Bus drivers to battle in Road-e-o

May 6, 2005

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - These drivers may not be NASCAR superstars and their vehicles aren't emblazoned with racing stripes, but once the competitive juices get flowing, they take control of their nearly 40-foot automobiles with expert precision.

Their vehicles just happen to be large yellow school buses.

On Saturday, May 7, 20 to 30 school bus drivers will gather at the parking lots between Colony Middle and Colony High schools to demonstrate their street skills on a closed-course competition that tests driving mastery.

The Mat-Su Borough School District and First Student are co-sponsoring the annual School Bus Road-e-o. The event includes obstacle courses, mock alleyway pull-ins and pinpoint parking.

An extensive written test on state and federal laws is also included.

The top finishers in the event go on to represent the Mat-Su at the Alaska State Road-e-o, May 14-15, which will also be held at Colony High School.

The top two drivers from the state then head for Washington, D.C., to attend the International Road-e-o in July.

Beverly Conway is a training coordinator for First Student Mat-Su. She has judged the event for more than two decades and said she always looks forward to the showdown.

"It's a lot of fun," she said from her office in Wasilla. "I have all the trophies upstairs. I keep them in a nice, shiny spot."

Last year, an Anchorage driver took top honors - a fact Conway said has inspired Mat-Su drivers.

"We have to beat them this year," she said.

The competitions are open to the public but Conway said they don't want children there because of safety concerns. The local competition kicks off May 7 at 8 a.m., with food and refreshments available.

Contact Joel Davidson at

352-2266, or joel.davidson@

frontiersman.com.