OATS Transit recently shared an article in The Wheel, a monthly publication put together by OATS, featuring the stories of many dedicated employees who have worked for the organization for 30 or more years. Read on for their stories, shared as OATS Transit celebrates 54 years of proving public transit services across Missouri.
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- Sandy Nolan, a Jefferson County area driver, has been with OATS since 1976, making her the longest tenured employee. Speaking of her job, Sandy says, “I simply love my job, which is why I have stayed so many years! When I reflect on the changes I have seen over the years, it started with sitting on the floor sorting out reservation sheets to make our schedules, to now using computers and tablets at the touch of our fingertips. We went from paper maps to routing by GPS, which was a big change for drivers. As a driver, when you needed to talk to the office staff, you had to stop at a pay phone and call them, since cell phones didn’t exist back then. We went from transporting only seniors, to transporting general public riders and individuals with disabilities to take them to work, medical appointments, school, or any other business needs. Although I won’t be here to see it, I hope OATS Transit will be around for another 50+ plus years.”
- Diane Floyd began working for OATS in 1979 and is now an Operations Coordinator based out of the Springfield, MO regional office. Reflecting on her role in the organization, she says, “When you find a good company to work for like OATS, there isn’t any reason to look anywhere else. I like that what I do makes the quality of life better for our riders. I have seen many changes over the last four decades. In the early days, we mainly had just Area Agency on Aging funds to operate, but that has diversified greatly. I can recall when we only had three wheelchair vehicles for the 17 counties in our southwest region. I love seeing how Oats has grown, and I hope we are around for many years to come.”
- Sheree Webb also began working for OATS in 1979 and worked her way up to becoming Regional Director in Northeast Missouri. Of her time with OATS, Sheree says, “The people I work with, staff and drivers, are the best! I love riding routes with drivers; what they accomplish in a day never ceases to amaze me. And, it is so rewarding to get to meet our riders and hear how much they like and depend on OATS Transit. I have seen our company grow from operating one vehicle per county to what it is now. OATS Transit went from relying on volunteers to take reservations for the one bus, to a sophisticated dispatching system that allows us to coordinate services on multiple vehicles. It’s a fine balancing act, but OATS Transit strives to meet the needs of all ages.”
- Paulette Waggle has been an OATS Transit driver for 42 years in the Mountain Grove, MO area. She places a lot of value on her relationships with riders, saying “I’ve stayed with OATS Transit for 42 years because I like to help people, and I like to help them have a good day. I probably spoil my riders, but sometimes they need that, and sometimes I am the only person they see. My favorite part is seeing them get off the bus happy and they enjoyed their time riding with me. I’ve seen many changes over the years, but as the world changes, I guess we have to as well.”
- Donna Short began working for OATS in 1985 as a driver but more recently works as an Operations Coordinator in the Springfield, MO office. Her unique perspective leads her to say, “I like working for OATS Transit because I believe in taking care of our riders. As a former driver, I liked the driver part of my job, because I got to know the riders personally and they became like family to me. I hope that OATS will be here forever!”
- Dorothy Yeager, Executive Director of OATS Transit, started out as a Communications Assistant in the OATS office in Columbia, MO in 1987. Speaking of her time with OATS, Dorothy says, “Reflecting on 1987, OATS had an operating budget of $3.2 million and less than 200 vehicles that drove 3.7 million miles that year. Now in 2025 entering our 54th year of service, our company has an operating budget of $36 million, with 700 vehicles in our fleet that drive 11 million miles per year. The increase in the number of vehicles and miles driven suggests that people in Missouri must travel longer distances to access essential services – a need that OATS Transit helps meet by offering dependable transportation solutions for individuals who might otherwise be isolated. What kept me here is not just the mission, but also the opportunities I’ve been afforded here by the previous director and the Board. Technology has been the biggest change. Where we are today compared to even just 5 years ago is amazing. Another change has been the change in ridership. When I started 38 years ago, most riders were seniors who rode the bus not just for medical and groceries, but also for fellowship and recreation. Today, we serve a much more diverse population. I’m proud to work for a company that makes a difference and provides a valuable service – especially in rural Missouri which is where I’m from.”
