Thursday, July 10, 2003

WRITER: Terrence Nowlin, 706/542-8076, tdnowlin@uga.edu
CONTACT: Ronald Hamlin, 706/369-6220, rhamlin@uga.edu

UGA CAMPUS TRANSIT OPERATORS WIN TEAM TROPHY IN STATE COMPETITION

ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia Campus Transit operators recently competed in the Georgia Department of Transportation and Georgia Transit Association’s annual Transit Roadeo, with places in individual competitions and winning the team competition.

Campus Transit’s Chris Baker was the first place winner. Martha Peterson placed third and Brad Frink, the 2002 first place winner, placed eighth in this year’s competition.

Ron Hamlin, manager of the Campus Transit System, said the Roadeo is an opportunity for drivers to showcase their skill. "For a relatively small transit provider such as ours, at least in terms of number of employees, the fact that drivers representing the university are frequently able to compete at such a high level speaks for the skill and training that they have and for the commitment to safety that this department has made to UGA."

Twenty-nine operators from ten transit agencies across the state competed in uniform inspections, safety knowledge and a driving test involving 11 maneuvers and being scored on such factors as safety, smoothness and promptness against the clock. Competing were drivers from MARTA, Albany, Athens, Columbus and Rome, and Chatham, Cobb, Gwinnett and Bibb counties.

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