Many Ottawa LRT maintenance workers missing training, report finds
A report prepared by the city of Ottawa's independent regulatory officer overseeing the light rail system shows many Alstom employees involved in inspections have not taken some of their mandatory training courses.
The Light Rail Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer Annual Report for 2022, which is to be presented to the transit commission on April 13, looks at inspection activities related to light rail vehicles, track, and the overhead catenary system that powers the train, as well as security management systems.
Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM), the consortium that maintains the Confederation Line and its vehicles, was evaluated on 10 elements related to its implementation of track, light rail vehicle and overhead catenary system inspections and was found to be conformant with three elements, mostly conformant with one, and partially conformant with six. Key findings showed that RTM was unable to provide complete records about inspections, that it submitted a late oversight plan, and that employees involved with inspections were missing training.
Alstom manufactured the light rail vehicles used on the line, but has also been subcontracted by RTM to perform most of the inspection and maintenance activities on the vehicles, the tracks, and the catenary system.
According to the report, seven of nine monitored guideway technicians involved in track inspections were missing some mandatory training courses under Alstom’s training matrix, seven of nine monitored maintenance vehicle technicians were missing some mandatory training, and two of five monitored power technicians involved in catenary inspections were missing some mandatory courses.
RTM was largely conformant with regard to security, but the report found that there is no evidence of employee security clearance verifications being performed for contractor employees, as required by the project agreement with the city. RTM appears to only be performing HR reference checks, the report says.
The city says staff will continue to ensure that RTM undertakes all appropriate steps to achieve full conformance.
"OC Transpo has formally requested a corrective action plan and implementation plan for each of the findings. To ensure structured and timely follow-up, a list of remedial actions has been developed and will continue to be reviewed at regular meetings with the Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer, RTM, Alstom and City staff," a summary report prepared for the transit commission says.
This is the fourth monitoring report prepared by regulatory monitor and compliance officer (RMCO) Sam Berrada since the Confederation Line entered into service in September 2019. Berrada is the principal at SAB Vanguard Consulting, based out of Montreal.
CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR RMCO
The transit commission is also looking at extending Berrada's contract another five years. He was hired in 2018 ahead of the launch of the system and his five-year contract was set to expire March 2, 2023, but it was extended to April 30.
According to city staff, Berrada has expressed his willingness to continue in his role as for another five years from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2028. Staff are also recommending increasing his compensation from $1,500 per diem to $1,700 per diem.
"The extension of Mr. Berrada’s term as RMCO for an additional five years will provide continuity and stability in the oversight of the Confederation Line as the East and West extensions go into revenue service and become operational in the coming years and is recommended for both this reason and in light of the RMCO’s strong performance in his regulatory oversight role over his prior term," a staff report says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE Following his conviction in hush money case, Trump speaks at news conference
A day after a New York jury delivered a historic guilty verdict in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is holding a news conference Friday where he spoke publicly about the conviction and his White House bid.
'Unprecedented': Human smuggling from B.C. to U.S. soars, using train, Uber and foot
American prosecutors and law enforcement officers say they're dealing with a huge increase in human smuggling from British Columbia.
Actor Nick Pasqual charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing estranged girlfriend
An actor who has appeared in film and TV projects like 'Rebel Moon' and 'How I Met Your Mother' has been arrested and charged with stabbing his estranged girlfriend multiple times.
opinion Six ways to put your saving on autopilot and pay yourself first
In his latest personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew explains how automating your savings and paying yourself has never been easier, thanks to the digital banking tools and apps that are out there.
The northern lights are returning to night skies across Canada this Friday
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
Mediterranean diet helps women live much longer, a large new study finds
Women who closely followed a Mediterranean diet lived much longer than those who did not, according to a new study that followed more than 25,000 women for 25 years.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
ANALYSIS Will Donald Trump go to prison? What the precedent says
Now that the jury in Donald Trump's criminal trial has made the historic decision to convict him, the judge overseeing the case will soon face a monumental choice: whether to sentence the 2024 Republican presidential candidate to time behind bars.
Reactions pour in to Donald Trump's first-ever felony conviction for a former U.S. president
After hours of deliberations, a jury of Donald Trump's New York City peers convicted him on 34 counts, making him the first the former U.S. president in history with a felony conviction.