RTA Newsletter - October 2012

ISSUE

Upcoming Events: 

RouteMatch conversion in October



RTA will have driver meetings in each county once a month. This is an opportunity for RTA drivers to discuss ideas and concerns



Annual RTA Driver Christmas Party!

Do you have a suggestion or bright idea?

Contact Bridget Bartlett (563-690-5761) for any suggestions or story ideas for the quarterly newsletters!

Connecting People to Life’s Destinations RTA Dubuque, Delaware and Jackson Counties 7600 Commerce Park Dubuque, IA 52002 563-588-4592 1-800-839-5005

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Quarterly Journal of the RTA

October 2012

There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.

John Andrew Holmes Jr.

RTA: News on the Go! This issue Driver Recognition P.1 RouteMatch Conversion P.2 Meet the RTA’s new Transit Manager P.3 Upcoming Events P.4

RTA Driver Receives Spirit Award!

Every year, the Iowa Public Transit Association (IPTA) recognizes exceptional drivers for their outstanding service. One of RTA’s very own drivers, Jean Dalsing, was recognized by IPTA this year in providing a safe and courteous ride for her passengers and providing a safe and courteous work environment for her fellow employees. In addition, Jean was also recognized as the “Most Spirited Driver” at the Baltimore National Roadeo where she represented Iowa and the RTA! Jean’s dedication, love of driving and her strong people skills shined through. With over 70 drivers in attendance, Jean came back to Iowa as the proud owner of the Spirit award!! WAY TO GO JEAN!!

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Meet RTA’s new Transit Manager…..

ECIA/RTA has recently provided all drivers with new name badges.

If you did not receive a new name badge contact Bridget.

RouteMatch Conversion:

Drivers will also all be getting new uniforms with the RTA logo!

If you don't know where you are going you will end up someplace else!

The RTA will be switching to RouteMatch software starting in October. The software will offer many features that we did not have in the past, among those include tracking on time performance, optimizing routes to improve efficiency, and once the mobile data terminals (MDT) are connected, it will allow for real time changes to each drivers schedule. Now, if a passenger calls in to cancel their ride, dispatch can change it in the software and it will show up on an electronic screen in the driver’s bus.

Instead of calling out changes over a two way radio, drivers will now receive those changes electronically! This will help reduce errors and confusion and will also help reduce the amount of paper used by the RTA.

Yogi Berra

L

ori McKinley was recently promoted to Manager of Transit-RTA. Lori has worked in ECIA’s Promise Jobs programs for more than ten years and has supervised the Promise Jobs program for over three years. She brings a great deal of management, supervisory and human service experience to the RTA. Lori has also been the Peer Support person for the Employment and Training Department for the past ten years and has a great deal of computer software and hardware knowledge. Previously she worked as the Assistant Director of Adult and Continuing Education at Clarke College; and as Director of Administration/Campaign for the United Way Services in Dubuque. Lori obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Management/Human Resource Management at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Dubuque.

NEW GARAGE IN DYERSVILLE FOR RTA!

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The RTA has recently signed a lease on a garage in Dyersville located in the industrial park area! Drivers will no longer have to warm up buses in the winter and can keep them in the shade during the summer!

Did you remember to fill out an incident report?

New incident report forms were handed out at the Quarterly Drivers Meeting in August. Don’t forget to fill one out and give to Bridget, Stacie, or Deb.

Did you know?

The Dubuque Street Railway system, founded in early 1868 was the second public transportation system west of the Mississippi and the first of many springing up in Iowa!

These generally involved horse or mule-drawn trolleys running on metal tracks laid in the dirt streets.

They offered operating speeds of just 6 mph.

If we do not plant knowledge when young, we will have no shade when old.

Lord Chesterfield

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