KPTA 2025 AWARDS

WILLIE M. MURRY AWARD:  2025

The Willie M. Murry Award is KPTA's highest honor.  It is named for Rev. Willie M. Murry of Coffeyville . Rev. Murry was a dedicated  community leader and a major supporter for Kansas public transportation services.  He was a member of the KPTA board from its beginning in 1981 until his passing in  January 1994. KPTA established the Willie M. Murry Award in his honor. It honors  an individual or organization that has carried on in Rev. Murry's spirit by providing  distinguished service to the entire Kansas public transportation community for a  sustained period of time.

This years recipient has work for 30 years with an organization that provides life-changing services for individuals with intellectual and
developmental disabilities in Shawnee County, Kansas. Its personalized support to innovative programs helps people thrive and lead fulfilling lives. She has been instrumental in the
empowerment, and growth for every individual that organization serves. For several decades she has been a valuable member of the
KPTA board, serving for many years as its treasurer and part of the executive committee providing an important perspective on the
transportation needs of organizations like hers.
She has served as a member of the ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, is a graduate of Baker University, and was a 2007 graduate of the Leadership Greater Topeka class. She possesses a robust skill set that includes Public
Speaking, Leadership Development, Program Development, and Community Outreach. She is just a wonderful person. This years Willie Murry Award is presented to TARCs Director of Day and Work Services Shelby Fry.

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• 2025 TRANSIT SERVICE OF THE YEAR

  This organization hasexperienced and friendly drivers, and a dispatch staff, and administrative group - - that being the operations assistant,  safety maintenance coordinator, transit supervisor, assistant director and director -- who are truly dedicated hard-working individuals dedicated to running a safe and timely service six days a week to the 16 communities and unincorporated areas of the third largest county in Kansas. From July 2024 to June 2025 the staff has been instrumental and providing feedback on services and has been engaged in instructional trainings in order to provide consistency of procedures and policy implementation. This service has embraced the adaptive, cultural teamwork of a high performing organization. The support of empowered decision-making has created excellent customer service. In the last year, this team of Transit workers has achieved increased ridership by 10% over the previous year, giving the service refreshed and reinvigorated life to the county’s rural program. KPTA says well done to them all and KPTA is pleased to award Reno County Area Transit - RCAT it’s Transit service of the year award.

2025 APPRECIATION AWARD

The recipient of this appreciation award recently updated his  county commissioners about the East Central Kansas coordinated Transit council’s as well as LCATs goal of serving as the host site for mobility management. He noted that the state has wanted a regional approach for many years and that there are numerous goals in mind as this effort develops, including the reduction of transportation barriers. He indicated in district 5that there are over 20 transportation agencies to be coordinatred. KPTA awards an Appreciation Award to Shane Bruener Director of LCAT for his extremely beneficial assistance with various projects and Lyon County where a wherin he has gone above and beyond to assist passengers outside of their service area

INNOVATION AWARD 2025

This innovation award is presented to an organization that has demonstrated exceptional innovation through service improvements over the past year, making them an outstanding nominee. In particular in November, they launched an on demand, flexible, micro-transit service designed to improve accessibility and rider convenience. Due to high demand and a positive rider response the service quickly expanded to include two drivers and extended hours, providing same-day curb to curb service across a wide service area . This organization has also been involved in work related partnerships and an overhaul of its City Go system while implementing the trans lock fixed route software. OCCK Transportation continues to push the boundaries of what rural and small transit systems can achieve. This year KPTA presents an Innovation Award to OCCK in launching an on demand flexible, micro transit service designed to improve accessibility and Rider convenience.

INNOVATION AWARD 2025

KPTA presents a second Innovation Award to an individual who brings a unique perspective and deep understanding of community needs to her role as director of the Ellsworth County Council on aging transportation program. Having first started on the ground as a driver, she has gained firsthand experience, giving her valuable insights into the challenges riders face, and as such, it inspired her most impactful innovation -- the expanding of the transportation service area from within the city limits of Ellsworth to include the entire county. This strategic shift has been transformative as residents in rural parts of the county, many of whom previously lack reliable transportation, can now access medical care, groceries, social services, and community events with dignity and ease. She recognized an unmet need and met it with action. Her leadership shows how innovation doesn’t have to be high-tech to be high impact. She sees the big picture backed by her experience behind the wheel. KPTA presents an Innovation Award to FLO FOSDICK who as Director of Ellsworth County COA transportation was inspired to expand the transportation service area from within the city limits to include the entire county.