Most employee events do not involve driving a bus on a real-life skill obstacle course.
But if you work at Cherriots, you can sign up to take part in the annual Cherriots Roadeo, a proud tradition dating back to the early 1990s. Saturday’s event was the first held since 2019.
The Roadeo has its roots in the tradition started by the American Public Transportation Association which held its first International Bus Roadeo in 1976. A grand prize is given to the bus transit system with the highest bus operation and bus maintenance score.
The Roadeo competition consists of two parts: the obstacle course competition (“bus operation”) and a pre-trip inspection. The inspection is a timed competition involving inspection of a bus and discovery of eight staged mechanical defects, as well as one staged security-related defect. The bus operators must then drive their buses through a course containing various obstacles while under a strict time limit.
Obstacles consist of real time challenges that operators face such as the “offset street” challenge, where the bus must complete a simulated lane change, or the “customer stop,” where the bus must stop within inches of a simulated curb. Drivers are scored on their clearance of traffic cones set up on each side of the challenges (not hitting them or crushing them is key) and also on their” smoothness of operation.”
As drivers negotiated the obstacle course Saturday, there were three other people on board the bus to provide guidance and plenty of judges and assistants on the course to provide encouragement and Otter Pops and water as the heat built up.
There was determination in the air, as the employee that wins the Cherriots Roadeo gets to go to the International Bus Roadeo and represent Cherriots.
The Roadeo takes all comers, from customer service representatives to regular bus operators. Even Allan Pollock, Cherriots general manager, and David Trimble, deputy general manager, signed up to compete. Both were operators early in their careers.
Employees were divided into classes with names including “Mavericks” and “Master Class.” There was an opportunity to practice a week before the event, and most of the newcomers took the opportunity to come out and have a dry run. There were over 40 contestants.
After completing her run driving her bus at the Roadeo, first time bus driver and receptionist Annette Schmitt commented, “Bus operators do not get enough credit for what they do. They have to deal with so much, they have to drive, deal with situations on the bus sometimes. I have so much respect for our operators after driving today!”
Winners of the 2023 Cherriots Roadeo
Maverick Class (operators with less than a year on the road): Peggy Stoehr
Master Class (operators with over a year on the road): Gerald Fuls
Admin: Melissa Joslin
Admin with Commercial Drivers License: Seth Hamlin
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Laura Tesler has lived in Salem, Oregon for 20 years and is originally from Flint, MI. Laura has been an underwater photographer for 15 years, and is an avid scuba diver. Topside, she has been taking photographs since age 12, and currently works on assignment for the Salem Reporter, and full time purchasing land for fish and wildlife habitat in the Willamette Valley. Laura attended Oregon State University, and has traveled extensively all over the world and the United States.
