Annual Awards Recognize Statewide Excellence in Public Transit
Presented by the Transportation Association of Maryland

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Stevensville, MD - The Transportation Association of Maryland (TAM), a statewide organization dedicated to improving the mobility of all Maryland citizens, hosted its Annual Excellence Awards Ceremony during its Annual Conference (Sept. 20-22) for transportation providers, vendors and non-profits at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville, MD.

TAM’s Annual Awards Ceremony took place Wednesday, September 21, honoring organizations and individuals in the following categories: Friend of Transit; Outstanding Marketing Program; Outstanding Leadership; Unsung Transit Hero; Outstanding Non-Profit Agency; Outstanding Transit System; and Driver of the Year. 

Presented by Awards Committee Chair Tangela Carthy (EasterSeals), and sponsored by Vector Media, the following individuals and agencies were honored and presented awards alongside Terry Garcia Crews, Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration; Travis Johnston, Director, Office of Local Transit Support, Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration; Jeff Barnett, Board President, TAM; and John Duklewski, Executive Director, TAM:

Friend of Transit: MDOT MTA Office of Local Transit Support

Our 2022 Friend of Transit winner is the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration’s Office of Local Transit Support, or OLTS, as they are known by our members. Under the leadership of Travis Johnston, and with the stalwart assistance of the regional planners and other OLTS staff, they have worked every year to strengthen community transportation in Maryland. They are not only a partner for our members, they are a friend – of all Transit. 

Outstanding Marketing Program: Harford Transit LINK

Harford Transit LINK truly stood out from the crowd, with dynamic use of technology, website, bus advertising, TV & radio ads, as well as traditional community outreach to showcase their agency and its services. Their overall marketing push was both comprehensive and progressive, informing and alerting their customers (and potential customers) in an efficient and effective way. They provide a model for how a mid-size community transit agency can leverage technology and traditional marketing methods to create a truly exceptional program.

Outstanding Leadership: Roman Steichen, TransIT Services of Frederick County

Our 2022 Outstanding Leadership Award winner became Director of TransIT Services of Frederick County in 2020, but he’s been working in the transit world since 2004, as a driver and a manager. Roman undertook to make changes in the workplace culture that people actually liked and participated in, which is no small achievement in and of itself. By engaging the ideas and insights of the people he worked with, he built trust and engagement in his organization. Under his guidance, the local Meals on Wheels program saw a 20% increase in the number of people served from March 1 to May 30 of 2020 alone. He also took the lead in partnering with the local Health Department to create a mobile vaccination clinic, making sure that hundreds of local residents were vaccinated against COVID.

Unsung Transit Hero: Jodi Glock, Harford Transit LINK

Jodi is an integral part of not only of her own Transit agency, but ofTAM as well. She is a true advocate for sustainable public transportation and funding and her passion for helping others through public transit service shines in her everyday work. During her five and half years of service with her agency, she has exceeded the job performance expectations, saved the county more than $29.6 million, secured over $7 million in federal and state grants, and spearheaded the design and construction of new passenger shelters. And it’s a sign of her enormous integrity and thoroughness that audits have never uncovered any sort of error or issue. 

She is always encouraging her associates to grow and develop, pointing them toward educational and development resources so that their own careers can take off and blossom. Everyone knows she has their best interests at heart, and she consistently goes above and beyond in helping others in any way possible.

Outstanding Non-Profit Agency: Harford Center

For over 60 years, The Harford Center has provided services and supports to adults with developmental disabilities. They promote dignity, safety, stability, choice, and community integration. Their goal is to ensure that all the individuals they support are integrated into the community through social activities, volunteering, employment, and recreation.  

Drivers go through rigorous training to provide the best service to those who need extra care. All drivers are DOT certified and attend annual safety training. Last year, their staff drove over 300,000 miles to serve those in their community, and in FY22 took over 2,600 community trips. The pandemic did not slow them down; the continued to provide the same service while making sure passengers were safe and healthy, and keeping the strictest health protocols. The Harford Center has received ORION’s safety in driving award every year since 2016. Their mission of safety and community integration, and providing quality care with compassion and skill, is a credit to all nonprofits. 

Outstanding Transit System: Prince George’s County TheBus

TAM’s mission is to strengthen community transportation in Maryland, and we do this with the assistance and cooperation of our members like Prince George's County TheBus. This isn’t the first time that they have won an award, and it is well deserved once again. In the wake of the pandemic and the lockdown, this system has thrived and continued to progress in many ways that deserve recognition. They have refused to slow down! 

They’ve expanded the video-based safety program SmartDrive to all transit vehicles, helping to eliminate accidents, save time, and reduce fuel consumption and operational costs. They have also continued to follow extraordinary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID and other diseases that are now a fact of life. 

This system launched their “Proud to Charge” initiative, with a goal of creating a healthier environment and enhancing access to transit. This agency has added four electric buses to their fleet, with more on the way. This will give a boost to county residents to enter the blossoming world of sustainability tech maintenance. The county’s plans include moving from diesel buses to zero-emission electric buses, install a solar powered microgrid system, installing bus chargers at various locations, renovate the existing garage to allow for electric buses and their maintenance, and implement related skill development and training opportunities. 

Driver of the Year: Jaime Holloway, Prince George’s County TheBus

Drivers are truly the most important part of everything we do. Without drivers, there is no public transit, so it is fitting we take this time to honor the most deserving of them. Jaime Holloway is not just another driver. She is a vital part of the community and a lifesaver. 

She’s been driving for over fourteen years. She’s a native of her County and always has a smile and a good word for all her passengers. She looks out for their safety and well-being. She’s not only a driver, but a shining example of what community transportation is and how it serves.

A shining example is how Jamie was approached by the family of a missing young woman and provided with a photo. She recognized her as an occasional passenger to whom she had offered food and water, and kept an eye open for her. Later, this driver found the young lady in a station, and alerted both the girl’s family and local authorities. The girl was safely returned to her family and is healing physically and mentally from her ordeal.

With over 250 registered attendees and 30 exhibitors in 2022, TAM's Annual Conference is considered the premiere networking event, hands-on training, and trade show for Maryland transit providers, human service organizations, and vendors.