KAT Operations and Maintenance Win Big in State Competition

Communications Director

Kristin Farley
[email protected]
(865) 215-2589

400 Main St., Room 691
Knoxville, TN 37902

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KAT Operations and Maintenance Win Big in State Competition

Posted: 11/03/2015
TPTA WinnersLast week, Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) took six employees to the state transit competition – three in the bus operator category and three in the bus maintenance category.  Of those six, four took home awards and one was honored with the coveted State Urban Employee of the Year Award.

KAT Bus Operator Dean Pruitt won first place in the 35-foot bus competition and will go on to represent both KAT and the State of Tennessee at the national competition in Charlotte, North Carolina next May.  In addition to Pruitt’s win, Greg Davis won first place in the 40-foot bus competition, Wendell Mobley took second place in the van division, and KAT Mechanic Chris Click took second place in the bus maintenance division.  Pruitt, Davis and Mobley were all defending their first place titles from the previous year’s competition, which took place in Knoxville.

“To have this big of a win away from the home turf is a major victory,” says Dawn Distler, Director of Transit for the City of Knoxville.  “We are so enormously proud of the talent these folks have shown in this competition, as well as in the jobs they do every day for the city.”

Long time KAT Mechanic Mike McAmis won the State Urban Employee of the Year Award.  McAmis started his career as a Service Person at KAT in March, 1974.  With a career at KAT spanning 40 years, he rose through the Maintenance Department ranks tackling the most difficult bus fault diagnosing and repair tasks.  Throughout the years countless bus mechanics, bus manufacturers, engine manufacturers, show car and motorcycle enthusiasts have frequently drawn upon his knowledge and expertise.  

“I am thrilled that others in the state have recognized this great member of our team,” says Si McMurray, KAT’s Chief Maintenance Officer. “His dependability, hard work, technical expertise, and effective people skills have proven an invaluable asset to Knoxville Area Transit and has had a profound impact upon KAT’s ability to provide first class customer service.  There is no more deserving individual to receive this recognition.”

The competitions were part of the annual Tennessee Public Transportation Association Conference which took place in Chattanooga at the end of October and included over 40 competitors from across the state.