RTD presented with the Transportation Security Administration’s “Gold Standard” Award | Community Spirit

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) was presented the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) "Gold Standard" award for being in the top 10% of all transit agencies for the assessment called "BASE" Baseline Assessment Security Enhancements.  The award was presented by TSA personnel at the RTD Board Committee meeting on February 14.

This program establishes a security standard for individual system security programs and tracks progress.  This voluntary comprehensive review of transit agency security programs focuses on multiple categories identified by the transit community as fundamentals for a sound transit security program.

The criterion for achieving the “Gold Standard” in security is attaining high scores across all seventeen categories, with no one category receiving a low score that may indicate a potential vulnerability. 

The TSA annually conducts security assessments on rail and bus systems through their Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancements (BASE) program.  This is a voluntary program designed to establish a security profile for individual system security programs and track progress from the baseline.  It incorporates the seventeen Security and Emergency Preparedness Action Items – which were agreed upon by the TSA, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and industry partners – to assess the management of an agency’s system-wide security program. 

In addition to a congratulatory letter from the TSA Administrator, John Pistole, RTD was awarded a plaque recognizing its outstanding BASE evaluation marks and its commitment to enhancing mass transit security.

For specific route and schedule information, visit rtd-denver.com or call RTD at 303-299-6000.  Patrons with hearing or speech impairments should call the TDD information service at 303-299-6089.  For a PDF of this news release, click here.

Press Release