Honored: Golden Pylon Award (2012) — Traffic Reporting, Southern California

Two years after my first Pylon, I was recognized again in 2012—a testament to consistent, listener‑first reporting and to the community partnerships that make traffic coverage useful, not just urgent.

By 2012, my reporting expanded across KFI and sister stations, with a focus on actionable alternatives (HOV/HOT lanes, rail transfers, park‑and‑ride, event‑day strategies).

What the Award Is

The Golden Pylon Awards are presented by regional transportation agencies (led by LA Metro and partner agencies) to spotlight traffic reporters who help the public consider alternatives to solo driving—carpools, vanpools, transit, biking, walking—especially around Rideshare Week. In various years, co‑presenters have included Metro, OCTA, San Bernardino’s transportation authority, and VCTC.

What I Learned (2010 → 2012)

• Consistency earns trust: Deliver the same clear format under pressure; listeners learn how to use your reports.
• Be local, relentlessly: Hyper‑specific ramps, exits, and timing windows beat generic “slow from” phrasing.
• Keep the alternatives in the script: Mention HOV/HOT/transit even when it’s not top‑of‑mind.

Gratitude

Thank you to Metro and partner agencies for continuing to recognize service‑oriented traffic reporting, and to the KFI/TTWN teams for making live, accurate coverage possible across the Southland.

For more: The Source