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. Referred to 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.Â
After discovering out the occasion existed final yr, I did a bit 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 cut up into two predominant competitions targeted on bus operators and mechanics. At this yr’s occasion, the mechanics aspect of the competitors consisted of 4 predominant 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 methods.
With the powertrain occasion as an illustration, a three-person group 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 concern discovered. Issues get extra fascinating if two groups tie: a sudden dying spherical happens during which the quickest group 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 aspect of issues is extra spectacular and attracts essentially 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 illustration, 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 slender space with no room for error. Any touching or knocking of cones ends in a factors discount in opposition to the driving 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 slender pathway of cones earlier than coming to an emergency cease in entrance of a cone with a tennis ball on high 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 acquired trophies as the warmth of the day acquired 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 youths and oldsters, a number of meals. There have been even issues to stand up shut and private with, like LA Metro’s cell command middle which they use for emergencies or throughout the annual Rose parade.
I even acquired to geek out over one one in all my favourite buses. There was a mint GMC RTS available for everybody to take a look at, carried out up in orange, white and pink of the outdated RTD (Fast Transit District).
Some might imagine that it takes a particular form of individual 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.
