Public, staff and board members show appreciation with daylong celebration
VIA staff and board members took the sidewalks with signs, regalia and noise makers on March 18 to recognize the folks who take the wheel every day to keep the region moving safely and have been responsible for delivering passengers to work, school, appointments, and other destinations – our van and bus operators.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES
TO SEE THE VIDEOS
It’s been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we operate and stay connected. Every day since last March, more the 1,200 bus and van operators have answered the call.
So on Transit Driver Appreciation Day, VIA Board of Trustees Chair Fernando Reyes was joined by board Vice-Chair Marina Alderete Gavito, Secretary Akeem Brown, and Board Members Laura Cabanilla and Bob Comeaux, to cheer on operators at Centro Plaza and the North Star Transit Center.
“Reyes, boarded each bus to personally thank the operators. VIA executives Bonnie Prosser Elder, Jon Gary Herrera and Leroy Alloway also participated in the celebration.
Being frontline essential employees for this community, and getting people to where they need to be every day is something we never want to take for granted,” Herrera said. “They’ve kept us moving and it’s important to recognize them, especially for their commitment over the last 12 months.”
Transit Driver Appreciation Day began in 2009 as an opportunity to show gratitude for public transportation operators. For hours on end, drivers keep to their schedules, check fares, give directions, announce stops, remember requests, and more, all while maneuvering large vehicles through unpredictable traffic and weather conditions.
Transit Driver Appreciation Day takes place every year and VIA encourages the traveling public to thank their bus or van driver. Riders can also offer feedback by using the hashtag #TDAD on Facebook (@VIAtransit), Instagram (@VIAtransit), or Twitter (@VIA_transit).