The Grand Champion Award recognizes the system with the highest combined bus operator and maintenance team combined score.

Winning second place overall achievement honors was the team from San Antonio-based Via Metro Transit, with third place overall achievement honors going to Honolulu’s Oahu Transit Services Inc. team.

In the 40-foot bus competition, Ramon Farfan of Fla.-based Jacksonville Transportation Authority was named best driver in North America, beating out 52 other competitors to win first place. Second place was awarded to Kevin Grady of San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and Zennon Rinylo of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority received third place honors.

In the 35-foot bus competition, Arthur Murillo of Austin, Texas’ Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority won first place as the best bus operator in North America, beating out 19 other competitors. Gabe Beliz of Ben Franklin Transit in Richland, Wash., and Lloyd Eisemen of Jefferson Transit Authority in Port Townsend, Wash., received second and third place honors, respectively.

Gerald Waters of the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County in Reno, Nev., was the first place winner of the Customer Service Challenge Awards, which was also held at the conference. This competition judges professionalism, customer service skills and problem-solving creativity.