MTI Suicides on Commuter Rail in California: Patterns- Possible A Case Study Suicides on Commuter Rail in Funded by U.S. Department of California: Possible Patterns- Transportation and California Department of Transportation A Case Study MTI ReportMTI 10-05 MTI Report 10-05 October 2010 MINETA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE MTI FOUNDER Hon. Norman Y. Mineta The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (MTI) was established by Congress as part MTI BOARD OF TRUSTEES of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. Reauthorized in 1998, MTI was selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation through a competitive process in 2002 as a national “Center of Excellence.” The Institute is funded by Con- Honorary Co-Chair Rebecca Brewster Steve Heminger Stephanie Pinson gress through the United States Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, the Califor- Hon. James Oberstar ** President/COO Executive Director President/COO nia Legislature through the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and by private grants and donations. Chair American Transportation Metropolitan Transportation Gilbert Tweed Associates, Inc. House Transportation and Research Institute Commission New York, NY Smyrna, GA Oakland, CA Infrastructure Committee The Institute receives oversight from an internationally respected Board of Trustees whose members represent all major surface Hans Rat House of Representatives Donald H. Camph Hon. John Horsley # Secretary General transportation modes. MTI’s focus on policy and management resulted from a Board assessment of the industry’s unmet needs Washington, DC President Executive Director Union Internationale des and led directly to the choice of the San José State University College of Business as the Institute’s home. The Board provides California Institute for American Association of State Transports Publics Technology Exchange policy direction, assists with needs assessment, and connects the Institute and its programs with the international transportation Honorary Co-Chair Highway & Transportation Bruxelles, Belgium Los Angeles, CA community. Hon. John L. Mica ** Officials (AASHTO) Ranking Member Washington, DC Vickie Shaffer Anne P. Canby House Transportation and General Manager MTI’s transportation policy work is centered on three primary responsibilities: President Infrastructure Committee Joseph Boardman Tri-State Transit Authority Surface Transportation President/CEO Huntington, WV House of Representatives Policy Project Amtrak Washington, DC Washington, DC Research 60 Massachusetts Ave., N.E. Paul Toliver # Washington, DC 20002 President MTI works to provide policy-oriented research for all levels of David L. Turney * Jane Chmielinski of Transportation, MTI delivers its classes over a state-of- New Age Industries Chair/President/CEO President government and the private sector to foster the development the-art videoconference network throughout the state DMJM Harris Will Kempton Seattle, WA Digital Recorders, Inc. Director of optimum surface transportation systems. Research areas of California and via webcasting beyond, allowing working New York, NY Dallas, TX # include: transportation security; planning and policy develop- transportation professionals to pursue an advanced degree California Department of Michael S. Townes Transportation President/CEO William Dorey ment; interrelationships among transportation, land use, and the regardless of their location. To meet the needs of employ- William W. Millar ^ Sacramento, CA Transportation District President/CEO environment; transportation finance; and collaborative labor- ers seeking a diverse workforce, MTI’s education program Vice Chair/President Commission of Hampton Roads American Public Transportation Granite Construction, Inc. management relations. Certified Research Associates conduct promotes enrollment to under-represented groups. Brian Macleod Hampton, VA Association (APTA) Watsonville, CA Senior Vice President the research. Certification requires an advanced degree, gener- Washington, DC Gillig Corporation Edward Wytkind ally a Ph.D., a record of academic publications, and professional Mortimer Downey Information and Technology Transfer Hayward, CA President # Chairman references. Research projects culminate in a peer-reviewed MTI promotes the availability of completed research to Hon. Rod Diridon, Sr. Transportation Trades Executive Director PB Consult Inc. publication, available both in hardcopy and on TransWeb, the professional organizations and journals and works to Dr. Bruce Magid Department, AFL-CIO Mineta Transportation Institute Washington, DC MTI website (http://transweb.sjsu.edu). integrate the research findings into the graduate education Dean Washington, DC San Jose, CA College of Business program. In addition to publishing the studies, the Institute Nuria Fernandez San José State University Education also sponsors symposia to disseminate research results to Ronald Barnes Commissioner San José, CA General Manager City of Chicago, The educational goal of the Institute is to provide graduate-level transportation professionals and encourages Research As- Department of Aviation, ** Honorary Veolia Transportation/East education to students seeking a career in the development and sociates to present their findings at conferences. The World * Chair Valley RPTA Chicago, IL ^ Vice Chair operation of surface transportation programs. MTI, through San in Motion, MTI’s quarterly newsletter, covers innovation # Mesa, AZ Past Chair José State University, offers an AACSB-accredited Master of Sci- in the Institute’s research and education programs. MTI’s ence in Transportation Management and a graduate Certificate extensive collection of transportation-related publications Directors Research Associates Policy Oversight Committee in Transportation Management that serve to prepare the nation’s is integrated into San José State University’s world-class Hon. Rod Diridon, Sr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Ph.D. Frances Edwards, Ph.D. transportation managers for the 21st century. The master’s de- Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Executive Director Urban and Regional Planning Political Science gree is the highest conferred by the California State University San José State University San José State University system. With the active assistance of the California Department Karen E. Philbrick, Ph.D. Research Director Jan Botha, Ph.D. Taeho Park, Ph.D. Civil & Environmental Engineering Organization and Management Peter Haas, Ph.D. San José State University San José State University Education Director Katherine Kao Cushing, Ph.D. Diana Wu DISCLAIMER Donna Maurillo Enviromental Science Martin Luther King, Jr. Library The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the information presented here- Communications Director San José State University San José State University in. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program and the California Department of Transportation, in the interest of information exchange. This report does not necessarily reflect the official Brian Michael Jenkins Dave Czerwinski, Ph.D. views or policies of the U.S. government, State of California, or the Mineta Transportation Institute, who assume no liability for the contents or National Transportation Security Center of Marketing and Decision Science Excellence San José State University use thereof. This report does not constitute a standard specification, design standard, or regulation. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Ph.D. of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. National Transportation Finance Center MTI Report 10-05 SUICIDES ON COMMUTER RAIL IN CALIFORNIA: POSSIBLE PATTERNS-A CASE STUDY Jan L. Botha Ph.D. Kristina A. Elmasu Philip J. Leitzell December 2010 a publication of the Mineta Transportation Institute College of Business San José State University San José, CA 95192-0219 Created by Congress in 1991 TECHNICAL REPORT Documentation PAGE 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipients Catalog No. CA-MTI-10-2926 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Suicides on Commuter Rail in California: Possible Patterns-A Case December 2010 Study 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Authors 8. Performing Organization Report No. Jan L. Botha Ph.D.; Kristina A. Elmasu and Philip J. Leitzell MTI Report 10-05 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Mineta Transportation Institute College of Business San José State University 11. Contract or Grant No. San José, CA 95192-0219 DTRTO7-G-0054 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report 14. Sponsoring Agency Code California Department of U.S. Department of Transportation Transportation Research and Innovative Sacramento, CA 94273-0001 Technology Administration (RITA) 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract Suicides on rail systems constitute a significant social concern. Reports in local media, whether in newspapers, television, or radio, have brought awareness to this very sensitive and personal subject. This is also true for the San Francisco Bay Area. These events also cause severe trauma for the train operators and staff of