For almost half a century, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has held a gathering for the general public, family and friends of drivers and mechanics. Generally known as the Bus Roadeo the occasion is an opportunity for the LA Metro to showcase the most effective expertise within the company in a collection of competitions.
After discovering out the occasion existed final yr, I did a chunk on it that caught the eye of LA Metro representatives. They promised to ask me out to the 2024 Bus Roadeo. They stored their promise and my household and I have been invited out to the Bus Roadeo the weekend of October 5.
The occasion is break up into two essential competitions centered on bus operators and mechanics. At this yr’s occasion, the mechanics facet of the competitors consisted of 4 essential classes: drive axles, powertrain, HVAC, and air brake board. In every of these classes, mechanic groups need to establish and repair an issue inside a kind of techniques.
With the powertrain occasion for example, a three-person workforce needed to establish a problem in a Cummins diesel engine or with the Allison transmission. Groups can earn a max of 350 factors; 50 factors for every challenge discovered. Issues get extra attention-grabbing if two groups tie: a sudden loss of life spherical happens during which the quickest workforce to get the engine began wins. These occasions happen over a 4 hour interval, however they’re a lot much less public than the remainder of the occasion because the groups work intently contained in the store of the bus service space.
The transportation facet of issues is extra spectacular and attracts probably the most public consideration. Over 20 seasoned bus operators compete in timed impediment programs that they navigate with the buses. We’re speaking 20 and 30+ years of expertise. These operators showcase their driving know-how by way of 12 programs, every tougher than the final. As an example, one a part of the course requires the drivers to carry out a multi-point flip earlier than backing into an area. That is all down in a slim space with no room for error. Any touching or knocking of cones leads to a factors discount in opposition to the motive force.
As soon as drivers run by way of the course, they need to make a quick end by way of a pointy flip and a slim pathway of cones earlier than coming to an emergency cease in entrance of a cone with a tennis ball on prime of it. The gap from the entrance of the bus to the ball is then measured and brought into consideration when tallying the factors. This final half is a formidable show of simply how good the brakes on these 60,000 pound machines are. Seeing one cease on a dime was nearly stunning.
The bus roadeo isn’t nearly competitions although. Whereas there are winners of the occasion (thought I didn’t get to see who bought trophies as the warmth of the day bought the most effective of me), LA Metro makes it an occasion for everybody. Apart from seeing the cool camaraderie and teamwork of Metro drivers cheering one another on, there have been actions for everybody. There was a small automobile present that includes low riders and basic automobiles (and a random Infiniti Q60 for some purpose), actions for teenagers and oldsters, plenty of meals. There have been even issues to rise up shut and private with, like LA Metro’s cellular command heart which they use for emergencies or throughout the annual Rose parade.
I even bought to geek out over one one in all my favourite buses. There was a mint GMC RTS readily available for everybody to take a look at, executed up in orange, white and purple of the outdated RTD (Speedy Transit District).
Some might imagine that it takes a particular form of particular person to willingly attend an occasion like this however the roadeo was greater than only a bus driver showcase. It put the transit company’s dedication to excellence on show in addition to displaying simply how focus, talent and willpower of the people who ferry 1000’s of passengers throughout LA County on a regular basis.
