On Sunday, March 18, ten Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corp. operators competed in the Second Annual CityBus Roadeo. The event was held in the parking lot of Lyboult Sports Park on Canal Rd.
The event was a preliminary competition for the American Public Transportation Association’s International Bus Roadeo held in Tampa, FL May 4-8, 2018. The ten obstacles test each operator’s ability to negotiate turns and stops at precise points while not touching any cones or shifting into reverse. In addition to testing driving skills, operators were judged on uniform appearance and each operator completed a full bus inspection where they were tasked with detecting several deliberately placed safety-related defects.
“The goal of this event is to provide friendly competition and build camaraderie among those who compete,” said John Connell, manager of operations. “Our operators are very skilled and the Roadeo provides an opportunity for them to show off their talents.”
Wayne Reeder, who has driven for CityBus since 2014, was the winner of this year’s local Roadeo competition. By earning the highest combined score, Wayne won an all-expenses paid trip to Tampa where he will test his skills against the best bus operators from around the world. He will also have an opportunity to workshop and network with other operators, and will bring back valuable best practices from across the industry. “I had a great time at the CityBus Roadeo,” said Mr. Reeder. “I am very excited to represent the company and my peers at the International contest in Tampa.”
Gary Nelson Jr. won the First Annual CityBus Roadeo in October 2016. He competed at the International Bus Roadeo in 2017 in Reno, Nevada.
