CEO Gilliam vs. Board Member Cowman

After the main competition, Capital Metro employees have a little bit of fun, with the "Big Shootout" and an amateur team competition.

The Big Shootout is the next competition, and Capital Metro President Fred Gilliam will compete against Leander Mayor and Capital Metro Board Member John Cowman.

They've met on the course before, and Fred has consistently won (which sort of makes sense, since he's been in the public transportation industry for three decades). But, Mayor Cowman is both a competitor and a good sport.

The final competition is the amateur team competition, and I'm beginning to get nervous. I was talking big this morning, boasting about team "Death on the Yard" and our mad skills. Now I'm having a hard time remembering how to open the doors and kneel the bus. Uh-oh. Read more

Forty footers rolling out next

Bus Operator Mary Molina has been with Capital Metro for 13 years. She's up next in the 40-ft bus category. She says she's not nervous just yet. She's been through this before. Seven times before, to be exact. Two years ago she took 3rd place at the state roadeo, and last year she took 2nd place... so she's hoping to continue the trend.

Mary is not sure how she'll do this year--she wasn't able to practice the course beforehand. Although the challenges at the roadeo encompass the foundation of skills needed to drive a bus safely with passengers through all kinds of traffic conditions, the competition itself is quite technical. "Everything is a little different," Mary says. "Your mirrors and your seat position are different. It's challenging."

Good luck, Mary! Read more

Challenge #9: the passenger stop

Meet Risk Manager Mike Nyren and Safety & Training Manager Andrew Chavira, volunteer judges on the 9th challenge in the obstacle course: the passenger stop.

The objective of this challenge is to simulate a bus stop. The operator has to pull close to the curb but not touch it. The front wheel should be within 6 inches of the curb, and the back wheel, within 15.

Competitors must also announce the stop, kneel the bus, and open the doors for passengers. Read more

Thirty-five-foot competition

There are two bus categories at the bus roadeo: 35-foot buses and 40-foot buses. Juan Maldonado has been driving with Capital Metro for 23 years. His competition, the 35-foot bus, is up next. Juan Maldonado gears up to drive in the 35-ft bus category.
Juan reports that the dynamics of maneuvering a 35-foot bus are very different than a 40-footer. "Your reference points are different just because of the extra length," he says. And reference points are pretty important for depth perception when turning, backing up, etc.

Juan has earned the designation Million Miler, having driven more than one million miles without any accidents. Even so, he'll have his work cut out for him in today's competition, as he'll be competing against three-time international champion in the category, Capital Metro's Arturo Murillo. Read more

MetroAccess drivers ready to show their skills

Good morning! I'm on site at the Leander Park & Ride for the 2009 Capital Metro Bus & Paratransit Roadeo.

First up this morning is the MetroAccess van competition. Six drivers will be competing, beginning at 8 a.m.
MetroAccess Van Operator George Guerra, with his game face on.


This is George's second year to compete in the roadeo. Last year, he won the Customer Service Challenge. He's hoping to win the overall competition this year so he can advance to the next level. He's been a MetroAccess van operator for the past four years. Good luck, George! Read more

2009 Bus Roadeo!

Some of Capital Metro's finest will be competing in our local 2009 Bus & Paratransit Roadeo this weekend in Leander. The annual competition for mechanics and bus and van operators is part skills showcase, part learning exercise, and reinforces Capital Metro's emphasis on safety and customer service.

The local competition is the precursor to the State Roadeo and then the International Bus & Paratransit Roadeo. The top two winners in each division move on to the next competition.

Three teams of Capital Metro mechanics competed today in various timed challenges in which they diagnosed and fixed various engine problems. On Sunday, twenty-three operators will complete an obstacle course of nine challenges that test the operators' technical abilities, as well as the use of safe driving techniques and good customer service. The fun begins around 8 a.m. Sunday at the Leander Park & Ride.

The local bus roadeo also includes an amateur competition. The criteria for being an amateur: you're a Capital Metro employee but you've never had a commercial drivers license. Amateurs participate in teams, splitting up the nine challenges among the members. I'm participating on a team called "Death on the Yard," and I'll have you know I only ran over one curb at the Leander Park & Ride last weekend during our practice session! Wish me luck.

Driving a bus is hard. After the practice session, I had a renewed appreciation for this major portion of our workforce who transport people safely all over the city, all hours of the day and night.
Read more

MetroRail Update

Capital Metro's monthly ASG E-Newsletter was published yesterday. The newsletter included President/CEO Fred Gilliam's monthly rail update. Read below.

Capital MetroRail Update from Fred Gilliam

As you may already know, Capital Metro decided to delay the start up of MetroRail service. After learning of our rail contractor Veolia Transportation’s alleged violations from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Capital Metro felt it was important that we take a little more time to allow us to provide the safest and best possible rail system at the launch of service.

Veolia is investigating the matter thoroughly and working with the FRA and TxDOT to address the issues. Even though these incidents occurred during testing, we take them seriously, as safety is always the most important factor for Capital Metro.

Delaying the start of service allows Veolia more time to train its engineers and dispatchers and perform additional testing throughout the system. We will work with Veolia to finalize a new action plan towards beginning service.

Capital Metro also decided to bring in rail experts from Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to assist with startup operations and safety implementation. These experts work directly for the MBTA and have experience working with Veolia, which is a contractor for one of MBTA’s many rail lines. The MBTA representatives donated their time as a peer agency and spent three days with us last week. Their objective and constructive feedback will help us determine our next steps in preparing to launch MetroRail service.

Click here to read the rest of the rail update and other stories in the newsletter. You can also subscribe to receive the e-newsletter via email. Read more