School Bus Drivers Soar to New Heights at Annual Road-eo Event

Instead of cowboys and cattle, it was yellow school buses and their drivers turning out for this rodeo. Bus drivers showed off their skills this weekend in the annual School Bus Road-eo, hosted by the California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO) Chapter 12. Drivers from Kern and surrounding counties gathered early Saturday morning at Minter Field Airport District in Shafter to participate in a written test and an obstacle course, testing their ability to negotiate difficult situations they might encounter while transporting children to and from school.

“There’s backing maneuvers, training maneuvers, student loading and unloading, and a mock student escort,” said the president of CASTO Chapter 12, Nef Perez Lopez. “I’ve done the road-eo myself, and it made me a better driver.”

With their families cheering from the sidelines, drivers from about 12 districts came out to participate in the competition, with trophies awarded to the highest-scoring teams and individuals. The top three will compete at the southern California regional level, and the winners there will move on to the state and national levels.

“It’s great to see everybody once a year and at different rodeos. They encourage each other and support one another,” said Jennifer Hanshew, the California State Road-eo Chair and Director of Transportation for Marietta Valley Unified School District. 

This year’s theme was “Flying High,” with participants decking out their buses and themselves in their favorite flying and aviation attire. Their creativity was celebrated with an award for the best-dressed driver and the best-decorated bus. Perez Lopez says it’s a chance to make safety fun.

“Drivers get to meet drivers from other parts of the state. Drivers bring their families so they can observe the course, listen to good music, and have a good meal. Just have some fun,” he said.

Bus drivers maneuvers through difficult obstacles.

Perez Lopez says his favorite part of the road-eo is getting the chance to collaborate with other drivers, sharing best practices and swapping stories. 

“I just love coming out here and networking with other individuals,” he said. “We’re all in the same industry. We all do the same thing, and this is the place where we can come and learn from each other.”

Hanshew agrees, saying the challenges help the drivers to better understand their buses and hone their driving skills, but more importantly, the event brings people together. 

“It brings camaraderie to the organization,” she said. “It helps everybody understand that even though the district that they work at may be small or large or medium, you’re all in the same boat.”

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