MTA Wins Six Safety Awards from American Public Transportation Association

APTA Gold Award Recognizes Innovative Transit Safety Measures; One of The Highest Honors in U.S. Public Transportation Industry

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the agency won six American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Gold Awards for safety and security initiatives. The Gold Award is a top honor in the U.S. public transportation industry and acknowledges proactive and innovative programs which are evaluated for their effectiveness, benefit level, and adaptability. The APTA Gold Awards were presented during APTA's annual Rail Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 30.

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) received Gold Awards for the NYCT Laser Intrusion Detection Systems (LIDS) program and the Safety Hazard and Risk Prevention (SHARP) initiative, respectively. The LIDS program is a track intrusion prevention system that uses invisible laser barriers to detect trespassers and alert train operators and the MTA's Operational Control Center if a person or object crosses into a restricted area. The SHARP program was developed in-house as a way to preserve safety culture during significant staff transitions to ensure proper protocol is followed and identify the causes of procedural breakdowns to prevent them from being repeated.

"As part of our commitment to safety and service, NYC Transit is constantly looking at how we can improve the integrity of our operations, and these awards are proof that what we're doing is working," said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. "I want to thank APTA for their recognition of our efforts to keep riders and workers safe, and I look forward to sharing our safety initiatives with other transit agencies."

MTA's Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad jointly received APTA's Gold Rail Security Award for the development of the Joint Security Strategy, a program that modernized how critical information is delivered to train crews. Crew members now have tablets and cellular ticketing devices that allow information to be shared instantly, including lists of persistent fare evaders, individuals who may have committed crimes against employees or the railroad, and missing-persons alerts. This enhanced communication has already contributed to the apprehension of individuals involved in assaults and harassment.

Year over year, the railroads have seen notable improvements: a 20% decrease in assaults on crew members, a 40% reduction in disorderly customer incidents, a 47% decrease in fare disputes, and a 12% decrease in requests for police assistance. The shared digital platform has also strengthened interdepartmental coordination. The ability to deliver real-time information has supported multiple apprehensions and strengthened employee confidence during fare disputes and security-sensitive situations.

"APTA's award for the onboard real-time messaging system recognizes the positive impact it has on crew and rider safety," said Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free. "Safety is our top priority and this communication upgrade strengthens it. It provides information crewmembers need when they need it."

"We're thrilled to see Metro-North recognized by APTA across multiple safety and security categories," said Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek. "These awards speak directly to what matters most to our customers - feeling safe, protected, and confident every time they ride. Our team earned this recognition through hard work, smart planning, and an unwavering commitment to our customers. I'm incredibly proud of what they've accomplished and grateful for the trust our customers place in us every day."

MTA Metro-North was awarded the Gold Award for Safety for the Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement Intertrack Containment Program, an innovative solution which allowed roadway workers to perform construction on two of four tracks while maintaining train operations on the adjacent two tracks. The Park Avenue Viaduct is a 130-year-old, four-track structure that carries more than 750 trains each day. The project was successfully carried out with no impact to Metro-North service, $93 million under budget and 51 months ahead of schedule.

A Gold Award for Emergency Management was awarded to Metro-North's successful Grand Central Terminal Event Security and Emergency Management Program.

Grand Central Terminal is one of the busiest passenger terminal in the world, with more than 750,000 visitors a day and 200 major events each year. The program treats every major event as a planned security operation. Grand Central Terminal Event Planning manages it with a single standard: no security incidents, no crowd emergencies, and no disruption to railroad operations.

A Gold Award in the Safe, Effective and Clean Transit category was awarded to Metro-North for its Restroom QR Code Program. The railroad began a pilot program to install a poster and QR codes in railcar and station restrooms, which customers can use to report restroom conditions. Each QR code is tied to its specific location, so the customer experience is easy, simply rating the facility, and the feedback is precise and actionable. Metro-North has managed the average response time down to approximately 45 minutes, meaning that issues are handled before they become bigger problems, and customers know that someone is listening and taking action.