Lisa Staes » Leadership

Ms. Lisa Staes is the Director of Transit Safety and Workforce Development Programs at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida.  She is the chair of TRB’s Task Force on Transit Safety and Security (AP018T), and Editorial Board Member – Elsevier Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives Journal, former chair of APTA’s Bus Safety Committee, and chair of the planning committee for TRB’s National Transit Safety and Security Conference and APTA MidYear Workshop 2020.  She is the CUTR project manager for FTA’s Transit Standards Development Research and Safety Research Demonstration Evaluation projects.  She is the lead consultant on TCRP Synthesis SA-45 – Onboard Technologies to Prevent Transit Bus Incidents and TCRP F-27 – Characteristics and Elements of Non-Punitive Employee Safety Reporting for Public Transportation.  Sample research topics include bus operator assaults, collision/crash energy management for transit buses, simulator training and its impact on transit safety, training and certificate programs and elements of success, rural and senior mobility initiatives, and transit development and coordinated transportation systems planning.

Key Qualifications:

Ms. Staes leads a highly successful and motivated team that manages a number of transit safety and transit training and workforce development-related programs and projects at CUTR. In addition, she has performed research in areas such as decreasing collisions and other bus incidents; bus operator assaults; transit safety standards; bus operator simulator training and the role of simulator training in reducing transit incidents; training certificate programs and elements of success; other transit safety-related research and technical assistance on a number of specific issues areas; alternative mobility strategies; rural and senior mobility initiatives; and coordinated transportation system planning. Ms. Staes is the Chair of the Transportation Research Board’s Task Force on Transit Safety and Security, is the chair of APTA’s Bus Safety Committee, and also serves on APTA’s Bus Safety Excellence Award Selection Committee, and Safety Coordinating Committee.

Research Publications and Reports:

• Godfrey, J. and L. Staes. 2020. FTA Standards Development Program: Crashworthiness/Crash Energy Management for Transit Bus. FTA Report No. 0179
• Godfrey, J. and L. Staes. 2020. FTA Standards Development Program: Crashworthiness/Crash Energy Management Follow-up for Less than 30 Ft Bus. FTA Report No. 0141
• Godfrey, J. and L. Staes. 2020. Characteristics of Non-Punitive Employee Safety Reporting Systems for Public Transportation: Abridged Version of TCRP Report 218. (TRB Paper 20-06876)
• TCRP Synthesis 145, Current Practices in the Use of Onboard Technologies to Avoid Transit Bus Incidents and Accidents, projected publication date: January 2020
• “Event Data Recorders for Transit Bus,” TRB Paper 19-02324, January 2019
• “Transit Bus Crashworthiness,” TRB Paper 19-01278, January 2019
• “Managing Onboard Safety,” Traffic & Transit, October 16, 2018 – https://www.trafficandtransit.com/managing-onboard-safetyReview and Evaluation of Public Transportation Safety Standards, Federal Transit Administration, January 2017
• Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Bus Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies, TCRP Synthesis 126, Transportation Research Board, January 2017
• Transit Bus Safety in the U.S. – An Analysis Using the National Transit Database, Transportation Research Board 94^th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers, January 2015 (co-authors:  Victoria Perk, Justin Begley, Roberta Yegidis)
• Transit Safety Data Presentation and Analysis 2008 – 2011, FTA Report No. (not yet assigned), July 2014 (co-author:  Jan Davis)
• State of Bus Safety in the U.S.:  Summary of Federal and State Regulations, FTA Report No. 0078, June 2014 (co-author Jennifer Flynn).
• State of Bus Safety in the U.S., FTA Report No. 0078, June 2014 (co-authors:  Jennifer Flynn, Justin Begley, and Victoria Perk).
• Bus Safety Study – A Report to Congress, FTA Report No. 0051, November 2013 (co-authors:  Victoria Perk and Justin Begley)
• Bus Operator Assaults – State of the Industry and Agency Post-Event Practices, American Public Transportation Association (APTA), May 2013
• Florida’s Transit Operator Trainer Certificate Program – An Example of Public Transportation Workforce Development and Success, Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) National Workforce Development Summit, April 2012 (co-author:  Amber Reep)

