The Caltrain Board of Directors discussed its strategic safety plan to prevent trespasser and vehicle strikes, including suicides, and its support to request $2 billion in the state’s fiscal year 26-27 budget for transit operations.
With 31 stations and 71 at-grade crossings on an open-air corridor, strikes can have major impacts” on train crews, passengers, witnesses and family members, Mike Meader, Caltrain’s chief safety officer, said. The transit organization’s “trespasser prevention safety plan” looks to focus on education, engineering and enforcement.
By the end of the year, Caltrain hopes to adopt a detailed plan with near-term and potential long-term programs that will deter unlawful trespassing on tracks and prevent suicides, Meader said.
Though nothing specific is finalized, education efforts will focus on collaborating with peer organizations on how to provide behavioral health support to people experiencing crises, expanding training for transit employees, and increasing messaging on trains, stations and social media.
Engineering efforts will look toward physical improvements to stations and the railways that could prevent trespassing. The long-term grade separation effort will be the main project, but infrastructure from fencing projects to implementation of blue lighting — which studies show has a calming effect — will also be considered.
Caltrain is also considering the implementation of detection and alert technologies like CCTV video surveillance and transit watch apps that would employ public crowdsourcing. The app could increase eyes on the 51 miles of railway in real time, said Supervisor David Canepa, who represents the county on the rail agency’s board.
“This technology makes a lot of sense, the integration of it is going to be critically important,” Canepa said. “You can’t be everywhere, but to have this technology is critical.”
Site enforcement can also work to deter unlawful trespassing, but can pose cost concerns to hire the necessary personnel.
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“The bottom line is, we’re not taking anything off the table as we figure out what can help us,” Meader said.
Funding for such near- and long-term efforts will be sourced with local transit authorities, Meader said, and improvements will be chosen based upon risk and cost-benefit-analysis considering the “constrained existing budget.”
The board also approved supporting an effort by California legislators to urge the governor to provide $2 billion in flexible funding for local transit agencies throughout the state from the general fund for fiscal year 2025-26 and 2026-27, Devon Ryan, Caltrain Community and Government Affairs officer, said.
“Without further state investment, transit service reductions could significantly undermine the Bay Area’s economic recovery and hinder mobility for residents and workers,” a staff presentation read.
Around 38%-40% of the $2 billion could be allocated to the Bay Area, if it proceeds, Ryan said.
Counties are also looking at further transit funding efforts, including a potential quarter cent sales tax in San Mateo County if the county opts into a multicounty regional transit measure meant to dig Caltrain and BART out of structural deficits.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.
As an aside, it should be noted that an article from another news source highlights the Caltrain board, last year, decided to stop giving out information about train deaths because according to them, this policy was to prevent copycat suicides even though there was no evidence this was occurring. (Maybe to hide bad publicity?) This local paper filed a public records act request late last year which the Caltrain board didn’t honor in a timely manner. It is reported (not sure whether from Caltrain or not) that last year, there were 18 deaths on the tracks, up from 15 in 2023. People are going to get news one way or another, even if they rely on rumors, so shouldn’t Caltrain be the one providing, instead of hiding, information?
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As an aside, it should be noted that an article from another news source highlights the Caltrain board, last year, decided to stop giving out information about train deaths because according to them, this policy was to prevent copycat suicides even though there was no evidence this was occurring. (Maybe to hide bad publicity?) This local paper filed a public records act request late last year which the Caltrain board didn’t honor in a timely manner. It is reported (not sure whether from Caltrain or not) that last year, there were 18 deaths on the tracks, up from 15 in 2023. People are going to get news one way or another, even if they rely on rumors, so shouldn’t Caltrain be the one providing, instead of hiding, information?
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.