Bus operator, mechanics compete in APTA International Bus Roadeo
Last weekend, under the shadow of Mt. Hood, Portland hosted the 2024 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) International Bus Roadeo, held in conjunction with the APTA Mobility Conference. It was the first international roadeo since 2019. The best-skilled bus operators and mechanics from transit agencies across North America battled it out for a chance at immortality -- and RTD was right in the mix.
RTD bus operator Craig Vasbinder, led by General Superintendent of Bus Operations Chris Deines, and mechanics Marcos Carrillo, Benjamin Carroll and Daniel Jurik, led by technical training instructor/supervisor Jon Paul Mitchell, arrived in Portland on Friday to kick off a full weekend of intense competition on the docks of the Port of Portland and at the Hyatt Regency Portland.
Early Saturday morning, Vasbinder and Deines gave their best wishes to Carrillo, Carroll, Jurik and Mitchell as they departed for the Port of Portland for practice and the pre-trip inspection competition. The foursome went to the conference center of the Hyatt Regency to prepare for the competition.
Vasbinder and Deines arrived to the sound of the Willamette River crashing into the docks of the port as the sun broke the peak of Mt. Hood. Vasbinder joined 73 operators from transit agencies spanning across the entirety of the United States and Canada. Practice began at 7 a.m. Each operator was granted one practice run at an assigned time to familiarize themselves with the course.
However, Saturday wasn’t just a practice day, as all operators had to complete a mandatory pre-trip inspection test that contributed to the final score. Vasbinder had eight minutes to identify eight planted equipment-related defects and one security hazard on and inside the provided bus.
Back at the Hyatt Regency, the maintenance team dove into the competition with a written test. The 45-minute exam required competitors to answer questions about general bus knowledge, engines, HVAC, braking, electrical and transmission systems. Promptly after, Carrillo, Carroll and Jurik attended a training course designed to familiarize competitors with the bus and associated systems they would be tested on throughout the weekend. This training lasted the rest of the day before everyone reunited at the hotel to rest up and prepare for a big day ahead.
The formal competition began Sunday for operators and mechanics. Vasbinder and Deines headed back to the docks to take on the course. The course consisted of 10 driving obstacles that emulated situations operators encounter on daily routes in their cities, all strategically placed throughout a serpentine-like course that challenged even the most seasoned operators. Operators were timed on their completion of the course and judged on how they navigated each obstacle.
Meanwhile, at the hotel, Carrillo, Carroll and Jurik put their knowledge and skills to the test. The team spent the day identifying defects on a number of systems, including engines, transmissions, HVAC systems, air pressure systems, doors and electrical systems. Each system had a time limit and was scored based on proper identification of the defects.
After all was said and done, RTD placed 20th out of 38 combined teams, with Intercity Transit of Olympia, Washington, winning the 2024 title.
Despite the result, the team was thrilled to have the opportunity to represent the agency at the return of the International Bus Roadeo.
For Vasbinder, this roadeo carried extra motivation for him after the passing of RTD’s championship-winning operator and friend John Deschner.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for John Deschner,” Vasbinder said.
In September, RTD’s bus operators and mechanics will get another shot to qualify to represent the agency at the 2025 APTA International Bus Roadeo in Austin, Texas. The 2024 RTD Bus Roadeo is Sept. 16, and it promises to be even bigger than before.