|
|
 |
|
|
|
SamTrans > News Archive > SamTrans Returns a Winner From Regional Competition
SamTrans Returns a Winner From Regional Competition
The SamTrans roadeo team has come home a winner. The team brought the prestigious
“Perpetual Trophy” home from the regional bus roadeo held recently in Antioch. The
trophy is awarded to the transit property with the highest combined score in the
individual bus operator’s competition.
“I am really proud of our team,” said Jeff Johnson, SamTrans training manager. “To do
this well when the level of competition was so high is outstanding.” Johnson said the
SamTrans operators scored higher than two recent winners of the international roadeo
competing in the regional event.
Operator Bernardo Hernandez of San Mateo finished second with a score of 498 out of a
possible 550. Edwin Freeman of South San Francisco was hot on his heels in third
place with a score of 484. Together, they teamed up with Rodrigo Eguilos of Stockton,
who had an individual score of 456, to bring home first place in the team competition
with a combined score of 1,438.
SamTrans Mechanics Gary Cox of Tracy, Greg Reschke of Daly City and Ashok Singh of
Hayward used their diagnostic skills to take first place in the maintenance
competition with a combined score of 1,235 out of a possible 1,900 points.
In the Instructors Competition, Senior Instructor William Snell of South San
Francisco brought home gold with a first place score of 492 points out of a possible
550 points. Instructor Ron Jordan of Menlo Park finished second with a score of 467.
Together, they took first place in the Instructors Team competition.
The regional competition is the next step after the local roadeo on the road to the
international contest to be held Oct. 9 in Atlanta.
A highlight of the American Public Transportation Association’s annual conference, the
roadeo encourages bus operators and mechanics to strive for the highest professional
standards. Bus operators compete on a timed course consisting of 11 problems for a
possible score of 600 points. Deductions are taken for errors, such as hitting cones,
or for running longer than the allotted six minutes. Drivers also are judged on their
safety habits and smoothness of operation. Maintenance teams made up of three
mechanics are challenged to trouble-shoot a “bugged” bus and ace a written test.
Freeman scored a combined total of 1,076 points in the local and regional
competitions, and will join Cox, Reschke, and Singh at the international roadeo.
At the local roadeo in July, Freeman came in first place followed by Hernandez and
Eguilos. Scores from the local and regional roadeos are combined to determine which
driver competes at the international level.
Last year, the SamTrans team placed fourth in the overall combined finish category at
the international roadeo in Salt Lake City, beating teams from many larger agencies,
including New York City, Atlanta and Chicago.
9/20/04
|
|
|
|
Schedules & Fares