Rochester to host 36th Minnesota Bus Roadeo

(ABC 6 News) – The state’s top transit drivers will compete in the 36th Annual Minnesota Bus Roadeo put on by the Minnesota Public Transit Association (MPTA).

The event is on Saturday, July 22 at Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC). Opening ceremonies will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the West Lot on campus.

Participants will complete in large bus and small bus categories. Bus operators are asked to perform challenging driving tasks around a course. Judges are setup throughout the course to score operators based on how well they accomplish each task and how long it took the operator to get through the entire course. Operators are also scored in two non-driving skills, wheelchair securement, and pre-trip inspection.  

In addition to the competition, participants also attend a training program over the lunch hour.

The event concludes Saturday evening with an awards banquet during which the top three competitors in each class will be announced. Each will receive a trophy, with the winner in each category qualifying to attend the American Public Transit Association National Roadeo. A Drivers’ Choice award is also awarded to a competitor chosen by their fellow drivers.

This event recognizes the men and women who are proud to call themselves bus operators. Public transit is an essential service provided by thousands of bus operators at more than 40 transit agencies throughout Minnesota.

Rochester Public Transit is the host agency for this year’s event. Long-time RPT driver Chis Daniels, Sr., was the large bus champion in the 2022 Bus Roadeo held in Austin. Chris will compete again this year.

For more information, please visit the MPTA website, HERE.