IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jean Leier (704) 432-0496       
 
CATS BUS MAINTENANCE ROADEO WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Charlotte, N.C., April 21, 2008 - Employees of the Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) Bus Operation Division (BOD) put their skills to the test on Saturday, April 19 in the Third Annual Bus Maintenance Roadeo. 

Four maintenance teams of three participated in an intense competition.  First place honors went to the maintenance team consisting of Ben Thompson, Greg Trogdon and Scott Gleason.  This team will advance to the 2009 national competition in Seattle, Washington, where they will compete against other transit agencies from across the country. 

Second place went to the team of Craig Patch, Bernard Romero and Ron Spicer.   The third place team consisted of Alvy Hughes, Charles Jones and Jacob Patterson.  Fourth place went to the team of James Hinton, Emmanuel Dormetis and Kendrick Mack. 

For the first time this year, body shop teams competed in a timed event where they they had to replace a windshield on a bus and dismantle and reassemble a paint gun.  The team of Mike Jenkins and Matthew Hendrick took first place while Ciro Vallejo and Marvin Singleton took second.   The team of Mike Jenkins and Matthew Hendrick took first place while Ciro Vallejo and Marvin Singleton took second.  

The Maintenance Roadeo gives employees a chance to demonstrate the skills and knowledge that they use everyday to help CATS maintain a safe transit system.  The teams were judged on speed and accuracy as they searched for vehicle defects such as shifting issues and transmission problems. 

Each team had seven minutes to locate and diagnose each defect.  The teams also took a written exam of 50 questions regarding proper care of transit buses.      

For more information about CATS and its services visit, www.ridetransit.org or call (704) 336-RIDE.