St. Petersburg, FL—The American Public Transportation Assocation (APTA) has awarded the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) the nationwide Excellence in Inclusive Collaboration Award for the SunRunner, the Tampa Bay region’s first-of-its-kind bus rapid transit service. This national award recognizes PSTA for its collaboration with Jones Worley, an African American woman-owned disadvantaged business enterprise, and H.W. Lochner, the prime engineer of record for the project. The three entities demonstrated excellence in inclusion and partnership to make the SunRunner a success for Pinellas County, APTA announced in a press release.“We are extremely humbled to receive such high national praise for the SunRunner,” said Brad Miller, Chief Executive Officer of PSTA. “We have always known how partnering with the private sector leads to success and Jones Worley and Lochner were incredible partners with PSTA to bring the SunRunner to life. Receiving this award is a credit not only to our staff and the Jones Worley and Lochner teams, but also to our board of directors, state and federal lawmakers, and the many leaders in Pinellas County and Tampa Bay who have supported our vision and goal to improve the community.” 

The SunRunner launched in October 2022 with the goals of attracting new riders to transit; making life better for residents, businesses, and visitors; and contributing to a safer, cleaner community. Within its first year, the SunRunner surpassed one million riders and remains one of the highest-ridership transit routes in the region. The SunRunner’s route serves more than 50,000 jobs and 40,000 residents within a half-mile radius, covering PSTA's most heavily used corridor. 

The APTA award specifically honors the SunRunner for its excellence in design, branding, and marketing strategy. PSTA leadership recognized that introducing the SunRunner to the public and promoting its benefits required a strategic, comprehensive campaign that worked to all target audiences. Key to the strategy were brightly colored vehicles with friendly designs, along with an outreach campaign that touched neighborhoods, businesses, and community groups to connect the new service with potential users. 

“Jones Worley is honored to be part of the PSTA and Lochner team that launched a service that will forever transform transportation in the Tampa Bay region. Thanks to PSTA’s vision for collaboration in action, each partner had an opportunity to do what they do best to plan, build and introduce bus rapid transit to the public,” said Cynthia Jones Parks, president and CEO of Jones Worley. 

“Lochner is honored to be recognized for this unique and important project. Our exceptional team of experts worked diligently to deliver this project and meet the needs of PSTA,” said Nick Benedico, Vice President & Southeast Regional Manager for Lochner. 

"As the first of its kind in Tampa Bay, the SunRunner sets new standards for excellence in public transit in the region. Public engagement, branding, and communication have been crucial in creating an outstanding customer experience,” said Amanda Baird, Director of Communications and Marketing for PSTA. “This award is a true testament to the careful thought that went into every aspect of the SunRunner's passenger experience. We will use the lessons learned to continue innovating our services and improving our engagement with the community." 

This is the second year that the Excellence in Inclusive Collaboration Award has been offered, with only one honoree selected from among hundreds of transit agencies across the U.S. and Canada. Last year, TriMet received the award for the first TriMet FXTM (Frequent Express) bus lane.