Imagine having to take the driving test all over again, then proving your skills by parallel parking, maneuvering through cones and barrels, staying in a straight line of tennis balls and driving through narrowing alleyways. Now imagine doing all this in a vehicle 36 feet long.
Local bus driver Tim Warren, who drives a bus for kindergarten through 12th grade students on his Nelsonville-York City School district route, is competing in the 33rd annual International Bus Driver Safety Competition in New York City July 19 and 20.
Warren is making his second trip to the competition. Last year he placed 40th out of about 100 competitors in Chicago. He said he would like to cut that number in half and place about 20th this year.
Bill Loshbough, the competition director, said the competition consists of a knowledge test on operation procedures and vehicle maintenance and a 10-event obstacle course including a student loading simulation and maneuvering tests. The event began as something to test drivers skills, but over the years it has become a bigger deal.
"It gets pretty intense out there," Loshbough said.
In order to qualify for the international competition, which features drivers from the United States and Canada, a driver must finish in the top nine in their regional competition and the top two in their state or providence competition. Warren said he started competing in the regional competition with his brother 24 years ago.
He said he wants to get a lot of people involved and, while he enjoys competing and doing well, he shares his tips with everyone.
"If they can beat me that's fine; I don't care," Warren said.
Warren even is trading e-mails with the other Ohio competitor, Jack Bleyl Jr. from Cuyahoga County, to offer him tips because the international competition has subtle differences from the state's version.
JC Benton, the Ohio department of education spokesman, said having drivers compete in this event speaks volumes for the state's transportation drivers.
Warren said parents as well as students are aware that he is competing. Driving a bus can be a tough, especially when dealing with construction.
"It's a stressful job because you have people on highway, problems behind you and you can't know everything on the bus," he said. "And with the Nelsonville construction I get to practice (for the competition) everyday."
Warren said he does not take his safe driving skills for granted because he knows an accident can happen at anytime to the best of drivers.
"I have to uphold to a higher standard," he said.
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