When your car won’t start, your tire goes flat, or you find yourself stranded on the side of the road, the person who arrives to help can make all the difference.

For AAA roadside technicians, getting a member safely back on their way is all part of the job. But the very best bring something more: patience, professionalism, a commitment to safety, and a genuine desire to help.

Each year, AAA Western and Central New York recognizes four of those outstanding technicians with the Marty Taylor Recognition Award. The award honors AAA technician Marty Taylor, who was killed while assisting a member on the roadside 21 years ago.

This year’s Drivers of the Year are Frankie Giordano and David Black in Western New York, and James Malelis and Allen Walrath in Central New York.

Thousands of calls. Thousands of chances to make a difference.

Together, this year’s four honorees completed nearly 7,000 road service calls in 2025.

Frankie Giordano joined AAA Western New York Fleet Operations in January 2025 and made an immediate impact. During his first year, he completed 1,925 road service requests without a safety violation or member complaint and was named Technician of the Month seven times.

Winning the award so early in his AAA career came as a surprise.

“I was shocked to win the Marty Taylor Award, especially in my first year,” Giordano said. “It’s an honor, and it reinforces why I come to work every day: helping our members, making sure they feel safe, supported, and taken care of.”

Fellow Western New York honoree David Black has been with AAA since 2020 and became a Senior Roadside Technician in 2022. He completed 1,633 road service requests in 2025 with no safety violations and earned a 96.6% member satisfaction score.

“This recognition could have gone to any of our tow technicians because they’re all qualified and deserving,” Black said. “I’m proud to receive it, and what keeps me motivated is that every day brings new challenges and opportunities to leave a positive impression on our members.”

Helping people when they need it most

In Central New York, this year’s honorees have a combined 25 years of experience with AAA.

James Malelis joined AAA in 2010 and is no stranger to the Marty Taylor Recognition Award: this marks his seventh time receiving the honor. In 2025, he completed 1,931 road service requests without a safety violation or member complaint and earned Technician of the Month honors six times.

After more than 16 years on the road, his reason for doing the job remains remarkably simple.

“I’ve seen bad days, I’ve seen good days, but helping people and getting them back on their way is what it’s all about,” Malelis said.

Allen Walrath, who joined AAA in 2017, completed 1,457 road service requests in 2025 without a safety violation or member complaint and was named Technician of the Month five times.

“When I first came in, it was all about helping the member, and that’s still what it’s about today,” Walrath said.

It took Walrath a little longer to decide that roadside service was where he belonged.

“It took me a year before I even put in an application because I wanted to make sure this was where I fit in,” he said. “Ten years later, I’d say I fit in.”

Carrying on Marty Taylor’s legacy

The award these technicians receive carries special meaning at AAA.

Marty Taylor was a AAA Tow Technician who was killed on Route 690 in Syracuse while performing a vehicle recovery 21 years ago. His widow, Debbie Taylor, still works for AAA as a dispatcher in Syracuse and attended this year’s award ceremony with her granddaughter, Brielle.

“Today, we honor James, Allen, David, and Frankie for their dedication, compassion, responsibility, and unwavering commitment to making our roads and communities safer,” Brielle said at the ceremony. “Their work reflects the very values this award represents, and I know that Marty would be proud.”

Marty’s death is also a reminder of the danger roadside workers face every day.

Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 42% of drivers who admitted to breaking Move Over laws said they didn’t realize their behavior was dangerous to roadside workers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that 566 people are killed and more than 14,000 are injured each year while dealing with a disabled vehicle on the roadside.

New York’s Move Over Law requires drivers approaching stopped vehicles on the roadside to slow down and, when possible, move over to provide additional space.

It’s a small action that can make an enormous difference for the people whose job is to stop and help.

As Malelis puts it: “If someone needs help, you stop and help. After all these years, that’s just who we are.”