In January 2025, several destructive wildfires swept through the Los Angeles area, including the fast-moving Eaton Fire near Altadena and Pasadena. As flames threatened neighborhoods, Pasadena Transit operators were called on to help and quickly moved. The operators helped evacuate nearly 500 people living in senior centers out of harm’s way.
Earlier this year, we had a chance to connect with the Pasadena Team to hear their story about their feelings during that time. These operators didn’t just respond to an emergency—they stepped up for their own community. When disaster struck, they showed up with courage, compassion, and determination. Their efforts were met with heartfelt gratitude from those they helped, and their actions truly embodied Transdev’s values of Care, Share, Dare, and Deliver.
While remembering the quick thinking of her team, Letty Ochoa, Hero and General Manager of the Pasadena location, shares her thoughts on that time, including the gratitude residents shared and the hard work of her team, “Those people were just so grateful. And that’s the reward. I don’t believe it’s an accident. We were meant to be there. I’ve always said it, and I’ll continue to say it. We would do it all over again in a heartbeat. These are truly heroes.”
Our Transdev Heroes
The Pasadena team is a great example of what it means to take on our Transdev spirit of Care, Share, Dare, and Deliver, and how we are all people serving people. Transdev celebrates our Pasadena Heroes:
- Letty Ochoa, General Manager & Hero
- Erasmo Rodriguez, Assistant General Manager & Hero
- Nicole Ambriz, Operator & Hero
- Hugo Bermudez, Operator & Hero
- Juan Casillas, Safety Manager & Hero
- Edgar Juarez, Operator & Hero
- James Lee, Operator & Hero
- Arturo Mata, Operator & Hero
- Erik Mentado, Operator
- Adan Moreira, Maintenance Manager & Hero
- Lous Miller, Operator & Hero
- Jose Rodrigues, Operator & Hero
- Miguel Romero, Operator & Hero
- Sergio Rubio, Fueler & Hero
- Daniel Vasquez, Operator & Hero
- Garrett Wright, Operator & Hero
To honor their bravery and share their powerful story, we’ve created a video featuring the Pasadena Transit team. It’s a moving tribute to the people behind the wheel who made a life-saving difference when it mattered most.
We invite you to watch and celebrate these everyday heroes.
Thank You To Our Pasadena Transit Heroes- Video
