Skip to main content

NJ TRANSIT NJ TRANSIT

BUS OPERATORS, SUPPORT STAFF EARN SAFETY AWARDS

More than 80 Drivers Recognized For Protecting, Serving Customers

NEWARK, NJ, MAY 6, 2003 - NJ TRANSIT recently presented 82 bus operators with Safe Driving Awards for putting safety first throughout their careers.

Hilton Garage of Maplewood boasted 15 award-winning operators to lead all other NJ TRANSIT facilities. Newton Avenue Garage of Camden (nine award recipients), Egg Harbor Township Garage (seven), Ironbound Garage of Newark (seven) and Hamilton Township Garage (six) also made the short list.

Individually, bus operator Lemuel Breidenstain of Ironbound Garage (Newark), and resident of Roselle Park, has maintained a safe driving record for 41 years, a level of consistency that has gone unmatched.

The Corporation also recognized locations with its maintenance divisions for their outstanding safety achievements. For transportation, the Washington Twp., Howell and Market Street (Paterson) garages won the safety award. For maintenance, Big Tree (Nutley), Meadowlands (North Bergen) and Newton Avenue (Camden) garages were recognized. The Southern Division Body Shop won in the “Support Group” category.

“In varying degrees, our employees have been entrusted to protect and serve our customers,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director George D. Warrington. “For years and, in some cases, decades, these award-winning men and women have helped keep countless customers safe as they went about their lives. At the end of the day, a safe ride is another trip home.”

The following operators won the 2002 Safe Driving Award for 35-plus years of safe driving:

  • Lemuel Breidenstain, Roselle Park (Ironbound)
  • Jarrett Huggins, Camden (Newton Avenue)

The following operators won the award for 30 years of safe driving:

  • Michael Mudri, Hazlet (Meadowlands)
  • Gordon Davenport, Vernon (Wayne)

The following operators won the award for 20 years of experience:

  • Joseph Blount, Irvington (Hilton)
  • Janet Mc Farlane, E. Orange (Hilton)
  • Carmine DeLucia, Guttenberg (Fairview)
  • Samuel Jefferson, Paterson (Market Street)
  • Guillermo Calderon, Fairlawn (Oradell)
  • Nathan Burnett, Pleasantville (Egg Harbor Twp.)
  • Felix Eleazer, Pleasantville (Egg Harbor Twp.)
  • Ken Czyzyk, Bordentown (Hamilton Twp.)
  • George Taylor, Trenton (Hamilton Twp.)
  • Willie Ward, Browns Mills (Hamilton Twp.)
  • Milton Poles, Williamstown (Washington Twp.)
  • Thomas Witts, Marlton (Washington Twp.)
  • Alan Marshall, Cherry Hill (Newton Avenue)
  • Frank Wolf, Pennsauken (Newton Avenue)
  • Donald Boothroyd, Erial (Newton Avenue)
  • Andres Plaza, Chesilhurst (Newton Avenue)
  • Clifford Blackwell, Adelphia (Howell)
  • Richard Cherry, Irvington (Ironbound)
  • Joseph Crotty, Elizabeth (Ironbound)
  • Joseph Mish, Glen Gardner (Ironbound)
  • Claude King, Plainfield (Ironbound)
  • Loraine Jones, Newark (City Subway)

The following operators won the award with 10 years of experience:

  • Frank Kelly, Willingboro (Big Tree)
  • Dorothy Paulsen, Teaneck (Big Tree)
  • Ronald Hughes, Paterson (Big Tree)
  • Tyrone Bradshaw, Newark (Big Tree)
  • Patricia Mills, Newark (Big Tree)
  • Patricia Charles, Newark (Hilton)
  • Donald Boose, Irvington (Hilton)
  • Joaquin Diaz, Irvington (Hilton)
  • Diambois Dorlean, Irvington (Hilton)
  • Willie Easter, E. Orange, (Hilton)
  • Dudley Edwards, No. Brunswick (Hilton)
  • Don Johnson, Parlin (Hilton)
  • Rorey Johnson, Union (Hilton)
  • Elaine Kennedy, Hackettstown (Hilton)
  • Carol Pierre, No. Brunswick (Hilton)
  • Dennis Powell, Union (Hilton)
  • Sandra Slaten, Newark (Hilton)
  • Michael Williams, Plainfield (Hilton)
  • John Kratz, New Milford, (Fairview)
  • Miguel Sanchez, Newark (Market Street)
  • Saul Marquez, Lodi (Market Street)
  • Jesus Ferrera, W. New York (Meadowlands)
  • Alton Highsmith, Jersey City (Meadowlands)
  • Gerald Smith, Jersey City (Meadowlands)
  • Roy Ellison, Newark (Meadowlands)
  • Gelson Duque, Clifton (Oradell)
  • Joseph Cohen, Paterson (Oradell)
  • Errol Rivers, E. Stroudsburg, Pa. (Oradell)
  • Alejandro Delacruz, Paterson (Oradell)
  • Victor Carbonell, Passaic (Wayne)
  • Arthur Jones, Jersey City (Wayne)
  • Juan Avila, Passaic (Wayne)
  • Anna Bazemore, Galloway (Egg Harbor Twp.)
  • Edward Hyman, Pleasantville (Egg Harbor Twp.)
  • Harmon Murphy, Rosenhayn (Egg Harbor Twp.)
  • Javier Perez, Atlantic City (Egg Harbor Twp.)
  • James Hargrave, Pleasantville (Egg Harbor Twp.)
  • Lou Arizmendi, Pennington (Hamilton Twp.)
  • Willie Giddens, Trenton (Hamilton Twp.)
  • Frank Zimmerman, Hamilton Twp. (Hamilton Twp.)
  • Jerome Maser, Somerdale (Washington Twp.)
  • Jeanette Robles, Glassboro (Washington Twp.)
  • Marvin Taylor, Camden (Washington Twp.)
  • Edward Helmes, Audubon (Newton Avenue)
  • James Nash, Maple Shade (Newton Avenue)
  • Geraldine Riddick, Willingboro (Newton Avenue)
  • Douglas Soo, Marlton (Newton Avenue)
  • Fritz Bercy, W. Orange (Orange)
  • Edward Collier, Orange (Orange)
  • Derrick Garland, Easton, Pa. (Orange)
  • Bernice Smith, Jersey City (Orange)
  • Richard Carlino, Lakewood (Howell)
  • Joseph Martello, Toms River (Howell)
  • Beulier Cadet, Linden (Ironbound)
  • Oscar Colbert, Westfield (City Subway)

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing bus, rail and light rail services for 752,600 daily trips on 238 bus routes, two light rail lines and 11 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 160 rail stations, 28 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

###