Annual Jacksonville Transportation Authority Road-eo recognizes skilled operators and technicians

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Local bus operators and technicians showcase their skills in the annual Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s rodeo, competing in obstacle courses and demonstrating their ability to quickly fix a broken down bus. The competition also serves as a way to celebrate safety and recognize the hard work of these operators and technicians, with the winner advancing to the 2023 Florida triple crown bus rodeo in Orlando.

JTA CEO Nathaniel Ford expressed his admiration for the participants and their families, saying, “Every year it’s a celebration of their fine skills as well as an opportunity to recognize their families that support them.”

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This annual competition brought together bus operators and maintenance teams to put their skills to the test.

Ramon Farfan, an 11-time champion and one of the competitors, shared that he enjoys helping new drivers.

“I can teach all the new drivers the skills that we’ve learned here,” said Farfan.

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All bus operators competed in ten obstacle courses, while six mechanic teams demonstrated how they would address a bus breakdown.

This year, the competition featured the first-ever female team in the engine challenge, where they had up to ten minutes to correct a bus engine.

The event, which began as a safety initiative, aimed to recognize the best of the best in the industry.

Ford said, “It’s been a long-stored history in our industry to celebrate safety through these competitions and celebrate who is the best of the best.”

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Moreover, the Road-eo also served as an opportunity to tackle the bus driver shortage.

“We have a class right now of about 33 operators but not to our full range, but it’s a challenge every day serving the public,” said Ford. “Hopefully we are able to recruit a few new operators into our fold.”

The winner of this year’s competition will move on to the 2023 Florida Triple Crown Bus Rodeo in Orlando.

The Road-eo was a celebration of the hardworking individuals who keep Jacksonville’s transportation system running smoothly.

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