Meet Jayen Hass, Community Transit's Maintenance Instructor

Who knew a game of soccer could change your life?  

Jayen Hass was working as a Mechanic and enrolled in an automotive program when he met some friends for a game of soccer at Kasch Park. When he saw that Community Transit was just next door, he decided to stop by to see if he could talk to anyone about their maintenance program. As one of our friendly Foremen gave him a tour of the facilities, he spoke of his fellow Mechanics with such respect and fondness that Jayen was hooked. He decided then and there that Community Transit was where he wanted to be.

Jayen got his start here as a Vehicle Service Attendant to get his foot in the door. After nine months he was enrolled into Community Transit's Apprenticeship Program. For three years (approximately 6,000 hours) Jayen became an expert in diesel vehicles and electronics. As soon as he completed the program, a vacancy for a Journeyman role became available. Just as with that soccer game, it was meant to be! That was nearly 20 years ago (the big anniversary day is in July!).

Wondering what inspires Jayen to come to the same place for work for 20 years? It's all about the passenger. "I'm always thinking about the passenger. It makes you perform your job better. You would never want them to be left stranded on a cold, rainy bus stop. At the end of the day you feel fulfilled. You accomplished something important. You did something good."

Jayen is taking that passion for making a difference and sharing it in his new role as a Maintenance Instructor. Since January 2015, Jayen has been developing training for new and existing maintenance employees. In this role he researches information on our new vehicles, designs maintenance programs for these vehicles, develops presentations and student manuals, and presents this training to employees. In order to provide training on cutting edge technologies, Jayen travels every other month or so to learn the best the industry has to offer. "When I meet new employees they ask me if it's really true that they'll receive that kind of training. They're always surprised. Other companies make promises but don't deliver. Community Transit delivers." 

"Every day here is different. Every day is a good day. You come in, you know exactly what to do, and you know you're making a difference. It keeps things exciting. Even after 20 years."

Thank you for sharing your story, Jayen, and helping our maintenance team be the best of the best!

Meet Gerry Martin, Community Transit's Paint & Body Shop Lead

How does an Alaskan crab fisherman find his way to a state of the art maintenance facility in Everett, Washington? As is often the case, it all began with a woman. Gerry Martin was happily crab fishing and working as a forest fire fighter for the U.S. Forest Service when it came time to settle down and start a family. He landed at the maintenance department of the Edmonds School District. As it happens, they had a contract with Community Transit, providing maintenance on their small fleet of 6-10 buses. In 1985, Community Transit purchased the Kasch Park space and Gerry was given the option to move over. He jumped at the chance.

Part of what made the move so appealing to Gerry was the ability to be part of the planning process. "We got to help design the place, help set it up." It was this sense of feeling valued that cemented Gerry's commitment to the agency. "We saw a future for growth here. Now we've got some of the best techs out there. And the best equipment too."

This sense of feeling valued extends beyond the relationship with the agency. With the support of excellent training, competitive pay, and great benefits, Gerry and his team feel a strong connection to their peers. "There's a real sense of family here. A lot of us know these guys better than our own brothers."

With a whopping 38 years of service for Community Transit as of April 16, 2016, Gerry is an inspiration not only to his team but to the entire agency. Thank you, Gerry, for taking a chance on Community Transit!