Connections: October 2013

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A ll too often, the terms “safety” and “security” are used interchangeably, or together, without regard for their distinct definitions. According to Jill Shaw, manager of emergency preparedness, safety is about taking precautions against natural or situational risks – for example, trimming a branch on which people could hit their heads. Security has to do with preventing and protecting against dangers, losses or injuries from criminals. Both are important, and failures of either could result in situations that cost not only time and money, but injury or death. For that reason, all DART employees should know their roles in both. In this issue of Connections , we will focus on safety. Who is Responsible? If you type “safety” in the search box of the employee directory on DARTnet, 40 listings pop up for full-time employees who have safety in their title, cost center or department name. Among them are the assistant vice president for quality and safety, safety training specialist, and manager of industrial safety and health. In addition to these roles, an entire Transportation Department team is dedicated to safety and training. Clearly, DART invests in the workforce to integrate safety throughout the organization; execution, however, is up to every one of us. October 2013 (From left) Rail operator Steven Pundock has earned a safety award for 16 years in a row. Some of his success can be attributed to training from employees in the Rail Operations Department such as Duane Fecher, Bridget Sims, Linda Scroggins, Vivian Chaney, Henry Reed and James Shade. Editor’s Note: is edition of Connections is the first part of a two-issue focus on safety and security. is issue will focus on the ways our people, processes and procedures contribute to overall safety. e second issue, distributed in November, will address what DART does to maximize security for employees and riders. Elena Rohweder Safety Job is Everyone’s continued

description

This is a publication for the employees of Dallas Area Rapid Transit. This issue focuses on safety.

Transcript of Connections: October 2013

Page 1: Connections: October 2013

A l l too often, the terms “safety” and “security” are used interchangeably, or together,

without regard for their distinct definitions. According to Jill Shaw, manager of emergency preparedness, safety is about taking precautions against natural or situational risks – for example, trimming a branch on which people could hit their heads. Security has to do with preventing and protecting against dangers, losses or injuries from criminals.

Both are important, and failures of either could result in situations that cost not only time and money, but injury or death. For that reason, all DART employees should know their roles in both. In this issue of Connections, we will focus on safety.

Who is Responsible? If you type “safety” in the search box of the employee directory on DARTnet, 40 listings pop up for full-time employees who have safety in their title, cost center or department name.

Among them are the assistant vice president for quality and safety, safety training specialist, and manager of industrial safety and health.

In addition to these roles, an entire Transportation Department team is dedicated to safety and training. Clearly, DART invests in the workforce to integrate safety throughout the organization; execution, however, is up to every one of us.

October 2013

(From left) Rail operator Steven Pundock has earned a safety award for 16 years in a row. Some of his success can be attributed to training from employees in the Rail Operations Department such as Duane Fecher, Bridget Sims, Linda Scroggins, Vivian Chaney, Henry Reed and James Shade.

Editor’s Note: This edition of Connections is the first part of a two-issue focus on safety and security. This issue will focus on the ways our people, processes and procedures contribute to overall safety. The second issue, distributed in November, will address what DART does to maximize security for employees and riders. – Elena Rohweder

SafetyJobis Everyone’s

continued

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If an issue is urgent or spans more than one mode or group, emergency or joint meetings may be called. “We recently combined our DART and Rail Safety committee meetings to discuss the wheel flats we’ve continued to experience on our light rail vehicles,” said Tim McKay, executive vice president of growth. “To address this, we need to consider several issues, including maintenance, training, standard operating procedures, policies regarding speeds and scheduling.”

Everything You Do Has Safety ImplicationsWhether you are washing vehicles, inspecting track, operating a bus, designing a new rail station, policing the service area or undertaking any one of the tasks our staff does 24/7, your job has safety implications. That is why written processes and procedures are so important. “To ensure consistency and safety, work instructions are written by various sections and divisions of our agency,” said Dwain Keltner, director of passenger amenities and facility services. “In addition, supervisors conduct mandatory weekly safety training.”

