Chief Executive Officer Donna DeMartino of San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) was recognized as the Outstanding Public Official of the Year by the Sierra Club Mother Lode Chapter.

The award was given for DeMartino’s leadership in developing zero-emission, all-electric bus transportation in the City of Stockton.

“Despite our very impressive record of emissions reductions with our existing fleets, we have been eagerly stepping into the next arena of 100 percent zero-emission bus (ZEB) technology, in alignment with our Governor’s vision for the state,” said DeMartino, as she accepted the award.  “I am proud to say RTD is one of the first agencies to deploy zero-emission all-electric buses. We currently operate one of the largest electric bus fleets in the state and we recently opened the first all-electric Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor in the nation, right in Stockton.”

DeMartino received the award at a banquet held at the Dante Club of Sacramento on Saturday, June 2. She was joined by family, friends, and RTD employees.

“Our Board and our Mayor signed a commitment to have an all-electric bus fleet in Stockton by 2025,” DeMartino told those attending the banquet. “We are committed to moving forward with bus manufacturers, funding partners, and utility providers to ensure we can make the goal of 100 percent zero emissions a reality, which will require establishing statewide utility infrastructure to provide the power we will need to operate these electric fleets and working with our utility providers to ensure we will be able to afford the cost of electricity we will need without compromising our ability to provide robust transit services in our communities.”

San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) is the regional transit provider for San Joaquin County. RTD’s mission is to provide a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system for the region. For more information, visit sjRTD.com, follow RTD on Facebook and Twitter, or call (209) 943-1111.