Local Fulton resident Scott Gaines was recently recognized by the Missouri Public Transit Association.
Gaines is an operator and bus driver for SERVE. The MPTA awarded him with a 2022 Missouri Transit Operator Champion award. A press release stated the award seeks to honor transit operators across Missouri for their dedication and heroism. 16 transit operators were recognized by the MPTA.
SERVE nominated Gaines for this award because of his service and work within the local area.
As a SERVE operator, Gaines maintains a daily route for local residents with special needs. He is also a full-time employee with the School for the Deaf, as well as a volunteer mentor for teenagers within the Fulton Public School District.
Gaines believes volunteering helps the local community show progress for the future, the press release said.
Kimberly Cella, executive director of the MPTA, said in the release that transit operators have provided important public transportation services across Missouri and dealt with countless challenges the past two years.
"They leave lasting impressions on those within the communities they serve, but their stories often go unnoticed by the masses," Cella said in the release.