Urban Cowboys : Refuse Riders Test Driving Skills in Trash-Hauling Steeds

Ron Lee has never mounted a Brahman bull but he does ride another large type of beast: a 25-ton, fully loaded garbage truck in Los Angeles gridlock.

So Friday, the 28-year-old Lee came to San Diego to compete in a rodeo. . . . That’s ROAD-E-O .

Lee was among 10 trash-truck drivers who met on the parking lot pavement at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium to determine the top truck handlers in the second annual Southern California Regional Refuse Driver’s ROAD-E-O.

But, rather than compete with testy commuters, tight alleys or tots on tricycles, drivers faced a slew of obstacles that proved just as harrying.

Wrestled With Big Rigs

Donning work boots and khakis, the drivers maneuvered big diesel rigs (unloaded, they weigh about 15 tons) over a course marked by fluorescent pylons and barricades.

Seven categories tested drivers’ prowess in various situations, including cornering, backing and parallel parking.

Sometimes barricades tumbled and clattered loudly, to the groans of supporters who watched when a driver miscalculated by less than an inch.

Other times, however, the only sound was the high-pitched burst from air brakes or the clang of a warning bell when drivers backed up trucks perfectly into tight spots.

The winners Friday of the three categories--front loader, side loader and back loader--will go on to Tulsa, Okla. to compete in August in the international ROAD-E-O with drivers from the United States and Canada.

Each man (none of the women drivers made the cut) had to win competitions in their own cities. Besides San Diego and Los Angeles, drivers also came from Newport Beach and Santa Monica. The competitors also had to have perfect driving records and good attendance.

The event was an opportunity for unsung heroes, who hoist tons of rubbish daily, to be recognized. Repeated lifting takes a nasty toll on drivers’ backs and shoulders, said Ernie Anderson, deputy director of refuse collection for San Diego. Anderson said that, in the peak summer months, trash collectors lift as much as 15 tons daily.

Injuries among drivers on the job are common.

For instance, last year’s winner, Bernie Helton, had to bow out of the competition after hurting his shoulder this week.

The injury may have been a setback for Helton, but for Albert Villa of San Diego it meant a victory and a bonus: a day off.

Villa, 27, won the front-loader competition. He said he was scheduled to work a route in Scripps Ranch, but got the nod after Helton was felled.

“I sweat as much today as I would have if I had worked,” he joked. “The pressure was on this morning.”

Nearby, Jesus Ruano of Santa Monica nervously smoked a cigarette while watching another driver navigate the course, which took about 10 to 12 minutes to complete.

As the driver knocked over a barrel, Ruano said, “You’ve got to take your time and relax.”.

But, behind the wheel of a shiny white and orange rig with Armor All on the tires, Ruano tensed up, nicking a few obstacles. He finished fourth in the back-loader category.

“I did my best,” he shrugged.

Two other San Diegans won their divisions: Danny Munoz in the side-loader and Ron Garcia in the back-loader.

One judge on the course said the competition reinforces the importance of the garbage collectors’ job.

“When they drive through neighborhoods, the kids can look up to them as someone to admire and respect,” said Donald Reese, a San Diego refuse supervisor, who drove a trash truck for five years.

“You’re the one who has to do all the decision making. . . . You can’t hit a vehicle or anything else.”