Christopher Tate, refrigeration technician for Mohawk Truck of Seneca NY, was named the nation’s top heavy-truck technician as grand champion of TMCSuperTech2009. This event, the Technology & Maintenance Council’s fifth annual National Technician Skills Competition, took place in Raleigh NC recently.
An Eden NY resident, Tate also won three of the 15 skills stations during the Hands-on Skills Challenge, including Tire and Wheel, Wheel End, and Written Test. He finished tenth overall in 2008, and again this year represented the New York State Motor Truck Association as its truck technician.
Tate also was awarded a NEXIQ Technologies’ Snap-On two-piece Classic 78 model tool chest valued at about $8,000, a Midtronics Celltron MAX battery analysis system (CMA7000) valued at $1,100, a trip for two to the Daytona 500, Noregon Systems’ JPRO Fleet Diagnostic Kit, a custom-made championship leather jacket, $600 in gift cards, and other items.
Ryder System technicians Rick Grivel, Alpharetta GA; and Christopher Barnett, Florence KY, earned second- and third-place honors in the fifth annual competition conducted by TMC’s Professional Technician Development Committee (PTDC). Each received the Midtronics Celltron MAX battery analysis system.
Michael Bogard, Neenah WI, captured fourth place for Ryder System. He was 2008’s third-place winner, and earned the top score on the written portion of the competition the previous three years.
Next year’s competition, TMCSuperTech2010, will be held during TMC’s 2010 Fall Meeting, set for Sept 20-23 in Raleigh.
Information about TMCSuperTech, along with TMC’s guide, How to Conduct a Technician Skills Competition, are available at http://tmc.truckline.com. For more information about the competition, call 703-838-1763.
