KSD's talented drivers show out during bus roadeo
Kellogg School District bus driver Shonna Howe navigates the straight line obstacle during the recent KSD Bus Roadeo. The obstacle requires the drivers to take their buses completely straight to avoid touching any of the tennis balls arranged on the ground.
JOSH McDONALD
KELLOGG –– The bus drivers for the Kellogg School District showed off their skills last week during the district’s Bus Roadeo. And that ain’t no hooey.
Held on the campus of the district’s administrative office and community center, the drivers made their way through seven different obstacles of varying difficulty all while being scored by a diverse section of local celebrity judges.
The drivers expertly navigated the course, which included obstacle challenges like diminishing width, alley docking, straight line, railroad crossing, and student loading.
The drivers must treat the roadeo like any other route, so following all safety protocols and procedures they must navigate the course in a timely manner and get scored on each obstacle with the highest scoring driver cumulatively winning the roadeo.
Driver Dakota Mailoux took home the top spot, finishing ahead of the other six participating drivers.
While the KSD employs over 20 drivers, due to Kellogg High School sending three teams to their respective state tournaments (all in the greater Boise area) last week, it limited the number of available drivers for the event, but nonetheless they powered on and drove in the cold wet conditions.
KSD Transportation Department Driver Trainer Lisa Backman was thrilled with the roadeo, even with the lower number, because it allowed for the drivers on hand to really show their prowess, both to the judges as well as to the district’s administration.
“I feel that it is important for our drivers to be able to showcase to our administrators what they do on a daily basis,” Backman said. “It is good for our drivers to see the support of our administrators and local community, it also adds to our training.”
The Kellogg School District Transportation Department would like to thank Walmart, Yokes, and Franz Bread Company for donating supplies and snacks to the roadeo.
They would also like to thank GarrenTeed BBQ for catering lunch for the drivers and judges following the event.
Backman also thanked the volunteer judges for coming out in the cold weather and making the event a memorable one.