

An intersection where a roadway and a transit-exclusive rail
right-of-way cross each other at the same level (at grade).
Pedestrian crosswalks in stations are also included. This
excludes driveways and parking lot entrances.

Roadway: Not a
Grade Crossing or
Intersection or
Right-of-Way: Not a
Grade Crossing

A mid-block or location on the roadway or rail right-of-way that
is not at an intersection. Includes driveways, parking lot
entrances, ramps, bridges, and tunnels.

Bus or Service Stop
or Service stop

A pre-defined location for passengers to board and/or alight
from the transit vehicle, typically on-street, at the curb, or in a
median, sometimes with a shelter, sign, or lighting. Includes
private driveways for paratransit operations.

Revenue Facility:
Parking Facility

A facility that includes park-and-ride lots as well as parking
garages. Parking facilities are those immediately adjacent to a
transit station or center.

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Exhibit 17: Collision Event Information Form Key Descriptions—Collision With
Selections
Collision With
Selections

Key Description

Motor Vehicle or
Non-Transit Motor
Vehicle

A vehicle, such as an automobile, minivan, pickup truck,
motorcycle, electric stand-up scooter, motorized bicycle, rail
car, or bus, intended for roadway or rail travel.
• When you choose this selection, include one “Other
vehicle” for each motor vehicle or non-transit motor vehicle
involved.

Non-Rail Transit
Vehicle

A transit owned and operated vehicle that is not being used on
the rail fixed guideway): The non-rail vehicles used to provide
revenue service for passengers.
• When you choose this selection, include one “Other vehicle”
for each non-rail transit vehicle involved.

Rail Transit Vehicle/
Rail Passenger
Train – Revenue
Service

The rolling stock used to provide revenue service for
passengers that is in service at the time of the event.

Rail Transit Vehicle/
Rail Passenger
Train – Not in
Revenue Service

The rolling stock used to provide revenue service for
passengers that is not in service at the time of the event.

Rail Transit
Vehicle/Rail Transit
Maintenance or
Service Vehicle on
the Rail Fixed
Guideway

Vehicles used to indirectly deliver transit service, maintain
revenue vehicles, and perform transit-oriented administrative
activities.

Rail Vehicle

Any rolling stock used on a rail fixed guideway public
transportation system, including but not limited to passenger
and maintenance vehicles.

Person

Includes bicyclists on non-motorized bicycles and
skateboarders.

• When you choose this selection, include one “Other vehicle”
for each rail transit maintenance or service vehicle involved.
• These vehicles are powered by an on-board operator to
distinguish them from rail equipment or hand powered or
remote-controlled objects.

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Collision With
Selections

Key Description

Animal

—

Fixed Object

—

Transit Vehicle

• Report a collision with another of your agency’s rail vehicles
under the rail mode.
• Do not use this selection to identify a collision with a transit
vehicle from another agency.

Vessel

—

Dock/Terminal
Center

—

Private Vehicle(s),
Private Vehicle With
a Person, Private
Vehicle With Fixed
Object, or NonRevenue Vehicle

These selections are only available on the Non-Transit Collision
form.

— Not applicable.

Number of Other Vehicles Involved:
•

The number of non-transit vehicles involved in the collision, including motorcycles,
scooters, tour/charter buses, or tractor-trailers.
o If a transit revenue vehicle collides with a hi-rail maintenance vehicle,
include “Other” vehicle to report the maintenance vehicle.

•

Refer to the Example 11 to determine how to select “Collision With.”

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Example 11: Reporting “Collision With”
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A demand response (DR)
vehicle hits a fire hydrant. As a result, the
operator and two passengers are injured
seriously enough to require immediate
transport to a nearby hospital.

Solution A: Select Fixed object from the
“Collision with” list.

Scenario B: A streetcar (SR) strikes a
bicyclist who is then transported to a
hospital due to injuries sustained in this
event.

Solution B: Select Person from the
“Collision with” list.

Exhibit 18: Collision Information Additional Details
Selection

Additional Collision Information Key Description

Weather

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Lighting

• Daylight;
• Twilight: The period of partial darkness between day and
night both at dusk and at dawn;
• Dark;
• Sun in eyes of transit vehicle operator;
• Sun in eyes of other vehicle operator; or
• Indoors: Indoor lighting; excludes streetlights.

Clear,
Cloudy,
Foggy/Misting,
Raining,
Snowing/Sleeting,
Windy (FB mode), or
Tunnel.

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Selection

Additional Collision Information Key Description

Roadway
Configuration

• Limited Access Highway: A controlled-access road to
which access from adjacent properties is limited in some
way. These highways usually do not permit low-speed
vehicles and non-motorized users, such as pedestrians,
bicycles, and horses.
• Divided Highway: A highway that is divided down the
middle by a barrier that separates traffic going in different
directions.
• Street,
• Bridge,
• Intersection,
• Grade crossing,
• Tunnel,
• Private Property, or
• Ramp.

Railway Alignment

•
•
•
•

Grade Crossing
Control (If
Applicable)

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Exclusive Right-of-way: Tunnel;
Exclusive Right-of-way: Elevated track;
Exclusive Right-of-way: At-grade;
Exclusive Right-of-way: Sidings/rail yard/other non-revenue
track;
• Semi-exclusive right-of-way with grade crossings for
vehicular or pedestrian traffic; or
• Non-Exclusive Right-of-way: Shared with Vehicles or
Pedestrians: Rail right-of-way over which motor vehicle
and/or pedestrian traffic moving in the same direction or
cross directions may pass.
Active devices: Crossing gates;
Active devices: Flashing lights only;
Active devices: Traffic signal;
Active devices: Quad gates;
Active devices: Train approaching sign;
Passive devices: Stop sign;
Passive devices: Cross bucks; or
No control device.

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Selection

Additional Collision Information Key Description

Intersection Control
Device (If Applicable)

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Traffic Signal;
Police Officer/Flagman/Other Person;
Stop Sign;
Yield Sign;
Crossing Gate;
Active devices: Crossing gates;
Active devices: Flashing lights only;
Active device: Traffic signal;
Active device: Train approaching sign;
Active device: Restricted/no turn sign;
Passive device: Stop sign;
Passive: Yield sign;
Passive devices: Cross bucks;
Passive device: Restricted/no turn sign; or
No control device.

Service Stop Control
Devices (if
applicable)

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Active device: Traffic signal;
Active device: Restricted/no turn sign;
Passive: Yield to train;
Passive device: No passing zone;
Passive device: Stop sign;
Passive device: Restricted/no turn sign;
Passive devices: Crossbucks;
Passive device: Rail transit only lane;
Passive device: Pavement markings;
Passive device: Do not pass; or
No control device.

Roadway Conditions

•
•
•
•
•

Dry,
Wet,
Snow/Slush,
Ice, or
Debris.

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Selection

Additional Collision Information Key Description

Tide Condition (FB
mode)

•
•
•
•

Low Tide,
Slack Tide,
High Tide, or
Non-Tidal Waters.

Current Condition
(FB mode)

•
•
•
•

Slow Current,
Medium Current,
Fast Current, or
Flat Water (No Current).

Collision Transit/Trains Involved Form
To add transit vehicles involved, select either the “Existing Fleet” or “New Fleet” option to
identify the vehicles involved as follows:
•

Existing Fleet (button): Select to display fleet vehicles based on the agency’s
latest available “Revenue Vehicle Inventory (A-30)” form for the mode and type of
service for the event. Make a selection from the list. You may filter the list of
selections through any of the following:
o RVI ID: Revenue Vehicle Inventory Identification number.
o Agency Fleet ID: Unique identifiers an agency may assign for each fleet in
their inventory.
o Vehicle Type: AG, AO, BR, BU, CC, CU, DB, FB, HR, LR, IP, MV, RL, RP,
RS, SB SV, TB, TR, VN, or VT.
o Manufacturer.

•

New Fleet (button): Select if the vehicle associated with this event is not on the
Existing Fleet list. Enter the following information:
o Vehicle Type,
o Vehicle Manufacturer, and
o Vehicle Fuel Type.

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Exhibit 19: Transit/Other Vehicle Actions
Item

Transit and Other Vehicle Action Description

Making a Transit
Stop

A transit vehicle is slowing down to pull into a regularly
scheduled service stop where passengers board and alight from
transit vehicles.

Leaving a Transit
Stop

A transit vehicle is slowly pulling away from a regularly
scheduled service stop where passengers board and alight from
transit vehicles.

