Southland’s top traffic reporters honored at this year's Golden Pylon Awards

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Winners of this year's Golden Pylon Awards. Top (left to right): Terry Edwards, Juan Galvan. Bottom (left to right): Alysha Del Valle, Stephanie Simmons, Rebecca Campbell. Not pictured: Kajon Cermak. Photo: Jose Tchouporian/Metro

Winners of this year’s Golden Pylon Awards. Top (left to right): Terry Edwards, Juan Galvan. Bottom (left to right): Alysha Del Valle, Stephanie Simmons, Rebecca Campbell. Not pictured: Kajon Cermak. Photo: Jose Tchouporian/Metro

The coveted Golden Pylon Awards were handed out to the Southland’s top traffic reporters today at Los Angeles Union Station. The awards honor the reporters who keep the region’s traffic moving by promoting rideshare options such as carpools, vanpools, active transportation and public transportation.

The Golden Pylon Awards are sponsored by four regional transportation agencies: Metro in Los Angeles County, Orange County Transportation Authority, San Bernardino Associated Governments and Ventura County Transportation Commission. Nominated by their peers and the transit agencies, six traffic reporters who report on the daily traffic grind for numerous broadcast outlets won this year’s top honors.

  • Alysha Del Valle, ABC 7
  • Stephanie Simmons, CBS 2
  • Rebecca Campbell, KFI, KLAC, MYFM,  KYSR, KEIB
  • Officer Juan Galvan, FOX 11, Univision 34,Telemundo 52, Radio Mexico, La Poderosa, KFRN Family Radio
  • Kajon Cermak, KCRW
  • Terry Edwards, Operations Manager for Total Traffic, promotes ridesharing issues among Southland traffic reporters

The Golden Pylon Awards are a traditional prelude to California Rideshare Week, which begins Monday, October 6. Rideshare Week is a statewide campaign to encourage thousands of commuters to ‘share the ride’ to help reduce traffic and air pollution. The statewide event provides employers with a great opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of sharing the ride in California. Ridesharing helps employees get to work on time, has increased job performance, retention and morale and it contributes to cleaner air.

Sponsored by Southland businesses and organizations, employees are encouraged to call 511 or to register online and pledge to rideshare at least once during Rideshare Week October 6 –10. Commuters who pledge are eligible to win gift cards and other valuable prizes. For more information, visit metro.net/rideshareweek.

Categories: Transportation News

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11 replies ›

  2. I disagree that LA shouldn’t have light and heavy rail transit mentioned in the traffic reports. The Blue Line , Red, Gold and other colors are gaining popularity with the region as alternate means of getting around. The ridership is growing , with these lines into downtown and into other parts of the region they serve . Our rail is extending to Santa Monica and further into the San Gabriel Valley in the next couple of years. Now is the time to start reporting on the morning news how it affects our commute. After all, commute patterns are ever changing in this region and we need to be up to date on our options to ensure the best commute possible for the residents of this county.

  3. Tommy Jaxson used to do live reads for Metrolink on KNX before he was dumped in favor of Jennifer York.

    I agree with Elfie on transit reports. The Bay Area news stations give status reports on BART and in the early morning indicate whether the ACE train from Stockton is on time. You do get some mention of Metrolink, especially in the morning when there is a trespasser strike that fouls up the entire line, but not so much on Metro Rail, where police activity, train/auto/person collisions, or power problems do cause problems occasionally.

  4. KCRW’s (and KPCC’s) reports are often time fairly out-dated compared to KNX’s. I miss having the ability to listen to KFWB’s report. Between them and KNX one was only about 5 mintues from the next report.

  6. I look forward to the day when Spanish-language trafficreporters stop using the term “accidente” just like the English-language media has stopped using “accident”.

  7. The only true traffic reporter that does all the above and goes beyond to let us know about transit issues within metros system and the region would be none other than KTLAs Ginger Chan. She should be the only recipient.

  8. Interesting. They fail to report when there are major delays of any of the Metro Rail lines.

    • Elfie, I agree with you totally. However the rail system has to expand to at least 4 times its present size before it can gain the attention of any traffic reports, as is so graciously done in New York and other great cities. It must be remembered that Los Angeles is still too damned automobiliated for the news media to make meaningful rail reports.