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metro news ROADEO COMPETITORS TALK STRATEGY What is your biggest concern prior to competing in this year's APTA Bus Roadeo? You have to get used to the bus, that's probably the hardest part of competing. You get a test drive for seven minutes the day before, but it really isn't enough time to learn how to drive a bus you've never driven before. Ramon Farfan Jacksonville Transportation Authority Jacksonville, Fla. You want to stay consistent when making turns while staying focused on your time; those are the most important factors. You can leave all the cones, but if you don't make it through the course in time, it's all in vain. Timothy Woods Gardena Municipal Bus Lines Gardena, Calif. Everything is just skill, and I have the skills that are necessary, but I think I'm mostly concerned with backing up, because that's what I've had problems with before. I've been watching other drivers to get some pointers on how to be more successful and I think I've got it under control this time. Teo Doroteo Mendiola Fort Worth Transportation Authority Fort Worth, Texas The angles. I'm watching other people to see what kind of angles they're using to approach an obstacle to see if they come out with a better outcome than I had during my practice run. I struggled a bit during my practice run, because I don't usually drive 40-foot buses. I'm a paratransit driver, so it really is just about adapting and finding the right angles for me. Martin Davis Central New York Regional Transportation Authority Syracuse, N.Y. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Authority, who was competing in the competition for the fifth time in his 35-year career, said the great thing about competing in the Roadeo is coming in not knowing what you'll learn. "You are always going to learn something, you just wait and see what opens up Pandora's Box, so to speak, and exposes what you haven't ever seen or learned," he said. Catenacci explained the wealth of knowledge technicians learn and are exposed to at the Roadeo also helps them further excel in their careers as well as at their current jobs. "This event has really become a launch pad for many technicians to move upward," he said. "It really just pays off to be able to test your skills and learn by taking part in a large event such as this." This year, SEPTA won the overall Grand Champion Award, which recognizes the system with the highest combined bus operator and maintenance team combined score. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) took second place overall achievement honors, while the team from Orange County (Calif.) Transportation Authority (OCTA) won third place overall achievement honors. SEPTA also won the maintenance competition with OCTA and Metro finishing second and third, respectively. In the 40-foot bus competition, Paul Klimesh of Iowa-based Ames Transit Agency was named best driver in North America, beating out 50 other competitors to win first place. Taking second place in the 40-foot bus competition was Daniel R. Schmidt of Ben Franklin Transit in Richland, Wash., while third place was claimed by SEPTA's Zenon Rinylo. In the 35-foot bus competition, Gabriel Beliz of Ben Franklin Transit won first place as the best bus operator in North America, beating out 17 of other competitors. Taking second place was Julian Carranza Jr. of CCTA, while third place went to the Central Ohio Transit Authority's Howard Yoder. "Each team and driver that competed in the Roadeo should be proud to be here, because they worked hard to get here," said Tovar. "The number of teams here competing, though, really says a lot about the agencies throughout our industry and how good of a job they are doing to cultivate talent." Top 10 Reasons Why Transit Agencies Install Reason #5: Front Tensioner operates with a single hand when attaching or releasing for less intrusion on the rider's space while assuring maximum stability. The frst fully integrated forward facing wheelchair securement station specifcally designed and tested for transit wheelchair passenger transportation. Qstraint.com/Qpod JUNE 2013 mETRO mAGAZINE > 11