Today's Weather
The Ghiorse Factor

Does RIPTA’s $400,000 “Safe Turn Alert” System Work?

Friday, April 21, 2017

GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle

Protran System

A GoLocal review of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority's new “safe turn alert” system raises concerns about the deployment of the $400,000 in Rhode Island.

RIPTA has been under scrutiny and faces numerous lawsuits tied to deaths and accidents, and the agency has refused to turn over accident records to the media or to the attorneys, for the family of the 9-year-old girl killed by a RIPTA bus on Smith Street in 2015.

The new “safe turn alert” system is designed to alert pedestrians, bikers and other drivers that a bus is turning. The system, developed by Protran Technology of South Carolina, is being deployed now in about ten locations across the country. Providence is one of the bigger deployments.

The Protran system was installed by RIPTA and not the technology developer. According to RIPTA officials, the system has been deployed on nearly all of the fleet's 210 to 215 buses.

A GoLocal review found that the system appears to notify the pedestrian too late. The flasher and audio recording only deploys after the bus is in a full turn. According to RIPTA officials, the vehicle must have turned the wheel by 35 to 40 percent before the system is activated.

RIPTA officials came to GoLocal on Wednesday to review GoLocal footage of the alert system and defended the system and its implementation.

Video footage shot in numerous locations in downtown Providence shows that oftentimes, the RIPTA bus is fully engaged in the turn before the announcement starts.

“The system that we purchased…is designed to deploy when the steering wheel of the bus is turned. It is automatic so there is no human error factor. The default factory setting for that system is set for when the bus makes a turn of approximately 45 degrees. We adjusted that it so it deploys earlier in the turn – at roughly a 38 to 40 degree turning radius,” said Barbara Polichetti, spokesperson for RIPTA.

John Chadwick, Director of Inventory Control, Jamie Pereira, Chief Security Officer, and Polichetti came to GoLocal.

RIPTA Accident

RIPTA installed the system and their description of the usage is different than Protran's. According to the developer of the system, there are two options for triggering the STA system; proximity sensors or turning.

The Protran system is initiated in some other cities when the turn signal is initiated, thus giving pedestrians earlier notice of the system. The turn signal deployment notifies pedestrians two to four seconds earlier than in Providence depending on the speed of the bus.

A video from Baltimore television station WBAL shows that the Protran system installation notifies pedestrians significantly earlier. In Baltimore, the notification begins before the turn, versus in Providence in which the notification that it takes place during the turn, finishing the full announcement with the turn is nearly completed.

As GoLocal reported in May of 2016, “In the past two years, three people have been killed by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) buses and dozens have been injured. Now a lawsuit in the 2015 death of nine-year-old Ani Emdjian raises serious concerns about RIPTA’s safety and training of its drivers.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

Presently, RIPTA faces dozens of lawsuits tied to accidents, injuries and deaths.