Transit Safety-Related Presentations and Papers

• Employee Safety Reporting in Public Transportation, CUTR/FTA Transit Standards National Working Group, November 2019
• Trends in Transit Assaults w/ Risk Management and Risk Abatement Strategies, FTA 2019 Joint State Safety Oversight and Rail Transit Agency Workshop, September 2019
• Transit Cooperative Research Program and Illustrative Projects, Washington State Insurance Pool Conference, May 2019
• Update – Trends in Transit Assaults, APTA Risk Management Seminar, February 2019
• Update on Transit Assaults – Data Presentation and Discussion, APTA Mid-Year Safety and Security Seminar, November 2018.
• Part 673 – Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan and Florida’s Chapter 14-90, FAC:  A Discussion, Florida Public Transportation Association/Commission for Transportation Disadvantaged Annual Conference, October 2018
• FTA Safety Standards Strategic Plan and Standards Development Program, APTA Safety Coordinating Committee meeting, October 2017.
• Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Bus Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies, TCRP Synthesis 126, Transportation Research Board, APTA Annual Meeting, October 2017.
• Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Bus Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies, TCRP Synthesis 126, Transportation Research Board, NTI Webinar, July 2017.
• Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Bus Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies, TCRP Synthesis 126, Florida Transit Professional Development Workshop, Tampa, Florida, June 2017.
• Safety Management System Implementation in Florida, APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference, May 2017.
• Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Bus Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies, TCRP Synthesis 126, Transportation Research Board, APTA Bus Safety Committee, June 2017.
• SMS Approach in FTA Standards Initiatives, TRB Annual Meeting, January 2017.
• A Strategic Approach – Workforce Development, Training, Engagement, and Research – Florida Public Transportation Association Annual Conference, October 2015.
• Reducing Transit Assaults – A Modified Philosophy, 2015 APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference, Ft. Worth, Texas, May 2015.
• A Strategic Statewide Approach to Safety Management – Florida, 2015 National Bus Safety Seminar, Orlando, Florida, April 2015.
• The Setting:  Bus Transit Safety in the US and Florida, 2015 National Bus Safety Seminar, Orlando, Florida, April 2015.
• Safety Management Systems, 2014 FPTA Annual Conference, Naples, Florida, October 2014.
• Safety Management Systems, 2014 FPTA/FDOT/CUTR Professional Development Workshop, Tampa, Florida, June 2014.
• Bus Operator Assaults – Revised State of the Industry and Florida’s Model Practice, 2014 APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference, Kansas City, Missouri, May 2014.
• Transit Safety Research Roadmap, Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Conference, January 2014.
• Bus Safety Data and Trends, TRB Bus Transit Systems Committee (AP050), January 2014.
• Bus Operator Assaults – State of the Industry and Agency Model Practices, APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference, May 2013. (presentation and paper)
• Bus Operator Safety Issues Examination and Model Practices – Bus Operator Assaults, FPTA/FDOT/CUTR Professional Development Workshop, June 2013.
• A Qualitative Analysis of Bus Simulator Training and Impacts on Transit Incidents, FPTA/FDOT/CUTR Professional Development Workshop, June 2013.
• Evaluation of Event Data Recorders,” Accident Reconstruction Journal, Volume 20, No. 5, September/October 2010, Sapper, Deborah; Cusack, Hank; Staes, Lisa
• Identification of Cost-Effective Methods to Improve Security at Transit Operating/Maintenance Facilities and Passenger Stations, ITE 2007 Annual Meeting, Publication ID:  AB07H522, Chaudhary, Raj; Reep, Amber; Sapper, Deborah; Staes, Lisa.

Selected Project Experience:

• US DOT, Federal Transit Administration, Standards Development Program
• US Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Safety Research Demonstration Program – 2018 Projects and Program Evaluations – Project Manager
• FTA Standards Development Framework and Implementation Plan, Technical Support:  Operational and Mobility Standards – Project Manager
• US DOT, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) – Public Safety Awareness Technology Evaluation Project, Literature Review – Subcontractor Lead
• TCRP Project J-7, Synthesis Topic SA-45 – Onboard Technologies to Prevent Transit Bus Incidents – Lead Consultant
• TCRP Project F-27 –  Characteristics and Elements of Non-Punitive Employee Safety Reporting for Public Transportation – Lead Consultant
• TCRP Project J-7, Synthesis Topic SA-38 – Successful Practices and Training Initiatives to Reduce Bus Accidents and Incidents at Transit Agencies – Lead Consultant
• FTA Safety Research Demonstration Program – Projects and Program Evaluations – Project Manager
• FTA Standards Development Program – Project Manager
• FTA Standards Development and Assistance Program – Project Manager
• FTA Safety Standards Strategic Plan and Safety Data Collection Program – Project Manager
• FTA Transit Safety Research Roadmap – Project Manager
• Bus Safety Study:  A Report to Congress – Project Manager
• State of Bus Safety in the U.S. – Project Manager
• State of Bus Safety in the U.S. – Summary of Federal and State Regulations – Project Manager
• FTA Transit Safety Data and Analysis, 2008 – 2011 – Project Manager
• Bus Operator Safety:  Critical Issues Examination and Model Practices – Project Manager
• Strategies to Prevent, Reduce, and Mitigate Bus Collision – Co-Project Manager
• Examination of Passenger Assaults on Bus Transit Systems – Project Manager
• Florida Transit Safety Network – Project Manager
• National Transit Safety Research and Assistance Center at NCTR – Project Manager
• Florida Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) – Project Manager
• Florida Statewide Transit Training and Technical Assistance Program – Co-Project Manager
• Florida Bus Operator Trainer Training Program – Co-Project Manager
• Florida Transit Maintenance Analysis and Resource Center (and the Center’s Certified Transit Technician Education Program) – Co-Project Manager
• Florida Transit, Research, Inspection, Procurement Services Program (Project Manager)
• Transit Managers’ Certificate Program – Co-Project Manager
• Florida Airport Leadership Program – Program Oversight

Selected Appointments/Positions

• Chair, TRB Standing Committee on Transit Safety and Security (AP080), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Washington, DC
• Editorial Board Member – Elsevier Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives (TRIPS) Journal
• Event Chair for TRB’s National Transit Safety and Security Conference and APTA Mid-Year Workshop 2020
• Theme Lead, TR News Theme Issue: “Methods to Mitigate Trespassers in Passenger and Freight Rail” (June/July 2019)
• Former chair and member, American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Bus Safety Committee
• Member, APTA Safety Coordinating Council
• Member, APTA Rail Safety Committee
• Member, APTA Research and Technology Committee
• Member, APTA Bus Safety Awards Selection Committee
• Member, APTA Workforce Development Committee
• Ex-Officio Board Member, Florida Public Transportation Association