FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2017
MARTA Bus Operators Honored for "Million Miler" Milestone
ATLANTA—The
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) recently honored two
veteran bus operators for driving more than a million miles without a
preventable incident. Bus operators Arluther Deadwyler and Coy Dumas Jr.
received MARTA’s Million Mile Safe Driver
Award — earning an elite designation among their peers nationwide.
For more than
four decades, Deadwyler and Dumas navigated busy streets across MARTA’s service
areas. While Deadwyler and Dumas’ routes
may have changed over the year, their commitment to safety never wavered.
“I’m thankful to
have been recognized,” said Deadwyler, who has driven more than 1,290,000 miles
incident free. “We have a job to do and rules to guide our work that puts
safety first. There’s no better feeling than being appreciated for the work we
do.”
Despite traveling more than 1,330,000 miles without a preventable
incident, Dumas considers mentorship his greatest on-the-job accomplishment, as
he continues to share his passion for safety with other operators. “The work we
do here is on the same level as emergency teams because we carry the most
valuable cargo — human lives, and one of my many roles is being an instructor
and a mentor,” Dumas said.
MARTA GM/CEO Keith Parker says it is
no accident these two long-time employees are joining this prestigious group. “This award speaks to the daily commitment our
bus operators have to drive safely and provide the highest level of customer
service at all times,” Parker said.
As MARTA continues to expand both
its rail and bus options across the region, safety remains the Authority’s top
priority. “Our operators play an essential role helping more than 400,000 MARTA
travelers reach their destinations safely on a daily basis,” added Parker. “I
applaud Mr. Deadwyler and Dumas for their ongoing commitment to being a shining
example of exemplary safety and customer service to our riders.”
Million
Mile Safe Driver awardees with members of the MARTA Board of
Directors. Pictured from left to right: Jim Durrett, Dr. Roderick E. Edmond MD,
JD, J. Al Pond, P.E., Jerry Griffin, Coy Dumas, Jr., Arluther Deadwyler, Freda
B. Hardage, MARTA COO Rich Krisak and Alicia M. Ivey
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Contact:
Erik Burton