[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 11, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1220-E1221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF VIC SOOD ON HIS SERVICE TO THE LIVERMORE AMADOR 
                        VALLEY TRANSIT AUTHORITY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 11, 2003

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Vic Sood, 
General Manager of the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority 
(LAVTA), as he prepares to retire after 32 years of service in public 
transportation. For his unyielding commitment and dedication to running 
what has become one of the most effectively operated transit agencies 
in the entire Bay Area region, I would like to thank my good friend Vic 
Sood. The skillful craftsmanship of his work will endure far into the 
future.
  Before moving to California, Vic Sood made many contributions to the 
public in the state of Washington. He was responsible for getting 
transit legislation passed into law in 1974 and 1975, which allowed for 
the formation and financing of new public transit systems, known as 
Public Transit Benefit Areas.
  In September 1976, Vic Sood was appointed to serve as the first 
Executive Director of Community Transit after voters in Snohomish 
County, Washington, approved a sales tax increase to finance the 
Snohomish County Public Transit Benefit Area Corporation in June of 
that year. As a result of the legislation which he had labored to get 
passed, many new transit agencies were likewise created throughout the 
state of Washington.
  While Executive Director of Snohomish County Community Transit, Vic 
Sood also served as President of the Washington State Transit 
Association in 1982 and 1983 and served as a regional representative to 
the American Public Transit Association's (APTA) Board of Directors in 
1983 and 1984.
  Subsequent to the formation of LAVTA in May 1986, as a Joint Powers 
Agency of the cities of Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and Alameda 
County for the provision of public transit in the area, Vic Sood was 
hired as the General Manager and started work in January 1986.
  LAVTA began operating with only nine leased buses in 1986. Under 
Sood's management and with a quickly growing Livermore Valley, the 
system expanded to meet the area's needs and by 1990 the agency had

[[Page E1221]]

placed an order for 34 new buses. By 1996, LAVTA was serving one 
million passengers each year. In 2001, it was two million. LAVTA has 
grown to a fleet of 75 buses and 16 paratransit vehicles during Vic 
Sood's tenure.
  Currently, Vic Sood serves as a member of APTA's Legislative 
Committee, Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) Task 
Force and the Small Operators Steering Committee. He is also a member 
of the Legislative Committee of the California Transit Association and 
a Board Member of RIDES for Bay Area Commuters, Inc., the San Francisco 
Bay Area Partnership Board and California Transit Insurance Pool.
  It has been my great pleasure to have worked with Vic Sood over the 
past seven years on transit issues both local and regional in 
perspective. He has been a supportive colleague and a good friend. I 
wish him and his wife, Manu, good fortune in their future endeavors 
together.
  Vic Sood has made a substantial and positive impact upon those 
communities for which he has worked during his remarkable career. He 
has been an invaluable servant to the public. His tireless efforts will 
not soon be forgotten by those who worked with him or for him. It is 
with honor that I commend Vic Sood for his service to the community and 
to the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority for over 17 years.

                          ____________________