Cheers erupted, hugs were shared and high-fives were exchanged when the winners of the 2016 Valley Metro Bus Roadeo were announced on Sunday, April 3, in Mesa, AZ. Participating in the test of skills were local service providers First Transit Phoenix, First Transit Tempe/Mesa, Total Transit and Dunn Transportation. First Transit Mesa Operator Jason Allison and Total Transit Maintenance Technicians Brent Cantelon and Alan Kulchecki earned the top spots in the rigorous competitions that included driving skills, knowledge of safety regulations and maintenance of bus equipment.
“I strive to be the smoothest and safest operator every day, to keep my passengers safe and to arrive at their destinations securely,” said Allison, who has been an operator for seven years. “It’s a great honor to win first place and an even bigger honor to compete internationally.”
By earning the top spots on Sunday, Allison, Cantelon and Kulchecki will have the opportunity to compete in the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) International Roadeo in Charlotte, NC in May.
“We are proud to showcase the skills of operators and maintenance technicians from service providers around the Valley,” said Marc Perla, general manager, First Transit Tempe/Mesa. “The Bus Roadeo encourages high levels of professionalism and safety while cultivating camaraderie among staff and their families.”
The Valley Metro Bus Roadeo featured separate competitions for bus operators and bus maintainers. In the driving competition, 14 operators navigated a 40-foot bus through a series of 16 obstacles that tested agility, braking ability and smoothness, narrow turns and reversing along a timed course. In the maintenance competition, four teams of maintainers inspected, identified and fixed “planted” defects on a bus.
“This competition provides an opportunity to feature the skills of the front-line staff who keep our transit system moving,” said Chris Hager, director of transit operations, Total Transit. “Their expertise is critical to providing transit services 365 days a year.”
