Every day our teams strive to go above and beyond in the service they provide to our clients and to the communities we serve. This is the mission of our employees, and especially of our Mobility Change Makers. Meet Richard Smith, our Road Supervisor at AVTA in Lancaster, CA. We recognize Richard for going above and beyond and for his commitment to safety in the aftermath of a fire that destroyed a senior living complex in Lancaster.

General Manager, Rene Alvarez describes Richard as a quick and critical thinker, who, when presented with a challenge, evaluates the situation and acts with care and efficiency. This was evident late one evening when our client called Richard requesting emergency transportation services for 33 senior citizens who were displaced as a result of a fire.

Within minutes of receiving the call, Richard evaluated the situation, considered the safety of these passengers, and sprang into action. Knowing there were several people needing transport, Richard decided to take a 60-foot bus to the incident location, instead of his regular, smaller commuter vehicle. Upon arriving at the site, he coordinated the transportation of these seniors with the responding officials and the Red Cross, while keeping their health & safety top-of-mind throughout the process. That evening, and into the early morning, Richard safely transported the displaced seniors to hotels in the surrounding area.

The next morning, our AVTA client advised GM Rene Alvarez that Richard displayed “nothing but pure professionalism and the willingness to serve our community during this critical moment. Our sincere gratitude to you and your team, especially Mr. Smith, for responding to this incident without any hesitation.”

Thank you, Richard, for your dedication to Transdev and congratulations for being recognized as a Mobility Change Maker for your commitment to safety.