Road Ranger of the Month

Francisco Ruiz

Francisco Ruiz was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during April 2012.

He has worked as a Road Ranger for approximately five years, and currently patrols Interstate 95 (I-95) in a flatbed tow truck to assist stranded drivers and expedite the removal of roadway obstructions. His co-workers commend his ability manage incidents in a quick and efficient manner all the while maintaining a safety-first mentality. Although he says he can not think of one favorite memory during his time as a Road Ranger, he says he finds joy in the prospect of helping others everyday.

Berrington Tulloch

Berrington Tulloch was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during March 2012.

He has been a Road Ranger for more than two years, and he can be seen patrolling Interstate 95 (I-95) in a tow truck as he monitors the highway for disabled vehicles and other roadway obstructions. He enjoys having the ability to help people in stressful situations. He does not recall a particularly memorable moment, he says, because every day presents a new incident in which he is able to not only help those in need, but help them keep calm and feel safe. His co-workers commend his approachable demeanor when assisting motorists. He never fails to showa smile, and he is the type of man who would "give you the shirt off his back," said one co-worker.

Arnel Herrera

Arnel Herrera was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during February 2012.

He has been a Road Ranger for more than three years now, but even after all these years, his dedication to maintaining highway safety has not wavered. He patrols the Palmetto Expressway/State Road 826 in a pickup truck or tow truck, but can help along other roadways as needed. Herrera says he loves to help others, so being a Road Ranger was something that came naturally to him. Since starting his Road Ranger career, he says he has a newfound appreciation for safety because of the crashes he sees on a daily basis. “Everyone I help, I tell them to be safe on the roadway,” he says. “I have seen some crazy things, and every day, I do my best to put safety first and prevent bad things from happening to good people.” He added that being selected February’s Road Ranger of the Month is “major” for him. “It is amazing. It is very rewarding.”

Yamil Dominguez

Yamil Dominguez was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during January 2012.

For almost a year now, Yamil has patrolled both the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) and the 95 Express facility as a tow truck operator or flatbed operator, respectively. He says he takes pride in the fact that his day-to-day duties ultimately result in helping keep South Florida's roadway safe and congestion-free. His co-workers also note the way Yamil treats every driver with respect and the way he approaches every task with a safety-first mentality. "I am honored to be selected as Road Ranger of the Month," said Yamil. He added that every time he helps a stranded driver, it reminds him of the importance of what he does. "Usually, the driver is terrified that their car broke down on the highway," he said. "Then, they say that me showing up is like a blessing. And that is one of the best feelings in the world."

Felipe Garcia

Felipe Garcia was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during the month of December 2011.

Mr. Garcia has been part of the Road Ranger Service Patrol Team for nearly two years, and can be often seen operating a flatbed tow truck along Interstate 95 (I-95) in Miami-Dade County. He is well aware of the integral role his efforts play in keeping I-95, and the 95 Express facility, running safely and efficiently; and is why he goes above an beyond his regular duties to expedite the clearance of traffic events. He says his goal is to maintain complete focus on getting the job done right because he understands that someone's life might depend on it. His dedication to safety and efficiency has not gone unnoticed. "He's almost like a solider out here," said one of his Road Ranger teammates. "It is his personal mission to clear the road and get everything moving along."

Please join us in congratulating Felipe not only for this award, but also for his terrific work ethic, focus and safety-first mentality.

Adrian Morales

Adrian Morales was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during November 2011.

He normally patrols the Palmetto Expressway (State Road 826) in a pick-up truck, keeping his eyes open for any opportunity to help keep the roadway safe. His passion for helping the public is unmatched, say his Road Ranger coworkers. He approaches every instance in which he can help someone with a smile and open heart. "I wouldn't be surprised if he offered someone his own car if they needed it," said a fellow Road Ranger. It's that type of attitude that makes Adrian an invaluable asset to District Six's Road Ranger team. Please join us in congratulating Adrian for his tremendous help in keeping South Florida's roadways clear, safe and efficient.

Filiberto Darce

Filiberto Darce was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during October 2011.

