Mercer County bus driver rides tall at Road-e-o

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Mercer County Schools’ Transportation Director Fred Scott, left, and Michael Bailey show off the Road-e-o plaques won by Bailey.
Mercer County Schools’ bus drivers pose at the annual Road-e-o event in Cross Lanes. While driver Michael Bailey claimed the overall score as a novice competitor and came in second in the Small Conventional Bus division, Mercer County Transportation Director Fred Scott said the Mercer County team is known to be the best-dressed squad in the contest.

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June 20, 2012

Mercer County bus driver rides tall at Road-e-o

Anonymous Princeton Times The Zope Gazette Wed Jun 20, 2012, 07:55 PM EDT

PRINCETON — Mercer County Schools bus operator Michael Bailey had never participated in a road-e-o before last weekend. Bailey and eight other county competitors spent two days in Cross Lanes, vying with drivers from around the state for prizes in several divisions.

Bailey finished the event with a first-place award for the highest overall score for any novice competitor, and he came in second place within the Small Conventional Bus division. The win now qualifies him to compete in the Southeastern Regional Road-e-o on June 25– 26 and in the national contest July 14-15.

Mercer County Transportation Director Fred Scott said it felt great to hear Mercer County mentioned before any other winners were called out.

“Four or five counties always dominate this event,” Scott said. “So, it felt good to have a winner.”

Scott was quick to add that the Mercer delegation always gets the “best-dressed” award. This year, the team wore black and white polo shirts emblazoned with a pink and lime logo showing a school bus with horns and the driver sitting atop with a lariat.

The competition is individual and two-pronged.

First, drivers must conduct a pre-trip inspection, successfully identifying and remedying defects in the bus and/or its equipment.

“It could be something as inconspicuous as one missing item in the first-aid kit,” Scott said. “And, the driver must be able to recognize what is missing.”

The second test pits the driver’s skills against numerous obstacles.

“We had to back into an ally, park at a curb without touching it, get the bus beneath diminishing clearance, and drive a serpentine course,” Bailey said. “It was very challenging. We have to simulate a child pick-up, a railroad crossing, and other possibilities.”

Bailey said the road-e-o was an enjoyable experience but very challenging. “The skills they test us with will definitely help in my everyday job, and I believe the kids will be safer.”

With three years of experience driving flex routes in both rural and downtown settings, Bailey no longer feels like a novice, but the fact that this was his first road-e-o competition qualified him for that category.

“I chose to compete with the small bus because it was a Thomas, and that’s the make of bus I drive here,” Bailey said. “But at the regional event, I may have an advantage because I’ll be driving a Thomas in the Large Conventional category – identical to my regular bus.”

For 37 years, the West Virginia Association for Pupil Transportation has facilitated an annual bus road-e-o to promote in-service training and skill development. Hosted by Kanawha County, this year’s event drew 70 competitors from across the state.

Scott says Mercer County’s participation is supported by local businesses, including D.K. Lambert of D.K. Enterprises; Tim Boggess, of Richie Equipment; Craig Stout, of Lawson Products; and Clyde Hartley, of King’s Tire.

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Mercer County bus driver rides tall at Road-e-o

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