Stopped

The vehicle has halted movement during operations, such as
standing in traffic or waiting at a service stop.

Other Available
Actions (listed for
completeness)

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Going straight,
Negotiating a curve,
Making a left turn,
Making a right turn,
Changing lanes,
Going backwards,
Parked,
Proceeding through a switch,
Entering dock, or
Leaving dock.

Transit and Other Vehicle Collision Type:
To determine the collision type, base the selection from the point of view of your agency’s
vehicle (as if you were sitting in the vehicle). If the vehicle was impacted more than once
during the collision, always report the first impact point on the vehicle (refer to Exhibit 20).

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Exhibit 20: Transit and Other Vehicle Collision Type Key Descriptions
Collision Type

Transit and Other Vehicle Collision Type Key Descriptions

Head-On

The vehicle was impacted on its front end, such as in a collision
when two vehicles are coming from opposite directions and
impact each other straight on the front, or a T-bone or
broadside collision, when one vehicle drives head-on into the
side of another vehicle.

Rear-Ending

The vehicle was impacted on its front end when it rear-ended
another vehicle. (Refer to the note in “Rear-Ended” description
in the following row.)

Rear-Ended

The vehicle was impacted on its rear end by the front of another
vehicle.
Note: “Rear-ending” and “Rear-ended” must always be reported
as a pair. If you select either choice here, the other choice must
be selected for the other vehicle listed in the report.

Side Impact

The vehicle was impacted anywhere on one of its sides,
including being T-boned or broadsided or sustaining impact to a
side mirror or tires.

Other Front Impact

The vehicle was impacted anywhere on its front end that would
not be described as head-on, such as the corner of the front
bumper.
Note: Do not use this selection if the vehicle was hit on the side
near the front.

Sideswipe

The vehicle was not impacted in one place on a side but was
scraped along a length of one of its sides.
Note: Do not report collisions with pedestrians as sideswipes.

Roof/Top of Vehicle The vehicle was impacted on the top or roof of the vehicle.
Other Rear Impact

The vehicle was impacted on the rear but not because of a
vehicle rear-ending the vehicle. For example, the vehicle
backed into the rear of the other vehicle.
Note: Do not use this selection if the vehicle was hit on the side
near the rear.

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For Transit Vehicle Speed, enter the actual or estimated vehicle speed at the time of the
collision.
Choose “Yes” or “No” to the question: “Was a runaway train involved?”
•

If “Yes,” the system will prompt you to choose whether or not the operator was in
the vehicle at the time.

•

This refers to revenue trains only.

Choose “Yes” or “No” to the question: “Was this vehicle towed from the scene as a result
of the collision?”
Exhibit 21: Collision Impact Point Diagram

Example 12: Collision Type
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A ferryboat strikes a dock
with the front of the boat.

Solution A: Select “Head-On” because
the event involved the front of the
ferryboat striking the dock.

Scenario B: A train is hit in the rear by
another train.

Solution B: Select “Rear-Ended” as the
Train Collision Type for the transit vehicle.
(The Other vehicle would be reported as
“Rear-ending.”)

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Scenario

Solution

Scenario C: A train backs up into a
vehicle behind it.

Solution C: Select Other Rear Impact as
the Train Collision Type for the transit
vehicle.
(The Other vehicle would be reported as
“Other Front Impact.”)

Collision Other Vehicle Involved Form
To determine the other vehicle involved, please select from the “Other Vehicle Type
selections” list in Exhibit 22. Refer to Exhibit 19, “Transit and Other Vehicle Actions,” and
Exhibit 20, “Transit and Other Vehicle Collision Type Key Descriptions,” and adjust the
point-of-view to that of the Other vehicle.
Exhibit 22: Collision Other Vehicle Involved Key Descriptions
Selection

Key Description

Other Vehicle Type
Selections

Other Vehicle Type selections:
• Automobile,
• Light Truck or SUV,
• Motorcycle/Moped/Scooter (including motorized stand-up
scooters),
• Tractor Trailer,
• Rail Vehicle,
• Non-revenue Rail Vehicle (Maintenance),
• Commercial Rail or Amtrak,
• Charter/Tour Bus, or
• School Bus.

Injury and Fatality Type Form
This section of the form collects information on each injury or fatality in the event.

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Exhibit 23: Injury and Fatality Type Key Descriptions
Selection

Key Description

Injury Type

• Non-Serious: Choose this selection if the person was
transported for medical attention.
• Serious: Choose this selection if the person suffered
serious injury. (Refer to Exhibit 5 for the definition of a
serious injury; rail mode only.)

Personal
Information

• Person Waiting/Leaving from Transit: An individual who
is on transit property such as a platform, transit facility, or
transit parking facility.
• Transit Employee/Contractor: An individual who is
compensated by the transit agency.
• Transit Vehicle Operator: An individual who is
compensated by the transit agency and whose function is to
operate the transit vehicle. Operators are reported under
two categories, “Inside vehicle” or “Outside vehicle.”
Choose “Outside vehicle" when the operator is going to or
from the transit vehicle.
• Other Worker (e.g., commercial worker, utilities worker,
etc.): An individual who is neither an employee of a transit
agency nor a purchased transportation provider and who is
providing specific services at a transit agency.
• Pedestrian: Bicyclist.
• Pedestrian crossing in crosswalk.
• Pedestrian crossing not in crosswalk.
• Pedestrian walking along road.
• Pedestrian Other: An individual lying, sitting, or found on
tracks.
• Transit Vehicle Rider: An individual who is on board,
boarding, or alighting from a revenue transit vehicle. This
includes an individual riding on top of a transit revenue
vehicle, riding between rail cars, and off-duty personnel.
• Other Transit Staff: An on-duty transit worker on board a
transit revenue vehicle who is not the operator. This
includes trainees, observers, and security personnel.
• Occupant of other vehicle.
• Other: An individual who does not fit any other category.
Often used when the actions of the person and/or affiliation
to the transit system are unknown.

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Selection

Key Description

Checkboxes/Radio
Buttons (per
person)

• Trespasser: An individual in an area of transit property not
intended for public use (i.e., an unauthorized area).
o Select one option: “Trespasser,” “Not a trespasser,” or
“Insufficient information.”
▪ Do not check this box if the individual fell or was
pushed into or onto an unauthorized area.
▪ Select “Insufficient information” only if there is no
evidence to conclude that the individual fell or
intentionally placed themselves in/on the
unauthorized location.
• Attempted Suicide: Self-inflicted harm where death does
not occur, but the intention of the individual was to cause a
fatal outcome.
o Select one option: “No Assault/Attempted suicide,”
“Assault,” or “Attempted suicide.”
• Assault: An attack by one individual on another without
lawful authority or permission.
o Select one option: “No Assault/Attempted suicide,”
“Assault,” or “Attempted suicide.”
• Suicide or Homicide (refer to Exhibit 34, “Personal
Security Event Details Key Descriptions—Security Event
Types”):
o Select one option: “No Suicide/Homicide,” “Suicide,” or
“Homicide.”
• Transported for medical attention: This is used to
indicate that the individual was transported for medical
attention (required if “Non-Serious” is chosen).

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Evacuation (Sub-Form)
Complete this form when reporting an evacuation for life-safety reasons or to the rail rightof-way. This sub-form may be included in any event type.
Choose “Yes” or “No” to the question:
•

“Did this event involve an evacuation of a transit facility or vehicle due to potentially
unsafe conditions?” or

•

“Did this event involve an evacuation of a transit facility or vehicle due to potentially
unsafe conditions or an evacuation to the rail right-of-way?”

Evacuation Details: Enter a description of the evacuation.
When selecting what your agency evacuated, choose from the following options:
•

Vehicle/Vessel,

•

Revenue Facility: transit station/center or terminal,

•

Revenue Facility: other, or

•

Non-revenue Facility.

Choose “Yes” or “No” to the question: “Was this a self-evacuation?”

Derailments
A derailment is a non-collision event that occurs when a train or other rail vehicle
unintentionally comes off its rail, causing it to no longer be properly guided on the railway.
All derailments of trains in revenue or non-revenue service, including maintenance
vehicles, should be reported, whether or not a threshold was met. This includes
derailments that result from a runaway train.
This includes:
•

Derailments on both mainline track and in rail yards.

•

Derailments where the wheel(s) leave and return to the rail.

•

Derailment of any rail transit vehicle (in revenue service or otherwise) that is part
of a consist being pushed or pulled by powered track equipment.

