The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Three Sisters School District bus drivers tested themselves against other drivers from across the state last weekend at the State Safety Exercise held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds.

Susan Waltosz, Julie Waltosz and Kari O’Brien entered the contest sponsored annually by the Oregon Pupil Transport Association.

Susan Waltosz led the Sisters contingent with a fourth-place finish among all drivers.

This is purely voluntary,” said Sisters Transportation Director Angi Gardinier. “They’re not paid for this. They’re doing it to challenge themselves.”

The challenge includes a written test followed by a driving course that features a “back up alley” and a serpentine cone course that Gardinier said leaves only inches for a margin of error.

“If you don’t start right, you’re definitely not going to end right,” she said.

The driving test also includes a student loading exercise and a diminishing clearance test.

To make the event that much more challenging, drivers don’t necessarily get to drive the same type of bus they use on their regular route.

Additionally, many spectators turn out and Gardinier said “it’s kind of a high-pressure environment.”

Scores were not available at press time for the other two drivers, but Gardinier said they all did well, Susan Waltosz exceptionally so.

“They were just jazzed that they did as well as they did,” she said.