News Releases
Keep up on the latest KTA news by reading our press releases below.
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KTA celebrates employee service anniversaries
Nov 23, 2020
WICHITA, Kan. — Each year, the Kansas Turnpike Authority recognizes employees and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers assigned to the Turnpike, who are celebrating years-of-service anniversaries. For 2020, KTA recognized 62 individuals that collectively have 910 years of service to the KTA.
Employees reaching service anniversaries include:
40 Years:
- Dale Bell (Bonner Springs), Toll Collector
- Rosa Flynn (Wellington), Assistant Toll Supervisor
- David Wilson (El Dorado), Custodian
35 Years:
- Bruce Meisch (Wichita), Director of Technology
- Darren Roberson (Kansas City), Senior Equipment Operator
30 Years:
- Kevin Brinker, Lieutenant KHP Troop G
25 Years:
- Amy Brooks (Lawrence), Toll Collector
- Bruce Proctor (Leon), Highway Maintenance Lead
- Robert Pettersen (Wichita), Credit Manager
- Jason Weber (Derby), Roadway Operations Manager
- David Hundley, Lieutenant KHP Troop G
- Charles Wilson (Baldwin City), Network Infrastructure Manager
20 Years:
- Darren Evans (Winfield), Custodian
- Tracy Henoch (Lawrence), Toll Collector
- Brian Crum (Mulvane), Senior Auto Technician
- Mary “Jeannie” Michael (Emporia), Assistant Toll Supervisor
- Rachel Bell (Wichita), Director of Business Services & Customer Relations
- Teri Schillinger (Wichita), Image Reviewer
- Richard Woodward (Hoyt), Toll Maintenance Manager
- Stephanie Wade (Haysville), Toll Collector
15 Years:
- Curtis Annis (Perry), Senior Roadside Maintenance Worker
- Chelsey Miranda (Wichita), Assistant CFO
- Larry Crane (Olathe), Structures Superintendent
- Nicholas Parrott (Derby), Network & Security Manager
- Robert Jones (Wellington), Senior Equipment Operator
- Randall Cameron, Master Trooper KHP Troop G
- Lori Carrithers (Wichita), Image Reviewer
- Rex Fleming (Overbrook), Engineering Program Manager
- Brian Grunder, Master Trooper KHP Troop G
- Kathryn Miller (Emporia), Toll Collector
- Sonia Sprouse (Topeka), Toll Collector
- Gary Tryon (Lawrence), Senior Equipment Operator
- Scott Koehn, Master Trooper KHP Troop G
10 Years:
- Tinka Aldrich (Udall), Toll Collector
- Thomas Engdahl (Derby), Network System Administrator
- Susan Garten (South Haven), Toll Collector
- Derek Ludlam (Wichita), Customer Service Representative
- Jerry Farthing (El Dorado), Highway Maintenance Foreman
- Richard Paslay (Meriden), Senior Utilities Tradesman
- Deanne Oathout (Wellington), Toll Collector
- Cody Standley (Haysville), Auto Equipment Technician
5 Years:
- Logan Adlesperger (El Dorado), Incident Management Specialist
- Kim Bryant (Wichita), Senior Programmer Analyst
- Shauna Guyle (Wichita), Procurement Coordinator
- Kathy Downs (Derby), Toll Collector
- James Kenney (Lawrence), APM Technician
- Glen Scott (Wichita), Engineering Program Manager
- Laramie Turner (Topeka), Engineering Administrative Assistant
- Marcus Windholz (Augusta), Incident Management Center Team Lead
- Matthew Klopp (Lawrence), Toll Collector
- Loni Mann (Lawrence), Toll Collector
- Dallas Lane (Reading), Highway Maintenance Foreman
- Jory Custar, Master Trooper KHP Troop G
- Michael Schneider (Augusta), Server Systems Administrator
- Randall Smith (Lebo), Senior Equipment Operator
- Pierre Picotte (Wichita), Toll Collector
- Melissa Smith (Rosalia), Toll Collector
- Laura Southern (Udall), Audit Clerk
- Charla Tunget (Lawrence), Toll Collector
- Jane Walker (Andover), Toll Collector
- Cole McGee, Master Trooper KHP Troop G
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KTA extends safety message contest
Nov 12, 2020
WICHITA, Kan. — The Kansas Turnpike Authority is extending its safety message contest due to a technical issue that was discovered affecting submissions. We encourage all those who submitted before October 23 to do so again, and if you haven't, now is your opportunity to do so. The new entry deadline is November 30 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
The contest helps raise awareness about safe driving habits not only for new teen drivers, but also adults. There will be three winners from each age division. The winners from the Youth division, ages 13-17, will have their safety message published in VYPE Kansas magazine and will receive a gift card. The winners from the Adult division, 18 and older, will also receive a gift card. Winners from both divisions will have their safety message featured on DMS boards along the Turnpike.
