DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — An employee at the Decatur Public Transit System is making history. For the time ever, the system has earned the Katherine McClary award for having one of the safest drivers in North America.

Even after more than 20 years in the industry as a motor vehicle operator, this award was never something Rosemary Miller was seeking out. Everything she’s done came naturally and from the heart.

“I love Decatur, I love my job,” Miller said. “And I want to give back to my community.”

Being named the Katherine McClary award winner for the northeast region, Miller has been able to do just that over her span of 23 years working as a motor vehicle operator for the Decatur Public Transit System.

“It’s a big day for her; it’s a big day for Decatur and the history of MV (motor vehicle) being a presence indicator,” said Decatur Motor Vehicle General Manager Nick Standefer. “This is the first time that anybody, one of our drivers, has ever won this award.”

It’s an award given to the safest drivers in different regions of the country. Standefer said there were thousands of people nominated, but in the end, they selected Miller from Decatur.

“I cannot express how happy that that makes me to be chosen for this award,” Miller said.

Standefer said she was most deserving for this recognition.

“She’ll just brighten up your day, we all look forward to seeing her,” he said. “We love walking around and talking to her. You’ll be walking outside, and she’ll be like ‘hi boss!’ and you go over and sit there and talk to her.”

But it wasn’t just at work, Miller also played a huge part in the community as well. One day she bought a pair of shoes so a passenger could make it to where she needed to go.
“She needed to get across town,” Miller said. “And our policy is no shoes, no shirt, no service.”
The administration team said situations like that, on top of being a safe driver, is what made Miller stand out.

“She’s a very giving, warm person who without a doubt deserves this,” Standefer said.

Miller said taking this job over 20 years ago was the best thing she did.

“It made me know that I was where I needed to be,” Miller said. “I belonged here at Transit, and I enjoyed my work.”

Miller still has the chance to win the national motor vehicle operator award. She said Thursday evening is when she’ll find out if she won.