Mary McLain, assistant GM of Tucson, Ariz.-based Sun Tran, was recently awarded the 2011 Champions Award from the National Transit Institute (NTI). The Transit Training Awards ceremony was part of the NTI Transit Trainers' Workshop held in Tampa, Fla., April 10 to 12.

The Champions Award recognizes commitment and dedication to the importance of training in the transit industry.

With 26 years of service to public transit, McLain joined the Sun Tran team where she began providing oversight for seven departments, including Training, where she made improvements to existing programs and added behavior-based driving and distracted driving elements while also increasing the behind-the-wheel time to all formats of operator training.  

“Mary’s commitment to training couldn't be deterred even during tough economic times, when training funding became scarce,” said Katrina Heineking, GM. She tirelessly worked to secure federal funding to train every employee on terrorism recognition and system security to enhance the safety of our passengers and the community.“

"By promoting education and professional development and recognizing the role that effective training has on achieving excellence, Ms. McLain has illustrated her commitment to the daily, continuing success of her staff," said Paul Larrousse, director of NTI. "Her dedication to these efforts distinguishes her as a champion of training and development."

The National Transit Institute was created by Congress and receives funding from the Federal Transit Administration to develop, promote, and deliver training and education programs for the public transit industry. NTI's mission is to provide training and educational resources in support of public transportation and quality of life in the U.S.