This excludes:
•

A split switch where the wheels of a rail transit vehicle did not come off the rails.

•

Hand powered rail-running equipment such as a non-self-propelled hand cart.

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Events that occur during the engineering or construction phases of a new rail transit
system or the extension of an existing rail transit system, unless they involve transitrelated activities such as operations, testing, simulated service or pre-revenue service, or
a transit-related maintenance activity.
Agencies must report derailments in the following three sections:
•

Derailment Event Information includes the type of derailment, number of trains
derailed, the location of the derailment, and the type of track on which the
derailment occurred.

•

Derailment Rail Transit Train Involved captures the total number of cars in the
train, the number of those cars that derailed, the vehicle action, the estimated
speed of the train at the time of the derailment, the vehicle manufacturer. This form
is also used for a non-revenue or maintenance vehicle.

•

Derailment Information includes the weather, lighting, and right-of-way
conditions at the time of the derailment and the rail alignment of the track on which
the derailment occurred.

Derailment Event Information Form
Choose “Yes” or “No” to the question: “Was a runaway train involved?”
•

If “Yes,” you will be prompted to choose whether or not the operator was in the
vehicle at the time.

•

This question refers to rail vehicles that are used for revenue service only
(regardless of whether the event occurred in revenue service).

Please refer to the appropriate category within the “Collisions” section of this manual for
information on derailment selections.

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Exhibit 24: Derailment Event Information Key Descriptions
Item

Key Description

Derailment
Type Selections

• Mainline: Derailment occurs on primary rail over which rail
transit vehicles travel between stations.
• Yard: Derailment occurs on yard or side track.

Location
Selections

• Revenue facility: transit station: A passenger
boarding/deboarding from a facility with a platform, which may
include stairs, elevators, escalators, passenger controls,
canopies, wind shelters, ticket office or machines, restrooms,
or concessions. This Includes the following:
o All fixed guideway passenger facilities (except for on-street
cable car and light rail stops);
o Busway passenger facilities;
o Underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations;
o Ferryboat terminals;
o Transportation, transit, or transfer centers;
o Park-and-ride facilities; and
o Transit malls with the listed components, including those only
used by buses.
• Non-Revenue Facility: A facility or an area that is not used to
enable individuals to board or alight from transit vehicles and
that is primarily staffed by transit employees.
• Right-of-way: Trackway: Mid-block or locations on the rail
right-of-way that are not at intersections. Includes driveways,
parking lot entrances, ramps, bridges, and tunnels.
• Right-of-way: Grade Crossing: An intersection of a roadway
and a rail right-of-way where they cross each other at the same
level (at grade). This includes pedestrian crosswalks in
stations.

Configuration
Selections

• Switch,
• Curve, or
• Tangent.

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Example 13: Derailment Reporting
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A construction company is
using a hi-rail vehicle to hang catenary
wires for a new Light Rail system. During
construction, the hi-rail vehicle derails.

Solution A: The event occurred during the
construction phase of a new rail system,
and the vehicle use is made by
construction contractors and is not related
to operations or maintenance conducted
by the transit agency or by transit agency
operations or maintenance contractors. In
addition, the vehicle is not under control of
the transit agency. The event is not
reportable.

Scenario B: A work train moving in the
rail yard is pushing another train and one
wheel left but then returned to the rail.

Solution B: The event involved a
non-revenue rail vehicle and a wheel
derailed. This meets the derailment
threshold even though the wheel rerailed
on its own.

For Key Descriptions for completing the “Derailment Event Details” form, refer to the
“Collision Information Key Descriptions” section within the form’s “Collisions” section.

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Exhibit 25: Derailment Rail Transit Involved Key Descriptions
Item

Key Description

Number of Cars in
Rail Transit Train
Selection

Enter the number of rail cars in the train’s consist.

Number of Cars
Derailed Selection

Enter the number of rail cars in the train’s consist that had a
wheel unintentionally come off the rail.

Existing Fleet
(button)

Select to display fleet vehicles based on the agency’s latest
available “Revenue Vehicle Inventory (A-30)” form for the mode
and type of service for the event. Make a selection from the list.
You may filter the list of selections through any of the following:
• RVI ID: Revenue Vehicle Inventory Identification number.
• Agency Fleet ID: Unique identifiers an agency may assign
for each fleet in their inventory.
• Vehicle Type: AO, BR, BU, CC, CU, DB, FB, HR, LR, IP,
MG, MV, RL, RP, RS, SB, SV, TB, TR, VN, or VT.
• Manufacturer.

New Fleet (button)

Select if the vehicle associated with this event is not on the
Existing Fleet list. Enter the following information:
• Vehicle Type:
o For non-revenue maintenance vehicles, report the
Vehicle type as “Non-revenue Rail Vehicle
(maintenance).”
• Vehicle Manufacturer.

Vehicle Fuel Type
Train Action
Selections

•
•
•
•
•
•

Going straight,
Making a transit stop,
Leaving a transit stop,
Negotiating a curve,
Proceeding through a switch, or
Parked.

Choose “Yes” or “No” to the question: “Was a runaway train
involved?”
If “Yes,” you will be prompted to choose whether or not the
operator was in the vehicle at the time.

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Fires
For a fire event to be reportable to the NTD, it must be suppressed in some manner and
must meet a reportable event threshold based on rail or non-rail reporting thresholds.
These thresholds are: injury requiring transport away from the scene for medical attention,
serious injury (rail mode), fatality, property damage of $25,000 or more, substantial
damage (rail mode), or evacuation for life-safety reasons or to the rail right-of-way (rail
mode). Arson does not qualify as a fire event and should be reported as a security event.
If a fire is suppressed, but the event does not meet a reporting threshold, an agency would
report that occurrence on a Non-Major Monthly Summary Report, not as a major event.
Do not report an event that involves only the presence of smoke and no fire suppression
as a fire. If a smoke event involved an evacuation for life-safety reasons, report it as a
major event under the category Other Safety Events.
Agencies must report the location of the fire, the fire type, whether the fire was on the
transit vehicle, and the transit vehicle fuel type.

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Exhibit 26: Fire Decision Flowchart

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Exhibit 27: Rail Fire Event Details Key Descriptions
Selection Type

Key Description

Location

• In or on vehicle.
• Right-of-way: Outside Vehicle.
• Revenue Facility: Transit Center: A passenger
boarding/deboarding from a facility with a platform, which may
include stairs, elevators, escalators, passenger controls,
canopies, wind shelters, ticket office or machines, restrooms, or
concessions. This includes:
o All fixed guideway passenger facilities (except for on-street
cable car and light rail stops);
o Busway passenger facilities;
o Underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations;
o Ferryboat terminals;
o Transportation, transit, or transfer centers;
o Park-and-ride facilities; and
o Transit malls with the listed components, including those only
used by buses.
• Revenue Facility: Parking Facility: Includes park-and-ride lots
as well as parking garages. Parking facilities are those
immediately adjacent to a transit station or center.
• Revenue Facility: Other: Another location within the facility,
such as a station booth, control room, equipment room, or
turnstile. This may be used to indicate areas around the facility
that are on transit property.
• Non-Revenue Facility: A facility or an area that is not used to
enable individuals to board or alight from transit vehicles and
that is primarily staffed by transit workers.

Fire Type

• Fuel,
• Cable,
• Battery,
• Smoking Materials (e.g., tobacco),
• Other Electrical, or
• Brake Component.

Fuel Type

Choose the vehicle fuel type that powers the transit vehicle from
the list of choices.

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Hazardous Material Spills
A hazardous material spill is the release of any amount of material that creates an
imminent danger to life, health, or the environment and requires special attention to clean
up the material. Leaks of oil, power steering fluid, or brake fluid from a transit vehicle are
not considered to be of sufficient quantity to cause an imminent danger to life, health, or
the environment.
A reportable event is one that results in an injury requiring transport away from the scene
for medical attention, serious injury (rail mode), fatality, property damage of $25,000 or
more, substantial damage (rail mode), or evacuation for life-safety reasons or to the rail
right-of-way (rail mode).
Agencies must report the location of the spill and the material type.
Exhibit 28: Hazardous Material Spill Decision Flowchart

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Exhibit 29: Hazardous Material Spills Event Details Key Descriptions
Selection Type

Key Description

Location

• In vehicle.
• Revenue Facility: Transit Center/Station or Terminal: A
passenger boarding/deboarding from a facility with a platform,
which may include stairs, elevators, escalators, passenger
controls, canopies, wind shelters, a ticket office or machines,
restrooms, or concessions. This includes the following:
o All fixed guideway passenger facilities (except for on-street
cable car and light rail stops);
o Busway passenger facilities;
o Underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations;
o Ferryboat terminals;
o Transportation, transit, or transfer centers;
o Park-and-ride facilities; and
o Transit malls with the listed components, including those only
used by buses.
• Revenue Facility: Parking Facility: Includes park-and-ride lots
as well as parking garages. Parking facilities are those
immediately adjacent to a transit station or center.
• Revenue Facility: Other: Another location within the facility
such as a control room, equipment room, or turnstile area. May
be used to indicate areas around the facility that are on transit
property.
• Non-Revenue Facility: A facility or an area that is not used to
enable individuals to board or alight from transit vehicles, and
that is primarily staffed by transit employees.

