APTA announces 2026 safety, security and emergency management winners

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) yesterday recognized 10 public transit agencies with 2026 Rail Safety, Security and Emergency Management Awards during a conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

The annual awards recognize agencies' innovation and dedication to protecting passengers, employees and communities they serve, APTA officials said in a press release. Nominations for the awards are evaluated on effectiveness, benefit level, innovation and transferability.

There are four award categories: the Rail Safety Award, Rail Security Award, Rail Emergency Management Award and the Rail Safe, Effective and Clean Award. Within each category, APTA gives gold awards to agencies with the best examples of programs in the award category and certificates of merit to agencies that exhibit exceptional achievements in their award category. Recipients are recognized in three divisions: commuter/intercity rail, light rail/streetcar and heavy rail. 

Rail Safety Award gold winners: 

• MTA Metro-North Railroad, New York, New York (commuter rail)
• MTA New York City Transit, New York, New York (heavy rail)
• Maryland Transit Administration, Baltimore, Maryland (light rail/streetcar)

Rail Safety Award certificate of merit winners: 

• Caltrain, Millbrae, California (commuter rail)
• North County Transit - San Diego Railroad, Oceanside, California (commuter rail)
• Houston METRO, Houston, Texas (light rail/streetcar)

Rail Security Award gold winners:

• MTA Metro-North Railroad, and MTA Long Island Rail Road, Jamaica, New York (commuter rail)
• MTA New York City Transit (heavy rail)

Rail Security Award certificate of merit winner:

• North County Transit - San Diego Railroad (commuter rail)

Rail Emergency Management Award gold winners:

• MTA Metro-North Railroad (commuter rail) 
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Washington, D.C. (heavy rail)

Rail Emergency Management Award certificate of merit winner: 

• MTA Long Island Rail Road (commuter rail)

Rail Safe, Effective and Clean Award gold winners: 

• MTA Metro-North Railroad (commuter rail)
• Bay Area Rapid Transit, Oakland, California (heavy rail)
• Metro Transit, Minneapolis, Minnesota (light rail/streetcar)

Rail Safe Effective and Clean Award certificate of merit winner: 

• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (heavy rail)