METRO Named Outstanding Public Transportation System of the Year

METRO has received a national award recognizing the transit agency’s numerous achievements over the last three years. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has honored the Authority with its 2020 “Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award.” METRO President & CEO Tom Lambert made the announcement at the transit authority’s August board meeting. Lambert commended staff for its contributions to the organization and the community, and thanked Board members for their leadership and support. This is the second time in five years and the third time in the agency’s history to receive the award.

The annual award acknowledges excellence among public transportation providers in North America. APTA Award winners are touted as role models of excellence, leadership, and innovation whose accomplishments have greatly advanced public transportation.

METRO competed and won in the awards category for largest transit agencies, those providing at least 20 million or more passenger trips annually.  The Authority was judged on safety, operations and maintenance, customer service, financial management, sustainability, workforce development, attendance and employee costs, diversity and  inclusion, equity, marketing, policy administration, and community relations. Quantitative measures including ridership were also considered.

METRO marked several achievements that were factored in the award selection. Highlights include:

• METRO’s proactive response to Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The Authority was called a “model for emergency response” by APTA and awarded with the organization’s highest honor for bus safety and security excellence.
• METRO’s development of METRONext, a transformative long-range transportation plan for the Houston region. Overwhelming passage of bonding authority for the plan — nearly 70% voter approval — was possible because of a robust public engagement process.
• METRO’s continued commitment to accessibility. METRO’s Universal Accessibility Initiative ensures all bus stops are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act by 2024. Additionally, the launch of My Stop Technology made METRO one of the first transit agencies to fully implement Bluetooth technology to improve trip navigation accessibility.

METRO and the rest of this year’s award winners will be honored at an APTA Virtual Meeting in October.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) is the region’s largest public transit provider, offering safe, clean, reliable, accessible and friendly transportation services. METRO’s transit network includes local bus, METRORail which includes the Red Line (Main Street and Northline), the Green Line (East End) and the Purple Line (Southeast), Park & Ride commuter buses, METROLift paratransit service, HOV/HOT lanes, Community Connector microtransit and Star Vanpool. In 2020, the Authority introduced the METRORapid Silver Line, the region’s first bus rapid transit service.  Bike & Ride programs and road improvement projects are also part of METRO’s commitment to the region.  Focused on investing in the region’s future mobility needs, the Authority developed the  METRONext Moving Forward Plan. METRO is also the first transit provider in region to pilot autonomous vehicle shuttle technology. Learn more about METRO services at ridemetro.org where you will also find useful tools like the RideMETRO app where you can plan your trip and even pay your fare from your phone.