The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) honored the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo) with the Gold Standard Award for security in its bus system on Feb. 22. IndyGo is one of only five transit agencies nationwide to receive the recognition in 2024.
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.
“We are proud to collaborate with IndyGo toward our shared commitment to transportation safety,” said TSA Acting Regional Security Director Tony Metcalf. “This Gold Standard Award honors IndyGo’s leadership in mass transit security and is well-deserved.”
“Security is always our top priority at IndyGo,” said IndyGo Interim President and CEO Jennifer Pyrz. “To receive this prestigious recognition from the TSA solidifies the work we do daily to ensure our riders and teammates are safe and secure, whether they’re riding the bus or spending time in one of our facilities.”
TSA has oversight of nearly 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. In 2023, four transit agencies, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and Sacramento Regional Transit District, earned Gold Standard Awards.
In the most recent round of BASE evaluations, TSA reviewed 58 mass transit agencies for their security posture during Fiscal Year 2023. The Gold Standard Award IndyGo earned is the agency’s fourth. IndyGo previously won the award in 2011, 2017 and 2020.