Material

• Choose the material that spilled from the list.

Acts of God
Acts of God are natural and unavoidable catastrophes that interrupt the expected course
of events, such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, other high winds, lightning,
snow, and ice storms. The form allows you to select more than one affected location.
A reportable event is one that results in an injury requiring transport away from the scene
for medical attention, serious injury (rail mode), fatality, property damage of $25,000 or
more, substantial damage (rail mode), or evacuation for life-safety reasons or to the rail
right-of-way (rail mode).

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Exhibit 30: Acts of God Details Key Descriptions
Selection Type

Key Description

Type

• Earthquake,
• Flood,
• Hurricane,
• Tornado,
• Other High Winds,
• Lightning,
• Snow Strom, or
• Ice Storm.

Location of
Property
Damage,
Injuries, or
Fatalities

• In Vehicle/Vessel: Interior or exterior of the transit vehicle or
vessel.
• Revenue Facility: Transit Station/Center or Terminal: A
passenger boarding/deboarding from a facility with a platform,
which may include stairs, elevators, escalators, passenger
controls, canopies, wind shelters, a ticket office or machines,
restrooms, or concessions. This includes:
o All fixed guideway passenger facilities (except for on-street
cable car and light rail stops);
o Busway passenger facilities;
o Underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations;
o Ferryboat terminals;
o Transportation, transit, or transfer centers;
o Park-and-ride facilities; and
o Transit malls with the listed components, including those only
used by buses.
• Revenue Facility: Parking Facility: Includes park-and-ride lots
as well as parking garages. Parking facilities are those
immediately adjacent to a transit station or center.
• Revenue Facility: Other: Another location within the facility
such as a control room, equipment room, or turnstile area. May
be used to indicate areas around the facility that are on transit
property.
• Non-Revenue Facility: A facility or an area that is not used to
enable individuals to board or alight from transit vehicles and
that is primarily staffed by transit workers.
• Roadway: Grade Crossing or Right-of-way: Grade
Crossing: An intersection of a roadway and a rail right-of-way
where they cross each other at the same level (at grade). For

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Selection Type

Key Description
street-running operations, each street intersection is considered
a grade crossing (excluding driveways and parking lot
entrances). Pedestrian crosswalks in stations are also included.
• Roadway: Not a Grade Crossing or Intersection or Right of
way: Not a Grade Crossing: A mid-block or location on the
roadway or rail right-of-way that is not at an intersection. This
includes driveways, parking lot entrances, ramps, bridges, and
tunnels.
• Roadway: Intersection: An intersection or crossroads that
usually involves a crossing over of two streets or roads. The
intersection may be a T-intersection, multi-leg, or traffic circle
configuration. In areas where there are blocks, the crossing
streets or roads are perpendicular to each other. However, two
roads may cross at a different angle.
• Roadway: Transit Stop: A passenger boarding/deboarding
site.

Security Events
Security events are divided into two types: System Security Events and Personal Security
Events.
A reportable System Security Event or Personal Security Event is one that results in an
injury requiring transport away from the scene for medical attention, serious injury (rail
mode), fatality, property damage of $25,000 or more, substantial damage (rail mode), or
evacuation for life-safety reasons or to the rail right-of-way (rail mode).
Events at bus stops not on transit-owned property are not reportable unless the event
involves a transit vehicle or an individual boarding/alighting from a vehicle. Therefore,
events such as assault, robbery, etc., occurring at bus stops or shelters owned by
municipalities or authorities that also operate transit systems are excluded.
Important clarification for reporting security events:
•

Concurrent events: If two events occur at the same time and place, the agency
should report the event by the event that occurred first, with the exceptions noted
previously when a collision is a result of a security event (assault, homicide,
suicide, or attempted suicide).

•

Major and Non-major thresholds in the same event: If the event meets a major
and a non-major threshold, the event would be reported as two events. For
example, a transit bus strikes a private vehicle resulting in a towaway, and the

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driver assaults the bus operator, but the operator is not transported for medical
attention. The agency would report the collision on the S&S-40 and the non-major
assault on the operator on the S&S-50.
Exhibit 31: Security Event Decision Flowchart

System Security Events
A System Security Event affects a transit system as a whole. Examples include but are
not limited to arson, burglary, vandalism, sabotage, hijacking, suspicious packages and
objects, cyber security, bomb threats, bombings, and chemical, biological, and
nuclear/radiological releases. Other System Security Events may include rocks or
projectiles thrown at a transit vehicle or shots fired in an area in which the vehicle travels.

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System Security Event Details Form
Exhibit 32: System Security Event Details Key Descriptions—Security Event
Types
Security Event
Types

Key Description

Bomb Threat

A credible written or oral (e.g., telephone) communication to a
transit agency threatening the use of an explosive or incendiary
device for the purpose of disrupting public transit services or to
create a public emergency.

Bombing

The unlawful and intentional delivery, placement, discharge, or
detonation of an explosive or other device in, into, or against
transit property with the intent to cause death, bodily injury, or
extensive damage to property.

Suspicious Package

An event that involves an unattended package deemed
suspicious by the transit agency that results in an evacuation.

Chemical/Biological/
Nuclear/
Radiological

The unlawful and intentional delivery, placement, discharge, or
detonation of a biological, chemical, or radiological or other
lethal device in, into, or against property. Chemical, biological,
or radiological/other releases involve solids, liquids, or gases
that have chemical properties that produce lethal or serious
effects in human beings; this includes any weapon involving a
disease organism.

Arson

To unlawfully and intentionally damage or attempt to damage
any real or personal property by fire or incendiary device.

Hijacking

The act of unlawfully seizing control of a transit vehicle by force
or threat, or by any other form of intimidation, and exercising
control over it with the intent to detain any person on board the
vehicle against their will, to transport any person(s) on board
the vehicle against their will to any place other than the next
scheduled stop, or to cause that vehicle to deviate from its
schedule.

Sabotage

The deliberate destruction of transit property or the slowing
down of public transit operations by employees with the
intention of damaging business or the economic condition of
the transit agency.

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Security Event
Types
Cyber

Key Description
An event that targets transit facilities, personnel, information, or
computer or telecommunications systems associated with
transit agencies. Include in the property damage any costs
associated with remedying the cyber event. Events include:
• Denial or disruption of computer or telecommunications
services, especially train control systems;
• Unauthorized monitoring of computer or
telecommunications systems;
• Unauthorized disclosure of proprietary or classified
information stored within or communicated through
computer or telecommunications systems;
• Unauthorized modification or destruction of computer
programming codes, computer network databases, stored
information or computer capabilities; or
• Manipulation of computer or telecommunications services
resulting from fraud, financial loss, or other criminal
violations. Note: Please refer to the “Cyber Security Event
Reporting” section of this manual following this table.

Burglary

The unlawful entry into a building or other structure with the
intent to commit a felony or a theft.

Vandalism

The willful or malicious destruction or defacement of transit
property or vehicles.

Other System
Security Event

—

— Not applicable.

