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The results are in from the 2023 Florida Triple Crown Bus Roadeo held in Orlando, and Miami-Dade County’s bus operator Telisa Ruan earned second place in the state championship.
The Florida Triple Crown Bus Roadeo combines the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA) and the Florida Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) roadeos into a single, colossal event honoring all of Florida’s paratransit and fixed route bus maintenance technicians and bus operators.
Operator Ruan, who won the Department of Transportation and Public Works’ (DTPW) Bus Roadeo in March, is the first woman champion in the history of the local competition. She also won the Rookie Highest Score on a Fixed Route honors at the State challenge.
“All my admiration goes to all participants and winners, not only because of their unwavering commitment to our residents every single day, but also because of the love they show for their jobs and for public service,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“As the first woman mayor, I especially congratulate Bus Operator Ruan for her feat of becoming the first woman in the history of our county’s Bus Roadeo to win the overall competition and winning second place at the state level. What a wonderful way to close Women’s History Month.”
Bus Roadeos offer bus operators and bus maintenance personnel a unique opportunity to engage in competitive activities that test their driving and maintenance skills, respectively.
As part of the local and state Bus Roadeo, bus operators are asked to drive through a timed obstacle course, simulating bus maneuvers that would be made during normal bus operating/driving duties.
Maintenance technicians put their knowledge and skills to the test in various technical areas. All contestants are required to have exemplary job performance to compete, and winners of the local and state bus roadeos receive cash awards for their accomplishments.
Also competing at the state competition were the three top winners in the maintenance skills test from the local Bus Roadeo — Joefred Tolentino, Willie Albizu, and Gilberto Crespillo — who went head-to-head against the best in Florida, winning first place in the Air Brake Board Module portion of the competition and fourth place overall. The best result a Miami-Dade County team has achieved since achieving third place in the driving skills challenge at the Florida Triple Crown Bus Roadeo in 2017.
“We are so proud of Operator Ruan and all our bus operators who move Miami-Dade with a smile, reliability, and great customer service,” said Eulois Cleckley, the director and CEO of DTPW. “I also want to commend our maintenance team for a great showing for DTPW. I am so proud of our competitors and our entire team.”
The annual event is a joint effort of the FPTA, the RTAP, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Florida Association of Coordinated Transit Systems (FACTS),and hosted by the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX).
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