He has been a Road Ranger for a little more than a year now, and he usually operates a flatbed tow truck on Interstate 95 (I-95), assisting his fellow Road Rangers in removing obstructions from the busy expressway to expedite lane clearance efforts. He says working as a Road Ranger brings him joy because of the happy faces he sees after helping stranded motorists. He's been called "angel" and "life saver" by many of them, which makes him realize the importance of his work. Though he is grateful for being recognized as the Road Ranger of the Month, Filiberto says he doesn't do anything special; he just shows up on time, follows protocol and performs his duties. His managers disagree, though. "Filiberto is special because he understands the importance of what we do. He understands that we're trying to save lives out there, so he's always making sure that every move he makes is a safe one for motorists, his team and himself," said one of his supervisors.

Alfredo Ortiz

Alfredo Ortiz was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during September 2011.

His managers say he's an outstanding employee who goes "above and beyond" his duties on a daily basis in order to help keep South Florida motorists moving and support his fellow Road Rangers. He believes teamwork is what helps keeps everybody -- from the motorists he assists to his coworkers -- safe. Though he usually operates a flatbed tow truck on Interstate 95 (I-95), he can also be seen operating a tow truck or pick up truck, helping disabled motorists safely continue their commute. The Florida Department of Transportation is proud to have a genuine hard worker like Ortiz on its Road Ranger team.

Israel Sanchez

Out of the thousands of stranded motorist assists he’s handled during his nine-year experience as a Road Ranger, Israel Sanchez will never forget the one he encountered about two weeks ago on Interstate 95 (I-95).

It was almost midnight when Sanchez noticed the stranded motorist on the right shoulder of I-95 southbound, just before the exit to State Road 836 westbound. After stopping to assist, he learned the citizen was on his way to Jackson Memorial Hospital for a kidney transplant; the citizen got word of an available kidney earlier that day and had only a few minutes to arrive at the hospital, or the kidney would be given to the next patient on the waiting list. “Some people wait for a new kidney for 10 years sometimes, so I wanted to make sure he made it to the hospital on time,” Sanchez said. “I think I changed that tire in about a minute.” Indeed, the motorist said Sanchez changed the tire as if he were “on a NASCAR pit crew,” which allowed him to make it to the hospital on time and receive his kidney transplant. “I would probably not be alive today,” said the motorist when thinking what could have happened had Sanchez not shown up in the nick of time. For his heroic effort, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) team selected Sanchez as Road Ranger of the Month for August 2011, becoming the first Road Ranger from the district to win the honor twice. Join us in commending him on not only his award, but on his continuous dedication to excellence in keeping South Florida’s roadways clear, safe and efficient.

Rafael Rivera

Rafael Rivera was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during July 2011.

He has been a Road Ranger for nearly a year now, and already, has made a positive impact among his supervisors and co-workers. He usually works the night shift on Interstate 95 (I-95), driving a pick-up truck up and down the facility to help keep it clear of obstructions. His supervisors and co-workers say Rivera is like a leader to his peers, and he leads by example. Instead of just reacting to incidents, Rivera is proactive in locating and solving them before they become bigger issues. He does so because he understands that what he does as a Road Ranger may only seem to affect the life of the one motorist he assists, but it plays a much bigger role in keeping South Florida's roadways clear, safe and efficient for the thousands of motorists using it daily.

Fabrice Saint Louis

Fabrice Saint Louis was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during June 2011.

He's been a Road Ranger since 2007, patrolling the mainline of Interstate 95 (I-95) in either a pickup truck or tow truck. He says he feels a great sense of accomplishment any time he helps someone in need, and that's why he loves being a Road Ranger. He particularly recalls the time he was the first to arrive at the scene of a crash with major injuries -- a crash in which a few minutes may have been the difference between life and death for the motorists involved. Luckily, Fabrice arrived when he did, which allowed Transportation Management Center (TMC) Operators to advise Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Fire Rescue arrived minutes later and helped save the motorists' lives."I just do my job properly and treat everyone with courtesy and respect," said Fabrice.

Jose Guerra

Jose Guerra was selected as Road Ranger of the Month for his exemplary performance during May 2011.

Mr. Guerra is the ultimate example of how to provide excellent service to South Florida motorists. He's constantly vigilant while patrolling Miami-Dade's roadways, always looking for disabled motorists or roadway hazards that could potentially risk motorist safety. When at incidents, he takes care of motorists with a smile on his face and does his best to get the job done efficiently and safely. He does the same when working with his co-workers, or teammates, as he would call them. "Jose is all about his team and accomplishing whatever goals we have out there on the road as safely as possible," said a fellow Road Ranger. "He makes sure we're all on the same page, and without a doubt, it's made us work better as a team."