AC Transit Wins Title of 2019 International Bus Roadeo Grand Champions

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) is honored to announce that the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has awarded our combined Operator and Maintenance Team as Grand Champions, during the 2019 Bus & Paratransit Conference and International Bus Roadeo on May 21.

This year, 80 Operators from transit agencies around North America, put their daily driving safety and agility training to the test. One after another, competitors started a time trial that began with navigating a 40-foot long bus through a serpentine course of turning maneuvers, obstacle avoidance, and ultimately a controlled stop of a nearly 40,000-pound bus from high speed.

A second technical competition, this year, involved 37 of the nation’s best transit Maintenance Teams. These highly trained mechanics first faced a grueling timed written exam: once pencils were down, each team picked up flashlights and tools, to diagnose hidden bus defects, uncover planted defects, all in eight minutes or less.

Thirty-five transit agencies competed as Combined Teams, including AC Transit.

Ultimately, our Combined Team comprised of 39-year veteran Bus Operator Jesse Dela Cruz (Hayward Division), Journey Level Mechanics Sean Burr (Hayward Division), Miguel Lopez (East Oakland Division), and Alvin Tan (Hayward Division), captured the 2019 Grand Champions, Best of the Best title.

Second and third place honors respectively went to Intercity Transit, Olympia, WA and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Dallas, TX.

Superior training, commitment to safety and teamwork have been the underpinnings of AC Transit’s seventh APTA Overall Excellence (Best of the Best) honors. In fact, our success behind the wheel and under the coach makes it a challenge to stifle beaming smiles, now that our International Roadeo leaderboard represents wins every decade spanning the past 30 years:

• 2019 – Grand Champions (Team), Louisville, Kentucky
• 2018 – Third PlaceBest of the Best (Team), Tampa, Florida
• 2008 – First Place Operator, Austin, Texas
• 2006 – Second Place Operator & Best of the Best (Team), Anaheim, California
• 2004 – Second Place Operator, Atlanta, Georgia
• 2002 – Best of the Best (Team), Las Vegas, Nevada
• 2001 – Best of the Best (Team), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 2000 – First Place Operator & Best of the Best (Team), San Francisco, California
• 1999 – First Place Operator & Best of the Best (Team), Orlando, Florida
• 1998 – Second Place Operator, New York, New York
• 1991 – Third Place Operator, Toronto, Canada
• 1986 – First Place Operator, Detroit, Michigan

For more information about AC Transit, please visit actransit.org.