The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) honored the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) with the prestigious Gold Standard Award Monday evening at the agency’s board meeting. SacRT is one of only four transit agencies nationwide to receive this recognition this year.
The Gold Standard Award is the highest level of recognition TSA can give to a transit agency for achieving top scores during an annual review of 17 categories of security and emergency preparedness elements. The review evaluates several aspects of a transit agency’s operations, including its security plan, security training, drills and exercise programs, public outreach efforts and background check procedures.
“TSA is pleased to recognize SacRT for achieving excellence in its transit security and emergency preparedness programs. The Gold Standard Award symbolizes SacRT’s commitment to its customers, its adherence to core principles and its leadership in mass transit security,” said TSA Assistant Administrator Sonya Proctor, the agency’s lead official for surface security. “We are proud of the strong partnership between TSA and SacRT and commend them on their continued commitment to transportation security.”
TSA has oversight of 6,800 public transit agencies in the country. Every year, the TSA assesses a select number of transit agencies nationwide for evaluation through its Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement (BASE) program. Just a fraction of those evaluated achieve scores high enough to receive the Gold Standard Award.
In the most recent round of BASE evaluations, TSA reviewed 108 mass transit agencies for their security posture. SacRT distinguished themselves among the nation’s transit agencies to earn their second Gold Standard Award.
