Adding mileage to 5280 Safe Driving Club awards ‘quantifies both time and distance’

Have you seen a bus operator wearing a black jacket with a mileage patch on the sleeve? Since RTD’s most recent 5280 Safe Driving Club awards were given in May, employees have been curious as to why mileage was introduced as a factor to be considered.

RTD has long recognized operators who have driven at least one year without a preventable accident. This year, 477 of the 730 bus operators voting runs in May claimed this honor. Awards were added this year for operators who amassed at least 100,000 crash-free miles through the end of 2023 – a distinction held by 77 colleagues. Each received a jacket and patch, extending to 500,000 accident-free miles. (To Boulder-based operator Scott Redfield: Nice work!)

When only years of accident-free driving were evaluated, General Superintendent of Transportation Chris Deines said, two employees with different mileage totals would be considered the same – say, one who racked up 5,000 miles a year versus another who drove 25,000 miles. A mileage award, he said, “quantifies both time and distance. You're able to get that true visual of what it takes to accomplish attention to safety consistently and constantly. It's a testament to longevity and performing at a high level.”

Operating a bus is challenging on any route, whether it is a city assignment or a regional run, Deines said. A MallRide operator who may drive 20 miles a day must remain constantly alert for erratic, unpredictable pedestrian behavior. Highway driving requires operating at higher speeds, paying attention to a different traffic dynamic, and being aware of the potential for monotony and complacency. On some routes, road hazards are present. On others, an animal might jump in front of the bus.

While many top finishers are based in Boulder, where longer routes begin and end, plenty also were from East Metro and Platte. With freedom for movement, employees may rotate among divisions and vote different assignments. A lot of factors drive high-mileage totals, Deines said, “but the one thing that's consistent is that a mile is a mile.”

“I think it's imperative that the agency recognizes safety at all levels, and it's important that we recognize the time that people have been crash free,” Deines said of the 5280 Safe Driving Club awards. Introducing mileage to the equation, he added, “is an additional way of recognizing the good things that people do. It shows that we as an agency are safety minded. As an employer, it shows that we recognize employees’ good behavior.

“For some people, it serves as a motivator.”