Childress District Traffic Safety Specialist Nicole Tyler, center, was presented with the Grit Award by the Texas Transportation Commission in Austin.Tyler recently created the first ever Traffic Incident Management (TIM) team for the district and the first ever for all rural TxDOT district. As lead for the program, Tyler trains TxDOT employees as well as local emergency first responders. The goal of the TIM team is saving lives and ensuring the safety of those working the incidents. In the training, the team works cohesively to come up with ways to reduce the overall response time to any incident.Since it’s inception, Tyler has trained six other TxDOT districts on this valuable program and has received state recognition in numerous conference calls, newsletters and awards. Tyler’s background as an EMT and first responder makes the program even more valuable as her “outside of TxDOT” experiences help her understand each agency’s role in the TIM team.Tyler is not only a valuable first responder in the local community, she is also a valuable asset to the Texas Department of Transportation. As the TSS, she goes above and beyond in educating the public on important traffic safety initiatives. She often spends weekends working and will present a program with little to no advance notice. Helping others is her passion, which is evident in every aspect of her work. From presenting programs on the dangers of drinking and driving to making sure every child in the district is in the correctly fitted car seat, Tyler’s passion for what she does shines through. She is committed to helping the agency reach the goal of zero fatalities by 2050 as evident in her public outreach through traffic safety.Also pictured is the Director of Traffic Safety Michael Chacon, left, Commissioner Robert C. Vaughn, Chairman J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., Tyler, Childress District Engineer Darwin Lankford, Commissioner Laura Ryan, Commissioner Alvin New and Texas Department of Transportation Executive Director Marc Williams.