May 29, 2008 2:17 pm US/Eastern
Trolley Drivers Undergo Seven Weeks Of Training
Includes Classroom, Hands-On Instruction
NEWTON (WBZ) ―
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A member of the National Transportation Safety Board and a team of federal investigators arrived Thursday morning.
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The 24-year-old operator of a Green Line train that plowed into another train Wednesday night had been on the job since last summer and underwent the required training, according to MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo.
Terrese Edmonds was killed when the train she was operating failed to stop, ramming into the rear of another train on the Riverside Line in Newton.
Investigators say it is too early to determine whether operator error or mechanical failure was to blame.
Pesaturo tells WBZ-TV that all trolley operators complete a seven-week training program. That program includes both classroom instruction and training time on a trolley. According to Pesaturo, the typical training day involves three hours of classroom time and five hours on a trolley.
"New hires are instructed in all facets of train operation, including defensive driving," Pesaturo told WBZ.
All new trolley operator hires must pass a test that evaluates their knowledge of signals, switches, safety rules and procedures. If a trainee passes those tests, they then spend three days with an experienced train operator.
"After a final recommendation from the supervising instructor, the new hire is ready for regular passenger service," Pesaturo said.
Trolley operators must be high school graduates, at least 18 years old, with a valid driver's. Before hiring, the MBTA puts candidates through both criminal background checks and drug and alcohol tests.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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