As part of orientation, employees are introduced to DARTnet, the agency’s intranet. This robust online system provides helpful safety tips, but more importantly, it is the entry point for vital tools accessible via the “SAFETY” navigation button on the top right. (See the related story on page 4.)

DART’s safety “playbook” is the System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) that is reviewed and signed annually by President/Executive Director Gary Thomas. The SSPP was developed to provide the safest transportation network for customers and citizens of DART’s service area, and the safest work environment for employees. It specifies that each agency department and division is empowered to administer the SSPP and its specific activities for the prevention, control and resolution of unsafe conditions and actions. “DART’s successful safety record results from the use of this plan,” said Sue Mullaney, assistant vice president of risk management.

At the heart of the SSPP is DART’s safety policy, which outlines the following principles: 1. Injuries and occupational illness can be prevented.

2. Preventing injuries and incidents is good business. 3. Operating exposures can be safeguarded. 4. Management will train all employees to work safely. 5. Appropriate safety equipment will be available to all employees. 6. Safety is the responsibility of every employee.

The SSPP establishes formal mechanisms that DART departments must use to identify hazards associated with DART’s transportation systems; to eliminate, minimize or control hazards; and to prevent injuries, accidents and other losses. It demonstrates DART’s commitment to safety and compliance with federal, state and local regulations. The document is maintained on DARTnet.

DART maintains a regularly updated, online archive of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for substances used at the agency. This searchable reference on DARTnet provides staff and emergency personnel with procedures for handling or working safely with each substance. Each sheet includes information such as the physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment and spill-handling procedures for the specific product.

“From hand cleaner and motor oil, to paint and disinfectants, our team works with a wide variety of products,” Vice President of Maintenance Mike Hubbell said. “And we often have to remind team members they can’t bring something from home or the store, as well as vendors who want to just drop off a sample of a product for us to evaluate. Every product must be vetted by our Safety and Environmental Compliance teams. Then, this information is put into our MSDS database for reference by all team members.”

Safety is Everyone’s Job

DART Safety Committees •DARTSafety •PoliceSafety •BusSafety •RailSafety •TRESafety •ConstructionSafety& SecurityAdvisory •1401PacificSafety

PLANS AND WORKFLOWS MAKE SAFE HABITS EASY

Safety Tools for Everyonecontinued from p. 1

(From left) Henry Hartberg, director of operations safety; Anthony Vickers, safety training specialist; Donna Johnson, manager of industrial safety and health; and safety specialists Mark Gillett, Bret Clayborne and David Hobden oversee Safety throughout the DART System.

Got a Spill? Get the Facts

Entire chapters in both the hourly and administrative employment manuals are dedicated to safety (chapters 9 and 3, respectively). These chapters outline requirements, responsibilities, guidelines and processes. If it has been awhile since you’ve looked at these chapters, you may want to review them.

Safety CommitteesBecause our operations are so expansive, the agency has several safety committees. Each meets regularly to address ongoing and new issues.

DART’s success in safety comes from continual focus, training and understanding that all of us play a vital role as we build, operate and maintain our multimodal system.

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According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 75 percent of all adult illicit drug users and binge and heavy alcohol users are employed. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration asserts that 10 to 20 percent of events that cause fatalities in the workplace involve someone who tests positive for drugs or alcohol. Because many of our people operate heavy machinery, be it vehicles or tools, it’s especially dangerous for one of them to be impaired by drugs or alcohol. The worker could harm himself, co-workers, passengers or even bystanders.

“As an employee performing safety-sensitive functions in the transportation industry, you are responsible for providing a safe work environment for your co-workers and the traveling public,” said Diane Northrop, manager of the substance abuse program. “Creating a safe work environment not only means following established work rules but also following the rules on drug use and alcohol misuse.”

Employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol are five times more likely to injure themselves or others in the workplace, according to OSHA. Additionally, a substance abuser may face criminal charges, civil suits or unemployment.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations mandate testing of DART’s 2,600 safety-sensitive employees. In 2003, DART modified its substance abuse

policy to reflect changes in the FTA’s regulations. At that time, DART specified that in addition to the FTA requirements, even employees who do not perform safety-sensitive functions are subject to drug and alcohol testing under certain circumstances. You can read DART’s substance abuse policies in Chapter 8 of the Administrative Employment Manual and Chapter 10 of the Hourly Employment Manual.The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to all employees and

their families to assist with substance abuse issues. Employees are encouraged to contact the EAP at 1-866-EAP-2400.

