CDTA OPERATOR KEITH STRAIT WINS TOP TITLE IN NYS ROADEO

September 26, 2011

(Albany, NY) – The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) announced the top place finishers of the 2011 State Roadeo competition held on September 24th, at Crossgates Mall. The competition was co-sponsored by the New York Public Transit Association and New York State Department of Transportation and hosted by CDTA. The top three finishers are as follows:  

First Place:  Schenectady Operator Keith Strait from Capital District Transportation  Authority (CDTA) of Albany

Second Place:  Federico Justiniano from CENTRO Syracuse – Onondaga County

 Third Place: Douglas Rowles from Ulster County Area (UCAT) 

This 24th annual State-wide Roadeo, featured 14 contestants from the following 10 New York transit agencies: CDTA, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), MTA Bus Company, MTA Long Island Bus, Suffolk Bus Corporation, Central New York, Regional Transportation Authority (CENTRO), Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, First Transit, Ulster County Area Transportation, and Rochester Genesee Regional Transit Authority. 

Contestants drove a 40’ Gillig Hybrid bus through an 11-part timed obstacle course that simulated the challenges of everyday transit driving. The driving course challenges included a pre-trip inspection, passenger stops, serpentine turns, and backing maneuvers. Roadeo Committee members, stationed at every course, judged them on accuracy, smoothness of operation, and total time to complete the course. 

To participate in the State competition, contestants must have an excellent attendance record, no preventable accidents during the last 12 months period and demonstrate strong driving talents in their own company’s annual Roadeo events.     

Top Roadeo finishers can advance to the May 2012 International Roadeo competition to be held in Long Beach, California.  

NYPTA Roadeo sponsors include Twin Vision, ATU 1321, Arcola Sales & Service Corp., Awards by Walsh’s, Wendel Duchscherer, Gillig Corp., Compass Flooring, Detroit Diesel, The Braun Corp., North American Bus Industries, Daimler Buses N.A., GTS Inc., Amerex, Nova Bus, Mobile Climate Control, and GFI.

 NYPTA is a not-for-profit association representing transit systems across New York State from the MTA, the largest public transportation system in the nation, to the transportation systems that serve rural, upstate New York communities. NYPTA is comprised of more than 65 private sector manufacturers, consultants and state government agencies. Members provide nearly all of the public transportation services in New York State and nearly 40% of the public transportation services in the nation, employing more than 60,000 New Yorkers.
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