In 2021 Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) received a combined six (6) awards at the joint Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA) and Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (FCTD) Conference held October 25-27, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Florida.
MCAT Individual Awards
Operations Superintendent Benita Zarr received recognition for completing the rigorous “FPTA Leadership Development Program,” which is designed to enhance leadership skills and problem-solving. Benita’s Manatee County Government service spans more than 30-years, including leadership positions both as Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) Customer Service Supervisor and Operations Superintendent.
Fleet Technician Elliott Waters received recognition as third place “2021 FPTA Paratransit Technician-of-the-Year.” Elliott is in his first year of service for Manatee County Government, yet demonstrates vast fleet maintenance experience, including a degree in automotive maintenance.
Transit Operator Patricia Adams received recognition as the “2021 FPTA Transit Operator of the Year” award. Patricia currently serves passengers on the Anna Maria Island (AMI) Trolley. In 2013, Patricia received statewide recognition as “Paratransit Operator of the Year” while serving MCAT Handy Bus passengers, and runner-up recognition in 2019 as “FPTA Transit Operator of the Year.”
Transit Operator Janine McDonald received recognition as the “2021 FCTD Paratransit Operator-of-the- Year.” Janine is an outstanding MCG employee since 2017, who consistently displays a caring attitude, and for Janine, no one is just an "ordinary passenger."
Operations Dispatcher Farrah Mack is a member of the MCAT “team” since 2007 and received recognition as the “2021 FCTD Paratransit Dispatcher of the Year.” Farrah served as a Handy Bus operator for many years, and recently transitioned to the Dispatcher role, and manages daily customer service operations.
MCAT Organizational Award
In the FPTA organizational awards category, the MCAT “team” received a second place “2021 FPTA Marketing Award” for the Keeping Manatee Moving promotional video, which demonstrates teammates performing various safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. This video plays on the MCAT onboard Infotainment system to help passengers understand how the transit system continues to operate in a very safe manner and protect the riding public.