The California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (California JPIA) congratulates Foothill Transit for receiving the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Emergency Management and Bus Security Gold Awards for 2025. These top awards recognize the agency’s outstanding efforts in ensuring the safety and security of its transit services.
“This recognition is the result of thoughtful and dedicated teamwork,” said Doran Barnes, CEO of Foothill Transit. “We’re honored that our commitment to safety is in the spotlight and look forward to sharing our work with the wider transit industry.”
Foothill Transit has implemented several security initiatives, which have earned it the APTA Security Gold Award. The agency recognized the need for security enhancements due to public transportation systems’ open nature and high passenger volumes, making them potential targets for criminal activities.
In the last three years, Foothill Transit has reexamined and updated its comprehensive Security and Emergency Preparedness Plan (SEPP), Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), and Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). The process included tailored training and tabletop exercises designed to help prepare, respond, and recover from critical incidents. The local TSA representative, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and other law enforcement were included throughout the process. Learn more about the agency’s multi-layered security strategy in this video.
“We’ve been laser-focused on these issues and have enjoyed tremendous support from our colleagues at the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), California Highway Patrol, LA County Sheriff’s Department, and myriad other local law enforcement agencies,” said John Curley, chief of safety and security at Foothill Transit. “Taking a critical eye to our infrastructure and staying on task to remediate areas for improvement has required a true team effort.”
The SEPP identifies and addresses security threats and vulnerabilities. It integrates security measures and emergency preparedness into all operations, services, business administration, and maintenance activities, creating a comprehensive security program for the organization. The preparedness plan is reviewed annually and updated as necessary to ensure it remains up-to-date and consistent with federal, state, and local regulations and guidelines and Foothill Transit’s management goals and objectives.
The EOP provides a framework for a coordinated and scalable response to emergencies. It applies to any natural or human-caused hazards affecting Foothill Transit, requiring emergency response operations or a coordinated response with multiple agencies.
The key purpose of COOP planning is to minimize business disruption. This plan provides guidance to ensure mission-essential functions continue and directs the relocation of personnel and resources to an alternate facility. It outlines a management structure and operational procedures to sustain essential activities when normal operations are not possible.
Strategic planning has enhanced transit safety, as evidenced by its successful implementation during a critical incident on June 17, 2024. As the event unfolded, measures were quickly enacted, leading to the safe apprehension of the suspect within 12 hours of the incident. This event underscored the vital role of prior training and preparedness exercises. Learn more about the agency’s emergency management procedures and why it won an Emergency Management Gold Award in this video.
“Security threats and safety risks are nothing new for public transit. The exposures are constant and evolving, so Foothill Transit’s exemplary efforts to mitigate risk and be highly vigilant and thoroughly prepared for incidents have won them this well-deserved recognition and prestigious APTA award,” said California JPIA Senior Risk Manager Melaina Francis. “It is a pleasure to work with Foothill Transit’s team of highly competent professionals, and I congratulate them on this achievement.”
Winning two APTA Gold Awards is a significant achievement for Foothill Transit, highlighting the dedication and hard work of the agency and its contractors. The next steps for enhancing transit security include finalizing the COOP plan by the summer of 2025, hosting monthly meetings with the Los Angeles County Disaster Management Area Coordinator, and including their team in training and exercises. The agency is committed to further strengthening its overall planning and response capabilities.
Providing innovative risk management solutions for its public agency partners for more than 45 years, the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (California JPIA) is one of the largest municipal self-insurance pools in the state, with more than 125 member cities and other governmental agencies. Members actively participate in shaping the organization to provide important coverage for their operations. The California JPIA provides innovative risk management solutions through a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services, including liability, workers’ compensation, pollution, property, and earthquake coverage, as well as extensive training and loss control services. For more information, please visit the California JPIA’s website at cjpia.org.