For the second time in three years, Pierce Transit Bus Operator Brentt Mackie has been awarded the First Place trophy in the 40-foot Transit Coach Division at the 2009 International Bus Roadeo that just concluded in Seattle.

The Roadeo competition requires drivers to maneuver their vehicles through an intricate maze of graded exercises that includes serpentine turns, passenger stops, and reverse turns that duplicate the demanding requirements of everyday driving. The final exercise is high-speed braking where operators maneuver through a row of ten 55-gallon barrels spaced only inches wider than the bus.

The event is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association and coincides with the annual convention being held this year in Seattle. The Bus Roadeo was developed to provide participants with positive, job-related motivation by emphasizing the important role played by bus drivers and mechanics in providing transit customers with safe and reliable transit service.