SouthWest Transit Wins Gold Award for Safety

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) awarded SouthWest Transit its 2013 Gold Award for Safety, the organization announced.

“In cooperation with its operations and maintenance departments, SouthWest Transit developed an aggressive, multipronged approach to hiring, training, and supervising bus operator and maintenance staff,” the announcement stated. “In a two-year period the program resulted in a drop in the overall accident rate, as well as significant decrease in the number of chargeable accidents with significant damage.”

The APTA’s Bus Safety & Security Excellence Awards recognize public transportation organizations with programs that improve safety and security for employees, passengers and the public.

The Gold Award is the top award. It’s given to the organizations with the best overall bus safety or security program, as judged by an independent panel.

SouthWest Transit, which serves Eden Prairie, received the award in the category of Bus systems with fewer than 4 million passenger trips annually.