For many students on campus, driving a UGA bus is an intimidating thought, but for 2025 Transit ROADeo winner Laura Towner, a third-year student from Milledgeville, this is far from the case.
“My family got a pop-up camper while I was in high school, and I learned how to drive our SUV with this little camper attached to it,” said Towner, who is double majoring in dance and psychology. “My first time driving through downtown Atlanta was with that camper behind me. I had my learner’s permit.”
Towner also has driven her family’s SUV and camper through New York City. These early, high-pressure driving experiences shaped her into the outstanding UGA bus driver she is today.
Towner bested 12 other drivers — including her supervisor — in Transportation & Parking Services’ annual Transit ROADeo competition this year. Now in its 28th year, the 2025 Transit ROADeo took place during UGA’s fall break.
Staff set up cones, tennis balls, and other obstacles around the grounds of the Campus Transit Facility for each driver to navigate. Points were awarded for precision, control, and time.
This was the first year Towner was able to compete since she was still in training when the previous ROADeo took place. She was surprised and delighted to take home the title of 2025 ROADeo Champion, especially as a student.
“I’m happy to represent the students,” she said. “My name is on the plaque. It’s cool!”
Towner joined Transportation & Parking Services in February 2024. She spent two semesters learning how to operate the 20-ton buses and safely transport passengers around campus before going out on her own.
She enjoys both the camaraderie and the independence of her job. “I like the combination of getting to have fun and be with coworkers but also getting to be by myself,” Towner explained. “Because I’m so busy, I don’t get a lot of alone time. Even if my bus has 40 people on it, it’s just me and the road.”
She also thrives on busy routes. “I really like a good Main Campus or Central East,” she said. And she appreciates the flexibility of her work. “They understand that we are students first,” she said.
As Towner heads into her final year, she plans to keep driving until graduation. “Just knowing that I’m useful to another person and helping them get through their day, even if it’s a small part of it, has definitely made me feel like my job is helping people,” she said.
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by Madeline Parker
