Local Leaders Take On the State’s Bus Obstacle Course [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD -- Minnesota's annual statewide bus driver competition is being held in St. Cloud this weekend and area leaders and residents got to try their hand at the obstacle course.

Nearly 40 bus driver's from all over the state -- including five from the St. Cloud area -- will compete Saturday morning at the Minnesota Statewide Bus Roadeo.

"We've go some great drivers and this [event] gives them the opportunity to demonstrate that skill," says St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis.

"This is an award-winning organization -- Metro Bus has won national awards three times."

But on the eve of the competition, the obstacle course was open to those who came out to the MnDOT Training Facility in north St. Cloud.

"Tonight, non-skilled drivers -- such as myself -- are going to be driving the course and our goal is just to be able to get the bus back in one piece," Kleis says.

"[As a Metro Bus board member], I just want to make sure we don't have to replace the bus after I've driven it."

There was no need to replace any of the buses as most of the people who tried the course did so steadily.

The Minnesota Bus Roadeo kicks off Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. and is free and open to the public at the MnDOT building in St. Cloud.