Crisis Management: Are Public Transportation Authority Leaders Prepared

摘要

The events of September 11, 2001, were a shocking awakening as to the extent to which unforeseen circumstances can destabilize corporations, organizations, families, and citizenry. Private and public entities learned the meaning of the term crisis management, and they also learned that crisis management is a leadership issue. Public transportation services in New York and Washington, DC were immediately disrupted, but the public transit systems of Americas rural and small cities face equal risks. To what extent are the leaders of these public transportation authorities prepared for major disruptions in service. Have the leaders worked beyond the crisis management manual to master the psychological, sociological, and technological issues that accompany disasters. Are they aware that major service disruptions do not have to occur suddenly, but that they can begin as minor operational problems and smolder. The proposal set forth in this document requests the support of the Urban Transit Institute to study crisis management preparedness among public transportation authority leaders. The continuation of reliable and safe public transit is vital to the physical and economic development of our communities. While numerous transit studies examine security systems and transit operations, few studies have focused on the public transportation leadership issues associated with crisis management. This research seeks to fill that void by using a multidisciplinary approach to examine public transportation leaders willingness and capacity to champion, plan, and implement the tasks associated with effective crisis management.