The bus industry’s top technicians were named on 17 July at the IRTE Skills Challenge 2014 winners’ presentation held in the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.
The UK bus industry’s only competition for technical excellence, the IRTE Skills Challenge is a series of bodywork, electrical and mechanical tasks that give technicians and apprentices the opportunity to demonstrate their skills on a national level.
For the third year running, a team from Arriva scooped the competition’s top honour, with the IRTE Award for Outstanding Achievement going to team-mates Keval Rayatt, Colin Harris and Tom Hubbard. As well as winning top-notch toolboxes from Teng Tools, the three received a year’s free membership of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) and its umbrella body the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE).
Colin, who’s been on the winning Arriva team for the past three years, says: “There were some very good guys taking part this year and the competition was very stiff, so it was a real surprise to win. It definitely shows the calibre of Arriva engineers.”
For the first time this year the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) held a test within the competition, with mechanical competitors completing part of a replica PSV annual test. Adam Geddes from Preston Bus earned the top scoring DVSA Inspection Technician award, with Metroline’s Jon Marriage scooping the award for top apprentice. Other top scoring technicians came from Abellio, FirstGroup, Metroline and Tower Transit. A full list of winners is below.
Alex Fiddes, Chief Operating Officer Testing & Enforcement from DVSA, says: “We at DVSA are pleased to support the bus industry in demonstrating their professionalism and commitment to ensuring the highest standards of safe operation. This was clearly demonstrated by the high calibre of competitors in this year’s IRTE Skills Challenge; we are pleased to have been involved and we look forward to supporting the competition in future.”
Sir Moir Lockhead OBE, SOE Patron and former Chief Executive of FirstGroup, says: “For me it’s really good to see apprentices and technicians rewarded for being the best at what they do. I’m convinced that standards now are much higher than when I was doing my apprenticeship and pathway to IRTE membership, and my congratulations go to all the winners of IRTE Skills Challenge 2014.”
The top scoring technicians and apprentices received prizes from Teng Tools, as well as a day of training with DVSA. Testing for the competition was devised by Allison Transmission, Bridgestone, Knorr-Bremse, Shell Lubricants, and event host S&B Automotive Academy; with buses and equipment donated by supporters Abellio, MAN and Mercedes-Benz Buses and Coaches. For more info go to www.soe.org.uk/irte-skills-challenge
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