To further promote awareness, each month DART installs posters with messages about the negative impacts of misuse of drugs and alcohol in break rooms at all facilities. In addition, a new “Substance Abuse Program” drop-down has been added to the “SAFETY” navigation button on DARTnet.

ONLINE REPORTINg TOOL MAKES IT EASY

When in Doubt, Report It

EmployEE AssistAncE progrAm

877-616-835124 hours a day, 7 days a week

Confidential counseling for you and your eligible dependents. Up to eight

free visits with a counselor, per issue.

When you are logged into DARTnet, the navigation button to the far right, just before the “LOGOUT” option, is “SAFETY.” Click that, and the first option available is to “report a new safety issue.” This option brings up a simple form that will route the report automatically. It even allows for an uploaded photo.

Safety-related issues can be of any size or level of importance. Some examples include missing or damaged signage at a crossing or safety equipment on a vehicle, or improperly stored or labeled hazardous materials. The key is to identify whether the issue immediately endangers patrons or staff.

For example, a damaged bus stop bench or shelter may be reported to the Passenger Amenities Help Desk, via DARTnet Service Request or by phone at 214-928-6259. However, a malfunctioning railroad crossing signal is a serious safety risk requiring a call to DART Police at 214-928-6300 or 911. “If someone is unsure if they should report it, I prefer they report it,” said Henry Hartberg, director of operations safety. “It is better to report something that may be hazardous and it is not, then to not report something and have someone get injured.”

The safety hazard identification workflow recently included reports such as speeding in the 1401 Pacific garage, the need to increase ventilation in a work area, and a suggestion about how to move vehicles in the shop more easily. The “Identified Safety Hazards” dropdown option on DARTnet shows what already has been reported so duplicate reports are not submitted. However, employees may add to an existing report via a new workflow.

Any DART employee can view a report’s status and steps being taken to mitigate the issue. The routing begins with the employee’s supervisor. If a supervisor cannot handle the issue, he or she may escalate the case to Safety Operations, which then decides to implement mitigation, determines that no action is required, or forwards the issue to the appropriate safety committee.

BATTLINg SuBSTANcE ABuSE

Getting Help

Support Available for Stress

Safety lapses are sometimes attributable to stress or issues at home that leave an employee distracted, depressed or emotionally drained. That is why DART offers all employees access to trained counselors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The experts help employees deal with a wide range of work- and non-work-related difficulties.

The EAP offers free, confidential assessments, short-term counseling and referral services for employees and their dependents. Contact with EAP and the information discussed is not shared with DART.

Employees have submitted approximately 16 safety hazard work flows in 2013.

(From left) Karen Brinkley, substance abuse specialist, and Diane Northrop, manager of the substance abuse program, post information to remind employees of the dangers of substance abuse.

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The annual Employee Engagement Survey asks employees if they feel exposed to work-related accidents in their workplace. According to the 2012 results, two-thirds of respondents say they do not feel exposed to this threat.

“Our bus and rail personnel attend quarterly safety meetings where we not only share information with our people, but also invite them to let us know about issues of concern,” said Jennifer Frost, manager of transportation employee programs. “Additionally, we give out our safety awards.”

Every six months, senior leaders are asked to select a representative from their staffs for President/Executive Director Gary Thomas’ employee meetings. Fifteen to 20 people meet in Thomas’ executive conference room at one of two sessions. While some come with topics suggested by co-workers, Thomas also steers the conversation toward important issues, such as safety.

At the May 15 session, bus drivers said their use of the safety shield depends on the time of day or route. Rail operators noted that while they are more isolated from harm in their cabs, they cannot see everything happening across the length of the trains. As a result, they depend on DART Police and Fare Enforcement Officers to provide customers the presence that helps them feel safe. There was lively discussion about how to better share information during service interruptions.

