The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) honored California’s Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) with the prestigious Gold Standard Award at a meeting of the transit agency’s Board of Directors meeting. TSA Federal Security Director Sid Hanna presented the award to SacRT’s GM/CEO Henry Li.

The Gold Standard Award is the top 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 the security plan; security training; drills and exercise programs; public outreach efforts; and background check processes.

TSA has oversight of 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 for Security Enhancement (BASE) program. A select few achieve scores high enough to receive the Gold Standard Award.

In the most recent round of BASE evaluations, TSA reviewed 92 transit agencies. This is the first time SacRT has earned the Gold Standard Award.

SacRT operates approximately 70 bus routes, including fixed-route, dial-a-ride and microtransit, 43 miles of light rail and ADA paratransit services. It serves a 400-square mile area throughout Sacramento County, which includes service in the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Elk Grove. Sacramento buses and light rail trains operate 365 days a year. SacRT's entire bus and light rail system is accessible to the disabled community.

SacRT was one of seven transit agencies nationwide to be honored with the award during the most recent evaluation phase. Other agencies that received the Gold Standard Award are North County Transit District in North County San Diego, California; Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority in Pinellas County, Florida; Denver’s Regional Transportation District; MetroLink St. Louis; the Regional Transportation Commission Washoe in Reno, Nev.; and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.