Fulton County Transit Authority
Proudly serving Fulton, Hickman, Graves and Carlisle counties
Four FCTA employees are in a temporary office at 1000 Elm Street while construction is being completed on the administrative office complex at 302 Eastwood Drive in Fulton. Those needing to meet with Executive Director Kevin Kelley, Assistant Director Kristin Bonds, Operations Manager Rachel Cook, or Marketing Director Kim Jobe should go to the Elm Street office until construction is completed.
New Executive Director set to
lead FCTA forward
Although his job title has changed, Kevin Kelley remains in the “people moving” business.
The former KenTenn EMS Director, Kelley officially took over the Executive Director position at Fulton County Transit Authority Monday, November 21. The FCTA Board of Directors chose Kelley for the post during a special called meeting on November 3.
Kelley resigned his position on the FCTA Board of Directors prior to applying for the job.
“Kevin Kelley will be a passionate leader who will bring dedication, integrity, and communication to FCTA,” said FCTA Board of Directors President Mike Gunn. “He was an obvious choice for the Executive Director position as he shares the community’s vision for the future. He remains ready to do the hard work to get us there. Kevin can recognize talent and can be a leader that supports those around him in being successful.”
Gunn has known Kelley personally and professionally for decades, even working together as City of Fulton Fire Department Paramedics.
“In my past 20-plus years working with him, Kevin is not afraid to look outside of the proverbial ‘box’ to get things done,” Gunn said. “He is the kind of leader that directs the organization into the future instead of allowing the future to direct the organization.”
Kelley’s immediate plans are to obtain more personnel to keep up with the increase in ridership FCTA has faced recently.
“I hope to continue to move Fulton Transit forward and continue to provide the communities we serve with their transportation needs in an effective and efficient means as possible,” Kelley added.
A 1987 graduate of Dresden High School (TN), Kelley received his emergency medicine training at Jackson State Community College in Jackson, TN. He earned his EMT Basic in 1995, EMT IV in 1996, and completed coursework to become a Paramedic in 1998.
All of Kelley’s career thus far has been working in emergency services. Kelley served with the Dresden Fire Department, Weakley County Rescue Squad, and City of Fulton Fire Department. He worked for Weakley County EMS from 1996-2003; Henry County Medical Center from 2003-2005, and with Air-Evac Lifeteam 31 in Martin, TN, from 2005-2013.
Kelley recently returned to the Fulton Fire Department after a 10-year hiatus.
In addition to providing hands on care, Kelley has also worked in a leadership role to make sure the Twin Cities area has professional care during emergency situations. Kelley served as Tri-Cities EMS Director from 2013 – 2017. After Parkway Regional Hospital was closed and CHS stopped providing ambulance service to the area, Kelley helped establish KenTenn EMS and served as director there from 2017 until now.
In 2019, Kelley helped develop the KenTenn EMS Academy. The program provides EMT and Advanced EMT classes and will soon host RN to EMT classes. Future plans include providing Paramedic classes in Fulton as well. All of these classes are taught at the KenTenn EMS base. Kelley has served as Program Director for the academy since its inception.
Kelley’s first day as FCTA Executive Director was Monday, November 21.
Who We Are
Fulton County Transit Authority was implemented in 1985 under resolutions by the Fulton County Fiscal Court for the operation of a Transit system in Region I. FCTA proudly serves Fulton, Hickman, Graves, and Carlisle counties
and is open to the public.
TRANSLATION, PLEASE: In order to have language at no cost, please click HERE to take you to the translator.
For TTY/KY Relay Service: Dial 711 or 1-800-648-6056
Jo Ann Gardiner poses with the certificate she received after being named FCTA's Employee of the Year.
Peers name Gardiner
Employee of the Year
Drivers Supervisor Jo Ann Gardiner has been named Fulton County Transit Authority’s Employee of the Year for 2022.
The honor, chosen via individual ballot voting by FCTA employees, is traditionally announced prior to Christmas each year.
From the look on her face when her name was announced, it was obvious that the honor was a complete surprise to Gardiner.
“It is a great honor to be named Employee of the Year especially since I see how hard my co-workers work and see them go above and beyond their duties to get our clients to and from their destinations,” Gardiner said. “I appreciate all my co-workers and thank them for giving me this honor. I want them to know I appreciate them all greatly, and I am so proud to be on this great team at Fulton County Transit Authority. Thank you all!”
Perhaps it is Gardnier’s unwavering reliability and positive attitude that helped earn her this year’s award.
“When you pick up the phone and call Jo Ann, it’s handled,” said FCTA Assistant Director Kristin Grooms who counted the ballots. “She’s dependable; you can always count on her. I truly believe that is why her coworkers chose Jo Ann this year.”
Gardiner, who started out at FCTA as a Driver, celebrated her fourth anniversary with the agency in October.
“I was a cook on a towboat. I did that for 15 years,” Gardiner said in a recent interview for her supervisory promotion. “I was gone for six months a year. Then the grandkids came into the world, and I didn’t want to miss out with them. This job kept popping up on Facebook, so I took that as a sign this was what I was supposed to be doing. So, I applied and here I still am.”
Although Gardiner is a team player and quite kind and helpful to her coworkers, she admits the people in the four counties FCTA serves are the real reasons she attempts to do her job well every day.
“The best part is our clients,” Gardiner said. “They make the job worth it. We have some great coworkers here. Another benefit is being home which makes all the difference.”
It was her supervisor and his support that made Gardiner want to take on the Drivers Supervisor responsibilities at FCTA.
Born in Tiptonville, Tennessee to Richard and Mary Jo Smith, Gardiner is the second child of six. She has two brothers and three sisters: Glen, Tim, Jennifer, Stephanie, and Amanda.
“I married Bob Gardiner in January 1987,” Gardiner said. “We have two boys – Robert, who married Rachel Wilson, and Dewayne, who married Tiffany Elkins.”
It was Dewayne and Tiffany who gave Gardiner what she calls her “greatest gift ever” - RayBell and Addie, her granddaughters.
“They are my pride and joy and my little joys who are getting us into something all the time both good and bad,” Gardiner said.
In addition to receiving the title, Gardiner has a framed certificate touting her honor, a newly minted ID badge with Employee of the Year 2022 printed across the top, and a few gifts from her coworkers.
How should any client act while riding in any of FCTA's vehicles? Check out the Code of Conduct Page today.
Fall was definitely
festival time for
FCTA employees
Page still contains
memories from
2021 tornado
(See Scrapbook Page)
Services and Rates
Do you need to know how much it costs to ride from Fulton to Murray? Do you want to find out about FCTA's Ride to Work Program? Are you travelling somewhere on Amtrak and need a ride to the station or want to know how much it costs to leave your car parked at the FCTA Office in Fulton? Look up the answers to these questions and more by clicking on the Services and Rates link below.
Statistics & News
Check this page periodically to find out what is going on with the business of FCTA as well as activities in which #TeamTransit participates. Also included on this page often is information about employment at FCTA as well as services we provide.
Medical, Private Pay, Medicaid Recipients
All Medicaid Recipients must contact AACS/GRITS Transportation, the Region 1 Medicaid Transportation Broker, to inquire about free medical transportation. Please call toll free: 844-575-9676. For other medical transportation questions, contact FCTA at 270-472-0662