James Martin garners second place in TxDOT’s Roadeo
Breckenridge’s James Martin was the runner-up in the Texas Department of Transportation’s 22nd annual State Roadeo in Austin last week.
Martin represented TxDOT’s Brownwood District, along with Rex Miller of Coleman County, who was named champion of the event. Both men are maintenance section employees in the district that includes Brown, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Lampasas, McCulloch, Mills, San Saba and Stephens counties.
In the State Roadeo, the top two winners from each of TxDOT’s 25 districts and its fleet operations division competed against each other, and Miller and Martin scored the highest out of the 52 contestants at the event. Each year, roadeos challenge drivers at the local, district and state level competitions with multiple events testing crew members on items such as equipment inspection, identifying defects on equipment, and obstacle courses simulating equipment maneuvers used in daily work and often tight work zones.
Brownwood District Safety Officer Jerry Johnson said he was proud of Miller and Martin. “I think it’s a great achievement for Brownwood because you have the top 52 drivers from across the state, and they were able to go down and win it, first and second place,” Johnson said. “Only two other districts, in the history of this event, have ever earned the top two spots.”
Martin said he enjoyed being a part of the competition and that he had met many good people. “Thanks to all of the people that volunteered; they helped to make it a good time,” he said.
Miller, the assistant maintenance supervisor in Coleman County, said he and Martin were still in shock that they had won. “It was a tough competition,” Martin said. “We were surprised how well we were able to represent the Brownwood District.”
Cutline, top photo: Awarding the top winners in the recent TxDOT State Roadeo are, from left, TxDOT Brownwood District Engineer Elias Rmeili, District Safety Officer Jerry Johnson, Roadeo champion Rex Miller, Roadeo runner-up James Martin and TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. (Photo courtesy of the Texas Department of Transportation)
Information provided by the Texas Department of Transportation, Brownwood District
