The Equipment Operators Safety Training Conference (also known as “Roadeo”) is an annual event held in each of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s 14 divisions across the state to test the safety awareness and skill level of NCDOT employees who operate heavy equipment.
This year's State "Roadeo" Championship will be held at 9 a.m., Thursday, June 20, at the N.C. State Fairgrounds' Martin Building in Raleigh.
Employees engage in friendly competition with their coworkers to determine who can best maneuver a dump truck, tractor, backhoe, crane, low-boy trailer or motor grader through obstacle courses that model real-life scenarios that maintenance crews encounter each day on the job. New this year is a crane maneuverability event.
Division winners in each competition now have the chance to claim state-level supremacy at this year’s state championship.
The overall goals of the “Roadeo” include helping NCDOT workers advance their skills, emphasizing the importance of safety when operating heavy equipment, fostering a sense of team spirit and recognizing employees who excel at their jobs.
The winner in each category at this state-level competition will move on to compete against their counterparts from other southeastern states in the Southeastern Regional Equipment Operators Roadeo in Biloxi, Miss., Sept. 17-19.