“The variable message boards and public address systems on the platforms and transit centers have helped us get word out to our riders and also employees when something goes wrong,” said Vice President of Transportation Tim Newby. “Yet enhancing communications is something that will always get our attention because there is always room for improvement.”

As a result of these programs, DART has achieved an unprecedented low injury accident rate. Since the mid-1990s, our construction projects have exceeded 40 million man-hours (nearly 17 million man-hours on Phase II alone). “We’ve created a culture that promotes a high level of safety awareness that permeates every aspect or element of work being performed,” said John G. Gault, senior manager of construction safety and security, who has

DART has been in building mode for 30 years. That translates into a wealth of lessons learned on what it takes to construct a safe, reliable system.

“With a multimodal system the size of DART, you have to build safety into everything you do. It cannot be an afterthought, because there are too many elements that have to work together,” said Assistant Vice President of Quality & Safety Debra Hebisen. “Fortunately, we have a team of very talented and experienced people who do such a good job that DART is considered one of the benchmarks in transit construction excellence.”

While Hebisen’s team members report to Tim McKay, executive vice president of growth, she emphasized that their duties must be fulfilled independent of consultants and contractor staff.

“We monitor and audit every element of construction to ensure everyone complies with processes and procedures. In addition, we put in place processes to monitor adherence to budget and other performance metrics,” Hebisen said. “Therefore, we must be able to be objective and ensure our internal project managers and their outside contractors understand that we have ultimate oversight on their meeting stringent safety and other criteria.”

While it is called the Rail Program Development (RPD) safety program, it actually integrates construction safety and security elements into all aspects of DART’s capital projects. This means design, installation, integration and testing for commuter rail, light rail, bus, DART Police, HOV, paratransit and other facilities and systems.

SAFETY cONcERNS gET OuR ATTENTION

We Listen gREAT RESuLTS cOME FROM FOcuS AND EFFORT

Safe by Design

been with the agency since 1997. With continual systematic refinements, he and his team have lowered our worker comp costs associated with injuries from $1.31 per man-hour worked on the Light Rail Starter System to an impressive $0.04 per man-hour worked on the LRT Phase II build-out. “Not only do these results compare very favorably to published national averages and achieve departmental goals, they also elevate our integrated construction safety and security program to world-class status,” Hebisen said.

Our results have led to local acclaim as well. At the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association’s Eighth Annual Day of the Construction Worker Awards, Gault earned the top award. His attitude and low number of OSHA recordable mishaps were cited – but touted even more was his management style. The recognition highlighted Gault’s philosophy of collaboration and reinforcement of positive behavior. It noted that he has worked with more than 40,000 construction workers, often in the harsh Texas construction

Components of the RPD include:

•EmployeescreeningandIDbadging •Safetyeducationandtraining(bilingual) •Comprehensiveon-sitejobsafety assessments •Readinessdrills(integratedtesting andsystemsreliability) •ConstructionSafety&SecurityAdvisory Committeemeetings•Comprehensiveindustrial,construction and system element safety programs and plans•Liaisonwithregional,federal,state and city officials

Luke Chisenhall, Oscar Chavez, John G. Gault and Debra Hebisen are in one of the classrooms at DART’s Safety Education and Training Facility, where thousands of employees have been trained.

Agree/strongly agree

Disagree/strongly disagree

66%

34%

You do not feel exposed to work-related accidents in your environment

getting people Back on the JobIf workers do get hurt or injured, DART tries to ensure they get the medical care that gets them back on the job. The 504 Medical Care Program (MCP), launched in January 2011, provides injured employees access to a dedicated network of physicians and more than 70 specialists. The 504 MCP seems to have contributed greatly to the goal of helping employees return to work.

“Our lost days declined 39 percent the first year we had this program and 48 percent the second year, said James Duff, manager of lost time programs. “Because we are getting employees back to work so quickly and safely, we’ve seen a decrease in our claim costs. We saw our costs go down 39 and 11 percent those first two years, respectively.”

