About 400 students from Odem Elementary and Intermediate School got a closer look at the life of a transmission lineworker during a Touch-A-Truck event hosted by the AEP Texas Transmission Line team in Odem. Pre-K through 5th-grade students got to experience the equipment, tools, and safety gear transmission crews use daily. Students explored a digger truck and stepped inside a bucket truck capable of elevating lineworkers up to 125 feet to perform maintenance on power lines. Crew members showed how they work under unpredicatable weather conditions, while students tried on rubber gloves, and handled insulated tools.

The highlight of the event was when students climbed into the cab of the digger truck and left with plastic hard hats as parting gifts. Work Management Coordinator Marissa Garcia says the team hopes to offer similiar events in the future. 

"These events provide community engagement, safety educational value, and career awareness," Garcia said. "It's always rewarding to allow children to have a hands-on experience. These events help strengthen our community ties and promote awareness of the services AEP Texas provides."