For the first time, APTA recognized rail agencies for their efforts in safety management and building a safety-oriented culture, presenting the Rail Safety & Security Excellence Awards at a June 4 luncheon.

The top honor is the Gold Award, given to organizations with the best overall rail safety or rail security program. A Certificate of Merit goes to organizations in recognition of exceptional achievement in safety or security.

For the Gold Award winners, see photos. The Certificate of Merit recipients are listed below.

Commuter/Intercity/Regional Rail
Certificate of Merit for Safety, New Jersey Transit Corporation; Certificate of Merit for Security, Agence métropolitaine de transport, Montreal, QC

Heavy Rail
Certificate of Merit for Safety, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; Certificate of Merit for Security, Chicago Transit Authority.

Light Rail
Certificate of Merit for Safety, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority; Certificate of Merit for Safety, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose, CA; Certificate of Merit for Security, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, Buffalo, NY. 

Photos by Steve Barrett Los Angeles Metro received the Gold Award for Safety, Light Rail. From left: APTA Chair Flora Castillo, Barbara Burns, Lynda Bybee, and APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy.

MTA New York City Transit, Gold Award for Security, Heavy Rail, from left: Castillo, Bianco, Gerard Brush, Robert Diehl, Cathryn Flandina, Terrance O'Halloran, Melaniphy.

MTA New York City Transit, Gold Award for Safety, Heavy Rail, from left: Castillo, Carmen Bianco, Tracy Bowdwin, Mike Torillo, Joe Leader, and Melaniphy.

MTA Long Island Rail Road, Gold Award for Safety, Commuter/Intercity/Regional Rail: from left, Castillo, Bruce Weller, Michael Gelormino, Dan Cleary Jr., Neil Yellin, Loretta Ebbinghausen and Melaniphy.