Everyone has probably had to meet a group of people at a designated location; transport them to an event in a timely fashion; return afterwards to pick them up; and deliver them back to where you met them -- all in a safe and courteous manner. Well, the Rodeo Express Committee was responsible for doing just that for the 315,524 passengers who rode the shuttle buses to the 1999 Show. The Rodeo Express Committee was formed to coordinate the Show's shuttle bus service, to reduce parking congestion and handle the ever-increasing crowds enjoying the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The committee has grown to 647 members since its inception in 1987.
The adult round-trip ticket is a bargain at $2, and children under age 12 ride free. Committee volunteers wearing their badge always ride free. The shuttles run from six Houston-area lots: METRO North Shepard Park and Ride lot, Delmar Stadium, Aramco Building Parking at 9009 West Loop S., METRO West Loop Park and Ride lot, METRO Monroe Street Park and Ride lot and Gulfgate Mall. Rodeo Express service begins at 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and continues every day until midnight for general patrons and 2 a.m. for committee volunteers. The committee is composed of the Satellite and Dome divisions. The Satellite division, led by subchairman Rick Mellas, oversees about one-half of the total committee members. The Satellite division is responsible for parking, ticket sales, signage and safety, as well as the loading and offloading of the buses at the satellite parking locations. The Dome division, led by subchairman Woody Edinburgh, receives and directs incoming patrons, collects valuable information and assists departing patrons. Other committee subgroups are busy with less visible, yet equally important, tasks. One is responsible for setting up and maintaining bus access lanes into the Astrodome complex. Another monitors ticket sales, collects and records data on handheld computers to track passenger count and even provides real-time counts of people who have been transported and those who remain at the Astrodome complex. The Rodeo Express Committee volunteers collaborate to achieve maximum utilization of buses and to provide patrons with the best service possible. The Rodeo Express Committee works closely with other committees, such as the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Committee, to make reaching the Show and its various events enjoyable and hassle-free. "The committee's mission is to provide the best possible service for Show patrons and make it possible for everyone to access the event," John Sandling, committee chairman, said. "As in the past, the committee will expand and change as required to meet the demands of the Show. We are fortunate to have excellent, dedicated committee members who make this challenging task not only achieveable, but also well done and enjoyable to boot." Hap Hunnicutt, officer in charge, said, "The Rodeo Express Committee is becoming one of the most important committees at the Show. Their job is not glamorous -- in hot, cold, windy or wet weather, they still load the buses. In the next three years, this committee will be critical to the success of the Show. With the construction of the new exhibition facility and possibly a new stadium, on-site parking will be at a premium. Most attendees will have to get to the Show by our Rodeo Express shuttles. We will need to double our capacity to maintain our attendance levels. The committee is aware of this and is prepared to meet the challenges that lie ahead."
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