RTD Transit Watch Smartphone App Takes Top Honors

    May 13, 2015
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    The Regional Transportation District (RTD) was awarded a GOLD Award for Safety at the 2015 APTA Bus and Paratransit Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. 

    The award was for the new citizen advisory Transit Watch smartphone app, and was accepted on behalf of RTD by Assistant General Manager of Bus Operations Bruce Abel at the APTA Safety and Security Excellence Awards on May 3.  

    The free smartphone app allows patrons to send reports about suspicious or criminal activity to the transit police. The app lets users send a description, photo and GPS location to RTD. Once the security operations center receives the incident report, they are able to respond quickly, as well as broadcast travel alerts and safety information to the patrons.

    Since the app became available in November 2014, over 2100 people have subscribed and 122 incidents were reported via the app.

    “The app empowers our riders to quietly get involved with the overall security of our transit system,” said RTD Transit Police Chief John Tarbert. “It allows passengers to immediately engage in chat sessions with the Transit Police Dispatchers, and gives our Transit Police the ability to quickly receive information about nuisance or security issues before they turn into larger problems.”

    The APTA Bus Safety & Security Excellence Awards recognize public transportation organizations for their innovative and proactive programs dedicated to improving safety and security for their employees, passengers, and the public. The top honor is the Gold Award, which is given to agencies with the best overall bus safety or bus security program selected by an independent panel of judges. 

    “Congratulations to these public transportation systems for implementing programs and projects that have improved safety and contributed to making a safe public transit industry even safer,” said APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy.  “Their outstanding efforts ultimately help save lives.”  

    In addition to the Transit Watch app, the Transit Police can also be contacted via phone call, text or email.