Congratulations to Kitsap Transit’s 2022 Drivers of the Year!
Left to right: Routed Driver of the Year Laura Moniz, Kitsap Transit Executive Director John Clauson, and ACCESS Driver of the Year Andrea Hillman.
Routed operator Laura Moniz and ACCESS operator Andrea Hillman are Kitsap Transit’s 2022 Drivers of the Year!
Moniz and Hillman received their awards at a ceremony on Feb. 1, with fellow KT drivers looking on and family on hand to surprise them.
Hillman, who has worked for Kitsap Transit since 2017, said she was “very honored” to be named ACCESS Driver of the Year.
“It’s very cool, every other driver deserved it, and they do a wonderful job, so I was surprised,” Hillman said. “But I work hard, and safety is very important to me, so it feels good to be acknowledged.”
Moniz – who just finished her first full year as a Routed operator – was also named Driver of the Month for November. Receiving both the Driver of the Month and Routed Driver of the Year awards in the span of two months was “very humbling,” Moniz said.
“I haven't ever won anything, so I don't know how to feel,” Moniz said. “It's fun to be part of a group of dedicated drivers, and everyone is so helpful. I look forward to being here for a really long time.”
Laura Moniz (right) and her daughter celebrate her Driver of the Year Award.
Every year, Kitsap Transit recognizes three Drivers of the Year – Routed, ACCESS and Worker/Driver – who exemplify our mission to provide safe and reliable public transportation to the residents of Kitsap County.
To be nominated, an operator must have been named Driver of the Month in the last 12 months. The nominees are chosen by a committee of their peers, which includes all 12 Drivers of the Month for that year as well as the last five Drivers of the Year. Each driver nominates two candidates. The top two finalists are forwarded to department supervisors, who choose the winners in a secret vote.
In addition to being publicly thanked and honored by Kitsap Transit for their professionalism, Drivers of the Year also receive a dedicated parking spot and the opportunity to serve on operator committees and as Driver Mentors.
Moniz is one of Kitsap Transit’s newest operators, but she’s no stranger to driving buses. A Washington native, she drove school buses here before moving to Hawaii, where she drove transit and tour buses for 11 years.
Moniz jumped in feet-first after returning to Washington and getting hired at KT: As an “extra-board” operator, she helped fill in during driver shortages and covered important routes when needed.
Extra-board operators don’t work a set schedule; they are assigned their pieces of work the day before, and as a result, they need to be flexible and familiar with all of Kitsap Transit’s routes across the county.
Andrea Hillman (right) and her husband celebrate her Driver of the Year award.
“(Laura’s) willingness to serve the public shows in the way she performs her job safely and assists customers with a friendly attitude,” Kitsap Transit Routed Operations Manager Kathryn Jordan said.
Hillman commuted to Seattle for years to operate her own moving company. In 2017, she took a job driving ACCESS for Kitsap Transit in part to reconnect with the community she grew up in.
As an ACCESS operator, Hillman has a close personal relationship with her passengers, many of whom depend on the paratransit service to travel to medical appointments. Soon after starting, Hillman said she “fell in love” with the job.
“I don't work at Kitsap Transit just to drive – it’s helping the people that means the most to me, that's what satisfies me,” she said.
In addition to Driver of the Year, Hillman recently earned her 4-Year Safety Award, which denotes four years without a preventable accident. She wants to serve on the Safety Committee in 2023.
Chris Wheeler wears his victory crown after being named Kitsap Transit’s 2022 Worker/Driver of the Year.
We don’t want to leave out our friends in the Worker/Driver program, whose drivers provide an incredibly convenient and valuable service for their co-workers at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS). The Worker/Driver of the Year for 2022 is Chris Wheeler, who was presented the award at a separate ceremony on Feb. 1.
Chris is a superintendent at PSNS, where he oversees more than 500 employees. He’s been with Kitsap Transit since 2018 and has often been called upon to drive wherever he’s needed, even if he hasn’t driven the route before. He’s always willing to cover other routes (or multiple routes!) for other drivers if they aren’t available.
Congratulations to Andrea, Laura and Chris on this huge accomplishment, and thanks for helping keep Kitsap Transit moving!