Ohio § 5501.55

§ 5501.55.

(A) The department of transportation is the designated state agency responsible for overseeing

the safety practices of rail fixed guideway systems and the administration of 49 U.S.C. 5329 and 5330 .  The director of transportation shall develop any guidelines necessary to oversee

the safety practices of rail fixed guideway systems that are consistent with the federal

act and rules adopted thereunder.  A rail fixed guideway system shall not provide funding to the department for the

duties related to overseeing the safety practices of rail fixed guideway systems. (B) In accordance with guidelines developed by the director, the department shall do

all of the following: (1) Establish a safety program documentation standard for transit agencies operating,

implementing, or significantly enhancing an applicable rail fixed guideway system

within the state; (2) Oversee adoption of standards and oversee enforcement of laws for the personal safety

and security of passengers and employees of rail fixed guideway systems; (3) Review and approve or disapprove the annual internal safety audit conducted by a

transit agency under section 5501.56 of the Revised Code ; (4) Periodically, conduct an on-site safety review of each transit agency safety program

based on the agency's safety program documentation and make recommendations for changes

or enhancements to the transit agency safety program; (5)(a) Establish procedures for the investigation of accidents and hazardous conditions,

and for coordinating and addressing immediate conditions at a transit agency, as defined

in the guidelines developed by the director; (b) Investigate accidents and hazardous conditions at transit agencies; (c) Approve or disapprove any corrective action plan of a transit agency intended to

minimize, control, correct, or eliminate any investigated hazard; (d) Enforce the correction of identified hazardous conditions and plans to minimize,

control, correct, or eliminate those identified hazardous conditions in a timely manner

agreed upon within corrective action plans. (6) Submit to the federal transit administration any reports or other information necessary

to remain in compliance with 49 U.S.C. 5329 and 5330 and the rules adopted thereunder; (7) Approve or disapprove, oversee, and enforce the development, updating, and implementation

of the transit agency's public transportation safety plan as defined and required

by the federal transit administration. (C) The department may use a contractor to act on its behalf in carrying out the duties

of the department under this section and section 5501.56 of the Revised Code and 49 U.S.C. 5329 and 5330 and the rules adopted thereunder. (D) In accordance with the guidelines developed by the director, the department may establish

such programs, procedures, and administrative mandates as may be necessary to carry

out its duties under this section and section 5501.56 of the Revised Code and 49 U.S.C. 5329 and 5330 and the rules adopted thereunder. (E) As used in this section and in section 5501.56 of the Revised Code : (1) “ Rail fixed guideway system ” means any light, heavy, or rapid rail system, monorail, inclined plane, funicular,

trolley, or automated guideway that is included in the federal transit administration's

calculation of fixed guideway route miles or receives funding for urbanized areas

under 49 U.S.C. 5336 and is not regulated by the federal railroad administration. (2) “ Transit agency ” means an entity operating a rail fixed guideway system.