The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority is the first U.S. Pacific Island territory agency to ever receive the Community Transportation System of the Year (Small System) Award from the Community Transportation Association of America,
COTA photo
THE Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority, under the Office of the Governor and Lt. Governor, has been named the 2025 Community Transportation System of the Year (Small System) by the Community Transportation Association of America, becoming the first U.S. Pacific Island territory agency to ever receive this prestigious national award.
COTA earned this recognition after competing with transit agencies nationwide and territories that receive Federal Transit Administration funding, including those under Sections 5310 and 5311. The award highlights COTA’s innovation, resilience, and excellence in delivering public transportation services to the people of the Northern Mariana Islands.
“This award is a powerful validation of our mission to connect communities, support economic opportunity, and improve quality of life through reliable public transit,” said Alfreda Camacho Maratita, special assistant for public transportation. “Our team is proud to lead the way for island territories and small systems nationwide.”
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios praised the achievement, saying: “On behalf of the Commonwealth, congratulations to the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority on being named the 2025 Community Transportation System of the Year by the Community Transportation Association of America. This distinguished recognition reflects your steadfast commitment to delivering accessible, efficient, and reliable transportation services throughout the CNMI.”
CTAA’s Community Transportation System of the Year (Small System) Award celebrates agencies that demonstrate significant progress and excellence in service delivery, operations, and community impact. COTA’s performance improvements, expansion of service access, and dedication to serving rural areas helped distinguish it among the top-performing small transit systems nationwide.
For more information about COTA’s services and initiatives, visit https://transit.cnmi.gov/.
