Arkansas Transit Association

The Arkansas Transit Association has a long track record of work that has drawn state, regional and national accolades over the years. The organization received state leadership awards from the Community Transportation Association of America in 2001 and 2004.

The ATA also was recognized for outstanding achievement for a state management program in 2006 by the National Rural Transit Assistance Program.

The association represents a statewide coalition of public agencies and private organizations dedicated to serving Arkansas with safe, efficient public transit and community transportation programs.

The ATA is the second-largest state transit association in the country, with more than 238 members that include 14 transit systems, senior citizen centers, areas on aging and development disability agencies around the state.

Russ Parish, ATA’s training and education coordinator, has conducted 1,761 classes and trained 20,916 during his 10 years with the association.

“We have the best training program for passenger transportation in the country,” said Ann Gilbert, ATA executive director.

Last year, Gilbert received the Federal Transit Association Region VI Award in Excellence and was elected vice president of the Community Transportation Association of America.

Formed in 1980 to advance the interest of public transit throughout Arkansas, the ATA helped lobby for the 2005 state law requiring safety alarms for vans and buses transporting children.

In addition to working with the Legislature on safety issues, the association manages the Department of Transportation’s drug and alcohol program for transit systems and commercial drivers in Arkansas.

In 2006, the ATA started a self-insured workers’ compensation trust fund for members that has proven successful.

During the past 10 years, the group has helped attract $60 million in federal transit funds to Arkansas. Founded on a staff of one, the workload is now spread across four.