Richard Froese
Spotlight
Two bus drivers with High Prairie School Division are off to the provincial finals after finishing top in the second annual Zone 5 (northwest) School Bus Roadeo in High Prairie on May 27.
Carmen Pelletier of Falher finished second after winning the title last year.
Candace Barber of High Prairie placed third while Melody Tollefsrud of Peace Wapiti School Division in Grande Prairie won the title.
All three qualify to compete in the provincial finals roadeo June 10 in Grande Prairie.
“It’s an opportunity for bus drivers to showcase their skills and the course is very challenging,” says Diane Elliott, supervisor of transportation human resources.
She was one of the co-ordinators of the event in the absence of transportation director Harry Davis who was unable to attend the event.
Drivers were required to perform 12 events testing their bus driving skills such as parallel parking, reversing, curb stops and pre-trip inspections, along with a written exam of 50 questions with multiple choice.
A total of 14 drivers competed from three school divisions, including Northland School Division in the High Prairie region.
“The roadeo also gives them opportunity to bond with drivers from other school divisions,” says Amy Zelman, another co-ordinator with the HPSD transportation department.
Others involved in co-ordinating the roadeo were Candace Barber and Mike Blais of the HPSD transportation department and Ted Gobin, director of transportation for Peace Wapiti.