Related Slideshow: Top 100 Overtimers at RIPTA

#100

JERIMAL BARNES

Salary: $45,170.54

Overtime: $22,707.39

Total: $67,877.93

Does not include benefits

#99

BRENDA BRIERE

Salary: $60,302.26

Overtime: $22,801.78

Total: $83,104.04

Does not include benefits

#98

MARSEL GARCIA

Salary: $47,368.14

Overtime: $22,832.61

Total: $70,200.75

Does not include benefits

#97

JENNIFER DONAHAY

Salary: $57,083.95

Overtime: $22,910.62

Total: $79,994.54

Does not include benefits

#96

JAMES GARCIA

Salary: $57,177.33

Overtime: $23,025.74

Total: $80,203.07

Does not include benefits

#95

JEFFREY THERIAULT

Salary: $47,370.19

Overtime: $23,195.92

Total: $70,566.11

Does not include benefits

#94

ANTOINIER PINTHIERE

Salary: $40,231.47

Overtime: $23,220.03

Total: $63,451.5

Does not include benefits

#93

ARTHUR TILLEY

Salary: $60,646.22

Overtime: $23,319.01

Total: $83,965.23

Does not include benefits

#92

A JOSEPH DAOU

Salary: $40,226.29

Overtime: $23,518.67

Total: $63,744.96

Does not include benefits

#91

ANTONIO LOPES

Salary: $37,807.65

Overtime: $23,591.75

Total: $61,399.4

Does not include benefits

#90

PENELOPE CODY-HEROUX

Salary: $42,539.58

Overtime: $23,786.93

Total: $66,326.51

Does not include benefits

#89

ABIODUN OSHIYEMI

Salary: $56,424.39

Overtime: $23,945.01

Total: $80,369.4

Does not include benefits

#88

OSWALDO RIVERA

Salary: $33,963.10

Overtime: $24,169.54

Total: $58,132.64

Does not include benefits

#87

NERY DURAN

Salary: $47,826.31

Overtime: $24,171.43

Total: $71,997.74

Does not include benefits

#86

PIERRE CHARLES

Salary: $56,467.37

Overtime: $24,236.90

Total: $80,704.27

Does not include benefits

#85

DAVID BLAIS

Salary: $62,316.27

Overtime: $24,281.46

Total: $86,597.73

Does not include benefits

#84

ANTHONY WILLIAMS

Salary: $61,714.37

Overtime: $24,377.80

Total: $86,092.17

Does not include benefits

#83

NICHOLAS DECRISTOFARO

Salary: $59,374.23

Overtime: $24,557.13

Total: $83,931.36

Does not include benefits

#82

GIOVANNI TIBURCIO

Salary: $59,579.49

Overtime: $24,645.30

Total: $84,224.79

Does not include benefits

#81

WILLIAM FELCI

Salary: $61,242.21

Overtime: $24,721.23

Total: $85,963.44

Does not include benefits

#80

MICHAEL CAMPOPIANO

Salary: $57,838.80

Overtime: $24,766.28

Total: $82,605.08

Does not include benefits

#79

ROBERT ANDOSCIA

Salary: $70,601.28

Overtime: $24,787.80

Total: $95,389.08

Does not include benefits

#78

MICHAEL PELLETIER

Salary: $59,553.13

Overtime: $24,798.52

Total: $84,351.65

Does not include benefits

#77

JULES ROMAIN

Salary: $60,919.34

Overtime: $24,861.48

Total: $85,780.82

Does not include benefits

#76

ERNST LUBIN

Salary: $65,183.76

Overtime: $25,318.42

Total: $90,502.18

Does not include benefits

#75

CHARLES WILLIS

Salary: $65,945.25

Overtime: $25,544.98

Total: $91,490.23

Does not include benefits

#74

STEPHEN ZACHAS

Salary: $64,362.72

Overtime: $25,594.00

Total: $89,956.72

Does not include benefits

#73

ORLANDO SEMEDO

Salary: $61,694.61

Overtime: $25,688.86

Total: $87,383.47

Does not include benefits

#72

DIMKY EDOUARD

Salary: $56,220.53

Overtime: $25,707.05

Total: $81,927.58

Does not include benefits

#71

JAMES MANER

Salary: $60,082.03

Overtime: $25,771.87

Total: $85,853.9

Does not include benefits

#70

MAURICE HOWIE

Salary: $70,170.11

Overtime: $26,013.00

Total: $96,183.11

Does not include benefits

#69

FERNAND LAGUERRE

Salary: $59,563.90

Overtime: $26,014.51

Total: $85,578.41

Does not include benefits

#68

KENNETH ATHAIDE

Salary: $65,816.19

Overtime: $26,238.96

Total: $92,055.15

Does not include benefits

#67

DAVID LEMIRE

