NYC fleet first to join global safety framework

New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) has become the first municipal fleet in the world to adopt the FIA Road Safety Index, a global framework designed to help organisations evaluate and improve the safety performance of their fleets.

Developed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) with support from the FIA Foundation, the Index enables organisations to assess their road safety footprint–including fatalities and serious injuries involving employees, contractors, clients, and third parties–and to implement long-term strategies for risk reduction.

The data-led index employs a star rating system (currently ranging from one to three stars) to provide a structured assessment of safety maturity. The framework is specifically adaptable to the operational context of public fleets.

“The FIA Road Safety Index is a global programme and allows for flexibility in its adoption,” Peter Goldwasser, Executive Director of Together for Safer Roads (TSR), the global NGO partnering with DCAS on the Index’s implementation, told Cities Today. “Organisations define their sphere of influence and apply methodology accordingly.”

As the largest municipal fleet in the US, New York City manages nearly 29,000 vehicles across various agencies. DCAS will track data on its ‘safety footprint’ as part of the Index’s methodology.

“The methodology includes a module on ‘Footprint’: the safety footprint consists of the numbers of fatalities and serious injuries to employees including contracted, customers/clients/users and third parties resulting from road crashes. The safety footprint approach is inspired by the carbon footprint concept,” said Goldwasser.

The Index assesses high-level safety commitments, risk mitigation policies, performance monitoring, and the degree to which safety practices are integrated throughout an organisation’s value chain.

It is designed to scale, allowing public bodies to begin with one segment of operations and expand over time.

“The Index is open and applicable to all cities working towards creating safer fleets and Vision Zero,” Goldwasser said. “TSR, alongside the FIA, look forward to engaging with future cities who want to learn more and participate. In terms of specific support, TSR, FIA and FIA Foundation are all available throughout the process–our shared objective is to enable participating fleets to easily, quickly and efficiently participate.”

The announcement coincided with the NYC DCAS Annual Equipment and Vehicle Show at Flushing Meadows Corona Park and formed part of the city’s contribution to UN Global Road Safety Week.

“As one of the largest fleet operators in the country, we have a duty to lead by example,” said Keith Kerman, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Fleet Officer, DCAS. “Evaluating our fleet safety efforts using the FIA Road Safety Index is part of our mission to protect our workforce, reduce collisions, and create safer streets for all New Yorkers and complements our Vision Zero Safe Fleet Transition initiative.”

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