ORLANDO, FL -- The Professional Truck Driver Institute awarded its 14th annual Lee J. Crittenden Memorial Award to Marlene Dakita, the organization's long-time certification coordinator, during the Truckload Carriers Association annual convention.


Dakita, a staff member for TCA, began working with PTDI in 1996, shortly after TCA started managing the organization. Although she works under a director, she is widely described as a "one-person business" that runs the entire PTDI operation, including meetings, school records and communications. Her responsibilities include managing the pre- and post-certification process for schools applying for PTDI course certification; administering the standards, policies, and procedures and ensuring their consistency; and managing the ongoing certification requirements for 61 schools in 21 states and one Canadian province.

Dakita holds a bachelor's degree in education from Ohio State University. She taught for five years prior to relocating to the Washington, DC, area. She worked for the Film, Air and Package Carriers Conference for 16 years before joining the staff of TCA/PTDI.

"Marlene's long-standing dedication, commitment and attention to quality have been indispensable to PTDI's enduring success for both the organization itself and for the entire community it serves," says Virginia DeRoze, former program director for PTDI and the 2002 recipient of award.

The award is given to a person who exemplifies the overall mission of PTDI, for which Lee Crittenden was a staunch supporter until his death in April 1998. PTDI raises the quality of truck driver training courses by establishing and promoting minimum training standards, and by certifying courses that meet those standards.