Seven rail safety and security agencies honored with the Rail Safety and Security Excellence Awards by APTA in 2025
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recently recognised several public transportation providers for their outstanding achievements in rail safety, security, and emergency management at the 2025 Rail Conference in San Francisco.
The MTA Metro-North Railroad, New York, was one of the standout recipients, receiving both the Gold Award for the Commuter Rail Rail Emergency Management Award and the Gold Award for the Rail Safety Award. The railroad's "Code Silver" program, an emergency response procedure, was commended for its swift and efficient management of emergency events, demonstrating the agency's preparedness and coordination capabilities.
MTA Metro-North Railroad also received the Gold Award for the Rail Security Award, in recognition of their innovative OSCAR (On-Scene Command and Response) system. This centralised dashboard integrates and monitors thousands of security data sources daily, enhancing situational awareness and response.
The MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), New York, was recognised in both the Rail Security and Commuter Rail categories. The LIRR's OSCAR system was also highlighted for its significant contributions to security.
The Gold Award for the Heavy Rail category was presented to Caltrain, San Carlos, California, for their pervasive safety culture embedded in all aspects of their service and recent safety improvements.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Santa Clara, Calif., received the Certificate of Merit for the Light Rail/Streetcar category, in recognition of their efforts to improve safety in this area. The MTA New York City Transit also received recognition in the Rail Safety category for their collaborative audit system that engages both management and labor to enhance compliance with track worker safety procedures.
The MTA LIRR, New York, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation were among those to receive Certificates of Merit for their commuter/intercity rail security programs.
The 2025 Rail Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Awards serve to honour the innovation and dedication of public transit agencies and their employees. APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas congratulated the honoured public transit agencies for their strong performance in safety, security, and emergency management.
Seven public transportation providers from California, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Oregon, and Washington, D.C., received the 2025 Rail Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Awards, setting a positive example for the entire public transportation industry.
[1] APTA Rail Conference, San Francisco, July 1, 2025. [2] [Link to APTA press release] [3] [Link to MTA press release]
MTA Metro-North Railroad was honored in the rail industry for its exceptional emergency management and safety practices, receiving the Gold Award for the Commuter Rail Rail Emergency Management Award, the Gold Award for the Rail Safety Award, and the Gold Award for the Rail Security Award. The innovative OSCAR system, a centralized dashboard monitoring thousands of security data sources daily, was a significant factor in these accolades.
The MTA Long Island Rail Road was also recognized, receiving awards in both the Rail Security and Commuter Rail categories for its OSCAR system's contributions to security.
Caltrain, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, MTA New York City Transit, and several other transit providers from various states were amongst the seven public transportation agencies awarded in the 2025 Rail Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Awards, setting a commendable example for the entire public-transit industry.
