The Mississippi Department of Transportation held its annual District Equipment Operators Roadeo competition at the MDOT District 5 Headquarters in Newton.

The top two operators from each event have advanced to the state finals May 31 in Biloxi. At the state competition, winners from all six districts will compete and a state champion will be crowned.

The Roadeos display MDOT’s skilled, competent maintenance workforce with the knowledge, skills and abilities gained from experience working on Mississippi’s highways, according to an MDOT news release.

District 5 winners:

Lowboy: 1, Terry Buckley; 2, Billy Coward; 3, Trevor Graham.

Single Axle Dump Truck: 1, John Hodge; 2, Matthew Thorne; 3, Rockiese West.

Tandem Axle Dump Truck: 1, Sammy Townsend; 2, Jeffrey May; 3, Dan Murphy.

Backhoe: 1, Matthew Thorne; 2, Craig Kelly; 3, David Rutledge.

Motor Grader: 1, Jeffrey May; 2, John Pace; 3, Ron Gibbs.

Bushhog: 1, Wayne Perkins; 2, Nathan Perkins; 3, Billy Coward.

Employee training is one way MDOT ensures that crews in the field are operating as safely as possible, and MDOT has taken a creative approach to training.  

For information about common highway work zones and tips on how to navigate work zones safely, visit GoMDOT.com/drivesmartms.