Extensive safety instruction is a part of each METRO operator’s initial and on-going training efforts. This is undertaken in order to maintain the priority of protecting passengers, pedestrians, and all others that may cross paths with the transit vehicle. Even with all of the efforts that METRO takes to prevent accidents, accidents do, on occasion, happen.
Often, accidents are caused by factors that are outside of the control of the METRO operator, such as road conditions, weather, or any other potential reason where the operator is determined not to be at fault. These are called “non-preventable bus collisions.” However, every so often an accident occurs that can be attributed to the operator, which are referred to as “preventable bus collisions.” As this guideline focuses on the safety of those on and around the bus, the most logical way to measure preventable bus collisions is per total miles traveled. METRO strives to have no more than two preventable bus collisions per 100,000 total miles traveled. This metric is considered at the system level only.