The Transportation Alliance (TTA) announced in May that John “Jay” Caezza of Massachusetts has been named Professional Operator of the Year.
Caezza started working in the transportation industry at age 16, when he and his father started J&J Taxi and Shuttle in Milford, Mass. By the time Caezza started driving his first taxi at age 18, the town lowered the driving age specifically for him. After six years in business, Caezza and his father closed their business, but he continued to drive for hire.
With just a few short interruptions, Caezza has been driving passengers for 30 years. Caezza was nominated by his boss John Rockwell, owner of Blackstone Valley Livery in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, for his dedication to the industry and his exceptional customer relations.
According to the TTA: “Caezza frequently goes above and beyond for his passengers – from taking them out to coffee or breakfast to shoveling and de-icing walkways.”
In the 18 years that Caezza has been driving for the company, he’s only been late to pick up a passenger once, Rockwell said. He got up 4:30am to drive a dialysis patient when he saw an older woman from his neighborhood walking down the street. She was walking to the hospital. Caezza brought her to the emergency room, checked her in, and made sure everything was taken care of. He was 10 minutes late for his original dialysis passenger.
“Our annual awards highlight the very best in our industry and Jay is an exceptional example of how drivers directly impact the lives of their passengers beyond providing reliable transportation,” said TTA President Tom Arrighi. “Massachusetts – and our entire industry – are immensely proud to have people like Jay in this business. He’s selfless, he’s compassionate, and he shows what duty of care is all about.”
Caezza is featured in the spring issue of The Transportation Alliance’s e-magazine, Transportation Leader.
For more information, please visit www.thetransportationalliance.org.
