CARTA HOSTS CELEBRITY BUS ROADEO

Celebrating driver safety and skill, local celebrities join the annual event with a competition benefiting local charities

MONDAY, February 18, 2013 – On Saturday, February 16, The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) hosted the annual “Bus Roadeo,” a local qualifying event for the International Bus Roadeo organized by the American Passenger Transport Association (APTA).  This year, local celebrities joined the event in support of CARTA and competing for their favorite charity. The event celebrates the skilled and dedicated employees that drive CARTA buses every day.

 The celebrities who participated in the event for charity included:

  • Mark Bryan, musician and member of Hootie & the Blowfish
  • Bill Walsh, Chief Meteorologist WCSC-TV 5
  • Tessa Spencer, Co-anchor of Good Morning Charleston and Lowcountry Live, also Co-host of Tessa and Baby Jay on Starr 99.7
  • Rob Concannon, President of South Carolina Stingrays Hockey
  • General Dee Jay Cass, Magic 107.3
  • Baby Jay, Co-host of Tessa and Baby Jay on Starr 99.7

 “Every year, we celebrate our bus drivers and employees with the local qualifying round of this international event,” said CARTA Executive Director, Christine Wilkinson. “This year, we were honored to have celebrities join us and raise money for some great local organizations.”

The participants of the celebrity portion competed for donations  to the charity of their choice.  Bill Walsh placed first, donating $2,000 to Ronald McDonald House, a program that provides a “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost.  Dee Jay Cass placed second, donating $1,000, also to Ronald McDonald House.  Rob Concannon followed close in third place, donating $500 to Pattison’s Academy, an organization that helps severely disabled children through education, interaction and professional therapy.

Following the celebrity portion of the event, 12 drivers participated in the Bus Roadeo to compete to move on to the state competition. Bus operators challenged their driving skills on various obstacle courses, and were judged on identifying defects on a vehicle during their pre-trip inspections, safety habits, and skill as they maneuvered 35 and 40 foot buses through the course.

To learn more about CARTA events, bus passes and routes, visit RideCARTA.com.

About CARTA

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit to the Charleston community through four services – fixed routes, Tel-A-Ride, flex/demand service and express routes. CARTA services Charleston and the surrounding areas including West Ashley, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant. For the latest on CARTA, visit www.RideCARTA.com, follow us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @RideCARTA.  CARTA – It connects us all.

 

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