Cyber Security Event Reporting
Reportable cyber security events are by definition events that affect “a transit system as
a whole.” For reporting purposes, the term “infrastructure” in a transit system includes
(but is not limited to) information, computer, and telecommunication systems. Agencies
should select a single designated mode for reporting cyber security events. Agencies
should read the following list to determine which mode they should assign when reporting
cyber security events:
All Rail Transit Agencies (RTAs) (any entity that provides services on a rail fixed guideway
public transportation system) should select a rail mode for reporting all cyber security

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events, regardless of the specific infrastructure that is targeted. If an agency operates
more than one rail mode—for example, Heavy Rail (HR) and Light Rail (LR)—they would
follow the Predominant Use Rule to determine the appropriate mode to associate with the
event.
Agencies that operate fixed route bus modes, but do not operate fixed guideway rail,
should select a bus mode for reporting all cyber security events. If an agency operates
more than one bus mode—for example, Motorbus (MB) and Bus Rapid Transit (RB)—
they should follow the Predominant Use Rule to determine the appropriate mode to
associate with the event.
Agencies that operate demand response service and do not operate fixed guideway rail
nor fixed route bus should select the demand response mode for reporting all cyber
security events.
Agencies that operate only ferryboat service should select the ferryboat mode for
reporting all cyber security events.
•

Substantial Damage Threshold for Rail Modes.

For cyber events reported under a rail mode, the most common threshold met is
Substantial Damage. For this reason, agencies should keep the following in mind in
determining if the Substantial Damage threshold has been met for cyber security events:
•

The “disruption of operations” element of the threshold includes the disruption of
normal operations of transit facilities, personnel, information, or
computer/telecommunication systems associated with transit agencies. Examples
include (but are not limited to) the following:
o Ransomware, if it disrupts operations;
o Denial of service attack, if it disrupts operations;
o Communications disruption (e.g., phone lines, website, digital signs,
applications);
o Shutting down systems to protect personal data;
o Severing connections to other systems;
o Inability to collect fares; and
o Inability to assign routes or make pull-out.

•

If transit facilities, personnel, information, or computer/telecommunication systems
associated with transit agencies are not maliciously targeted, the “disruption of

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operations” element is not met. Examples include (but are not limited to) the
following:
o A user installing an unapproved software utility to perform maintenance
activities or updates to fix a bug or deploy enhancements;
o Deployed software or logic changes that are not malicious; and
o Accidents that do not involve malicious actors.
•

Cyber security events are automatically presumed to adversely affect the operating
characteristics of the asset or infrastructure that is targeted such that it will require
maintenance to remedy. Therefore, the second element of the substantial damage
threshold is presumed automatically met for these events.

Finally, events are reportable as cyber security events when they are caused by the
actions of a third party. If the actions are caused by a transit employee, the event should
be reported as a “Sabotage” event type.

Clarification on Vandalism and Sabotage Reporting
FTA’s clarification with regards to “infrastructure” (includes (but is not limited to)
information, computer, and telecommunication systems) applies to other system security
events, such as sabotage or vandalism, provided they meet all other major event
thresholds for all modes. Similarly, because they may involve “disruptions to
telecommunications services,” major power failures which result in damage to these
systems would be reportable if they meet a major event threshold.
Exhibit 33: System Security Event Details Key Descriptions—Location
Location

Key Description

In Vehicle/Vessel Interior or exterior of the transit vehicle or vessel.
Revenue Facility:
Transit Station/
Center or
Terminal

A passenger boarding/deboarding from a facility with a platform,
which may include stairs, elevators, escalators, passenger controls,
canopies, wind shelters, ticket office or machines, restrooms, or
concessions. This includes the following:
• All fixed guideway passenger facilities (except for on-street
cable car and light rail stops);
• Busway passenger facilities;
• Underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations;
• Ferryboat terminals;

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Location

Key Description
• Transportation, transit, or transfer centers;
• Park-and-ride facilities; and
• Transit malls with the listed components, including those only
used by buses.

Revenue Facility: Includes park-and-ride lots and parking garages. Parking facilities
Parking Facility
are those immediately adjacent to a transit station or center.
Revenue Facility: Another location within the facility such as a control room,
Other
equipment room, or turnstile area
Non-Revenue
Facility

A facility or an area that is not used to enable individuals to board
or alight from transit vehicles and that is primarily staffed by transit
workers.

Right-of-way

The area through which a train travels—a train's dynamic
envelope, including the track and the area around the track.
Example 14: Cyber Security Event Reporting

Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: The agency experienced a
cyberattack that affected its paratransit
rides (DR) and bus operations (MB).
Personal information was leaked, and the
agency had to file an insurance claim. The
total damages were $47,030.00. The
agency does not operate rail fixed
guideway service.

Solution A: The event meets the
definition of a cyber security event and
resulted in damages meeting the $25,000
reporting threshold. The event is
reportable under the highest ridership
(MB) mode.

Scenario B: An unknown person hacked
into the agency’s network system via
unauthorized computer access. Files were
corrupted/damaged during the hack. The
website was down, preventing, for
example, paratransit ride requests. Fare
collection units were affected, and riders
could not obtain fare cards. Systems were
immediately shut down for repair. The
agency operates heavy rail (HR) and light
rail (LR).

Solution B: The event disrupted the
operations of the agency, and the second
element of the Substantial Damage
threshold is presumed automatically met.
This event therefore meets the Substantial
Damage threshold. The event is
reportable under the highest ridership rail
mode based on the Predominant Use
Rule.

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Personal Security Events
A Personal Security Event occurs or affects individuals on transit property. Examples
include but are not limited to robbery, rape, theft, motor vehicle theft, larceny, assault
(including assaults on transit workers), homicide, attempted suicide or suicide that did not
involve contact with a transit vehicle, and other Personal Security Events that do not fit
into another category.
Important update pertaining to Robbery/Assault of a Passenger or Patron: If a crime
involving both a robbery and an assault meets the criteria of occurring at the same time
and place (one single event), the agency must report a Robbery Event and include the
assault details. Robberies with no confrontational circumstances should be reported as
Theft.
This change will not affect the reporting/collection of the Non-Major S&S-50 “Assault on
Transit Worker” data or Major S&S-40 “Assaults on Transit Workers.” Therefore, if an
Assault and Robbery of a transit worker occur at the same time, the event should be
reported as an Assault/Homicide on a Transit Worker.
FTA has defined a “Transit worker” as any employee, contractor, or volunteer working on
behalf of the transit agency. Note: If an assault, homicide, suicide, or attempted suicide
results in a collision, such as when a person is pushed into the path of a moving transit
vehicle and is struck, the event should be reported as a collision.
Exhibit 34: Personal Security Event Details Key Descriptions—Security Event
Types
Security Event
Type Selection
Assault

Key Description
An attack by one person on another without lawful authority or
permission.
An assault on a transit worker is a circumstance in which an
individual knowingly, without lawful authority or permission, and
with intent to endanger the safety of an individual, or with a
reckless disregard for the safety of human life, interferes with,
disables, or incapacitates a transit worker while the transit worker
is performing their duties of the transit worker.
• FTA’s assault definition requires either “intent to endanger the
safety of any individual” or “reckless disregard for the safety of
human life.”

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Security Event
Type Selection

Key Description
o It is the reporter’s responsibility to determine the presence of
intent to endanger an individual or reckless disregard for
safety. FTA may occasionally ask for detail about how your
agency assessed the actor’s “intent to endanger the safety of
any individual” or “reckless disregard for the safety of human
life” to confirm that a reporting threshold was met before
continuing data validation.
• FTA encourages you to identify which threshold is met in the
Event Description. This promotes data validation efficiency in
that FTA may more rapidly confirm that the reporting
requirement applies.
• The occurrence of these events is captured in the
“Assault/Homicide details” field as follows:
o Assault/Homicide against Operator: An Operator is an
individual who is compensated by the transit agency and
whose function is to operate the transit vehicle.
o Assault/Homicide against Other Transit Worker (e.g.,
transit police, station agent, etc.): An Other Transit Worker
is an individual other than an operator who is compensated
by the transit agency or who is otherwise providing specific
services on behalf of a transit agency.
o Assault/Homicide not against Transit Worker: An assault
that is not an Assault on a Transit Worker.
• In addition, the “Worker Assault Detail Type” is collected for
Assaults on Transit Operators or Other Transit Workers as
follows:
o Physical Assault on a Transit Worker: An assault in which
the attack involves physical contact with the transit worker.
This could include any physical contact with the victim from
the attacker's body, a weapon, a projectile, or other item.
o Non-Physical Assault on a Transit Worker: An assault in
which the attack involves no physical contact with the transit
worker. This could include threats or intimidation that do not
result in any physical contact with the transit worker.

Robbery

The taking, or attempting to take, of anything of value under
confrontational circumstances from the control, custody, or care of
another person by force or violence or by putting the victim in fear
of immediate harm.

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Security Event
Type Selection

Key Description

Rape

The carnal knowledge of a person, forcibly and against that
person’s will.