Salary: $64,622.21

Overtime: $26,673.94

Total: $91,296.15

Does not include benefits

#66

KEVIN DECOSTA

Salary: $60,720.01

Overtime: $26,682.68

Total: $87,402.69

Does not include benefits

#65

HENRY WILLIAMS

Salary: $75,864.00

Overtime: $26,901.18

Total: $102,765.18

Does not include benefits

#64

CARLOS ROCHA

Salary: $72,422.30

Overtime: $26,924.37

Total: $99,346.67

Does not include benefits

#63

CHARLES CAMPBELL

Salary: $54,881.00

Overtime: $27,059.66

Total: $81,940.66

Does not include benefits

#62

ELEUTERIO TORTI

Salary: $60,846.67

Overtime: $27,175.79

Total: $88,022.46

Does not include benefits

#61

ELDORA GIBLIN

Salary: $58,241.09

Overtime: $27,294.04

Total: $85,535.13

Does not include benefits

#60

MEURIS MOQUETE

Salary: $67,626.46

Overtime: $27,478.84

Total: $95,105.3

Does not include benefits

#59

EDDY PIERRE PHILIPPE

Salary: $68,720.56

Overtime: $27,539.27

Total: $96,259.83

Does not include benefits

#58

JASON FERREIRA

Salary: $74,351.36

Overtime: $27,555.32

Total: 101,906.68

Does not include benefits

#57

JAMES BIANCHI

Salary: $57,462.71

Overtime: $27,632.22

Total: $85,094.93

Does not include benefits

#56

MARY HATHAWAY

Salary: $38,637.04

Overtime: $27,644.10

Total: $66,281.14

Does not include benefits

#55

DENNIS DUGAN

Salary: $61,758.61

Overtime: $27,941.43

Total: $89,700.04

Does not include benefits

#54

OSIEL OLIVA

Salary: $51,294.64

Overtime: $27,984.21

Total: $79,278.85

Does not include benefits

#53

FIROUZ PAZHOUHANDEH

Salary: $63,288.54

Overtime: $28,013.90

Total: $91,302.44

Does not include benefits

#52

LOVERIDGE AMOAKO

Salary: $68,757.43

Overtime: $28,127.17

Total: $96,884.6

Does not include benefits

#51

DAVID MCGEE

Salary: $61,188.94

Overtime: $28,388.53

Total: $89,577.47

Does not include benefits

#50

SLAV MALYUTA

Salary: $40,164.78

Overtime: $28,802.99

Total: $68,967.77

Does not include benefits

#49

MILTON LUNA

Salary: $60,352.93

Overtime: $28,832.53

Total: 89,185.46

Does not include benefits

#48

JOSEPH COLE

Salary: $65,644.69

Overtime: $29,904.84

Total: $95,549.53

Does not include benefits

#47

GEORGE CURRAN

Salary: $68,968.48

Overtime: $30,022.05

Total: $98,990.53

Does not include benefits

#46

PETER DZIEDZIC

Salary: $61,072.04

Overtime: $30,820.70

Total: $91,892.74

Does not include benefits

#45

JORGE VIZCAINO

Salary: $67,905.35

Overtime: $30,900.19

Total: $98,805.54

Does not include benefits

#44

BERT DEMERS

Salary: $65,121.68

Overtime: $31,222.21

Total: $96,343.89

Does not include benefits

#43

LENUS BAPTISTE

Salary: $39,874.52

Overtime: $31,283.90

Total: $71,158.42

Does not include benefits

#42

JOHN TANCREDI

Salary: $69,805.26

Overtime: $31,362.49

Total: $101,167.75

Does not include benefits

#41

SAMUEL RIVERA

Salary: $47,874.95

Overtime: $31,394.86

Total: $76,269.81

Does not include benefits

#40

RAYMOND LEE

Salary: $67,935.57

Overtime: $31,442.45

Total: $99,378.02

Does not include benefits

#39

ALBERT CARDILLO

Salary: $60,086.08

Overtime: $31,736.42

Total: $91,822.5

Does not include benefits

#38

XIOMARA PACHECO

Salary: $68,383.37

Overtime: $31,819.18

Total: $100,202.55

Does not include benefits

#37

SHELDON WILLIAMS

Salary: $60,798.37

Overtime: $31,849.70

Total: $92,648.07

Does not include benefits

#36

WELLINGTON TAVAREZ

Salary: $58,525.45

Overtime: $32,213.38

Total: $90,738.83

Does not include benefits

#35

DAVID NOVSAM

Salary: $61,966.07

Overtime: $32,414.02

Total: $94,380.09

Does not include benefits

#34

MARILYN RAPOSA

Salary: $60,837.44

Overtime: $32,555.86

Total: $93,393.3

Does not include benefits

#33

JEAN LOUIS

