RTC bus service ranked safest of big-city transit systems

Thursday, May 11, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.

The bus service of the Regional Transportation Commission has received an award ranking it the safest of big-city transit systems.

Citizens Area Transit received the Gold Award for Safety in the American Public Transit Association's bus safety competition, the third-consecutive year that the association has selected the Las Vegas-area bus system as the nation's safest for its size.

The association grants the Gold Award to the transit system with the best overall safety record and program in 1999. The award recognizes achievement in motor bus safety by transit agencies in the United States and Canada. Association members provide 90 percent of public transportation in the two countries, according to association spokeswoman Amy Coggin.

Citizens Area Transit competed against the largest category of transit systems, those that make more than 30 million passenger trips annually. Competitors included large metropolitan mass transit services in New York, Chicago and Dallas.

"Our first priority has always been safety," RTC General Manager Jacob Snow said. "It is very rewarding to see our efforts pay off with this remarkable honor."