[IMAGE]Hillsborough-group-shot-full-2.jpg[/IMAGE]Transit systems from Canada, Florida and Indiana were big winners at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 2010 Annual Meeting held in San Antonio this week. The 2010 APTA Awards, announced Wednesday, were given to those individuals and public transportation systems that have shown great leadership and advanced the state of public transportation in North America.

“As the ‘best of the best,’ the 2010 APTA Award winners serve as role models of excellence to everyone in the public transportation industry,” said APTA President William Millar. “These award recipients most certainly deserve recognition and congratulations from their industry peers and from the tens of millions of people who ride public transportation every day.”

Information on the 2010 APTA Award winners is available at:
http://www.apta.com/members/memberprogramsandservices/awards/Pages/APTAAwards.aspx

Three public transportation agencies, competing in three different categories based on annual ridership, were honored as the best public transportation systems in North America, based on their achievements from 2007-2009.

• Société de transport de Montréal (STM), Montréal, Canada (Category:  Providing more than 20 million annual passenger trips.)

• Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), Tampa, Fla. (Category:  Providing more than 4 million but less than 20 million annual passenger trips.)

• Bloomington Public Transportation Corp. (BT), Bloomington, Ind. (Category:  Providing 4 million or fewer annual passenger trips.)

This year’s 2010 APTA Awards also recognized four individuals whose contributions have greatly advanced public transportation.

• Outstanding Public Transportation Manager Award - Hugh A. Mose (General Manager, Centre Area Transportation Authority, State College, Pa.)

• Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member Award – James (Jim) G. Srygley, (CEO, S & A Systems, Inc., Rockwall, Texas)

• Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member Award – Flora M. Castillo (Member, NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors, Newark, N.J.)

• Local  Distinguished Service Award – Mufi F. Hannemann (former mayor of the City and County of Honolulu from January 2005- July 2010)