Motor Vehicle
Theft

The act or attempted act of stealing a motor vehicle.

Larceny/Theft

The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property
from the possession (or constructive possession) of another
person.

Homicide

The killing of one human being by another, including murder and
non-negligent manslaughter (the willful [non-negligent] killing of one
human being by another), and negligent manslaughter (the killing
of another person through gross negligence).
As a general rule, agencies should classify in this category any
death due to injuries received in a fight, argument, quarrel, assault,
or commission of a crime. Although law enforcement agencies may
charge offenders with lesser offenses, (e.g., negligent
manslaughter,) agencies should report the offense as murder and
non-negligent manslaughter if the killing was willful or intentional.
The occurrence of these events is captured in the
“Assault/Homicide details” field as follows:
• Assault/Homicide Against Operator: An Operator is an
individual who is compensated by the transit agency and whose
function is to operate the transit vehicle.
• Assault/Homicide Against Other Transit Worker (e.g.,
transit police, station agent, etc.): An Other Transit Worker is
an individual other than an operator who is compensated by the
transit agency or who is otherwise providing specific services on
behalf of a transit agency.
• Assault/Homicide not Against Transit Worker: Selecting this
indicates that the assault was not an “Assault on a Transit
Worker.”
In addition, the “Worker Assault (Homicide) Detail Type” is
collected as follows:
• Physical Assault on a Transit Worker: An assault in which
the attack involves physical contact with the transit worker. This
could include any physical contact with the victim from the
attacker's body, a weapon, a projectile, or other item.

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Security Event
Type Selection

Key Description
• Non-Physical Assault on a Transit Worker: An assault in
which the attack involves no physical contact with the transit
worker. This could include threats or intimidation that did not
result in any physical contact with the transit worker.

Suicide

Self-inflicted harm where the intention of the person was to cause a
fatal outcome.

Attempted
Suicide

Self-inflicted harm where death does not occur, but the intention of
the person was to cause a fatal outcome.
• Ensure that the event description clearly addresses the intent
and includes details of the attempt. This can be determined by
any reasonable method including police reports and third-party
witness statements.
• If there was no self-inflicted harm or suicidal intent and the
individual was transported only for a mental health evaluation,
the event is not reportable.
• Intentional drug overdoses are not reportable to the NTD.

Other Personal
Security Event

A personal security event which does not fall into one of the listed
categories.

Exhibit 35: Personal Security Event Details Key Descriptions – Locations
Location Selection

Personal Security Event Details Key Description

In Vehicle/Vessel

Interior or exterior of the transit vehicle or vessel.

Revenue Facility:
Transit
Station/Center or
Terminal

A passenger boarding/deboarding from a facility with a
platform, which may include stairs, elevators, escalators,
passenger controls, canopies, wind shelters, ticket office or
machines, restrooms, or concessions. This includes the
following:
• All fixed guideway passenger facilities (except for on-street
cable car and light rail stops);
• Busway passenger facilities;
• Underground, at grade, and elevated rail stations;
• Ferryboat terminals;
• Transportation, transit, or transfer centers;

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Location Selection

Personal Security Event Details Key Description
• Park-and-ride facilities; and
• Transit malls with the listed components, including those
only used by buses.

Revenue Facility:
Parking Facility

Includes park-and-ride lots as well as parking garages. Parking
facilities are those immediately adjacent to a transit station or
center.

Revenue Facility:
Other

Another location within the facility such as a control room,
equipment room, or turnstile area.

Non-Revenue
Facility

A facility or an area that is not used to enable individuals to
board or alight from transit vehicles, and that is primarily staffed
by transit employees.

Right-of-way

The area through which a train travels—a train’s dynamic
envelope, including the track and the area around the track.

Example 15 provides a few examples of reporting “pepper-spray” security events and the
method for reporting these events based on the circumstances. It is important that the
event description clearly identifies what occurred.
Example 15: Security Event Major Event Type Reporting
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A patron dispenses pepper
spray in a bus. Three people have
difficulty breathing, experience eye
irritation, and are immediately transported
away from the scene.

Solution A: This meets the injury
threshold. Select “System Security Event”
and select “Chemical/Biological/Nuclear/
Radiological” as the event type.

Scenario B: A patron targets another
patron and sprays the individual’s face
with Mace. The patron is immediately
transported away from the scene.

Solution B: This meets the injury
threshold. Since the attack was directed at
a specific patron, select “Personal Security
Event,” and select “Assault” as the event
type.

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Scenario

Solution

Scenario C: A transit police officer is
involved in an altercation with a fare
evader who is resisting arrest. The officer
pepper sprays the individual to gain
control. The individual is transported away
for medical attention.

Solution C: This meets the injury
threshold for a security event. Select
“Personal Security Event,” select “Other
personal security event” as the event type,
and enter a descriptive comment in the
“Please describe” box.

Example 16 provides examples of Major Assaults on Transit Workers.
Example 16: Major Event Assault on Transit Worker Reporting
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A passenger boards a bus
and refuses to pay the fare. The
passenger spits on the operator, and the
operator is transported for medical
attention.

Solution A: This meets the definition of an
assault on a transit worker. Select
“Personal Security Event,” “Assault” as the
event type, then “Assault/Homicide
Against Operator” and “Physical Assault
on a Transit Worker,” and include the
injured operator.

Scenario B: Two transit police officers are
involved in an altercation with a trespasser
who is resisting arrest. The trespasser
bites one officer and kicks the other. Both
officers are transported for medical
attention.

Solution B: This meets the definition of an
assault on a transit worker. Select
“Personal Security Event,” “Assault” as the
event type, then “Assault/Homicide
Against Other Transit Worker,” then
“Physical Assault on a Transit Worker,”
and include two injured workers.

Scenario C: A transit rider repeatedly
strikes at an operator with a metal bar and
verbally threatens the operator with bodily
harm. However, no physical contact is
made. The operator is transported for
trauma.

Solution C: This meets the definition of an
assault on a transit worker. Select
“Personal Security Event,” “Assault” as the
event type, then “Assault/Homicide
Against Operator” and “Non-Physical
Assault on a Transit Worker” and include
the injured operator.

Other Safety Events
Other Safety Events include but are not limited to slips, trips, falls, smoke, power failure,
maintenance-related issues, electric shock, or runaway train events. To be reported as a
major event, these events must either meet the fatality, evacuation, runaway train,

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property damage (rail or non-rail criteria), or serious injury threshold or result in two or
more injured individuals. Other Safety Events that cause only one individual to be
immediately transported from the scene for medical attention that is not a serious injury,
and that do not trigger any other reporting threshold, are reported on the Non-Major
Monthly Summary Report form.
FTA includes Other Safety Events that occur in a transit maintenance facility and meet a
reporting threshold but continues to exclude occupational safety events occurring in
administrative buildings.
Exhibit 36: Other Safety Event Decision Flowchart

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Exhibit 37: Other Event Details Key Descriptions
Selection Type

Key Description

Event

• Smoke,
• Fumes/Noxious Odors,
• Electric Shock,
• Outside Conditions (powerlines, pantographs, etc.),
• Power Failure,
• Maintenance Related,
• Slip/Trip/Fall, or
• Runaway Train: A train that is no longer under the control of a
driver regardless of whether the operator is physically on the
vehicle at the time. This is limited to rail vehicles that are used
for revenue service, regardless of whether the event occurred
while in revenue service.

Location

• Boarding/alighting: With stairs.
• Boarding/alighting: With lift or ramp.
• Boarding/alighting: Other.
• Vehicle Exterior: The exterior of the transit vehicle.
• Roadway.
• Right-of-way.
• Yard.
• Revenue facility: Elevator related.
• Revenue facility: Escalator related.
• Revenue facility: Ramp.
• Revenue facility: Stairway.
• Revenue facility: Platform/stop/waiting area.
• In Vehicle/Vessel: Securement Issue: In or on a transit
vehicle and pertains to the securement of a wheelchair or other
mobility device.
• In Vehicle/Vessel: Not a Securement Issue: In or on a transit
vehicle and does not pertain to the securement of a wheelchair
or other mobility device.
• Revenue Facility: Parking Facility: Includes park-and-ride lots
and parking garages. Parking facilities are those immediately
adjacent to a transit station or center.
• Revenue Facility: Other: Another location within the facility,
such as a control room, equipment room, or turnstile area. May

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Selection Type

Key Description
be used to indicate a bus or service stop or areas around the
facility that are on transit property.
• Non-Revenue Facility: A facility or an area that is not used to
enable individuals to board or alight from transit vehicles and
that is primarily staffed by transit workers.

