The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has awarded SouthWest Transit its 2016 Certificate of Merit for Safety and 2016 Certificate of Merit for Security for bus systems with fewer than 4 million passenger trips annually.
APTA chooses the safety and security award recipients based on four criteria:
- Project effectiveness
- Benefits accrued directly from the positive impact of the program
- Innovativeness
- Project transferability that allows other system to replicate the success.
SouthWest Transit was recognized for instituting changes in safety culture leading to zero lost days as a result of injury, a chargeable accident rate of less than .63 per 100,000 miles driven, as well as for creating an exceptional Emergency Preparedness Plan that is useful for day-to-day activities as well as emergency situations.
This is the sixth year SouthWest Transit has been recognized by APTA for its safety program and the second time its security program has been recognized.
“This is not about just one person or one team doing the right thing,” said SouthWest Transit Chief Executive Officer Len Simich. “It’s about everyone working together to make sure our customers are safely transported to and from work and home. This award recognizes the hard work, extensive planning, and dedication of every staff member.”
