MASCOT driver wins 'roadeo'

Valley Life editor

MASCOT driver Louis Friend recently saddled up his bus and came home a winner in the roadeo.

Yes, that's roadeo, not rodeo. Friend recently took top honors in the 20th annual All Alaska Bus Roadeo event in Anchorage. Friend won the paratransit division of the event with a score of 586. Nine paratransit drivers competed in the competition.

The drivers in the competition are rated on a wide variety of categories, including pre-trip inspections in which they have to find intentional defects, to a difficult obstacle course that tests their driving abilities. There is also a written safety quiz.

This year marked the 10th year drivers from outside Anchorage have competed in the event, which was held at the Anchorage Fire Training Facility on Airport Heights Road on Sept. 18.

The winner in the 40-foot class was Sue Weatherby of Anchorage People Mover. Juneau driver Greg Kautz took the 30-foot class title, working for Capital Transit.

Now that he's the king of the roadeo here in Alaska, the national competition is next for Friend. He will represent Alaska at the National Paratransit Roadeo next May at the Community Transportation Association Conference in St. Louis.