ONLY THE "BEST OF THE BEST" PARTICIPATE IN GARBAGE TRUCK ROAD-E-O COMPETITION

April 20, 2007 -- IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR ONCE AGAIN!! ROAD-E-O TIME!! The City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) will host its 18 th Annual Truck Drivers' and Mechanics' Road-E-O on Saturday, April 28, 2007 , from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Northwest Service Center located at 1245 Judiway (Key Map 452P).

"This is an awesome event that provides our drivers and mechanics the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and compete against co-workers for a spot in the state level competition. The winners enjoy the bragging rights of being the best in their field," Solid Waste Management Director, Thomas "Buck" Buchanan.

• SWMD Drivers will maneuver trash trucks, tractor trailers and automated garbage trucks through obstacle courses that simulate daily real-life situations. Drivers will compete against co-workers in their respective truck categories in a timed setting as they weave through cones, avoid barricades and demonstrate their skills and quick reflexes.
• The Mechanics' portion of this competition will consist of a written examination and a trouble-shooting skill competition. Each contestant will be given a list of vehicle problems and the individual who solves the most problems in the allotted time will be determined the winner.

The 1st and 2nd place winners will qualify for the state championship sponsored by the Texas Chapter of the Solid Waste Association (TxSWANA) of North America in Bryan-College Station, on June 8 and 9, 2007. The 1 st and 2 nd place winners from the state competition will go onto the international competition. In the past the Solid Waste Management Department has had employees advance and win in the international level competition.

The participants of the Solid Waste Management Department's Road-E-O are usually the employees that reflect the highest standards within their chosen solid waste professions.

This annual competition is anxiously awaited by all of the employees because they share a sense of camaraderie and a family atmosphere. Everyone is welcome to root for the drivers and mechanics!!