Public Encouraged To Show Their Appreciation for SMTD Operators
Springfield, IL – The Springfield Mass Transit District (SMTD) is celebrating National Transit Worker Appreciation Day on Friday, March 18th as transit agencies across the nation recognize their workforce publicly.
“Many people in and around Springfield see our buses every day, but most don’t think about the work that goes into operating the buses, maintaining them and making the system operate day-in and day-out,” said Managing Director Frank Squires.
SMTD operates sixteen regular routes Monday through Saturday, twelve supplemental routes for specific areas and hours and five night service routes Monday through Friday, with fifty-seven mainline buses and twenty-two paratransit buses and a staff of over 150 employees, all but about 25 of which are operators, dispatch or maintenance workers. SMTD provides service for over 1.5 million individual trips each year.
“We have great employees that have been named “Unsung Heroes” by Downtown Springfield, Inc.,” Squires added. “Many of our operators that often drive the same routes every day get to know the passengers almost as well as family members, and SMTD’s maintenance department is known throughout Illinois for its quality work. We hope that on Friday, our passengers take a minute to thank their drivers that do their best to get them where they need to go every day.”
Squires said that SMTD will be celebrating with its employees internally as well during the day on Friday. More information on how to appreciate transit employees can be found at www.transitdriverday.org, and passengers and supporters are encouraged to spread the word on social media using hashtags: #SMTDworkerday, #transitworkerday, #thankyoutransitworkers and #SPIlovesstransitworkers.
