Awards & Recognition

Hall of Fame
The APTA Awards Hall of Fame began in 1983 and this special honor is reserved for individuals who have long and distinguished careers in the industry; who have made extraordinary contributions to public transportation; and who have actively participated in APTA activities.

APTA Awards
The APTA Awards recognizes excellence in the public transportation industry in North America, both on an individual level and an organizational level.  Called the “best of the best” of the public transportation industry, the APTA award winners are outstanding role models of excellence, leadership, and innovation whose accomplishments have greatly advanced public transportation. The nomination deadline is in the Spring and awards are presented at the TRANSform Conference in the Fall.

AdWheel Awards
Each year, APTA honors members’ marketing, communications, and customer experience efforts with the AdWheel​ Awards. The 2026 competition will honor Grand Award winners at APTA TRANSform & EXPO, October 4-7, 2026 in Chicago. First Place winners will honored at APTA’s MCX Workshop, February 22-25, 2026 in Savannah, GA.

Bus Safety, Security, Emergency Management, and Safe, Effective, and Clean Transit Excellence Awards
The Bus Safety, Security, Emergency Management, and Safe, Effective, and Clean Transit Excellence Awards recognize APTA Bus transportation systems that have implemented programs or projects that have achieved documented success in addressing specific safety or security program areas.

Rail Safety, Security, & Emergency Management and Safe, Effective, and Clean Transit Excellence Awards
The​ Rail Safety, Security, and Emergency Management and Safe, Effective, and Clean Transit Excellence Awards recognize APTA rail transportation systems that have implemented initiatives or programs that achieved safety or security objectives. The nomination deadline is April 21, 2025.​​​