Wood County Schools bus drivers test skills at ‘Roadeo’
Photo by Michael Erb Wood County Schools bus driver Ron Seebaugh weaves through a series of barrels Thursday during the Transportation Department’s annual Bus Roadeo. Drivers test their skills as well as brush up on driving techniques and safety issues.
Photo by Michael Erb Wood County Schools Transportation Director Richard Lance, left, watches a series of poles and lines which simulate an alleyway as bus driver Ron Seebaugh navigates the increasingly narrow path. Wood County Schools bus drivers competed in Thursday’s annual Bus Roadeo and some will go on to represent the district at a state-level competition.
Photo by Michael Erb Wood County Schools bus driver Ron Seebaugh weaves through a series of barrels Thursday during the Transportation Department’s annual Bus Roadeo. Drivers test their skills as well as brush up on driving techniques and safety issues.
Photo by Michael Erb Wood County Schools Transportation Director Richard Lance, left, watches a series of poles and lines which simulate an alleyway as bus driver Ron Seebaugh navigates the increasingly narrow path. Wood County Schools bus drivers competed in Thursday’s annual Bus Roadeo and some will go on to represent the district at a state-level competition.
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PARKERSBURG -- Wood County Schools bus drivers put their skills to the test Thursday as part of the Transportation Department's annual Bus Roadeo.
Schools were closed Thursday for parent-teacher conferences, and bus drivers took the opportunity to brush up on driving and safety skills at the district's Edgelawn bus garage in south Parkersburg.
Transportation Department Director Richard Lance said the event is done as a competition among the drivers, and this year the department was able to offer cash prizes for the top drivers through sponsorship from Matheny Motors.
The drivers navigate a variety of obstacles while completing tasks, like backing the bus into a narrow parking space, stopping safely to pick up students, stopping at a railroad crossing, making tight turns and driving through increasingly narrow alleyways. The alleys are simulated using plastic pipes and plumb bobs, with the drivers losing points if they topple the pipes or catch the strings.
Lance said in each part of the course the drivers have 50 points, but lose points each time they make a mistake. The person with the highest total at the end of the course wins.
"It does take time and skill to get through the course without losing any points," he said. One of the most difficult is the offset alleyway, which requires turning into and driving through a narrowing space.
"Very few go through this offset alley and get the full 50 points," he said. "Last year we had one out of 80 drivers who went through without losing points."
The top drivers also get the chance to represent Wood County Schools at a state-level competition, and there are regional competitions at the national level.
Last year driver Pam Reynolds, who has been driving buses for Wood County Schools for 29 years, went to both the state and national competitions, along with bus aide Sherry Hamilton. The two placed top in the state's special needs bus competition, and then competed in a national event in Texas, though they did not place.
The special needs category involves not only driving, but managing students on the bus and reacting to a disaster scenario. In one scenario, Reynolds said, the bus was stuck on a busy highway due to an accident, and she and Hamilton chose not to evacuate students. Another scenario had the bus drop into a sinkhole, and the two chose to evacuate the bus and had to address how each student would be removed.
"It was our first time going (to the national event) and we were thrilled to go," Reynolds said. "There is a lot that goes into it. You have to make quick decisions, start thinking about these different scenarios and how to keep the kids safe."
"It's definitely a team effort," Hamilton said.
Reynolds said the Bus Roadeo events also give drivers the chance to use skills which might not be employed daily. Not all routes will cross railroad tracks, she said, just as not all routes will require drivers to navigate narrow alleyways.
"It help keeps us up on our skills and helps keep the kids safe," she said. "At the end of the day, every driver here just wants to keep their kids safe."
Superintendent John Flint said the event is also a wonderful way to show off the skills and camaraderie of the district's Transportation Department.
"It is a very unique day where you have a friendly competition and it brings out the best in a unifying atmosphere," he said. "We have the best Transportation Department in the state of West Virginia."