
The Grand Champion Award recognizes the system with the highest combined bus operator and maintenance team combined score.
Event held in conjunction with Bus and Paratransit Conference in Long Beach, Calif.


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.

The beginning of the final BRT segment advances construction across all five segments, reflecting steady progress toward shorter travel times, improved accessibility, and a more dependable connection to jobs, businesses, and community destinations.
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The changes are designed to reduce overall travel time, shorten wait times, and get customers to their destinations more quickly.
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The visit is part of the SF Fed's ongoing engagement with major employers and industries across Southern California and, more broadly, the western U.S. to better understand regional economic conditions and business outlooks.
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Advances in data and analytics are giving transit agencies new opportunities to refine maintenance practices, improve efficiency and make more informed decisions about asset performance.
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Today’s riders—and the communities you serve—expect more from public transit. While ADA compliance is required, leading transit agencies know that true accessibility also means delivering dignity, efficiency, and a better rider experience. This whitepaper reveals why forward thinking agencies nationwide choose the Low Floor Frontrunner as their first choice for ADA compliant vehicles—setting a new standard with passenger first design, faster boarding, improved safety, and unmatched operational performance.
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In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.
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Under this extension, Keolis will continue to manage and operate fixed-route bus service across the East Valley, serving communities including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, the town of Gilbert, parts of Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community.
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While recognizing regional economic constraints and continuing to improve service, the budget increases the jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, significantly below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target, said agency officials.
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