ODOT holds ‘maintenance academy’ in Bend

You see them every day — the ODOT maintenance workers who make sure our highways and roads are safe and ready for you to drive on. But do you know what goes into that job?

Wednesday was the second day maintenance trainees went out to learn and practice their precision skills at the ODOT Maintenance Academy.

“We learned to take the loader and fill up the bucket and dump it in the truck, use the excavator while trying to knock tennis balls off of cones,” said Brandi Murphy, transportation maintenance trainee.

“On that same excavator, we used backhoes and did bowling with a tetherball. They go over everything we need to do as far as erosion control,”

Although it all seems like fun and games, this 12-day training academy is vital to ensure maintenance workers have the proper skills out on the road for their own safety and the safety of others.

“The more we get them trained up to do it properly, not only are they protecting themselves and allowing them to go home, but we are also being safe around the motoring public so we impede their travels as little as we possibly can,” said Todd Mundinger, training program manager for ODOT.

NewsChannel 21’s Dani Fried got the opportunity to try her hand at this tough job.