Safety Management System Implementation Technical Talk

10:30-11:30a, Planning committee meeting, (all welcome)

11:30-12:30a, -luncheon (catered by Wishbone) and networking

1:00-2:00p, Presentation

Guidelines:

• Bring Photo ID for entry into the facility
• Please review SMS Framework as a primer for Tuesday’s talk

Presented by John Ekblad, CTA’s Safety Management Systems Implementation Lead

With a cross-functional team, John Ekblad is developing the nation’s first Safety Management System in a transit agency as part of the  Federal Transit Administration Pilot Program. This SMS will be the foundation for the federal government’s guidance to the industry, being the framework for a real and tangible system that gives senior leadership the information they need to make safety risk-based decisions with confidence.

John joined the Chicago Transit Authority in 2014 as a Safety Officer, serving both bus and rail sides of the company.  He moved to an SMS Officer role shortly after the FTA’s SMS pilot program at CTA began and supported the early stages of SMS development.  In 2016 John moved to the President’s Office to lead CTA’s implementation efforts.  He has an extensive military safety background, having served as safety officer and Officer-in-Charge for multiple demolitions and firearms ranges, planned and commanded logistics convoys and patrols in combat, and served as Maintenance Control Officer for the largest maintenance unit in the Illinois National Guard.  His current assignment is the commander of the 1744th Transportation Company.  He has a B.S. in economics from Norther Illinois University.