C-TRAN named North American mid-sized ’Transit System of the Year’

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Members of Machinists Local Lodge 1432 at C-TRAN pose in front of a giant banner that declares the Vancouver, Washington-based transit agency “Best in the Nation!” Standing from left to right are Gabby Soltero, Ed Somotes, John Peters, Jerry Storie, Eino Suomi Jr., Matt Whiley, Brett Nold, Raymond Spaulding, and shop steward Tim Garrett. Kneeling from left to right are Jacob Anderson and chief shop steward David White. Lodge 1432 represents approximately 60 workers at C-TRAN.

Congratulations to C-TRAN and its front line workers — members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 and Machinists Lodge 1432—for being named the top mid-sized transit system in North America.

The honor was announced last month as part of the annual American Public Transportation Association (APTA) awards.

ATU represents approximately 330 fixed-route bus operators, paratransit operators, administrative assistants, customer service reps, supervisors, and paratransit dispatchers at C-TRAN. The Machinists Union represents about 60 field service workers, facility maintenance workers, and bus mechanics.

As winner, C-TRAN was judged among other systems with a total ridership between 4 million and 20 million trips per year. C-TRAN tallied about 6.2 million total trips in 2018.

The award encompasses C-TRAN’s achievements during the past three years in 12 core areas: safety, operations, maintenance, access, customer service, financial management, sustainability, workforce development, attendance and employee costs, minority and women advancement, marketing, and community relations.

“This incredible honor exemplifies the hard work being accomplished by our world-class employees,” said C-TRAN CEO Shawn M. Donaghy. “It is also a constant reminder that public transportation is much larger than a bus stop—it’s about community engagement, relationships with local business, providing access to education, workforce opportunities, and having elected officials who work diligently to make Clark County, Washington, a premier place to live. We’re humbled to receive such a prestigious honor from APTA, and we take pride in serving our community each and every day.”

C-TRAN is the regional public transportation provider for portions of Clark County, Washington. It provides local bus service within its Clark County service area, regional bus service to the nearest MAX light rail station in Portland, and express commuter service to downtown Portland. It also provides connector service within the city limits of Camas, La Center, and Ridgefield, Wash.

C-TRAN will be honored at the APTA annual meeting in October.

1 COMMENT

  1. I was a C-Tran bus driver from Sept 11, 1990 to March 11, 2007. When I first started there, the director, Les White, was an almost Hitlerian creature.
    We had a Union Local who did nothing for for the employees and colluded with management. In 1991 we were able to change our local to ATU 757. Union President Ron Heintzman and Attorney Susan Stoner filed and won so many arbitrations, the C-TRAN Board of Directors realized they had to fire the the failing management personnel. From that point on, we C-TRAN drivers were well-paid, properly trained and treated like the excellent employees we were. It’s the very best Union I’ve ever encountered. HURRAY FOR UNIONS! HURRAY RON HEINTZMAN AND SUSAN STONER!

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