Longtime Industry Stalwart Recognized for Unwavering Leadership and Driver-Centric Focus
Pam Martinez was presented with the Bus Industry Safety Council’s 2024 Norm Littler Memorial Safety Award for her “contributions and distinguished leadership” to the Council and to the American Bus Association.
The Norm Littler Memorial Safety Award presented by the American Bus Association and the Bus Industry Safety Council recognizes an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to the profession of safety through the development or implementation of techniques, products or safety processes and demonstrates a commitment and investment in the day-to-day safety of the traveling public by motorcoach.
Martinez has dedicated over 30 years to the transportation industry, beginning during her college days. A longtime fixture within New England transportation circles, Martinez has become well known to the motorcoach industry during her time with DATTCO based in New Britain, CT. During her time with DATTCO, Martinez has been heavily involved with a variety of industry organizations, including the Bus Industry Safety Council where she served in a multitude of leadership roles, including a term as the Organization’s Chair during one of the most difficult times in recent memory during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also emerged during her involvement with the BISC as a recognized national speaker on motorcoach safety issues, as well as on compliance and training issues, particularly on the topics of human resources, workplace safety, driver recruitment, driver retention and annual filings with government agencies.
The award was announced during the annual ABA Marketplace event on January 14, 2024, in Nashville, TN during the largest gathering of motorcoach operators in North America and the opening General Session of the Bus Industry Safety Council’s meetings.
Still very active in the industry, Martinez has applied herself to new passions and unique initiatives, taking a leading role in the ABA Women in Buses Council and serving as a founding member of the Driving Force Task Force. She has also Chaired the Risk Committee of the TRAX captive insurance program. At the state level, she has served selflessly in leadership positions. Martinez is a past, multiple-term President of the Connecticut Bus Association, while also taking leading roles with the Massachusetts Bus Association as well as the New England Bus Association. For the past several years, she has also organized a super-regional meeting, called “The Joint Association Meeting”, bringing together operators and vendors from Pennsylvania to Maine. Martinez was recently announced as a new Board member of the Greater New Jersey Motorcoach Association.
“Pam has been an instrumental figure in the motorcoach safety in our industry for many years,” said Peter Pantuso, president and CEO of the American Bus Association. “She has helped shine a massive light on several topics that many motorcoach companies struggle to grasp, being so involved in the world of Human Resources, dealing with OSHA and the Department of Labor she has been a great resource to translate that difficult landscape to the industry. She truly has helped refocus the industry on our most important asset, the driver, through her efforts via Women in Buses and she does so with the enthusiasm and charisma that Norm brought to our industry.”
“Pam is a fitting recipient of this award as she has been a rock that we have all been able to rely on and she has always been there for us even in our darkest hours. Our heartiest congratulations go out to her today as BISC honors her vast contributions to the industry.”
The award’s namesake, Norm Littler, was in the bus and motorcoach industry for more than four decades and served as ABA’s vice president of regulatory affairs and executive director of the Bus Industry Safety Council before his passing in 2013. He was known for his accessibility, frequently offering guidance and advice on safety, security and regulatory issues.
