The purpose of WSTIP’s Driver Recognition Program is to recognize drivers for their consecutive and/or cumulative accident-free years of driving in transit service. Vehicle accidents are first and foremost the kind of risk WSTIP regularly pays from its loss fund. The cost of an average at-fault vehicle accident is over $9,000. These costs do not take into account the extra costs borne by the transit agency in terms of accident investigation costs, bus down time, service disruption, and the trust and confidence of the public. For every year a driver is accident-free, the savings to the transit agency and to WSTIP are substantial. Therefore, this program is designed to recognize and reward drivers for their accident-free driving history.
This program is not intended to take the place of reward and recognition systems in place at the member agency whether installed by agency design or collective bargaining agreement. Rather these awards are intended to be in addition to pre-existing and contractual reward systems. This program is subject to annual WSTIP budget adoption and may be withdrawn at any time.