MARSHALL (KMHL) – The Minnesota State Bus Rodeo is coming to Marshall. Community Transit and United Community Action are hosting the event this weekend at Southwest Minnesota State University.

It is the first time that Marshall has ever hosted the state competition.

UCAP Transportation Director Kathleen Amick says they are very excited to be hosting the event and it will bring public transportation systems and drivers from all across the state to Marshall.

“They come from all over,” said Amick. “We have the big bus competition, which is the larger metro transit programs from St. Cloud, Rochester and Duluth.”

She said there is also a category for the smaller buses and bus drivers that we are accustomed to seeing on the roads in southewst Minnesota.

Amick says there will be more than 40 entrants from the different public transportation systems across the state.

“There’s a course set up in the parking lot at SMSU, kind of like an obstacle course,” said Amick. “They drive around cones trying to avoid hitting them and they have certain time element too.”

In addition to the rodeo, Amick notes that Community Transit is also hosting an open house at the facility for the first time since the building opened in 2008.