Here is the RTC chief's response to my email outlining the behavior of an RTC bus driver who struck a bicyclist on the Strip with her bus:
Hi Alan -
Let me first apologize for the incident you described. As a leisure cyclist myself, I can understand why you are frustrated. I find this behavior completely unacceptable for any motorist, especially one of our operators.
At the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) we take safety seriously as we work to make all transportation modes safer and more convenient, including cycling and walking.
We immediately brought this incident to our contractor’s attention for investigation. Appropriate action has been taken with the operator of this vehicle including one-on-one counseling and re-training, tailored to the root cause of the specific situation.
As we contract our transit operations out to independent contractors, it is equally important that those contractors have ongoing training and education for their drivers, including bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Our contractors provide specific training including outlining legal requirements under Nevada law; instructing drivers to provide a four-foot cushion and, if that is not available, to give bicyclists the entire lane; and holding bi-monthly safety meetings with bicycle and pedestrian awareness as regular topics.
Again, I apologize for this incident and appreciate you bringing it to my attention as it helps make us better.
Admittedly, a little embarrassed,
Tina Quigley
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