Snow hasn’t fallen on the ISU campus yet, but that didn’t stop snowplows and its drivers from showing off their best maneuvers in the Hilton Coliseum parking lot on Tuesday.

The drivers gathered to participate in a “roadeo” designed to test the driving skills of snowplow drivers and motor grader operators.

“This is recommended practice [for the drivers] before winter snow and ice removal operations begin,” said Duane Smith, associate director of outreach at the Center for Transportation Research.

Smith, who organized the event, said it is part of an educational expo to train those who tend Iowa’s roads.

Bret Hodne, public works superintendent for the city of West Des Moines, brought four teams of snowplow drivers.

Snowplow operator Brad Hughes, of West Des Moines, didn’t have a great start at the Hilton event.

“It’s too windy. There’s cloud cover,” he said. “Or, I didn’t study last night.”

Smith said the event had 88 snowplow drivers and 39 motor grade drivers registered for the “roadeo” competition. The drivers also have a wide range of experience.

Hughes said he came to the expo to get ready for the cold, snowy winter ahead.

“We like winter,” he said. “That’s when we get to work.”

The “roadeo” contains three tests – written, vehicle defect identification and driving.

The snowplow competition includes driving through 12 situations that simulate normal street obstacles.

Hodne said it trains them “to work around tight corners, parked cars and mailboxes.”

One segment for the drivers is snowplowing between obstacles. Drivers must knock over blocks without hitting any traffic cones, representative of the cars or mailboxes.

“There is some tricky stuff out here,” Smith said.

Points are deducted for missing blocks, hitting cones or going over the allotted time.

“This is a fairly competitive course,” Hodne said. “It takes a lot of skill and some luck too.”