2008 Fall Conference Summary

The "Art of Transit" was the theme for the 2008 conference held at the Watertown Events Center Sept. 19-24 in Watertown, SD. Don Walder and Watertown Area Transit Inc. as well as the events center were great hosts for the conference.

DTA was fortunate to have some great industry leaders give presentations at our conference this year. They included Terry Rosapep, FTA region VIII Administrator; Dale Marsico, executive director of Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA); as well as Scott Bogren the editor of CTAA's two magazines, Community Transportation and Rail.

Our keynote speaker, Terry Rosapep, talked about the state of transit both in the country as well as in FTA region VIII. Motivational speaker Deadra Stanton added some humor to our conference. Joe Meligan, assistant fire chief in Fort Pierre spoke on community emergencies. DTA executive director Gary Hegland and Mike Frisch, program manager of the Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in Crookston, MN, teamed up to lead train-the–trainer session on two new classes that DTA is adding to its curriculum. The classes are on abuse prevention and defensive driving. Martial arts instructor Rick Senger gave a presentation on self defense. Communications expert Cari Lee Skogberg Eastman spoke on communication and conducted dispatch training on Saturday.

The conference culminated with an hors d' oeuvres social at the Terry Redlin Art Museum in Watertown on Tuesday evening.

See you next year
2009 Fall Conference & Bus Roadeo
Sept. 19-23, 2009
Fargo, ND

Presentations

• Listening Skills, Carie Lee Skogberg Eastman (PDF, 366K)
• Professionalism on the Phone, Carie Lee Skogberg Eastman (PDF, 436K)
• Driver Responsibility in Disaster Evacuation, Driver Training Session, Joe Meligan (PDF, 3395K)
• Making Sense of the Medical Transportation Universe, Dale Marsico (PDF, 4319K)
• Techniques for Creating Positive Learning Environment, Gary Hegland (PDF, 1487K)
• Effective Marketing, Carie Lee Skogberg Eastman (PDF, 226K)
• Professionalism in Communication, Carie Lee Skogberg Eastman (PDF, 1400K)
• Veterans Transportation, Scott Bogren (PDF, 1143K)

Award Winners

• Above and Beyond
  • ND – No Applicants
  • SD – Jerry Wood, Prairie Hills Transit, Spearfish
• Dispatcher of the Year
  • ND – Amy Lindquist, Kenmare Wheels & Meals, Kenmare
  • SD – Walt Haag, River Cities Public Transit, Pierre
• Driver of the Year
  • ND – Ron Gieser, West River Transit, Bismarck
  • SD – Lisa Mathis, Prairie Hills Transit, Spearfish
• Friend of Transit
  • ND – No Applicants
  • SD – Beth Benning, Spearfish City Finance Officer, Spearfish
• Innovative Agency
  • ND – No Applicants
  • SD – Prairie Hills Transit, Spearfish