Vol. 10, No. 2 Fall 2001 hosts 2001 Bus Roadeo

he 2001 Florida Bus Maintenance and Operations Roadeo The riveting (no pun intended) intensity of the maintenance Twas held on May 18-19, 2001, in Daytona Beach. technician competition was equally matched with the ardent Sponsored annually by the Florida De- rivalry of the bus operator competition. partment of Transportation and the All competitors, both technicians and op- Florida Public Transportation Associa- erators, gave it their all and displayed tion and hosted this year by VOTRAN, exceptional performances. Volusia County’s transit agency, this On Saturday night, participants gathered event is the high point of the year for at a banquet to recognize each competitor those involved in the competition. This and the winners, including the Grand year, transit technicians and bus opera- Champion Team. tors from properties around the state converged on Daytona Beach to com- And the winner is . . . Broward, Broward, Broward! pete for the coveted awards. Broward County Transit was named the Grand Champion Team of the 2001 Participants from Broward County Tran- The event began on Friday, when par- Florida Bus Transit and Operations sit excelled in all areas of competition and ticipants were given the opportunity to Roadeo. Pictured left to right are team were awarded first prize for both the practice at the event site, the Daytona members Thomas Vanstrander, Rendol Maintenance and Bus Operator competi- Speedway, in preparation for Saturday’s Whidden, John Kindle, and Sami Itayim. tions. They were also named the Grand competition. In addition, a written test Champion Team of the competition. The overall winners in for participants was administered. On Saturday, as the sun both Maintenance and Operations represented Florida at the rose over the Atlantic Ocean, competitors made their way to the Speedway. continued on next page

Farmer named Transit Terrorism Mechanic of the Year 2000 Resource Guide available ..... 2 wight Farmer was named the 2000 Florida Engine module coming soon DPublic Transportation Association’s (FPTA) to a location near you! ...... 3 Mechanic of the Year at the 26th Annual FPTA Florida’s Maintenance Conference in October. Dwight is a senior mem- Training Program ber of the Gainesville Regional Transit System class schedule ...... 4 maintenance staff and has served in that capacity Upcoming events ...... 4 for more than 18 years. His nomination was continued on p.4 American Public Transportation Operator Competition Transit Association’s International Roadeo Terrorism held in Philadelphia in September 2001. Resource Guide For more information, please contact 1st Place— available Vicki Zambito, at (813) 974-9763, Driving Event [email protected]. USF’s Rendol National Whidden, Maintenance Competition Center for Broward Transit County Research Transit (NCTR) at CUTR at assembled this guide to assist agencies with developing counter- and anti-terrorism programs. The guide contains information on federal and State of Florida anti-terrorism resources for 1st public transit agencies, resource Runner Up— documents to assist transit agencies Driving with developing or enhancing security Event plans and procedures, and training Dennis 1st Place—Broward County Transit programs and seminars on transit Collins, (l to r) John Kindle, Sami Itayim, security and anti-terrorism. The guide Jacksonville Thomas Vanstrander. is available www.nctr.usf.edu/. Transit Authority

TRANSIT TRAINING Vol. 10, No. 2 Fall 2001

Transit Training is a product of the Florida Maintenance Training Program, funded by the 2nd Florida Department of Transportation Runner Up— Public Transit Office Robert Westbrook Driving 605 Suwannee Street, MS-26 2nd Place— (Orlando) Event Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450 (l to r) Will Porras, Luis Rivera, Jerry Moises Jenkins Reina, LYNX

For information contact: Ed Bart or Vicki Zambito Center for Urban Transportation Research University of 4202 E. Fowler Ave., CUT 100 3rd Tampa, FL 33620-5375 Runner Up— (813) 974-3120, Fax (813) 974-5168 Driving Lisa Staes, Editor Event 3rd Place—-Dade Norman Visit us on-line at the FMTP website, (l to r) Allen Hall, Eddie Cortez, Mike Miknyocki, www.cutr.usf.edu/research/ Perez LeeTran fmtp/fmtp.htm

! "#$%&'"("#$'%'%)((*+,,(!--. Engine module coming soon to a location near you!

