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Gallup Express employee honored by NMTA

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Madelyn Barney of Twin Lakes to travel to Detroit to fry bigger fish

Sometimes, if you work hard enough an award is in the works for what you do.

That’s the storyline behind a New Mexico Transit Association honor won by Madelyn Barney of Twin Lakes. Barney has worked as a bus driver at Gallup Express for a little more than six months.

“I was so surprised that I won,” a beaming Barney recently said. “It is an honor to get this award.”

Tommy Mims, the executive director at Gallup Express, said Barney competed in the annual NMTA Bus Road-Eo in Rio Rancho at the end of March. There were hundreds of contestants from around the state at the affair, Mims said.

“She won first place,” he said. “We’re all happy and proud to have her as a colleague.”

In winning the award, Barney gets to travel to Detroit for two days in June where she’ll represent the Land of Enchantment in the National Community Transportation Bus Road-Eo. NMTA will cover expenses for the trip, Mims said.

While in Rio Rancho, Barney said she was quizzed and tested on bus and road knowledge as well as transportation safety techniques. That was pretty much the winning criteria, she said.

“I’m happy that I can now say that I won something for Gallup,” Barney said. “ I consider this to be a very special award and honor.”

Up and running since 2013, Gallup Express operates on a near six-figure annual budget provided by federal, state, city and county funds and under the auspices of the Jim Harlin Community Pantry. The bus service operates about 10 vehicles and operates anywhere from three to four $1 bus routes that go around the city and beyond.

Gallup Express will offer free rides on all routes on June 15 in honor of “Dump the Pump Day,” Mims said. The day promotes bus riding as a way to save gas.

By Bernie Dotson 
Sun Correspondent

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