William R. “Bill” Dane became part of Paratransit Services’ team in 1990 as a driver for Kitsap County’s accessible transit operation. During his five-year tenure with Paratransit Services, he became known as the “singing bus driver” for leading sing-alongs with his passengers.

After he retired in 1995, Paratransit Services established the annual Bill Dane Award as a way to honor employees who go the extra mile for their customers. 2005 marks the tenth anniversary of the Bill Dane Award. To be eligible, the award nominee must have been with Paratransit Services for a minimum of 5 years, and during that time must have demonstrated the characteristics of dependability, congeniality, competency, and a professional demeanor.

This year’s Bill Dane Award recipient is Sheila Crawley. “Shella,” as she is called by her co-workers, works as a Transportation Specialist in the Bremerton Non-emergent Medical Transportation (NEMT) brokerage call center. She has been with Paratransit Services since 1993.