Salary: $64,816.03

Overtime: $32,768.48

Total: $97,584.51

Does not include benefits

#32

ANTONIO VARGAS

Salary: $56,851.23

Overtime: $33,014.32

Total: $89,865.55

Does not include benefits

#31

FRED NASH

Salary: $39,037.18

Overtime: $33,286.43

Total: $72,323.61

Does not include benefits

#30

MATTHEW BORGES

Salary: $61,538.40

Overtime: $33,312.95

Total: $94,851.35

Does not include benefits

#29

DANILO PAULINO

Salary: $57,872.33

Overtime: $33,391.43

Total: $91,263.76

Does not include benefits

#28

OSCAR DELCID

Salary: $61,871.52

Overtime: $34,594.63

Total: $96,466.15

Does not include benefits

#27

BENJAMIN CABRERA

Salary: $48,300.97

Overtime: $35,264.78

Total: $83,565.75

Does not include benefits

#26

FELIX TERRERO

Salary: $57,890.97

Overtime: $35,267.81

Total: $93,158.78

Does not include benefits

#25

EDMUND MELLO

Salary: $62,106.72

Overtime: $35,272.97

Total: $97,379.69

Does not include benefits

#24

LAWRENCE ONYE

Salary: $60,037.59

Overtime: $35,655.53

Total: $95,693.12

Does not include benefits

#23

DONALD SPELLMAN

Salary: $60,171.53

Overtime: $35,959.88

Total: $96,131.41

Does not include benefits

#22

VICTOR FERREIRA

Salary: $49,687.19

Overtime: $36,268.59

Total: $85,955.78

Does not include benefits

#21

JEAN ALTERA

Salary: $64,439.65

Overtime: $36,722.77

Total: $101,162.42

Does not include benefits

#20

KEVIN CAHILL

Salary: $61,882.27

Overtime: $36,831.63

Total: $98,713.9

Does not include benefits

#19

DAVID ST.GERMAIN

Salary: $58,210.46

Overtime: $37,099.91

Total: $95,310.37

Does not include benefits

#18

MARIAN LONCZAK

Salary: $74,721.30

Overtime: $38,320.12

Total: $113,041.42

Does not include benefits

#17

LAWRENCE THORNTON

Salary: $58,770.93

Overtime: $39,139.03

Total: $97,909.96

Does not include benefits

#16

JULIO ROCA

Salary: $66,959.54

Overtime: $39,256.56

Total: $106,216.1

Does not include benefits

#15

JEFFREY ROY

Salary: $60,785.53

Overtime: $40,374.83

Total: $101,160.36

Does not include benefits

#14

PAUL PRICE

Salary: $60,574.83

Overtime: $40,782.05

Total: $101,356.88

Does not include benefits

#13

JOSEPH LIMA

Salary: $65,717.90

Overtime: $42,067.18

Total: $107,785.08

Does not include benefits

#12

JULIEN RAVENEAU

Salary: $62,387.59

Overtime: $43,244.80

Total: $105,632.39

Does not include benefits

#11

STEPHEN MIELE

Salary: $62,797.76

Overtime: $45,612.73

Total: $108,410.49

Does not include benefits

#10

PASCO MACARI

Salary: $59,191.64

Overtime: $45,837.34

Total: $105,028.98

Does not include benefits

#9

LIVINGSTON CICERON

Salary: $57,473.30

Overtime: $46,234.44

Total: $103,707.74

Does not include benefits

#8

STEPHEN FARRELL

Salary: $63,534.81

Overtime: $46,880.08

Total: $110,414.89

Does not include benefits

#7

PAPA NDIAYE

Salary: $57,226.65

Overtime: $46,898.01

Total: $104,124.66

Does not include benefits

#6

WILLIAM BLAIR

Salary: $61,665.97

Overtime: $48,069.52

Total: $109,735.49

Does not include benefits

#5

LYNN HENDERSON

Salary: $61,909.12

Overtime: $51,238.23

Total: $113,147.35

Does not include benefits

#4

RAYMOND HOLT

Salary: $74,738.88

Overtime: $52,280.20

Total: $127,019.08

Does not include benefits

#3

DENNIS CONNOLLY

Salary: $60,932.98

Overtime: $53,056.52

Total: $113,989.5

Does not include benefits

#2

JOHN REALL

Salary: $61,145.00

Overtime: $53,766.95

Total: $114,911.95

Does not include benefits

#1

JOSEPH MONTI

Salary: $84,823.35

Overtime: $58,359.06

Total: $143,182.41

Does not include benefits

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Sign Up for the Daily Eblast

I want to follow on Twitter

I want to Like on Facebook