Transit News
September 28, 2005
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This morning the top public transportation agencies and transit leaders in North America were honored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and approximately 1,500 transit leaders from across the world at the 2005 APTA Annual Meeting that is being held in Dallas.
"This year's winners are dedicated and skilled individuals and transit organizations that have advanced the cause of public transportation," said APTA President William W. Millar. "The millions of people who take public transportation in the United States should thank these winners for their hard work and significant achievements."
Four public transportation agencies, competing in four different categories based on annual ridership, were honored as the best transit agencies in North America. Winning the prestigious 2005 Outstanding Public Transportation System Award means that they have demonstrated achievement in efficiency and effectiveness. This year's winners by category, from smallest to largest, are:
Laketran, Painesville, OH (Category: Providing fewer than 1 million annual passenger trips). Recognized as the best smallest public transportation agency in the North America, Laketran ridership increased 8.2% in 2004, significantly exceeding the national average of 2.11%. Its commuter express service was the fastest-growing service, increasing by 14% compared to 2003. Laketran has not had a fare increase since 1986.
Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS), Muncie, IN (Category: Providing more than 1 million and fewer than 4 million annual passenger trips). MITS ridership set an all-time ridership record in 2004. Because of MITS' success in keeping operating costs down, customers still enjoy a low fare of 50 cents for adults, well below that usually charged in other systems.
Sun Tran, Tucson, Arizona (Category: Providing more than 4 million but fewer than 30 million annual passenger trips). Outpacing national trends, Sun Tran ridership has soared by nearly 13% from 2002 through 2004. As one of a few comparable public transportation systems in the U.S. without a dedicated funding source, Sun Tran accomplished this ridership increase without expanding service hours or adding routes or new additions to the fleet.
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Orange, California (Category: Providing more than 30 million annual passenger trips). In 2004, OCTA provided a record 68.5 million bus trips, up 4.2 percent from 2003. Ridership on OCTA's three Metrolink train lines increased 41.4% from 2.1 million in 2001 to 3 million in 2004.
The 2005 APTA Innovation Award is an award given to a public transit agency that demonstrates innovative concepts in the provision of public transportation services. This year's winner is the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) for the MBTA's Transit Police Department's development and deployment of Stop Watch, a program that has significantly improved transit police and youth interactions. Interacting with more than 50,000 youth each weekday, the MBTA'S force of 250 sworn officers uses the program to provide officer skill enhancement and positive youth intervention. Stop Watch is a best practice model that can be transferred to other transit systems.
This year's 2005 APTA Awards also recognized 6 individuals who have greatly contributed to the public transportation industry:
Ronald J. Tober, CEO of the Charlotte Area Transit System (Charlotte, North Carolina) won the 2005 Outstanding Public Transportation Manager Award. This award honors a public transportation manager who has made outstanding contributions to the public transportation industry. During his 37-year career, Tober has advanced public transportation at systems throughout the United States, including Boston, Miami, Seattle, and Cleveland. In five short years, he has significantly improved public transportation in Charlotte, and has transformed the Charlotte system from a city-only transit service into a premier mid-size transit system reaching into seven counties.
Huelon Andrew Harrison, Chairman of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) (Dallas, Texas) received the 2005 Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member Award. This award is given to an individual serving on the governing board of a public transportation system who has made outstanding contributions to the public transportation industry. Harrison is an enthusiastic advocate for transit whose steady leadership at DART in the past few years was efficient as he successfully implemented service and administrative cost reductions, trimming $20 million from the operation budget in 2003.
William "Bill" Lochte, Principal, Silver Lake Enterprises, Inc. (Eagle River, Wisconsin) received the Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member Award. This award is given to an APTA public transportation business member who has made outstanding contributions to the public transportation industry. For the last six years he has been an integral part of the APTA leadership team and, during his tenure as Chair of the APTA Business Member Board of Governors, he increased the contributions business members make to APTA and enhanced business members' visibility.
California State Assemblyman Bob Huff (R-District 60) was given the Local Distinguished Service Award. His advocacy for local public transportation in southern California is the cornerstone of his public service record and has garnered him both public and private praise - from the voters who elected him to the California State Assembly in November 2004 to the commuters and businesses who have benefited from access to transit-oriented projects.
Two Hall of Fame Awards were given out this year to honor individuals who have concluded their careers, and who have made extraordinary contributions to public transportation. The first 2005 Hall of Fame Award was given posthumously to Carlton Sickles, former Maryland Congressman and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) board member. Sickles dedicated a half-century of his life to the advancement of public transportation in the Washington metropolitan area. To the millions of people in our nation's capital he will always be remembered most as the "Father of Metro."
The second Hall of Fame award was given to Virendra K. "Vic" Sood, whose 32 years of service in the public transportation industry provided vision and leadership to the industry at both the state and federal levels. He also was instrumental in the creation of two public transit agencies - Community Transit in Snohomish County, Washington and Livermore/Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) of Dublin/Pleasanton/Livermore, California.
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APTA is a nonprofit international
association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation
systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service
providers; academic institutions, and state associations and departments of transportation.
APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical
public transportation services and products. Over ninety percent of persons using
public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA members.
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