- Doris Viets is an Operations Coordinator in OATS Sedalia, MO office. Having worked for OATS for 34 years, she shares, “No two days are ever the same around here. I never know from one day to the next where I am going to be working since I also cover for others when they are gone on vacation. When I started, we had one Area Manager, three full-time employees, and I worked part-time in the office. Today, we have nine employees, plus three managers. We didn’t have wheelchair accessible buses in every county when I first started. Pettis County had the accessible bus, and that bus and driver moved from county to county to accommodate our riders in wheelchairs.”
- Carolyn Toney has also worked for OATS Transit for 34 years. Reflecting on her role as a driver in NW Missouri, she shares, “I like working for OATS Transit for several reasons. It’s a great company that provides much needed, and very affordable service, to so many people. Many of my riders are elderly. I’ve learned a lot from them, and have enjoyed their wit, stories, and knowledge. I’ve appreciated the friendly office staff, and my most competent and caring boss, Beth, who are always ready and willing to help if I have a problem. A big challenge for me was switching from paper records to electronic. I’d never had any experience with a tablet, but with Beth’s patient help, I was finally able to navigate it fairly well. OATS Transit is a company committed to providing the very best service possible to the people we serve.”
- Beth Langley has worked for OATS Transit for 32 years. Over the years, she worked up the ranks and moved into the role of NW Regional Director. Beth is proud of her work and her team, saying “What we do enables people to stay in their homes, without being a burden on their family because of our transportation. We give them independence and help them maintain their pride. I have a great team of employees who love what they do, which in turn makes me want to work harder. The people are what make OATS Transit what it is. Our drivers become family to our riders and we take pride in the work that we do. Getting riders where they need to go safely is important to the family members, and it puts their minds at ease. My favorite part of the job is making people happy!”
- Marsha Crowley is an Operations Coordinator in the Macon office, a position she has held for the last 30 years. Marsha shares, “I have stayed at OATS Transit because it’s such rewarding work that we do. There’s no better feeling than knowing you have helped someone access medical care, or helped them meet their essential shopping, nutritional, and business needs. As a Medicaid trip scheduler, my favorite part of the job is that I set a personal goal of fulfilling as many trip requests as I possibly can. I enjoy speaking with the riders who I’m able to help. The biggest changes during my 30 years at OATS have been in the area of technology. We used to take hand-written reservations and, at best, use a typewriter to make out bus schedules. Now everything is done on the computer and much faster. I love helping our riders.”
- Marsha Tooley is a driver in Douglas County that has been with OATS for 30 years. Speaking of her work, she shares, ” I enjoy the kind of work I do – being with people moving around and just being outdoors. My favorite part of the day is helping people and knowing they appreciate me. I have seen many changes over 30 years including going from paper to tablets to reduce paperwork. We have cell phones now that we didn’t used to have, plus not having to collect fares, or do daily deposits thanks to technology. Now we just follow the GPS on our tablets to route us through the day.”
- Peggy Taylor has been with OATS for 30 years and currently works as a Team Leader that assists with the training of new drivers. Of her time with OATS, she shares, “In 1990 my family joked that I needed to get a job, so I did just that! I had no idea what OATS was, but I Could see another local driver, Maddie, making a difference to a lot of people, and that is what I wanted to do. I have seen people on their worst days and I have seen people on their good days. I have seen them struggle with even getting their shoes on. I laugh with them and try to encourage them. This job has, and always will be, about helping people have a quality of life. That’s why I love my job!”
As OATS Transit celebrates 54 years of providing needed transportation to thousands of people across Missouri, they look forward to continuing to share the stories of their staff and riders who depend on them. The stories shared here reflect the heart and soul of OATS Transit—its people. With decades of service, these dedicated individuals have not only witnessed the evolution of rural transit in Missouri but have been instrumental in continuing to shape it. From hand-written schedules to high-tech dispatching systems, what remains constant is their shared commitment to helping others, building relationships, and improving the quality of life for those that depend on them.
To learn more about OATS Transit and read The Wheel, where this piece was originally shared, visit the OATS Transit website.