International Bus Roadeo

On the day before the competition, the bus operators are required to inspect an inspection bus and find eight planted mechanical defects, as well as one planted security-related defect. The mechanical defects can appear in areas such as flooring and seats; the security-related defect may consist of an "abandoned" briefcase or package.[12]

Bus operators must drive their buses through a course containing various obstacles while under a strict time limit:[12]

• In the serpentine, the bus must be driven in and out of three cones spaced closer together than the length of the bus.
• In the offset street, the bus must complete a simulated "lane change".
• In the rear duals clearance, the bus must carefully drive through a narrowing lane that is only three inches wider than the bus at its end.
• In the right hand turn, the bus must turn right while the near rear tire of the bus passes within six inches of the corner.
• In the customer stop, the bus must stop within inches of a simulated curb.
• In the reverse, the bus must reverse with the rear bumper coming within three feet of a cone behind the bus.
• In the left hand turn, the bus must turn left without hitting any cones placed close to the bus's path.
• In the diminishing clearance obstacle, the clear audience favorite during at least one regional,[13] the bus must maintain a minimum speed while driving through a narrowing path outlined by cones.
• In the judgment stop, which is the last obstacle in the course, the bus must stop less than six inches from a cone placed on the finish line.

As drivers negotiate the obstacle course, their buses are equipped with a device that generates a "smoothness of operation" score.[12] Awards are given in the thirty-five-foot bus and forty-foot-bus categories.[14]

Bus maintenance teams usually consist of three employees from a transit system. In the technicians' roadeo, technicians must diagnose and repair various mechanical issues with buses. The roadeo consists of a number of portions:[12]

• A written test, with questions on topics such as HVAC, transmission, and brakes;
• A vehicle inspection of a bus with 14 planted defects;
• Two power train events involving inspection of a bus power train with seven planted defects, and correction of a single defect that prevents correct operation of the power train;
• One air brake system event involving inspection of an air brake system with six planted defects;
• One HVAC event involving inspection of a HVAC system with a single planted defect;
• One electrical control system event; and
• One vapor door event, involving inspection of a half-height air door system mockup with seven planted defects.