METRO DRIVER NAMED OHIO OPERATOR OF THE YEAR



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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2010

METRO DRIVER NAMED OHIO OPERATOR OF THE YEAR
OPTA Awards Metro Driver and Marketing Department

Mary Moning with Malcolm Gatherwright. CINCINNATI –The Ohio Public Transit Association (OPTA) named Metro Operator Malcolm Gatherwright Ohio’s 2010 Operator of the Year. Gatherwright received the award at the Ohio Public Transportation Conference in Columbus, Ohio, on May 19.

“Malcolm exemplifies excellence in performance and is our standard-bearer for being an intensely-customer focused organization. We know that our operators are ‘best in class,’ and it feels great that he could be recognized in the way,” said Marilyn Shazor, Metro’s CEO.

Gatherwright has worked for Metro for 33 years and has won Metro’s own Operator of the Year Award each year it has been awarded, since 2006. His nomination for the OPTA award included positive descriptions of his focus on customer service, on-time performance and dependability. He has received multiple safe driving awards and is a member of the prestigous National Safety Council’s Two Million Miles Club.

Members of the Ohio Society of Association Executives judged the nominations and selected Gatherwright based on his demonstrated skill and knowledge of his profession as measured by:

Safe operation
Attendance
Customer courtesy
On-time performance
Attitude
Appearance

“The judges were moved by Malcolm's many years of service and how he loves his job,” said Judith Will Fleming, OPTA’s Executive Director.

In addition, as part of the 2010 OPTAMist Awards program, Metro’s Marketing Department received an Award for Special Events for its “Green Means Go” event, which included the launch of Metro’s hybrid buses on Earth Day 2009.

OPTA is a professional association which provides leadership, resources, support and technical assistance to public and private transit agencies in Ohio. OPTA members daily serve more than 500,000 Ohioans while employing more than 60,000.

Metro is a non-profit, tax-funded public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, providing more than 19 million rides per year. Metro supports the economy, protects the environment, encourages energy independence, and improves the quality of life in Greater Cincinnati.

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