TSA Awards OmniRide Gold Standard for Its Enhanced Security Programs

OODBRIDGE, VA – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) honored OmniRide with the prestigious BASE Gold Standard Award at a ceremony on March 14 at the OmniRide Transit Center. The award is the top recognition TSA can give to a transit agency for demonstrating outstanding performance in enhancing its security programs. This is the second time the organization has received this award. TSA previously presented OmniRide with the Gold Standard Award in 2020.

BASE stands for Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement and was developed by the TSA’s Surface Transportation Security Inspection Program and the Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement office. The BASE compares a transit agency’s internal security processes, procedures, and policies against TSA and Federal Transit Administration security recommendations.

This is done through a voluntary annual review of 17 categories of security and emergency preparedness elements. These categories include a review of topics such as an agency’s Written System Security Plan and Emergency Response Plan, Security and Emergency Training Program, Public Security and Emergency Awareness Program, Risk Management Process, Threat and Intelligence Information Sharing Process, Tabletop and Functional Drills, and Physical Security Inspections. The criterion for achieving the “Gold Standard” in security is attained by an overall average score of 90 percent in each category evaluated. OmniRide scored 95 percent.

“Safety is our top priority at OmniRide. I am so proud and honored for our agency to receive this prestigious award for the second time in 5 years,” said Byren Lloyd, OmniRide’s Director of Safety and Security. “Receiving the highest recognition by TSA speaks to our agency’s commitment and dedication to the safety and well-being of our employees, passengers, and community.”

The TSA also presented OmniRide with the Partnership Award at a ceremony on February 26 at Reagan International Airport.

OmniRide and the TSA have collaborated efforts in various oversight activities, including Security Awareness Briefings, Security Enhancement Through Assessments (SETA’s), Threat Vulnerability Assessments (TVA’s), EXIS tabletop exercises, and TSA BASE assessments. The organization has also significantly enhanced the TSA’s ability to achieve strategic goals through such efforts as creating a Security Plan template for mass transit nationwide.

“I am thankful for our organization being recognized by TSA as a valued partner. This recognition highlights the significance of our efforts to collaborate, forging a strong bond between our agencies,” said Lloyd. “Also, this award inspires us to continue our dedicated work, providing a safer and more secure future for us all.”

OmniRide is the operating name for the mobility services offered by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). In addition to OmniRide’s TDM program, the organization provides Local bus service in Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park; Express service for commuters along the I-95 and I-66 corridors to employment centers in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.; and Metro Express which connects riders with Metro Stations.

For more information contact Customer Service at 703-730-6664 or visit www.OmniRide.com.