The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) honored EBT Inc. with the Gold Standard Award for security on April 16. EBT Inc., one of several private bus companies contracted by Suffolk Transit to provide fixed-route services, is one of five transit entities in the U.S. to receive the recognition in 2024.
“The Gold Standard Award symbolizes EBT Inc.’s commitment to its passengers, its adherence to core principles and its leadership in bus transit security,” said Ronald Pavlik, Jr., TSA’s deputy assistant administrator for surface operations “We are proud partners with EBT Inc. and we are pleased to recognize them for their continued commitment to transportation security.”
The Gold Standard Award is the highest level of recognition TSA can give to a public bus transit agency for achieving top scores during an annual review of 20 categories of security and emergency preparedness elements. The review evaluates several aspects of a bus transit agency’s operations, including its security plan, security training, drills and exercise programs, public outreach efforts and background check procedures.
EBT Inc., a member of The Trans Group of Spring Valley, N.Y., operates a fleet of 52 public buses for Suffolk Transit along eight routes with 111 full- and part-time bus operators in Suffolk County, N.Y. On a daily basis, EBT Inc. delivers safe, convenient and reliable mass transit service to its thousands of riders.
“Safety is our number one priority at EBT Inc.,” said EBT Inc. CEO John Corr. “Under the direction of EBT Inc. Director of Safety and Training James Rogan, our safety and security team’s sole mission is keeping our passengers and bus operators safe and secure. Receiving this prestigious recognition from the TSA is testament to our safety team and an honor shared by each of us at EBT Inc.”
TSA has oversight of nearly 6,800 public transit agencies in the country. Every year, the TSA assesses a select number of transit agencies in the U.S. for evaluation through its Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement (BASE) program. Just a fraction of those evaluated achieves scores high enough to receive the Gold Standard Award.
In the most recent round of BASE evaluations, TSA reviewed 58 mass transit agencies for Fiscal Year 2023.
Earlier this year, the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, IndyGo and the Charlotte Area Transit System celebrated its Gold Standard Awards from TSA. 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.
