Memorandum
Date: July 30, 2026
To: Governing Body, Public Works Committee, and Finance Committee
From: Gabrielle Chavez, Transit Director of Administration
Via: Sam Burnett, Public Works Director
RE: Santa Fe Trails 2026 Updated Requirements for Public Transportation Agency
Safety Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The proposed resolution would approve the Santa Fe Trails 2026 Public Transportation Agency
Safety Plan (“PTASP”). The Santa Fe Trails PTASP is a requirement of the United States Department
of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) for public transportation systems that
receive federal funding under the FTA’s Urbanized Area Formula Grant.
BACKGROUND:
On July 19, 2018, the Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) published the Public Transportation
Agency Safety Plan’s (“PTASP”) Final Rule, which requires certain operators of public
transportation systems that receive federal funds under FTA's Urbanized Area Formula Grants (49
U.S.C. § 5307) to implement Safety Management Systems (“SMS”). The PTASP rule became
effective on July 19, 2019. Santa Fe Trails PTASP was approved by the Governing Body on
December 9, 2020, and was subsequently submitted to FTA to fulfill this requirement.
The plan was then updated in January 2023 to include changes to the Public Transportation Agency
Safety Plan (PTASP) requirements enacted under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. As a result,
transit agencies that receive Section 5307 funding and serve urbanized areas with populations
under 200,000 are required to develop their Agency Safety Plans (ASPs) in cooperation with
frontline employee representatives. On April 9, 2024, FTA published the first major update to
the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) regulation. These updates are a part of a
continuing effort to improve transit safety performance on federally supported transit systems, and
PTASP is the first rule finalized by FTA under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requirements to
make transit safer for both transit workers and passengers.
The 2025 plan was reviewed by staff and the 2026 plan was updated to include new data and
language revisions in full cooperation with frontline employee representatives and is intended toGabrielle Chavez

Memorandum
ensure compliance while continuing to prioritize the safety and well-being of transit personnel and
riders. The updated plan also includes updates addressing transit worker assault, safety reporting
and hazard identification, additional safety performance targets, and the consideration of infectious
disease data from the CDC or state health authorities.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
Fiscal Impact Report
2026 Updated Public Transit Agency Safety Plan