Title
To acknowledge and congratulate the Central Ohio Transit Authority for winning the Grand Champion Award at the 40th Annual American Public Transportation Association's International Bus Rodeo on May 5, 2015.
Body
Whereas, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is the regional public transit provider for Greater Columbus and Central Ohio; and
Whereas, over 1,200,000 residents fall within the Central Ohio Transit Authority's service area and over 19,000,000 rides are provided by COTA, annually; and
Whereas, the American Public Transportation Association held its annual International Bus Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas to determine which team of bus operators and mechanics from around the globe could display their safe driving and vehicle maintenance skills in a competition format; and
Whereas, the Grand Champion Award is bestowed upon the transit system team with the highest combined bus operator and maintenance team score; and
Whereas, the Central Ohio Transit Authority was represented by driver Howard Yoder, who took second place in the 35-foot bus competition, and the maintenance team of Tom Belcher, Don Readnour and Steve Woods, who placed first in the HVAC maintenance competition to give the COTA team the highest combined team score; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
That this Council does hereby congratulate the Central Ohio Transit Authority and Messrs. Yoder, Belcher, Readnour and Woods for distinguishing themselves as the all-around world champions of bus driving and maintenance, and call upon our citizens to join in promoting responsible environmental and resource stewardship and help us renew our commitment to riding public transit in 2015 and the years to come.