|
|
 |
|
|
|
SamTrans > News Archive > SamTrans Operators Go for the Gold at Annual Bus Roadeo
SamTrans Operators Go for the Gold at Annual Bus Roadeo
Twenty-three-year SamTrans bus operator Edwin Freeman of South San Francisco did it
again – Freeman scored 592 out of 600 possible points to take first place in the
SamTrans Bus Roadeo, held recently in South San Francisco. This is the third
consecutive year Freeman has won the local competition.
The roadeo tests drivers’ skills at maneuvering a 30,000-pound bus smoothly and
safely through 11 tests on a timed course. Drivers begin with 600 points, and
deductions are taken for hitting cones, making errors or running longer than the
allotted six minutes.
Bus operator Bernardo Hernandez of San Mateo took second place with 576 points,
followed by Rodrigo Eguilos of Stockton in third place with 547 points.
Operators Freeman, Hernandez and Eguilos will represent SamTrans at the Northern
California Regional Bus Roadeo on Sept. 12 in Antioch. Scores from the local and
regional roadeos will be combined to determine which SamTrans bus operator will
compete in the international bus roadeo this fall.
On the maintenance side, the top scoring team of Gary Cox of Tracy, Greg Reschke of
Daly City and Ashok Singh of Hayward solved diagnostic problems and aced a written
test to finish first in the maintenance team competition. Singh also finished first
in the maintenance team driver competition. Mechanics Cox, Reschke and Singh will
represent SamTrans in the upcoming regional and international roadeos.
In a special division for rookie competitors, Bernard Chan of Antioch scored 496
points. Instructors William Snell of South San Francisco and Ron Jordan of Menlo
Park came in first and second place respectively in the instructor division. For the
second year the roadeo included SamTrans contractor MV Transportation. In that
competition, Efren Antoniano of San Francisco came in first place in that division.
Last year the SamTrans team placed fourth in the international competition, besting
teams from many larger transit agencies, including New York, Atlanta, Chicago and
Dallas.
The SamTrans Bus Roadeo is dedicated to veteran employee James V. Castagno, who
passed away in 2002.
8/4/04
|
|
|
|
Schedules & Fares