In a surprise ceremony Wednesday, lead mechanic Gary Archer was named Metro Transit’s 2016 Vehicle Maintenance Employee of the Year – to the smiles and applause of his coworkers and team at South Base in Tukwila.

It’s the second time Gary has won the award, unprecedented in Metro’s history. Archer was selected by his peers, more than 600 vehicle maintenance workers across Metro’s seven bus bases. Gary first won the Employee of the Year award in Vehicle Maintenance in 2003.

Mechanic Gary Archer“Seeing Gary today with his colleagues, it was clear to me what a quiet, humble man of integrity he is,” said Rob Gannon, interim Metro Transit general manager. “His team is truly inspired.  He is a model of leadership for all of us.”

Metro hired Gary as a mechanic in December 1979. He was promoted to his present position as a lead mechanic in September 1982. Throughout his more than 36 years with King County, he has received numerous commendations for his outstanding work.

Thanks to his hard work leading a team of mechanics, nearly 300 of Metro’s 1,400 buses are ready to roll out of South Base every morning for transit operators. Gary has dedicated his career to providing safe, dependable vehicles for bus riders and transit operators – key to keeping commuters and the economy moving.

Winning the award a second time shows the continuous admiration and respect Metro’s mechanics have for Gary. He is known for his people skills, confidence and focus on teamwork. He is admired for being solid, fair, even-tempered, a mentor, humble, honest, well-liked, dependable and a problem solver. We’re honored to have Gary Archer as a part of our team in Vehicle Maintenance!