Example 17: Other Safety Event Major Event Type Reporting
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A patron in a transit center
falls down the stairs, sustains a head
injury, is immediately transported away
from the scene, and dies 10 days after
the event due to the injury.

Solution A: This meets the Fatality
threshold. Select “Other Safety Event” and
select “Slip/Trip/Fall” as the event type.

Scenario B: A bus fills with heavy fuel
fumes, and employees evacuate the
passengers to the roadway.

Solution B: This meets the Evacuation
threshold. Report “Other Safety Event,”
then select “Fumes/Noxious Odors” as the
event type and include the evacuation
screen.

Scenario C: An elevator has a
mechanical problem causing it to jerk to
a stop. Two patrons are transported
away for medical attention.

Solution C: This meets the two-injury
threshold for Other Safety Event. Select
“Other Safety Event,” then select
“Maintenance Related” as the event type
and complete two injury sub-forms.

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S&S-50: Non-Major Monthly Summary Report
Overview
The Non-Major Monthly Summary Report (S&S-50) captures monthly summary
information on minor fires, other less severe single-injury safety events, and assaults on
a transit worker that are not reportable as major events.
On the Non-Major Monthly Summary Report, agencies only report the following:
•

The number of assaults on a transit worker that occurred without injury (i.e., with
no transport away from the scene for medical attention),

•

Safety incidents and the number of individuals immediately transported away from
the scene for medical attention each month due to those occurrences, and

•

Fires with suppression that occurred without injury.

Agencies do not provide details on specific people and vehicles involved for these events.
For Americans with Disabilities or Paratransit modes providing door-to-door service, when
an individual slips, trips, or falls walking to or from the transit vehicle and is injured
(transported for medical attention), their injury is reportable on the Non-Major Monthly
Summary Report as this is considered part of the boarding/alighting process.
Agencies must submit one S&S-50 each month for all modes regardless of whether they
have data to report, or if an S&S-40 has been submitted for a mode during that month.
(All events resulting in two or more injuries are reported as a major event.)
The Non-Major Monthly Summary Report has three event type categories: Non-Major
Worker Assaults, Other Safety Indicents, and Number of Non-Major Fires. The forms
differ slightly by mode.
Note: Do not submit monthly forms prior to the end of the reporting period. Reports
submitted prior to the end of the month may be missing data. After the end of the month,
review the data and re-submit the form to reflect a date after the end of the month.
If a form is submitted prior to the end of the reporting period, remove any reported events,
check “no data to report,” and save the form.
A reportable non-major event is one that:
•

Occurs on transit right-of-way or infrastructure (the underlying framework or
structures that support a public transportation system),

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•

Occurs at a transit revenue facility,

•

Occurs at a maintenance facility or rail yard,

•

Occurs during a transit-related maintenance activity, or

•

Involves a transit revenue vehicle.

Excluded from this event reporting requirement are
•

Events that occur off transit property where affected individuals, vehicles, or
objects come to rest on transit property after the event;

•

Occupational safety events occurring in administrative buildings;

•

Events that occur during the engineering or construction phases of a new rail
transit system or the extension of an existing rail transit system, unless they involve
transit-related activities such as operations, testing, simulated service or
pre-revenue service, or a transit-related maintenance activity;

•

Events at bus stops not on transit-owned property (unless the event involves a
transit vehicle or boarding/alighting from a vehicle); and

•

Events where an individual is transported for mental health evaluation (for
example, an individual stating they would like to harm themselves where no
attempt is made).

Note: Bus stops or shelters owned by municipalities or authorities that also operate transit
systems are not considered “transit-owned” property.

Multi-Agency Facilities
Around the country, there are transit facilities that are shared by multiple transit agencies.
Capturing safety and security events in such a facility can be a challenge. An event
occurring in a multi-agency facility is reportable if the event meets a reporting threshold
and occurs in a transit agency's designated area of the facility.

Predominant Use
The Predominant Use Rule is applied when an event affects more than one mode. If two
or more transit modes within an agency are affected by an event, the agency would report
the event in only one mode.
•

If the event involves rail and non-rail, the agency reports the event in the rail mode.

•

If the event involves two rail modes or two non-rail modes, the agency selects the
mode to report based on predominant use.

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The volume of passengers served by a mode most often measures predominant use. For
example, if an event occurred in a multi-modal station served by Heavy Rail and LR, the
agency would report the event under LR based on the higher volumes of LR boarding
passengers.

Non-Major Assaults on Transit Workers
On the S&S-50 form, agencies must report assaults on a transit worker that did not result
in immediate transport away from the scene. Therefore, when an event meets the
definition for assault on a transit worker but does not involve an injury or fatality (e.g.,
spitting), it must be reported on the S&S-50 form. Note that an assault involving transport
away from the scene for medical attention meets the injury threshold and is reported as
a major S&S-40 event. The S&S-50 form collects the number of events per month and
identifies the location of the incident.
•

An assault on a transit worker is a circumstance in which an individual knowingly,
without lawful authority or permission, and with intent to endanger the safety of any
individual, or with a reckless disregard for the safety of human life, interferes with,
disables, or incapacitates a transit worker while the transit worker is performing the
duties of the transit worker.

•

FTA’s assault definition requires either “intent to endanger the safety of any
individual” or “reckless disregard for the safety of human life.”

•

It is the reporter’s responsibility to determine the presence of intent to endanger
an individual or reckless disregard for safety. During the process of data validation,
FTA may occasionally ask for detail about how your agency assessed the actor’s
“intent to endanger the safety of any individual” or “reckless disregard for the safety
of human life” to confirm that a reporting threshold was met before continuing data
validation.

Agencies must report a count of Assaults on a Transit Worker occurring in the respective
month using three criteria: Transit Worker Assault Detail Type (Physical vs. NonPhysical), Transit Worker Type (Operator vs. Other), and Location.

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Exhibit 38: Transit Worker Descriptions
Selection Type

Key Description

Transit Worker
Assault Detail
Type

• Physical: An assault in which the attack involved physical
contact with the transit worker. This could include any physical
contact with the victim from the attacker’s body, a weapon, a
projectile or other item (e.g., spitting).
• Non-Physical: An assault in which the attack involves no
physical contact with the transit worker. This could include
threats, intimidation, or interference that did not result in any
physical contact with the transit worker.

Transit Worker
Type

• Operator: An individual who is compensated by the transit
agency and whose function is to operate the transit vehicle.
• Other Transit Worker (e.g., transit police, station agent,
etc.): An individual who is compensated by the transit agency or
who is otherwise providing specific services on behalf of a
transit agency.

Example 18: Non-Major Event Assault on a Transit Worker Reporting
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A passenger boards a bus
but refuses to pay the fare. The
passenger spits on the operator, but the
operator denies transport for medical
attention and resumes service.

Solution A: The agency reports the one
event in the “Non-Major Physical Assault
on Operators” column and the “Location of
Event” as “In transit vehicle.”

Scenario B: A train cleaner accidentally
brushes a passenger's foot. The
passenger threatens the cleaner with
bodily harm. The cleaner is not
transported for medical attention.

Solution B: The agency reports the one
event in the “Non-Major Non-Physical
Assault on Other Transit Workers” column
and the “Location of Event” as “In transit
vehicle.”

Scenario C: A transit operator is cursed
at by a passenger while exiting the
vehicle. No direct threat was made and
there was no delay in service.

Solution C: This does not meet the
definition of an Assault on a Transit
Worker and is therefore not reportable.

Scenario D: A paratransit scheduler is
verbally threatened with bodily harm over
the phone while working in an
administrative building.

Solution D: This constitutes an
occupational safety related event
occurring in an administrative building
and therefore is not reportable.

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Exhibit 39: Location Selections
Location Selection

Key Description

In Transit Vehicle

In or on a transit vehicle.

In Revenue Facility

A facility or an area that a passenger uses to board/deboard
from a transit vehicle using a platform, which may include
stairs, elevators, escalators, passenger controls, canopies,
wind shelters, ticket office or machines, restrooms, or
concessions. This includes the following:
• All fixed guideway passenger facilities (except for on-street
cable car and light rail stops);
• Busway passenger facilities;
• Underground, at-grade, and elevated rail stations;
• Ferryboat terminals;
• Transportation, transit, transfer centers, park-and-ride
facilities, and transit malls with the listed components,
including those only used by buses;
• Parking facilities and garages (parking facilities are those
immediately adjacent to a transit station or center); and
• Other locations within the facility, such as a control room,
equipment room, or turnstile area.

