THE Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority successfully attained national certification for passenger assistance and safety after 11 of its employees completed training that was conducted from Nov. 14 to 16, 2022, at Aqua Resort Club.
The three-day training was conducted by Community Transportation Association of America Passenger Service and Safety Master Trainer Ginger Porter, M.Ed.
One of the 11 participants is from Tinian.
Porter said, “I am really pleased that with the conclusion of November’s training in passenger assistance safety and sensitivity, COTA has acquired eleven more drivers and related support staff with nationally recognized certification that meets transit industry standards.”
The participants, she said, have demonstrated skill and knowledge that will allow them to provide excellent service to passengers of the COTA system.
It was Porter’s seventh time conducting certification training for COTA, said Special Assistant for Public Transportation Alfreda Camacho Maratita.
“In order for COTA to continue delivering safe and courteous transit services for our community, the proper training opportunities should be afforded to the state’s transit agency as it continuously expands. The need for this particular type of training echoes the fact that passenger transportation is a service industry,” Maratita said.
“The most important asset in any transit agency or provider is the transit operators. By providing these training opportunities, skills and knowledge are enhanced for each team member which will, in turn, benefit our CNMI community as a whole,” she added.
The Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority team members pose for a photo with Special Assistant for Public Transportation Alfreda Camacho Maratita, Ginger Porter, M.Ed. of the Community Transportation Association of America, and Tinian Mayor’s Office staff member Jessilynn San Nicolas at Aqua Resort Club.