Demond Blanton, project manager of lost time, added: “People want to do the job they were hired to do. Since implementing the 504 MCP, we see more employees being able to immediately return to full duty after they obtain medical treatment for their injuries. As a result, DART has seen a 32 percent decrease in the number of alternative or modified assignment requests.”

James Duff, manager of lost time programs, and his team help employees get back to work quickly and safely.

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environment, and succeeded in fostering a work experience where workers promote and demonstrate positive safety habits. Impressively, his co-worker, OscarChavez, safety manager, also was nominated for the award, further establishing DART as a safety-focused agency.

safety testing is continualDART’s rigorous testing methodology ensures that a newly built system is ready to go online and then is maintained for safe operation.

“As a part of Tim McKay’s team, my team and I work with internal and external parties to ensure our facilities are safe when we build and operate them,” said LukeChisenhall, acting assistant vice president of systems integration. “That means everything

from contemplating evacuation routes, fire suppression, lighting and fencing to the millions of big and little things that contribute to a safe experience for our riders, employees and anyone who comes in contact with our many facilities.”

With every new opening, DART conducts readiness drills with the fire departments to familiarize them with rail safety. The drills include a variety of scenarios; we evaluate the response and suggest ways to improve on their own safety first as a way to better provide safety for our personnel and the public.

Added GonzaloBriones, manager of rail startup and operations support, “Our efforts continue after we have opened the new line sections by providing ongoing training, familiarization

or retraining to all emergency responders in conjunction with our transit police.”

Keeping our customers safeWhen this agency built and launched the starter rail system, it faced major education hurdles. North Texans knew little about light rail trains. DART taught them about safety around both construction sites and moving trains.

“Early on, we had so many misconceptions to clear up,” saidJudson(Lawrence)Meshack, senior manager of community affairs. “For example, we were asked if there were going to be any people operating the train and if our vehicles would be zipping up and down Lancaster Road at high speeds through school zones. So we had to explain

we would have operators who would be driving with care through all areas.”

Even as we reach DART’s 30th anniversary, we are still educating citizens about our service. Every year, we do safety presentations at hundreds of schools, senior

centers and elsewhere. This effort has a dedicated staff member, JessicaLennon, manager of education outreach.

“Our goal is simple,” Lennon said. “We want to educate the community and shape attitudes and behaviors that will save lives.”

constant communicationsWe also educate customers each day using communications tools such as our variable message boards, public address system, Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels, which are managed by Morgan Lyons, director of media relations.

In late 2011, we added two positions that allow us to be faster in our communications during service disruptions. Xavier Harrell and Paula Paggi office within dispatch and report to Lyons to provide immediate and seamless coordination of vital messages to our customers.

gREAT RESuLTS cOME FROM FOcuS AND EFFORT

Safe by Design Recognizing Safe Performance

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One of the honored traditions at DART is the annual Transportation Department Awards Ceremony. Transportation employees who operate a full calendar year without a preventable accident, and who meet other criteria, earn an Efficiency Award. From that group, both bus and rail “Operators of the Year” are presented with a special plaque, a $250 check, and a bus side and windscreen featuring their photos touting their safe vehicle operation achievement. Their photos also are displayed in a trophy case at headquarters. For 2012, South Oak Cliff’s Herbert Wilson, a 22-year veteran, earned top Bus honors, followed by SOC’s Merced Lira, East Dallas’ EddieLangand RicardoMoncada, SOC. RicardoCruz was named Operator of the Year in Rail, edging out CROF colleagues Adolphus Armstrong, JohnMannGardnerII and FasilYigezu.

The agency recognizes a Station Monitor of the Year, as these employees are integral to helping our customers feel safe. This prestigious title, now in its fifth year as part of the Achievement Awards menu, was bestowed upon ReynaldoVela,Jr.

Also distinguished for contributing to the safety of our system are our Million Mile team members. These impressive operators drive in urban traffic long enough to turn a million miles without a preventable accident. They are identifiable by a custom leather jacket and special epaulets with gold stars.

Herbert Wilson was named the 2012 Bus Operator of the Year for his safe driving habits. He was joined on the podium by (from left) Jesse Oliver, deputy executive director; Carol Wise, EVP and chief operating officer; and Tim Newby, VP of transportation.

