The Toledo Area Transit Authority (TARTA) received two awards during the Ohio Public Transit Association’s (OPTA) Ohio Needs Transit Conference and Expo. The event was held recently at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
TARTA was recognized with two OPTA Excellence Awards:
•The Collaborative Excellence Award to the TARTA paratransit team for becoming the first transit agency division in Ohio to become a Certified Autism Center
•The Milestone Award to Information Operator Lynette Stanley, for her more than 28 years of helping customers The OPTA is a unified voice for Ohio’s 63 transit agencies. It serves to increase funding opportunities for transit, drive economic growth, and enhance the quality of life for Ohioans who depend on those agencies.
The awards were conferred in front of hundreds of attendees at the OPTA Excellence Awards Luncheon.
Lynette is the third Team TARTA member in as many years to be recognized with the Milestone Award, following operator Don Glaza in 2022 and mechanic Virgil Wise in 2023.
The significant contributions of Lynette and her teammates have led to increased customer service ratings in every ridership poll taken since 2020. TARTA’s customer satisfaction rate climbed to 85 percent in a poll conducted this summer.
“We are thrilled to see another team member receive this award, and there is no one more deserving than Lynette, who has demonstrated an immense dedication to the quality experience of our customers,” said TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski. “Lynette is a problem-solver whose knowledge, understanding and patience help her make an impact on users of public transportation every day.
“The Collaborative Excellence recognition and the work to make sensory-sensitive passengers feel welcome on our paratransit vehicles is also something to be very proud of. We want to make sure everyone feels as safe and comfortable as possible. These training courses were one of many steps we are taking to ensure that, and we want to thank the team at Destination Toledo for their continued effort to make Toledo a Certified Autism Destination.”
TARTA worked with Destination Toledo on the certification, as part of a larger effort to make Toledo a Certified Autism Destination.
“Everyone should feel at ease when planning to visit the Toledo area that they will be comfortable and that their needs will be met,” said Destination Toledo CEO Lance Woodworth. “We are happy to see this effort recognized. TARTA is one of a growing list of partners in this community who are going the extra mile to ensure that the Toledo area provides a welcoming environment for all visitors.”
The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards granted TARTA the Certified Autism Center certification this year after paratransit staff underwent specific training courses to better understand and accommodate the needs of autistic and sensory-sensitive passengers.
