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Council recognizes Oahu Transit Services rodeo winners; top operators to compete nationally
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Summary
Council members Cordero and Okimoto honored winners of Oahu Transit Services’ bus and handy van rodeos (held Dec. 5, 2025); Douglas Rago was named top bus operator and a maintenance team led by Keith Yanagi posted the highest maintenance score and will represent Oahu at national competitions.
The Honolulu City Council recognized winners of Oahu Transit Services’ 2025 bus maintenance and handy van rodeos and congratulated operators and maintenance staff who will represent the city in national competitions.
Council member Cordero, who said she chairs the Infrastructure, Transportation and Technology Committee and has ridden the bus since childhood, described the rodeo’s obstacle-course format and training benefits. She noted the competition took place at the Pearl City Bus Facility on Dec. 5, 2025, and praised operators for the skill and safety the event promotes.
Council member Okimoto announced individual and team placements. In the bus-operator category, Douglas Rago finished first with a score of 373 out of 415; Christy Lee McShane placed third and Durban Yamaguchi placed second. In maintenance, the first-place team led by Keith Yanagi scored 1,547.5 out of a possible 2,225 points and will compete at the APTA International Bus Rodeo in Salt Lake City. In the handy-van competition, Samuel Kalekola won the top spot with 328 out of 415 points but was not present at the council recognition; he will represent Honolulu at the CTAA national rodeo in Omaha, Nebraska.
Why it matters: Council members framed the rodeo as both recognition and professional development that helps ensure safe transit operations. Several named managers and agency officials attended, and winners were singled out for upcoming national representation.
No budget or formal policy action was taken during the recognition; the item was ceremonial.
"Let's give our winning operators a round of applause," Okimoto said as names were read. Council members and transit leadership in the chamber applauded the winners and wished them success at national competitions.