Since 2006, the Million Mile team has honored 65 operators.(Far right) Jessica Lennon, manager of education outreach, and her team bring in students to learn safety habits around new and existing transit facilities. Also pictured is Tim McKay, executive vice president of growth.

Left to right: Anthony Guerra, Gonzalo Briones and Rubin Lowder were on hand at the opening of the Downtown Rowlett Station to ensure things were operating as needed.

continued

continued from p. 7

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MilestonesEMPLOYMENT REcOgNITION

Anniversaries: May 1-June 30, 2013 (Based on Adjusted Date of Hire)

35 Years

RonaldBanksBus Operator

Donald KentBus Services Supervisor I

30 Years

DarialEptingBus Operations Assistant Manager

ChesterHallTraining Assistant Manager

Darrell Tims Rail Operator

JohnTrojacekLead Central Support Mechanic

25 Years

John Bailey Rail Central Support Mechanic

Brenda Boatwright PA/Facilities Services Manager

Festus Oyewole Bus Mechanic

Frank ScheduleBus Mechanic

James Stanford Bus Mechanic

20 Years

RobertGarciaBus Operator

RonWilderPolice Sergeant

15 Years

Kimberly BellStation Monitor

EndyBrownTransportation Station Office Supervisor II

Paul D’Aloisio Senior Assistant General Counsel

MichaelEvansMobility Management Specialist

Samuel Harkless Bus Operator

Jerry Jackson Police Officer

RhondaKizziaContract Compliance Field Supervisor

Arthur Nieto Logistics Planner

ReynaldoVela,Jr.Station Monitor

Wayne Walston Police Officer

10 Years

RajuGeorgeHOV Operator

RashondaLovePolice Corporal

Kelvin Mew Fare Equipment Mechanic

RandyRichardsHOV Operator

TimothyRodabaughLRV Mechanic

ChristopherWinchBus Mechanic

5 Years

VelisaBaldwinBus Operator

Mark BallMedia Representative

James Bell Field Inspector I

Betty Bird Shared Services Director

LakeshaBowmanBus Operator

LaDonnaBushAccount Executive

LukeChisenhallActing Assistant Vice President of Systems Integration

MandiChurchInternal Auditor III

Doris Danies Bus Operator

Janice Davis Administrative Clerk

LidaDosserIT Project Manager I

JoshuaEddingsBus Mechanic

YanettGonzalezReprographics Coordinator I

Jacqueline Goodman Bus Operator

Amanda Gregory Police Coordinator

Jeffrey HaynesEnvironmental Compliance Projects Manager

Tad Heimburger Environmental Compliance Projects Manager

Bryan Hubbell Police Officer

Shawn JacksonRail Operator

Obed Joe Electronics Technician

RobertKendrickBus Operator

LoisLovingsLegal Assistant

Masresha Manyagidew Servicer

CharlesMathisBus Operator

Tesfatsion Mengesha HOV Operator

ImmaculataNgwubeAdministrative Clerk

Daniel Noyola Bus Mechanic

MagalyRodriguezLegal Secretary III

ManuelRodriguezBody Mechanic

Samuel Sheckler Bus Mechanic

Aleka Simmons Marketing Advertising Representative

LarrySlatenElectronic Support Technician

Brenda Smith Assistant to Government Relations VP

RandySteedElectronics Technician

RobertSteeleBus Operator

EdwardStewartBus Operator

Juan Tafoya Passenger Amenities Mechanic

ChristineVillaPolice Coordinator

Denise Williams Assistant to Fleet Services Senior Manager

Federico Zambrano LRV Structural Mechanic

Open Enrollment

* Please see DARTnet for the full schedule or call the People Line, 214-749-3239.

Make Benefits Work for You!

