Charlotte Area Transit System’s (CATS) top mechanics took part in an intense competition April 5, to claim the title of best transit maintenance team in Charlotte in the CATS Bus Maintenance Roadeo.
First place honors in the competition went to the maintenance team consisting of Craig Patch, Billy Belcher and Ben Thompson. The winning team advances to the 2015 International Bus Maintenance Roadeo competition in Fort Worth, Texas, where they will compete against other transit agencies from across the country.
Second place went to the team of Bernard Romero, Jerry McNeilly and Darrell Shaver. The third place team consisted of Jeff Dahle, Greg Trogdon and Charles Jones. The maintenance teams were judged on speed and accuracy as they searched for vehicle defects such as shifting issues and transmission problems.
Teams also took a written exam testing their knowledge of proper care of transit buses. The Maintenance Roadeo gives employees a chance to demonstrate the skills and knowledge that they use every day to help CATS maintain a safe transit system.
