CTAA's Roadeo Team: Kelly Shawn and Rich Sampson

CTAA's Kelly Shawn and Rich Sampson join the CT Podcast, providing an insider's look at the National Community Transportation Roadeo. First and foremost, the Roadeo is a safety event that also tests and honors transit drivers. The discussion covers the four essential parts of the competition -- written test, pre-trip inspection, wheelchair securement and obstacle course. Listeners will learn some of the history of the Community Transportation Roadeo as well as some inside tips. The Roadeo team has also recorded a set of videos you might want to check out: 1. Welcome Video ; 2. Roadeo Registration 3. The Roadeo Driving Course ; and 4. The Pre-Trip Inspection .

Listen Here (20:06)

Joyce Rose, President and CEO, Operation Lifesaver

Today in the U.S., about every three hours, a person or a vehicle will be struck by a train.

Operation Lifesaver's Joyce Rose joins the CT Podcast to discuss passenger rail safety and her organization's efforts for more than four decades in rail safety education. This conversation comes on the heels of CT Podcast host Scott Bogren's experience earlier this month where two different trains on which he was a passenger struck people on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. As Joyce confirms, grade-crossing incidents have been significantly reduced thanks to the education efforts of Operation Lifesaver and others. Trespass incidents and suicides, however, are another story.

Listen Here (20:47)

Lt. General Russel L. Honore

Lt. General Russel Honore -- Commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, regular CNN contributor and author -- joins the CT Podcast to preview his upcoming session at EXPO 2013 in Albuquerque, N.M. Here, he discusses how his motto of "see first, understand first, act first" applies not only to emergency response and preparedness, but also to community and public transportation leadership. From looking at the logistics of safety, emergency preparedness and response to his views on the ultimate responsibility of leaders, General Honore is a world-recognized expert.

Listen here (13:44)

Butch McDuffie, Transit Manager, Athens (Ga.) Transit

Butch McDuffie — Transit Manager for Athens Transit — joins the CT Podcast to discuss his agency and its operations. Having spent 11 years in Athens, McDuffie describes the system's growth and the impact of serving so many younger passengers (Athens is home to the University of Georgia). He also covers the unique challenges of today's small-urban transit operator in terms of both capital and operating issues. Says McDuffie: "The work we do at Athens Transit makes a difference in people's lives."

Listen here (22:11)