CDTA tops the 'Roadeo'

ALBANY -- The Capital District Transportation Authority's maintenance technicians got to show off their skills Saturday morning.

CDTA WINS FIRST PLACE IN 2009 NEW YORK TRANSIT AUTHORITY MAINTENANCE ROADEO and CALL CENTER CHALLENGE

(Albany, NY)  – The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) announced that CDTA placed first in the 2009 inaugural New York State Maintenance Roadeo Competition held today at the CDTA Albany Division Training facility.  The competition was organized by CDTA and hosted through the New York Public Transportation Association (NYPTA) at its fall conference held earlier this week at the Holiday Inn in Albany.  Participating transit authorities included CDTA, MTA NYC Transit and MTA Bus Company, forming four teams.

The New York State Bus Maintenance Roadeo is designed to encourage excellence and professionalism in bus transit operations and to test skills.  Teams compete in a series of timed events, including a written test, a bus inspection and the repair of several diagnostic trouble-shooting exercises preset with defects , such as HVAC, Preventative maintenance and electric.  The judging panel consisted of maintenance vendor representatives and exercises were observed by technicians from all participating transit authorities.  CDTA placed first in the competition, followed by MTA NYC Transit with another CDTA team finishing in third.

 First Place CDTA Maintenance Technician Team Members include: 

• Phil Jordan, lives in Watervliet and works in the Albany Division
• Eric Hermance lives in Albany and works in the Albany Division
• Robert Vansteenburg lives in Troy and works in the Troy Division

This team also finished first place in CDTA’s local Maintenance Roadeo held earlier this year. 

Winners of the State competition may go on to represent their Transit Authority at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) International Maintenance Roadeo Competition to be held in Cleveland, Ohio in May 2010.                 

The New York Public Transit Association also implemented its first annual Call Center Challenge, organized by CDTA, at its annual fall conference on November 19, 2009 at the Holiday Inn – Wolf Road.   Five New York Transit agencies participated in the Challenge.  The Call Center Challenge showcases the talents of “behind the scenes” call center transit employees from across New York State.  Judges score contestants on how they manage customer service calls related to trip planning, general information inquiry and an irate call.  All calls are conducted in front of a live audience.   

CDTA Customer Service Representative Natarshal Miles placed first in the Challenge.  Ms. Miles was one of eight Customer Service Representatives from across the country, selected by APTA, to participate in last year’s national challenge.    MTA – NYC Transit finished in 2^nd place and Ulster County Area Transit placed 3^rd.

Ms. Miles will have the chance to apply and participate in a National competition, hosted by the American Public Transportation Association to be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in February of 2010.