19 CUTA Members Earn Public Transit Awards

The Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) earlier this month presented 19 organizations and individuals with Public Transit Awards for demonstrating “the greatest impact within the communities they serve.”

CUTA celebrated their achievements at 2023 awards ceremony held Nov. 15 in Edmonton, Alberta, according to the association, whose members include Canadian transit systems; private transportation operators; manufacturers and suppliers; and transit industry thought leaders and academics from coast to coast.

And the winners are:

Individual Awards

• The Excellence Award, recognizing “major contributions that improved public transit,” went to Cathy Benjamin-Ostrander of AECOM. She earned the award for “her extensive involvement in industry associations, leadership roles in various organizations, and promoting inclusivity and education throughout the transportation sector,” CUTA reported.

• The Young Leaders Award, recognizing “young and talented emerging leaders entering the sector (35 or younger),” was given to:

—Étienne Le Pironnec of the Société de transport de Montréal “for his role in building partnerships with Polytechnique de Montréal to develop data-driven initiatives and optimize team performance,” CUTA reported.

—Kevan Marshall of Grand River Transit “for his role in exceptional project management, leading to the success of Grand River Transit’s U-Pass, critical transit-supporting infrastructure, and Grand River Transit’s TravelWise campaign,” according to CUTA.

—Stephen Bacchus of the City of Mississauga, “a key figure in the transit industry,” for overseeing asset management and “playing a crucial role in Mississauga’s transition to electric vehicles,” CUTA reported.

• The Heroism Award was presented to Peter Dabrowski of the City of Mississauga “for exceptional bravery, compassion and dedication to the community during an incident that saved a life,” according to CUTA.

• The Edward J. Dowling Distinguished Service Award, recognizing individuals in the industry “who have demonstrated superior and outstanding service over a period of 10 years,” was given to Eddie Robar of the City of Edmonton. For more 20 years, Robar has led “transformative improvements for multiple public transit agencies across Canada,” according to CUTA. “His work includes developing strategic plans, redesigning transit networks, transitioning to eco-friendly fleets, and enhancing the rider experience.”

• The William G. Ross Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing exceptional service for at least 25 years, went to:

—Dennis Fletcher of Dennis Fletcher & Associates. Fletcher, who will be inducted into the CUTA Hall of Fame, earned the award “for dedicating his career to the public transit industry.” According to the association, his work has spanned nearly 100 municipalities across Canada and 20 U.S. states, encompassing a wide range of communities and project scopes. CUTA said Fletcher “is renowned for service planning and championing transit accessibility.”

—Alex Milojevic of the City of Brampton. Milojevic, who will be inducted into the CUTA Hall of Fame, was recognized for more than 30 years of public transit service. The association said he played “a key role” in expanding and modernizing Brampton Transit, including leading bus rapid transit and fleet electrification projects. Additionally, he oversaw “a significant growth of transit ridership and contributed to Canada’s transit industry through his leadership on CUTA and OPTA boards,” CUTA said.

Corporate Awards

• The Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award recognizes initiatives, programs, and outreach undertaken by businesses, transit systems, and/or their municipal owners, committed to inclusive, accessible, diverse workplaces and communities. CUTA presented the award to:

—Société de transport de Montréal for offering a mobile app that provides real-time updates for elevator and escalator status as well as a route calculator. According to CUTA, the release coincided with National Accessibility Week and Quebec Disability Awareness Week.

—Toronto Transit Commission for its partnership with Special Olympics Ontario and “actively engaging with athletes and their families,” CUTA said.

—TransLink for its Travel Training for Newcomers Program, which CUTA said offers “workshops and hands-on experience with buses and SkyTrain stations, multilingual travel training videos, and translated guides.”

—Alstom for the Alstom Rainbow Train Initiative, “raising awareness for LGBTQ+ issues through a virtual Pride Parade for North America.” The primary objectives of the initiative “were to create dialogue and engagement around LGBTQ+ pride, awareness of challenges faced by this community, while mobilizing allies and fostering inclusion,” according to Alstom. “A secondary but important objective was to create an event aligned with Alstom’s mission, vision and values, representative Alstom’s work in sustainable mobility.” Commented Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas and Executive Sponsor for the Alstom True Colors Employee Resource Group: “Our commitment to inclusion is imbedded in our values, and embodied by projects like the Rainbow Train. We proudly accept the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award, and thank the association for helping elevate transit excellence and innovation in Canada.”

• The Environmental Sustainability Award was presented to:

—Alstom for its demonstration of the Coradia iLint™, “the first hydrogen-powered train journey in North America with zero direct carbon emissions, powered by clean hydrogen,” CUTA said. The train carried more than 10,000 riders in a demonstration project in Quebec from mid-June to the end of September 2023 on the Réseau Charlevoix rail network along the Saint-Lawrence River. “This summer, we demonstrated that hydrogen trains can be an attractive, safe and viable alternative to diesel on non-electrified lines and that Alstom can do it right here in North America,” Michael Keroullé said. “We proudly accept the 2023 CUTA Environmental Sustainability Award, and thank the association for helping elevate transit innovation and excellence in Canada.”

—Société de transport de Montréal “for deploying the largest network of bus preferential measures (BPM) to encourage the choice of sustainable modes of transportation over single occupancy vehicles,” according to CUTA.

• The Innovation Award, earned for “excellence in using technology to make services more efficient,” was presented to Saskatoon Transit. According to CUTA, the agency was recognized “for using artificial Intelligence for predictive vehicle maintenance.”

• The Marketing and Communications Award was presented to the following agencies “for excellence in advertising, corporate communications, or public relations”:

—Toronto Transit Commission was recognized for its “Be Essential” campaign, which CUTA said was used to recruit for more than 1,000 open positions.

—TransLink was recognized for its “What’s the T with Jawn Jang” podcast, which CUTA said fostered trust and showcased transit’s value within the community.

—BC Transit was recognized for its “Get on Board” campaign, which allows children 12 and under to ride for free. According to CUTA, the agency also introduced BusReady, a youth-focused brand, offering online tools and in-school programs, “making learning about BC’s buses fun.”

—Société de transport de Montréal was recognized for engaging with new audiences through TikTok and becoming “the most followed transportation company in North America on the platform, gathering over 60,000 followers in just seven months,” according to CUTA.