Some of Capital Metro’s outstanding drivers and mechanics will compete at the state, national and international levels after earning top honors on March 23 at Capital Metro’s 2013 Roadeo, organized by McDonald Transit and hosted in east Austin by BAE Systems.
“We have so many talented people working in service to Capital Metro,” said Linda S. Watson, Capital Metro president/CEO. “The Roadeo is the perfect opportunity for our operators and mechanics to shine and showcase their skills, and the result is better transit service for the community.”
The top three finishers in each category will advance to the Texas State Roadeo competition on April 14 in Austin.
McDonald Bus Operator Porfirio “Pete” Rivera was the overall Roadeo champion with the top score of 643. Rivera, along with the winning vehicle maintenance team, made up of mechanics Jaime Ayala, John Proske and Gary Robledo, all from McDonald Transit, will advance directly to the International Bus Roadeo May 3-7, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
MetroAccess Van operator Ted Ward, who won first place in the Paratransit Van category, will advance to the National Community Transportation Roadeo on June 2, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“Capital Metro operators and mechanics are highly-skilled,” explained Watson. “I suspect other transit authorities get nervous when the Capital Metro team arrives at a Roadeo event. Three of our operators—Arthur Murillo, Abdelkader Tenouri and Ted Ward—have claimed the international title in years past, and many more have competed consistently at the state and national levels.”
The annual local Roadeo allows professional bus operators and mechanics to both showcase and hone their skills. Bus and van operators steer their way through a challenging obstacle course of bus-sized dimensions, while judges grade their abilities. Teams of mechanics also compete by completing various bus engine maintenance and diagnostics challenges.
This year’s competitors included bus and paratransit operators, and mechanics representing Capital Metro’s service providers McDonald Transit, Veolia Transportation, First Transit and MV Transportation.
The 2013 local winners are:
Maintenance
- 1st Place –Jaime Ayala, John Proske and Gary Robledo (McDonald Transit)
Paratransit Van
- 1st Place – Ted Ward (MV Transportation)
- 2nd Place – Wally Acosta (MV Transportation)
- 3rd Place – Manuel Santa Ana (MV Transportation)
35-Foot Bus
- 1st Place – Arthur Murillo (McDonald Transit)
- 2nd Place – Abdelkader Tenouri (McDonald Transit)
- 3rd Place – Corey Barnes (Veolia Transportation)
40-Foot Bus
- 1st Place – Porfirio “Pete” Rivera (McDonald Transit)
- 2nd Place – Amos Underwood (McDonald Transit)
- 3rd Place – Ray Sedwick (McDonald Transit)
Erica Macioge
Capital Metro
