Press release from the N.C. Department of Transportation:
An employee from Madison County was among the statewide winners of Thursday’s “Roadeo,” the annual competition among heavy equipment operators in the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Benjie Caldwell, who works in the Madison County Maintenance Office, captured the top prize in the single-axle truck event. The event was held at the Equipment Operators Safety Training Conference at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. Larry Flowers of the Cherokee Country Bridge Department placed runner-up in the crane competition.
The Roadeo is an event that brings together heavy equipment operators in the department in a competition against their counterparts from across the state. The employees are judged for how well they operate equipment such as dump trucks, backhoes, motor graders, tractor mowers, truck trailers and cranes. The competition mimics the work they do on a regular basis.
Each of Thursday’s competitors won in events at the divisional level earlier this year. The NCDOT divides the state into 14 geographical divisions. The winners now move on to compete against their counterparts from other southeastern states in Mississippi. The competition is in September.
The goals of the “Roadeo” include helping NCDOT workers advance their skills, emphasizing the importance of safety when operating heavy equipment, fostering a sense of team spirit and recognizing employees who excel at their jobs.
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