APTA Honors 2024 Awards, Hall of Fame Winners at TRANSform!

10/7/2024

APTA honored 13 organizations and leaders with the 2024 APTA Awards at the APTA Honors Luncheon, held Oct. 1 during TRANSform. The association also inducted three new members into the APTA Hall of Fame.

The 2024 APTA Honors Awards recognize those in the public transportation industry in North America who have demonstrated significant leadership, are outstanding role models of excellence, and whose accomplishments and innovations have greatly advanced public transportation.

Organization Awards

Outstanding Public Transportation System
  • Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, Birmingham, AL
    Fewer than 3 million annual passenger trips.
  • SamTrans, San Carlos, CA
    More than 3 million but fewer than 15 million annual passenger trips.
  • Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose, CA
    More than 15 million but fewer than 50 million annual passenger trips.
  • Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Atlanta, GA
    More than 50 million annual passenger trips.
Charlotte Shaw, executive director and CEO, Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, accepts the award from APTA Award Committee member Ben Limmer (far right), chief of Connecticut DOT’s Bureau of Public Transportation. Ted Smith, BJTA board chair, is left.
SamTrans Board Chair Marina Fraser (left), and April Chan, general manager and CEO, accept the award from Frank White, APTA Awards Committee member and president and CEO, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot accepts the award from Inez Evans Benson (second from right), APTA Awards Committee member and SVP national bus and facilities practice director, WSP. From left are two frontline workers: Miacha Hanes-Harris, bus driver; Phil Aguilar, transit foreman; and Gursewak Singh (far right), light rail driver. To the left of Gonot is Sergio Lopez, vice chair, VTA Board of Directors.
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood accepts the award from APTA Awards Committee member Freddie Fuller, vice president for Jacobs (far right). From left is Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts and MARTA board member Freda Hardage.
Excellence in Inclusive Collaboration Award
(jointly honoring a public transit agency, DBE, and private-sector prime firm)
  • Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, St. Petersburg, FL; H.W. Lochner; and Jones Worley.
The Excellence in Inclusive Collaboration award went to Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), H.W. Lochner, and Jones Worley. From left: Gary Thomas, national transit and rail market director, H.W. Lochner; Cynthia Jones Parks, president and CEO, Jones Worley; PSTA CEO Brad Miller; Raquel Olivier, APTA Awards Committee member and president of Olivier Inc.
Innovation Awards
  • Calgary Transit, Calgary, AB, CANADA.
  • Montgomery County Ride On, Rockville, MD.
  • Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV.
  • TriMet, Portland, OR.
Calgary Transit Director Sharon Fleming accepts the award from Rich Andreski, APTA Awards Committee chair and president & CEO of Trinity Metro, Fort Wort, TX.
Montgomery County DOT Director Christopher Conklin accepts the award from Brandi Bird, APTA Awards Committee member and strategic policy advisor for the Community Streetcar Coalition. Calvin Jones, chief of fleet management services, is far left. Michael Yambrach, chief, office of energy and sustainability, is next to him. Both are from Montgomery County Department of General Services.
Tom Atteberry, director of safety and security operations, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, accepts the award from Leanne Redden, APTA vice chair and executive director of the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority.
Eileen Collins Turvey (left), TriMet director, accessible transportation programs, accepts the award from Beth Holbrook, APTA Executive Committee and Awards Committee member.

Individual Awards

Distinguished Service Award
  • Shannon G. Hardin, president, Columbus City Council, Columbus, OH.
Shannon G. Hardin (center) accepts the award from MJ Maynard, APTA chair and CEO, RTC of Southern Nevada, and APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas.
Outstanding Chief Executive Officer
  • Dawn Distler, Metro Regional Transit Authority, Akron, OH.
Dawn Distler accepts the award from Doran Barnes, APTA Awards Committee member, former APTA chair, CEO, Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA.
Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member
  • Arezou “Ari” Jolly, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL.
Arezou “Ari” Jolly (at left), accepts the award from Diane Shaw, APTA Awards Committee member and board member, AC Transit.
Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member
  • Evalynn “Eve” Williams, president and CEO, Dikita Enterprises, Inc., Dallas, TX.
Evalynn “Eve” Williams accepts the award from Kim Green, APTA Awards Committee member and senior advisor with Genfare, the sponsor of the event.
APTA Hall of Fame
  • Carolyn Flowers, Henderson, NV.
  • Hugh Mose, State College, PA.
  • Michael Schneider, Laguna Beach, CA.
Carolyn Flowers. Presenting the award is Debra Johnson, APTA Awards Committee member and general manager and CEO of Denver RTD.
Hugh Mose. Presenting the award is Jim LaRusch, APTA Awards Committee member and COO of Raul V. Bravo + Associates, Inc.
Michael Schneider. Presenting the award is Rich Andreski (right), APTA Awards Committee chair and president & CEO, Trinity Metro, Fort Worth, TX.