sn’t it funny how sometimes the best of Brian Ruppert, Jose Iideas grow out of loud complaints? LaRosa, and Chris Kemna. Bob Westbrook, FDOT Transit Pro- Ruppert, LYNX Training gram Manager, has heard them all, Assistant, took the lead and statements like: was responsible for the ma- jority of the assembly. Like • “Small properties can’t compete all good mechanics, Ruppert at the roadeo.” started by completely strip- • “We don’t have access to the ping the engine down. Once engine modules and the break apart, the LYNX body shop boards like the big systems do.” painted the engine and trans- mission. LaRosa fabricated Brain Ruppert of LYNX took the lead in assembling • “Why can’t we ever get hands-on the cabinet. Next, they put it the newly-donated engine module. training?” all back together again. Westbrook and some energetic folks at Dale Smith, , donated the LYNX wiped away those excuses. loading procedures and PM schedule radiator. Ron Albright, PSTA, donated for the module. “I was looking for a way to even the the DDEC and ATEC wire harnesses. playing field at the roadeos and provide Ruppert estimates it took about six That only leaves one question. What is more hands-on, on-site training. The months to complete the whole project. the name of the FMTP traveling en- folks at Gillig, Detroit Diesel, Allison gine? Challenge accomplished Transmission, and LYNX helped make For more information, please contact it a reality,” Westbrook said. “It was a good kind of challenge,” Elizabeth Stutts, Grant Programs Ad- Ruppert said. “When it’s completed, Donations and volunteers ministrator at FDOT, at (850) 414- you crank it and it runs with no prob- 4530, [email protected]. Gillig Corporation donated a complete lems, you feel great.” In fact, the expe- brake board assembly. Detroit Diesel rience was so rewarding, he’s in the and Allison Transmission donated the process of building another engine mod- Do you have any events engine and transmission. There was ule for LYNX’s own in-house training. or story ideas? just one catch. Westbrook didn’t have “Without the help of Joe, Brian, and the any place to assemble the engine. And, We are also seeking rest of the folks at LYNX I’m not sure once assembled, how was he supposed article submissions we would have ever got this running,” to move the darn thing around the from technicians, trainers, Westbrook said. “Now our technicians state? and managers. at the small transit properties will get a Joe Saldana, LYNX Maintenance Di- FAX: chance to train on the module.” (813) 974-5168 rector, stepped up with a solution. Vicki Zambito of CUTR will be sched- Call the Editor: Saldana volunteered staff time, the as- uling the movement of the module from (813) 974-9787 sembly location, and additional parts to property to property. Ruppert is in the E-mail: the effort. Staff time came in the form [email protected] process of completing the loading/un-

"#$%&'"("#$'%'%)((*+,,(!--. / Mechanic - continued from page 1 he is particularly effective in multi- tasking, performing a number of activi- FREE ties simultaneously. offered for his exceptional mainte- TRAINING! nance abilities, his role as a team His list of awards and certifications is leader and his model citizenry. impressive, including an Associate of Florida’s Maintenance Science degree in Auto Mechanics Training Program Dwight is considered by RTS staff to from Santa Fe Community College, Class Schedule be an invaluable member of the main- Multiple ASC certifications, and train- tenance department. He is identified Dec. 17-21, 2001 ing certificates from General Motors, as a team player with a “can do” Coach Air Systems Detroit Diesel/Allison Transmission, attitude, enjoying a challenge and never Rick Schellenbach and Thermo King. faltering in his work ethic of never HARTline, 8 am - 5 pm giving up and staying with a repair In addition, he has been a regular par- Jan. 7-11, 2002 until completed. He serves as a men- ticipant in Florida Maintenance Train- Foundation Brakes tor to his co-workers and is always ing Program sponsored training. Rick Schellenbach willing to share his knowledge and In his spare time, Dwight completed HARTline, 8 am - 5 pm assist them whenever and wherever volunteer firefighting training and now needed. Jan. 21-25, 2002 assists the community as a member of Wheelchair Systems Dwight is proficient in all aspects of the Cross Creek Volunteer Fire De- Rick Schellenbach transit bus repairs including engines, partment. HARTline, 8 am - 5 pm transmissions, wheelchair lifts, air con- Congratulations Dwight!! ditioning, and electrical. In his 18 years Additional training courses are with RTS, he has not had a reportable For more information on the Mechanic currently being scheduled and accident. He is an ASC Master Cer- of the Year program, including qualifi- will be announced in the next issue of this newsletter. tified Mechanic in both heavy and cations, deadlines, and nomination forms, medium duty trucks, school buses, please contact Wes Watson at FPTA, For more information, contact and automobiles. It was noted by his (850) 878-0855, or Robert Westbrook Vicki Zambito at (813) 974- supervisor at RTS, Patrick Batie, that at FDOT, (850) 414-4500. 9763, [email protected].

January 8-11, 2002—Land Tran- Tampa. Watch your mail for additional August 5-9, 2002—Florida State- sit Threat Analysis and Incident information, or call Amber Reep at wide Transit Training Program & Management, Tampa. (813) 974-9823 or Lisa Staes at (813) Transportation Safety Institute: 974-9787. Transit System Safety, CUTR, Tampa. February 12 & 13, 2002—Tech- nology in Transit, CUTR, Tampa. Bus Collision Prevention and Col- For additional information or to register lision Seminar for Managers, held in for a class, contact Amber Reep at June 10-12, 2002—Florida Pub- conjunction with the Florida Public (813) 974-9823, [email protected]. lic Transportation Association Transportation Association (APTA)/ Professional Development Work- CUTR Professional Development shop, Embassy Suites Hotel at USF, Workshop.

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