NICE Bus Hosts Statewide Bus Drivers’ ‘Roadeo’ Competition

HUNTINGTON, N.Y. - Oct. 4, 2013 - PRLog -- Veteran NICE (Nassau Inter-County Express) bus operator Pat Piegari of Lindenhurst won top honors at the statewide bus “Roadeo” championship, an annual bus drivers’ skills and knowledge competition held recently at Nickerson Beach Park in Lido Beach. This is the first time the competition, sponsored by the New York State Public Transit Association, has been held on Long Island.

The annual Roadeo, celebrating its 26^th year, tests some of the state’s best bus operators, while promoting safety, driving skills and professionalism. Other participating bus systems included City of Long Beach, Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, Ulster County Area Transit, Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority, Capital District Transportation Authority and Tompkins County Consolidated Area Transit.  More than 40 judges from throughout the state participated.

Piegari, a 28-year veteran bus driver, will represent NICE and New York State at the upcoming American Public Transportation Association International Bus Roadeo scheduled for May 2-6, 2014 in Kansas City, MO.  Piegari has many 2^nd and 3^rd place Roadeo finishes in his long career, but this is his first New York State win.  Other participating NICE operators were Richard Kubik of Seaford and Joseph Springer of Brentwood.  The City of Long Beach sent operator Robert Herbst.

Operators from across the state qualified for the state championship by performing well in their regional Roadeo’s.  Drivers compete in a series of events, including conducting proper pre-trip vehicle inspections and knowledge of industry standard safety habits.  Finally, operators test their driving abilities in a timed competition through a marked course.

The course, marked off with traffic cones, featured 10 simulated road conditions or maneuvers that operators encounter on a daily basis.  Maneuvers such as turns, stops, and handling serpentine courses highlighted the participants driving skills while operating a 40-foot Orion bus.