First Transit awarded ISO cert. for DCTA commuter rail

First Transit has received the International Standards Organization (ISO) 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) certification for its first rail operation in North America. First Transit received the ISO certification for the operation and maintenance of the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) A-train commuter rail system the company began operating in October 2016.

The ISO 9001:2015 addresses various aspects of quality management and contains ISO's best-known standards. The certification provides guidance and tools for companies and organizations that want to ensure that their products and services consistently meet customers' requirements and that quality is consistently delivered.

"This ISO certification for the DCTA rail operation is a testament to the hard work our team takes every day to ensure customer and passenger satisfaction," said Brad Thomas, president of First Transit. "ISO certification reflects our leadership to deliver consistent quality to our rail partner."

To receive ISO 9001:2015 certification, First Transit was required to pass a challenging evaluation of its operation and maintenance practices conducted by an independent auditor. The ISO 9001:2015 initiative was led and managed by First Transit's Denton and regional management teams. This certification positions both First Transit and DCTA as industry leaders in the commitment to quality management and operations that will help improve the passenger experience.

"This certification is a great achievement for First Transit and will benefit DCTA by allowing us to make sound decisions on how to best use our funds to purchase rail equipment, potentially expand our rail service, and have the highest level of quality and efficiency to help maintain and improve our operations," said Jim Cline, DCTA president.

ISO is an independent, non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland with a membership of 163 national standards bodies. Their standards ensure that products and services are safe, reliable and of good quality. ISO reviews its standards every five years to remain current in an ever-changing business environment.