OpEn EnROllmEnt SESSIOnS

Maximizing Your Benefits

HAnDS-On ASSIStAnCE * October7–31SAtuRDAY FAmIlY SESSIOnS*October1910 a.m. – 4 p.m., East Dallas DivisionOctober2610 a.m. – 4 p.m., Northwest Division

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the official employee newsletter of

DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT

Nevin Grinnell Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer

MorganLyons Media Relations Director

ElenaRohweder Manager, Communications

Don Gililland

Publications Specialist

Thomas Santana Designer

Denise Johnson

Manager, Customer Information/Production

TatyBenavidez Production/Distribution Supervisor

Joe Swift Photography Albert Johnston

LupeHernandez ElenaRohweder

Photographers

VisitDARTnetorwww.DART.org for the latest news and events.

Our entire bus owes a debt of gratitude to

(East Dallas Operator) Sean Sweatt.

When another vehicle veered into our lane at

Lawnview Station, he was able to maneuver

us to safety with only seconds to spare.

– Demetric Williams, Dallas

What awesome and sincere customer service I

received from (Customer Care Representative)

Sandra Tinsley! She was more than

courteous, she was an attentive, concerned

listener, who was able to resolve my problem

on the spot. I was expecting barely adequate

help, but instead got 5-star treatment!

– Bruce Boyea, Wylie

In addition to his many other attributes,

(Northwest Bus Operator) Ramon Taylor is

especially sensitive to passengers making transfer

connections. When arriving at a station or

transit center, he does all he can to get the other

operators’ attention. No one likes those long waits

between buses, and the extra effort is appreciated.

– Patrick Penaherrera, Addison

I have a huge amount of respect for (Station

Monitor) Marshall Woodyard, who encounters

all sorts of difficult situations every day and

somehow handles each one like a champ.

– Edward Roman, Dallas

We know your bus operators are taught

to stay cool under fire, but (SOCBOF’s)

Matthew Carlisle took it to a new level

recently. When his fare box started smoking

and emitting a foul odor, he kept his

passengers calm while trying to secure a

replacement bus. The man deserves a raise.

– Michael Desharn, Dallas

I am new to the area and couldn’t have

found a more helpful person to show me

around than (Customer Information

Representative) Juan Hernandez. He’s an

employee you really need to hold on to.

– Leeann Cason, Dallas

(East Dallas Bus Operator) Bertha Lucas

has it all. She’s almost always on time

(school zones and all), wears a constant

smile, and seems to sincerely enjoy her

job, even when it includes driving in the

Interstate 30 HOV lane. She deserves a pat

on the back from all of us who love her!

– Natalie Blankenship, Dallas

This morning was my first experience with

DART since arriving from Brooklyn, N.Y.,

and it started out in utter confusion. Then,

thanks to (Transportation Field Supervisor I)

Daryl Martin’s assistance, I was able to

get the right bus to reach Red Bird Transit

Center and the day ended happily.

– Simone Lance, DeSoto

This eyewitness saw (Northwest Bus Operator)

Anthony Petty, Sr. go totally out of his way

to help a lost young passenger find the proper

connection at the new Belt Line Station when

he could have easily ignored the situation. Such

an act of kindness should not go unnoticed.

– Stan Simmons, Irving

Informative, on time, professional, neat

in appearance. Those words all describe

(SOCBOF Bus Operator) Roger

McGlothon, truly an asset to DART.

– Lloyd Brown, Dallas

Police Officer Stacy Glover is one pleasant and

courteous individual. We on the Orange Line

look forward to her boarding the train every day.

– Joni Clinkscales, Dallas

I’ve never seen a bus operator as into her

customers as (East Dallas’) Leona Authier.

Her personality keeps the passengers

laughing and happy all the time. She knows

all their stops and sometimes even has to

remind them when it’s time to get off.

– Lorette Buckner, Plano

Just a note to say how much I enjoy the new

minivans operated by (Mobility Management

Services). The ride is much smoother than the

larger vans and are very much appreciated.

– Samuel De La Garza, Dallas

No wonder (Northwest’s) Raul Abarca

wins all those awards. He’s just the best

bus operator ever. He used to be on my

route, but was moved elsewhere. And

I’m not the least bit happy about it!

– Rebecca Rather, Dallas

PRAISE FROM OuR PASSENgERS

Commendations

132-012-413 TS