Kingston, NY, – The Mid-Hudson Transportation Supervisors Association (MHTSA) has named Ethan Allen Transportation school bus driver Andrea Whittaker “2016 Ulster County Bus Driver of the Year.” The award, which recognizes Whittaker’s dedication to her profession, was presented in conjunction with Operation Safe Stop Day, a program that brings together local school districts and law enforcement agencies to cooperate on ticketing motorists who illegally pass school buses that are stopped to pick up or drop off school children.
“On this day when our focus across New York State is on the safe transport of young people,” noted MHTSA President Ronald Mackey, “it gives me great pleasure to say ‘thank you’ to one school bus driver who for more than 25 years has played a significant role in the lives of our local students. We applaud Andrea Whittaker for her outstanding service, her commitment to safe driving, and her never-failing enthusiasm for her work as a school bus driver with Ethan Allen Transportation.”
Whittaker began her career at Ethan Allen Transportation in February 1989 and for a time in the early 1990s worked under her father, Andrew Aurigemma, when he served as a manager with Ethan Allen. Whittaker also worked through three generations of Allens at Ethan Allen Transportation, including Bree M. Allen, who today serves as the Kingston-basedschoolbuscompany’sregionalleader. According to Allen, Whittaker is exactly what you would want in a school bus driver — and exactly what children need. “Andrea has that winning combination of being stern when safety is at stake yet always caring and compassionate with her passengers. She makes sure they know and follow the rules — including no bullying. If she thinks someone is being bullied she immediately notifies us so that we can work with the school to address the situation. Andrea’s dedication to being a superior school bus driver also extends to her commitment to the job. She rarely misses a day of work and her driving record with us is exemplary.”
Ethan Allen Transportation is a member of The Trans Group family of bus companies. Trans Group President John Corr, Jr., also thanked Whittaker for her unwavering dedication to the students and families of the Kingston School District.
“Our children’s safety is our highest priority and school bus drivers take that responsibility very seriously,” he concluded. “We congratu- late Andrea on being named ‘School Bus Driver of the Year’ and recognize her today for her many years of exemplary service. She is an exceptional driver and I can only hope she continues to be one of our very best for years to come.”
Established in 1993 in the Mohawk Valley area of New York, Opera- tion Safe Stop is made possible through the cooperation of the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the New York State Education Department, the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association, Ulster County Traffic Safety Board, the student transportation industry, and state, county, and local law enforcement agencies.
With more than 1,700 employees, The Trans Group operates over 1,200 school and public transit buses in lower New York State and LongIsland. The company is actively involved in the school bus industry on a state and national level. For more information, please visit www.thetransgroup.com.