Route Driver Rodeo

Holding a Route Driver Rodeo for the Food and Beverage Vending-OCS Industries

It is estimated the food and beverage vending and OCS industries have 70, 000 vehicles while traveling 117 million miles a year servicing our customers. Safe driving becomes an important part of the vending business as a result of this.

To promote safe driving practices NAMA has developed a Guide on how to hold a route driver rodeo. In October 2002 NAMA held the first ever National Driver's Rodeo Competition prior to the NAMA National Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. Several pictures of the rodeo can be viewed from this website to give you a better idea of what took place. Click here to view the photos.

Prior to the Rodeo NAMA developed “A Guide to Holding a Route Driver's Rodeo for the Food and Beverage Industry." This Guide provided a step-by-step process for which NAMA State Councils were able to put together a Rodeo in order to qualify a driver for the National Rodeo. In addition, NAMA also followed this guideline when holding the National Rodeo.

You may ask - Why hold a truck rodeo?
A truck rodeo should be part of any vending company's total safety program designed to keep drivers' skills sharp and to lower the cost associated with deficient skills. A rodeo serves many purposes. The most important of which is a test of the skills required for safe and efficient performance for drivers. These skills are demonstrated on a driving course and further measured by a written test and pre-trip vehicle inspection.

Beyond this primary goal, a competition offers the local community concrete evidence that a vending company is genuinely concerned with safe and responsible conduct of their vehicles and personnel.

In addition, the competition is a powerful incentive for superior performance. This spirit created by your rodeo often evolves into a sense of pride that pays off over and over again — a sense of pride that can permeate an entire vending company.

Holding a Rodeo
To hold a rodeo a number of things need to be considered. First, a location needs to be found which is large enough to hold a course and provide space for spectators. Second, equipment is needed to mark the course. Third, judges are needed to score the rodeo. Fourth, promotional material and driver rodeo booklets are needed. Fifth, trucks are needed for driving and vehicle pre-inspection. Lastly, prizes are needed for the winners.

The "Guide" sets forth the requirements for the written exam, pre-trip inspection, the driving obstacle course and how to layout the course itself.

For your information the driver obstacle course consists of five segments. These are: Right Turn on the Money; Diminishing Clearance; Offset Alley; Serpentine; and Parking at a Loading Dock.

NAMA would be happy to share a copy of the Guide prepared for the vending industry. Please send an e-mail to tech@vending.org or call the NAMA Technical Services Department at 312-346-0370 ext 224.

Remember, safety is one of vending's most important products.