"Roadeo" driver takes second at state

A single traffic cone stood in the way of Raymond "Elmo" Aylmer's repeat victory at the Florida Paratransit Roadeo.

On May 1-2, Aylmer joined approximately 35 drivers of paratransit vehicles from across the state at the Daytona competition.

Just four points shy of a first place finish, Aylmer, a 12-year Gulf Transportation veteran, took second place in the modified van division and earned the top score in the vehicle inspection challenge.

He received plaques for both, and a $300 check for the second place finish.

The competition featured two divisions, van and cutaway (minibus), and four challenges: a written test, pre-trip inspection, obstacle course and wheelchair securement exercise.

To score a perfect score on the pre-trip inspection, Aylmer presented a van in tip-top shape - with appropriate fluid levels, clean interiors and exteriors and safety equipment in place.

In the inspection challenge, Aylmer was the only driver to correctly identify four vehicle defects put in place by judges.

 He noted the missing dipstick, missing reflective triangle and broken tail and interior lights.

Though Aylmer fared well in the wheelchair securement exercise and written test, his brush with a traffic cone on the obstacle course denied him a state championship.

One cone hit equals a 5-point deduction, more than the margin of victory.

"The course was tight, which it has to be for the competition," said Aylmer. "It's just something that happened. I just happened to hit the cone."

Having previously earned multiple awards during his roadeo career, including a second-place finish at nationals last year, Aylmer was slightly disappointed by his second place finish.

"You always have that high expectation that you'd do it again (win first), but you also want others to have a shot at it, too," he said.

Aylmer's male ego suffered the greatest blow.

For the second time in three years, Aylmer narrowly lost to the same woman, Peggy Shiver of Liberty County.

"It killed it," said Aylmer of his shattered pride.

Aylmer congratulated Shiver at the end of competition, but does not know how she fared at the national roadeo in Providence, RI.

Though participation at this year's competition was down from previous years, Aylmer enjoyed his time in Daytona Beach.

"To a certain extent, it's a family reunion now because a lot of the same ones go every year," he said.

Though he did not fare as well as Aylmer, Gulf Transportation driver Ray Brant received special recognition for being 80 years old.

The Florida Paratransit Roadeo is sponsored annually by the Florida Association of Coordinated Transportation Systems (FACTS) and Rural Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) of the Florida Department of Transportation.