Action began Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, at the American Trucking Associationsโ Technology and Maintenance Councilโs National Technician Skills Competition, TMCSuperTech, being held at the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina.
โWhen we held the first TMCSuperTech 12 years ago, we hoped it would grow into an event like this,โ said Carl Kirk, ATA vice president of maintenance, information technology and logistics and TMC executive director. โThis event, which for the first time includes a specific competition for trailer technicians, shines a light on the skills and expertise of this oft-overlooked part of the trucking industry, a part that literally moves the nationโs freight.โ
This year, there are 130 competitors in the traditional techniciansโ competition, 11 of whom are competing in the trailer competition, and 47 in the TMCFutureTech student competition, sponsored by Velociti.
โOver the next three days, these contenders will test themselves and compete with each other in a series of challenges, including a written test, qualifying stations and hands-on challenges, all culminating with the crowning of a grand champion on Wednesday afternoon,โ said Kirk โThe names we call out at our awards luncheon, and really all the competitors, will have truly proven themselves to be among Americaโs elite technicians.โ
โIt is fitting that this event takes place so close to the end of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week,โ said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. โEvents like TMCSuperTech highlight the important role these men and women play in our industry and all of this yearโs competitors โ and their companies โ should be proud.โ
TMCSuperTech and TMCFutureTech take place in conjunction with TMCโs annual fall meeting. More information on the event and the meeting can be found at tmc.trucking.org.
TMC is Americaโs premier technical society for truck equipment technology and maintenance professionals. TMC features a diverse membership of equipment managers, service-dealers, owner-operators, industry suppliers and manufacturers, educators, academia and others who support the trucking industry. TMC member fleets represent the broad range of industry vocations, including truckload, less-than-truckload, municipal, private, on/off-highway, construction and other operations.
