Precision, patience, and skill were on full display Saturday as school bus drivers from across the region gathered at the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) Service Center for the annual School Bus Road-eo, hosted by the California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO) Chapter 12. The event, designed to test and celebrate the expertise of school transportation professionals, brought together drivers from multiple districts to compete in a series of challenges that simulate real-world driving scenarios. From tight turns and obstacle navigation to safety maneuvers, participants demonstrated the skill, focus, and care required to safely transport students every day.
In the Kern County individual category, drivers from Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) dominated the leaderboard, sweeping the top three spots.
Individual Results
1st Place: Jorge Hernandez (BCSD) – 379 points
2nd Place: Scott Terrell (BCSD) – 350 points
3rd Place: Ray Lowe (BCSD) – 339 points
4th Place: Jacen Price (KHSD) – 338 points
5th Place: Jose Espinoza (PBVSD) – 332 points
Team Competition Results
1st Place Team:
BCSD Team #1 – 1068 points
(Jorge Hernandez, Scott Terrell, Ray Lowe)
2nd Place Team:
KHSD Team #2 – 878 points
(Jacen Price, Abdon Macias, Yaquelin Macias)
3rd Place Team:
Greenfield Union School District (GFUSD) Team #3 – 690 points
(Julie Johnson, Sandra Chavez, Israel Martinez)
Additional Honors
Top Novice Driver:
Abdon Macias (KHSD) – 307 points
Top Special Needs Driver:
Brittney Miller (KHSD) – 252 points
Best Themed Bus:
Rosedale Union School District
Jorge Hernandez from the Bakersfield City School District, center, was this year’s individual winner in the Kern County Division.
Best Themed Bus:
Rosedale Union School District
1st Place Team:
BCSD Team #1
(Jorge Hernandez, Scott Terrell, Ray Lowe)
By Robert Meszaros
Rob Meszaros is Director of Communications for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, where he has served since 2012. In his role, Meszaros oversees media relations, internal and external communication strategies, publications, Marcom, branding, and multi-media content creation. Before joining KCSOS, Meszaros was the PIO for CSU Bakersfield and earlier worked for seven years at The Bakersfield Californian.