For more information, contact:
Ted Burton, Public Relations Manager, 389-7550

Capital Metro Safety Coordinator Mark Ostertag was unanimously elected president of the Texas Transit Safety Professionals Association. TTSPA is a group of safety professionals from the major transit agencies in Texas who have come together to promote transit safety standards. “If there is a better way out there to increase passenger safety, reduce accidents, or lower costs, we want to find it,” said Ostertag. “Active participation in the TTSPA is one of the best ways to learn about new developments in the transit safety field.”

Ostertag helped found the group last year. TTSPA’s mission is to promote the advancement of public transit safety in the state of Texas and find innovative solutions for transit safety.

The group is currently working on upgrading safety standards for vehicle maintenance and expanding guidelines for the inspection of bus routes which enhances customer safety. TTSPA is establishing a protocol to assess driver skills, ergonomics, and bus stop and route designs. This helps each agency do a better job of anticipating and correcting route issues before they become a problem. “Safety is our top priority at Capital Metro,” said General Manager Karen Rae. “It’s good to know, with Mark’s leadership, transit agencies are working together to share ideas and find solutions.”

TTSPA also shares information with smaller transit agencies that can’t afford to hire full-time safety coordinators.

There are currently 28 TTSPA members from transit agencies across the state. “One of the most beneficial aspects of this organization is the diversity of professional backgrounds and experience of its members,” said Ostertag. “Each brings a unique set of qualifications and skills to the discussions, and allows us to develop better answers than any of us could devise on our own.”

Ostertag has nearly 20 years in the safety field, mainly in high tech.