2 on Panel to Assess Buses’ Safety Once Worked as RTD Consultants

Two members of an outside panel of transit experts asked to give an independent assessment of the embattled Southern California Rapid Transit District’s safety programs have been paid consultants for the bus system, it was disclosed Friday.

George Krambles, chairman of the seven-member panel, told reporters he had just completed a $15,000 bus-scheduling consulting job for the RTD. But Krambles, the former executive director of the Chicago Transit Authority, insisted that his association with the RTD would not jeopardize his ability to make independent analysis of the district.

A short time later, panel member Leonard Ronis revealed under questioning by reporters that three years ago he too had an RTD consulting contract. Ronis, past president of the American Public Transit Assn., would not say how much he was paid other than to say the amount was “probably under $10,000.”

An RTD spokesman said later that Ronis studied Metro Rail project preliminary engineering and other technical reports for a year beginning in March, 1983, at a rate of $400 a day with a contract limit of $7,500.

The disclosures cast some doubt on the independence of the panel that was named last week in the wake of a series of highly publicized crashes involving RTD buses. RTD General Manager John Dyer recommended the panel members to the RTD governing board.

Krambles told reporters he had asked Dyer whether the consulting work would appear to hamper the panelist’s objectivity. Dyer assured him that it would not, telling Krambles that he was “supposed to bring expertise” to the group, Krambles said.

Dyer, on hand for the briefing, said Krambles had worked for “probably 95%” of the nation’s major transit systems. He repeatedly stressed that he was “looking for an independent assessment and evaluation of what we do well and what we don’t do well,” adding that the RTD staff will limit its involvement to providing data to the group.

RTD board member Nate Holden, who originally voiced doubt about the panel’s independence, said upon learning that the two panelists had had dealings with the district that he was not worried.

“There will be no whitewash,” Holden said. Holden added, however, that when the panelists had dinner with several RTD board members Thursday night, no one had mentioned the outside contracts.

Six of the seven panelists met with reporters Friday afternoon after a whirlwind morning of discussions with RTD officials and trips to various district facilities. RTD spokesman Marc Littman said the panel heard district presentations on driver training and drug-testing, and how accident statistics are kept. Members also observed bus operations on the street.

Krambles said there are no immediate plans for the panel to extend its on-site study of RTD operations. Noting that most of the members are from out of state, he added that further meetings might even be held on the East Coast.

Krambles added that he is not sure whether the panelists will seek outside verification of data supplied by the RTD staff.