In Non-Revenue
Facility

A facility or an area that is not used to enable individuals to
board or alight from transit vehicles, and that is primarily
staffed by transit workers.

Other (e.g., city
street)

A location that is not in a revenue or non-revenue facility and
is not a transit vehicle. This selection is used to capture
events that did not occur in listed locations. For example, an
individual is pushed into a stationary transit vehicle on the
roadway.

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Number of Other Safety Incidents
Other Safety Incidents are not collisions, fires, derailments, acts of God, hazardous
material spills, or security events. Rather, they are single-injury safety events. Injury
means any harm to individuals as a result of an event that requires immediate medical
attention away from the scene.
Events involving individuals who are transported away from the scene for the following
reasons are not reportable:
•

Solely for illness, natural causes, exposure to the elements, intoxication, drug
overdose, mental health evaluation unrelated to a specific reportable event, and

•

Declarations or allegations of self-harm with no evident injury.

Other Safety Incidents that meet the fatality, evacuation, damage, and/or or two-injury
thresholds are not reported on the Non-Major Monthly Summary Report. Instead, an
agency should report an event meeting any of these criteria under Other Safety Event on
the S&S-40 form.
The NTD does not collect reports of individuals transported away from the scene
unrelated to a specific reportable event. For example, if a person is acting erratically on
the rail alignment and the individual is restrained and transported for evaluation, but there
is no related event, this does not meet the injury threshold and is therefore not reportable.
When reporting “Other Injuries,” you must provide a description of who the injured nonworker or non-patron is in the pop-up box labeled “Please describe Other Injuries.”
Some examples of reportable injury incidents (immediate transport from the scene for
medical attention) include:
•

Electric shock to an individual,

•

A transit driver braking hard to avoid a collision resulting in one injury,

•

Mobility device securement (tie down) malfunction,

•

An event that occurs on transit vehicle lift equipment,

•

A person falling either up or down the steps of a bus or a facility resulting in one
injury,

•

A person falling into the side of a stopped transit vehicle,

•

A transit vehicle door closing on a person or clothing, and

•

A person falling when walking to or from a door-to-door service transit vehicle.

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Please refer to Exhibit 36, “Other Safety Event Decision Flowchart,” for information on
reporting slips and falls as a major or non-major event.
Exhibit 40: Number of Safety Incidents Key Descriptions
Selection Type

Key Descriptions

In Transit
Vehicle

• Boarding/Alighting: With stairs
• Boarding/Alighting: With lift or ramp
• Boarding/Alighting: Other
• Other in Vehicle: Securement Issue: In or on a transit vehicle
and pertains to the securement of a wheelchair or other mobility
device.
• Other in Vehicle: Not a Securement Issue: In or on a transit
vehicle and does not pertain to the securement of a wheelchair
or other mobility device.

In Revenue
Facility

• Ramps,
• Stairs,
• Escalators,
• Elevators,
• Platform, or
• Parking facility.

Other Location

• In Non-Revenue Facilities, or
• Other: Add a description in the “Please describe other” box
when this selection is chosen. Describe the nature of the event,
the location, and injured individual(s).

Injury Person
Type

• Patron: An individual on board a revenue transit vehicle or an
intending/deboarded passenger in a transit facility. Excludes
operators, transit employees, and contractors.
• Transit Employee/Contractor: An individual who is
compensated by the transit agency.
• Other: An individual who is not a patron and not compensated
by the agency.

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Example 19: Safety Incidents Reporting
Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A person falls from the
platform and briefly touches the third rail,
causing a burn and requiring immediate
medical attention away from the scene.

Solution A: The agency reports the one
Occurrence and the one injury related to
this event on the Non-Major Monthly
Summary Report under “Number of Other
Safety Incidents and Related Non-Serious
Injuries.”

Scenario B: A track worker is repairing
rail ties on the track and falls to the
roadbed, resulting in lacerations to the
knee.

Solution B: Since this is maintenance
related, the agency reports the one
Occurrence and the one (1) injury on the
Non-Major Monthly Summary Report
under “Number of Other Safety Incidents
and Related Non-Serious Injuries.”

Scenario C: A pedestrian falls into the
side of a bus stopped at a traffic light.
The individual is transported from the
scene for medical attention with a bump
on the forehead.

Solution C: Since the vehicle was not
moving at the time, the agency reports the
one Other Safety Incidents under the
category “Other locations,” “Other”
selection, with the person type reported as
“Other.”

Number of Non-Major Fires
Agencies must report incidents of fires that require suppression but do not meet a major
event reporting threshold. If the fire event meets a major event threshold (injury, fatality,
evacuation, property damage), it is to be reported as a major event on the S&S-40.
Please refer to Exhibit 26, “Fire Decision Flowchart” for determining major and non-major
fire reporting.
Number of Non-Major Fire Events Key Descriptions
Enter the number of non-major fire events by location (refer to definitions in Exhibit 39 as
follows:
•

In Transit Vehicle,

•

At Revenue Facility,

•

At Non-Revenue Facility, and

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•

On Right-of-way: The area through which a train travels; a train’s dynamic
envelope, including the track and the area around the track. Not used for non-rail
modes.
Example 20: Fire Event

Scenario

Solution

Scenario A: A transit bus (MB) has
smoke coming from under the hood, and
the operator finds a small electrical fire.
Suppression is required and used to end
the fire, but there are no passengers on
the transit bus and the property damage
is estimated at $10,000.

Solution A: Because this fire required an
act of suppression but does not meet a
major event-reporting threshold, this event
must be reported on the S&S-50 under
Number of Non-Major Fires.

Scenario B: A small fire on the right-ofway is extinguished. It does not cause
any damage or injuries.

Solution B: This event is reported on an
S&S-50 form, as there were no injuries, no
evacuation, and no damages.

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Appendix A: Safety and Security Data Reports
The NTD online reporting application provides access to a variety of a data reports. NTD
reporters may use these reports to download their reported data, compare their agency’s
safety data against other peer agencies, or obtain an industry rate comparison of their
agency’s safety data.
To access these reports within the NTD, please navigate to the Reports tab on the Menu
bar, and then choose Safety.
The following provides a listing and explanation of available reports:
Historical S&S Form Lookup
This report allows you to view only the data the agency reported from 2014 to the prior
year. You will request the year, mode and Type of Service, and form type to display.
Rate Compared to Industry Rate
This compares the agency’s event, injury, and fatality count to the national average per
mode and type of service for a defined period per 10,000,000 Unlinked Passenger Trips.
Note: The “Rate Compared to Industry Rate” report is the only report that uses up-to-date
data as reported in system. All of the following reports will have a 3-month lag. For
example, a report you access in December will include data through September of the
current year.
Major Event Report
This is a list of all Major Safety and Security Events from January of 2014 to the most
recently published data within the FTA’s major event time series.
When redirected to the site, you will need to create a view to filter the data to your agency,
desired period, mode, etc.
Non-Major Event Report
This includes counts of minor fires on transit property requiring suppression, transit
worker assaults not involving transport for medical attention, and other safety events that
are not reportable as major events because a major event reporting threshold is not met.
When redirected to the site, you will need to create a view to filter the data to your agency,
desired period, mode, etc.

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FRA Regulated Mode Major Security Events
This includes event data reported for Commuter Rail (CR) and Alaska Railroad (AR)
modes, as well as Heavy Rail (HR) modes reported as public transportation but that fall
under the safety oversight of the Federal Railroad Administration. The reporting agencies
are not required to report Safety Events (e.g., collisions, derailments, etc.) to the FTA for
these modes through the NTD.
When redirected to the site, you will need to create a view to filter the data to your agency,
desired period, mode, etc.
Safety & Security Time Series (Threshold-Adjusted)
This file counts both Major and Non-Major S&S event data including totals for injuries and
fatalities. It presents data by year and by event type, person type, etc. Note that FTA
makes adjustments within this file to preserve historical consistency in data definitions.
The data is presented as a Microsoft Excel file.
Safety & Security Major Only Time Series
This file counts only events meeting a major event reporting threshold from 2002 to
present, as determined by reporting thresholds for the given year. It presents data by year
and by event type, person type, etc. The data is presented as a Microsoft Excel file.

Appendix A: Data Reports – 91