MTR Western and the Manning you don't know

There's one Manning who gets the Seahawks where they are going with perfect professionalism. And then he may turn around and do the same for their opponents.
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Jeremy Butzlaff

There's one Manning who gets the Seahawks where they are going with perfect professionalism. And then he may turn around and do the same for their opponents.

Most of you know of Peyton and Eli Manning, two electrifying NFL quarterbacks whose faces are a constant presence on our television screens. While these two have been standing in the limelight tossing 50-yard bombs and scrambling for third-down conversions for over a decade, I’d like to tell you about the other quarterback named Manning — the Manning who you probably haven’t seen on ESPN.

From collegiate sports to professional athletics, from championship seasons to seasons riddled with losses, from corporate charters to popular tourist destinations, and everything in between, MTR Western motor coach driver Pat Manning has been getting people from points A to B in the Pacific Northwest for two decades.

We’ve been providing superior transportation services in the Northwest since 2003, when the Seattle Seahawks became our first professional sports team client. Since then, Pat has driven the Seahawks and their visiting opponents every season, including the 2005 Super Bowl run.

As a lead driver for MTR Western, Pat fulfills the position of quarterback for our fleet, ensuring that all preparations are made, leading his fellow drivers, and making game-time transportation decisions. A familiar face to the likes of Steve Raible, Warren Moon and Pete Carroll, he is an installment in our athletic community.

This year, all eyes have been on the Seahawks. On game days, Pat makes the rounds and cleans his coach with the kind of attention to detail that comes with 20 years in the business. Unhindered by cheering fans on the roadside or inclement weather conditions, he goes about his work with humble respect and professionalism as he displays an unfailing ability to adhere to the Seahawks and their stringent routine. Sitting behind the wheel, cell phone powered down in his pocket, he and his colleagues arrive early to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center to shuttle the team to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with a police escort in tow. When the Hawks are in town, they shuttle the visiting team around town.

While ‘Hawks fans chant “LOUDER,” you’d be hard-pressed to catch this soft-spoken driver cracking jokes to the players, asking for an autograph, or even giving any sign of bias when driving an opposing team. Every bit the professional driver that Russell Wilson is a professional quarterback, Pat is there for the team at any hour, doing his job and getting them to the games so they can do theirs.

We’ve built an outstanding reputation based on our quality motor coaches, professional drivers and proactive approach to safety. Servicing organizations like the Mariners, Microsoft, the University of Washington, and Washington State University is what we do.

The unsung heroes of transportation, Pat and his fellow drivers are the heart and soul of this motor coach company, carrying out their responsibilities with quality and professionalism, which is a direct representative of MTR Western’s motto: “Driven by Passion.”

People always say, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” During seasons of such hype and notoriety, it is easy for people to forget how these teams get to the Super Bowl.

The answer: safely.

Go Seahawks!

  

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