Entries must follow specific criteria:
- Safety message must promote safe driving habits using themes. Examples: distracted driving; impaired driving; seat belts; speeding; holiday-related safety
- Entries must not exceed a total of 15 characters and spaces per line, with three lines total per entry
- No personal information, websites, or emojis are allowed
- Must be appropriate for the public (would you want your grandma or kids to read it?)
- Multiple entries are accepted; however, participants may only win once
- If there are duplicate/similar entries from different participants, the first submitted entry will be selected
“COVID-19 has caused everyone to rethink our daily lives – from school and work to going to the grocery store,” said Rachel Bell, KTA Director of Business Services & Customer Relations. “Regardless of how you’ve been impacted, KTA still wants you to buckle up, not drive impaired or distracted and to always keep safety as a priority.”
Those interested in the contest can view contest details at www.ksturnpike.com/contests.
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KTA encourages safe driving with new contest
Oct 8, 2020
WICHITA, Kan. — The Kansas Turnpike Authority encourages drivers of all ages to promote safe driving habits with witty or attention-grabbing safety messages with their new contest. The entry deadline is October 30 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
The contest helps raise awareness about safe driving habits not only for new teen drivers, but also adults. There will be three winners from each age division. The winners from the Youth division, ages 13-17, will have their safety message published in VYPE Kansas magazine and will receive a gift card. The winners from the Adult division, 18 and older, will also receive a gift card. Winners from both divisions will have their safety message featured on DMS boards along the Turnpike.
Entries must follow specific criteria:
- Safety message must promote safe driving habits using themes. Examples: distracted driving; impaired driving; seat belts; speeding; holiday-related safety
- Entries must not exceed a total of 15 characters and spaces per line, with three lines total per entry
- No personal information, websites, or emojis are allowed
- Must be appropriate for the public (would you want your grandma or kids to read it?)
- Multiple entries are accepted; however, participants may only win once
- If there are duplicate/similar entries from different participants, the first submitted entry will be selected
“COVID-19 has caused everyone to rethink our daily lives – from school and work to going to the grocery store,” said Rachel Bell, KTA Director of Business Services & Customer Relations. “Regardless of how you’ve been impacted, KTA still wants you to buckle up, not drive impaired or distracted and to always keep safety as a priority.”
Those interested in the contest can view contest details at www.ksturnpike.com/contests.
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KTA seeks customer input with satisfaction survey
Sep 22, 2020
WICHITA, Kan. — The Kansas Turnpike Authority invites the public to provide feedback on their Turnpike travel experience by participating in their annual Customer Satisfaction Survey. Anyone who uses the Turnpike, whether daily or occasionally, is encouraged to share their thoughts to help KTA prioritize future projects and make internal improvements.
“We’re a customer-driven organization,” said Steve Hewitt, KTA’s CEO. “Customer feedback helps drive our decisions for future projects. Modernization efforts like highway speed electronic lanes came from listening to our customers.”
The survey is open until October 31 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSS20NR.
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Public invited to participate in KTA’s safety assessment
May 29, 2020
WICHITA, Kan.— The Kansas Turnpike Authority invites the public to participate in a safety assessment to evaluate and enhance safety on the Turnpike. Anyone who uses the Turnpike, whether daily or occasionally, is encouraged to share their thoughts.
“While KTA’s safety record is good, we continue to strive to do more,” said KTA’s CEO Steve Hewitt. “Input from Turnpike customers will allow us to identify possible safety concerns and better plan and prioritize safety efforts in the future.”
Safety is a long-standing priority of the KTA and is one of the goals in its five-year strategic plan, Driving Change 2025, released earlier this year. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the KTA began this initiative to evaluate and enhance safety on the Turnpike.
The survey, available here or on www.ksturnpike.com, is open until June 30.
