NM State Rep. Gonzales Honored by NMTA

The New Mexico Transit Association (NMTA), has honored New Mexico State Representative Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales for his untiring efforts to champion public transportation, at its quarterly meeting in Taos on September 21.

Upon presenting the award to Gonzales, who chairs the New Mexico House of Representatives Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee, Anthony Mortillaro, president of NMTA, stated “Gonzales fights for all New Mexicans who use public and private transit. He carried NMTA’s ‘yield to bus’ legislation earlier this year which passed both houses of the Legislature, but was pocket-vetoed by the Governor. The legislation would have required drivers to yield the right-of-way to a transit bus when an illuminated sign was displayed in the rear window and the bus was attempting to move into traffic.”

NMTA is the collective voice for public and private transportation providers in both rural and urban areas. NMTA has been advocating for state funding to help with operational costs, and to provide for the purchase of facilities and vehicles for transit programs.

Representative Gonzales has served 22 years in the New Mexico House of Representatives and comes from a family that has been involved in transportation in northern New Mexico for many years. Gonzales is a retired educator.