SANDY, Utah — Around 20 bus drivers drove through obstacles at a school parking lot in Sandy on Saturday to test their skills and compete for the winning title of "Utah’s best bus driver."
The drivers competed in the Utah Bus Roadeo Competition, held for a second time in Canyons School District from 8 a.m. to noon. The bus drivers were evaluated on skills including driving in a straight line and parallel parking.
FOX 13 News spoke with James Burnell, 21, who is a student at Brigham Young University. He’s been driving school buses for only four months.
“I thought it would be super fun for a guy like me who has only been driving for four months to come out and just wreck the course,” he said while laughing.
The winner gets the chance to compete in the American Public Transportation Association’s International Bus Roadeo in Austin, Texas. The winner competes with some of the best drivers in the U.S. and Canada.
The results were finalized in the afternoon.
“I got fourth,” Burnell said. “I missed 75 points for not turning on my right signal.”
Jeremy Klung with the Canyons School District claimed the winning title on Saturday. This is his second time taking home the first-place trophy.
“I took first with a staggering 705 points out of 750-something,” Klung said.
“I’ll go back to Austin at the end of June and represent Utah proud,” he said. “And hopefully do at least the same if not better than I did last year.”
As for Burnell, you’ll see him back on the road. Same bus, just waiting for the next competition to roll his way.
“It was just about ranking a personal record,” Burnell said.
