SFRTA & 211 HelpLine Launch a New Campaign to Help End Suicides on Railway Tracks

The SFRTA partnered with regional 211 helpline & crisis lines to get a life-saving message on signs displayed along the southern rail corridor - reading “IN CRISIS OR DEPRESSED? DIAL 2-1-1” “HELP IS HERE FOR YOU 24 HOURS A DAY! LIFE IS WORTH LIVING!”

It has been recently reported that in the United States, suicide rates have increased by 25% and with the recent series of celebrity suicides, it has become ever more important to spread the message that help is available to those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

“Every day the staff at 211 help people in crisis, with compassion and concern,” said President/CEO of the 211 HelpLine in Palm Beach County, Sharon L’Herrou. “We know we have the ability to save a person’s life, they just have to first know we exist. We are grateful to the SFRTA for seeing this as a critical need and allowing us to work together to combat the epidemic that is suicide.” To add to the complexity of these tragic and preventable situations, a high percentage of the people involved in incidents involving the death of people on the tracks experience some form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

"We are grateful to have 211 as a partner in our efforts to mitigate the increasing incidents of suicides on the South Florida Rail Corridor. We want anyone who considers this action as their only recourse to whatever is going on in their lives to be aware that there are alternatives and that help is available if they reach out for it," said SFRTA Executive Director Jack Stephens. Crisis intervention can be reached 24/7 by dialing 2-1-1, texting your concerns and zip code to 898-211 or also through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) which is answered in this region by 211 staff.

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Tri-Rail Records Highest On-Time-Performance in History of Operations

The SFRTA announced recently that in July 2018, Tri-Rail achieved the highest on-time-performance (OTP) in its 29-year history of operations. A record 96.6% of all trains in the month of July arrived at their destination within 5 minutes of their scheduled time, the industry standard for determining OTP. This far exceeds the Governing Board’s stated goal that a minimum of 90% of trains arrive on time on a monthly basis.

“This is a milestone achievement for the Agency and truly a testament to the hard-working professionals on the Tri-Rail team, with special acknowledgement of the efforts of our contract operator of the past year, Herzog Transit Services Inc. Most important however, is the fact that it is fulfilling our mission to provide the best transportation we can for the people we are dedicated to serving, our passengers and our community,” said Executive Director Jack Stephens in making the announcement.

Tri-Rail began operations in January 1989 as a 5-year temporary traffic mitigation program while I-95 was under construction. Now, almost 30 years later, Tri-Rail has become an integral part of South Florida’s transportation system, connecting Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties along a 72-mile north/south rail corridor. SFRTA operates Tri-Rail trains 365 days a year, with 50 trains each weekday and 30 trains each on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays. It is an economical and reliable alternative to reaching the area’s employment and educational centers, popular special events and local attractions, and all three of the region’s international airports.

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