Drivers Compete at Essex County Municipal Safety Truck Roadeo
Road maintenance workers put their plow driving knowledge and skills to the test at the Essex County Municipal Supervisors Association Safety Truck Roadeo this week for a chance to compete provincially and local bragging rights.
Dan Redmond, of the Town of Tecumseh, took first place and Charles Mitchell, of the Municipality of Lakeshore, was second – both earning the chance to take part in the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors Provincial Safety Truck Roadeo on Sept. 20 in Clinton. Dale Ondic, of the Town of Essex, was third.
Dale Ondic, Chad Drummond, Dan Redmond (Mr. Plow) and Charles Mitchell. Photo by Cidney Langlois
The 24 drivers, who competed Tuesday (Aug. 1) at the County of Essex roads maintenance yard on North Side Road in Amherstburg, are all employed by the county or one of the seven local municipalities.
“It’s a training day,” said Chad Drummond, president of the Essex County Municipal Supervisors Association. “Every event in the obstacle course the drivers have to navigate is similar to what they might come across when plowing snow. It’s a great training tool for the municipalities, and it’s fun for the operators.”
It has been several years since a local Safety Truck Roadeo has been held and the response was impressive, said Drummond, who is Lakeshore’s team leader – roads and fleet. He credited event committee members Jeremy Krueger and Shawn Mulder, of the County of Essex, Erica Allen, of the Town of Kingsvile, and Jimmy Knight and Scott Moore, of the Town of Essex.
Competitors had to complete a written exam about the rules of the road that apply to commercial vehicles as well as perform a deficiency check of a snow plow truck – which they are required to do before they get behind the wheel.
The main event was the seven-station obstacle course that each driver had to navigate with a plow truck. The challenges included: driving forward and backward through a serpentine course; stopping and making a right turn; backing into a tight alley from an angle; rolling through a narrowing lane without touching the sides; and lifting the wing plow so the tip fit through a narrow gap and steering it to knock over two pylons on a barrel – without touching the top of the barrel. Drivers were scored on how safely, accurately and smoothly they performed each element.
The 17 judges were supervisors and veteran plow operators from across Essex County, including some retirees. Judging the deficiency checks was county roads maintenance crew member Dave Varney, who won the Provincial Safety Truck Roadeo in 2010. County of Essex participants at Tuesday’s competition were Chad Ferriss, Chris McCann, Chip Suzor, Earle Edwards and Austin Lesperance.
