by We would like to congratulate the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System Security Department on receiving the Transportation Security Administration’s Gold Standard Award, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for ensuring a secure transit system.
In 2024, MTS will be one of just two transit agencies in the United States to receive this honor.
Transit agencies who receive the highest ratings on TSA’s Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement are honored with the Gold Standard Award. MTS received high BASE scores and recognition from TSA for its robust, all-encompassing security program.
As TSA San Diego Field Office Lead Inspector Chris Hatfield noted, “San Diego MTS has a long history of world-class innovation in security and has maintained one of the highest levels of vigilance, preparedness, and regional cooperation with other agencies that I’ve ever seen.” We appreciate MTS’s ongoing collaboration and are honored to acknowledge them as a leader in the field.
In FY 2025, MTS served approximately 80.1 million people by operating four trolley lines and 92 bus routes in ten cities and unorganized areas. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, MTS has experienced the second-fastest growth in ridership among the top 25 transportation agencies in the country.
Program management, emergency response training, public awareness, threat-level protective measures, physical and cyber security, personnel security, and information exchange are among the 17 areas that make up the TSA program BASE, which evaluates transit security. MTS was highly rated in every category.
The following recent investments improved MTS security:
- Significant investments in information security are aligned with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
- A 60% increase in Code Compliance Inspectors.
- Upgraded security hotline technology for faster response times.
- Expanded Trolley train teams from 5 6 to 8 10 per shift.
- Doubled the Bus Enforcement security team.
- Doubled the plain-clothes security patrol team.
- Expanded the homeless outreach team to seven days a week
- Opened and staffed security outposts at busy transit centers for greater on-system presence.
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