(Atlantic, Iowa)  Four drivers were recognized for going above and beyond at the Southwest Iowa Transit Agency’s (SWITA) fall driver meeting on Saturday, September 28th at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club.

Wray Ludington

SWITA Driver Wray Ludington was recognized for helping to discover that a regular rider needed help at his home. Wray knows his riders well and became concerned when a daily user of the Atlantic taxi service had not been seen for a couple of days. Wray contacted the Atlantic Police, and they conducted a wellness check. It turns out this client was in need of medical attention. Wray’s knowledge of his riders made a major difference in this person’s well-being.

Another health-related situation arose during a SWITA trip that was being driven by Pete Menke. A commotion started in the back of a work route bus overnight and Pete had the quick-thinking reaction to pull over and assess the situation. A rider was suffering a seizure and Pete immediately called 911 to get help. Medical responders met the bus on Interstate 80 and tended to the rider. Pete is a regular night driver for work routes from Omaha to Oakland.

Pete Menke

Officials say two drivers were also recognized for going above and beyond to make RAGBRAI transportation a success in Glenwood, Red Oak, and Atlantic this summer. Lynn Baumbach wasn’t initially sure about shuttling large groups around with so many bikes and people in town, but she dominated the challenge. She covered extra time as needed and handled changes to the routes. She said she enjoyed the experience.

Mike Ames was also a standout driver during RAGBRAI week. Mike helped fill backlogged stops in each town and was instrumental in adjusting the setup in Red Oak on the fly.  Many people have reached out to say how much they appreciated the SWITA shuttle service during the first three RAGBRAI overnight stops and commented how well it went compared to other locations.

Mike Ames

Lynn Baumbach