Coming up clutch: FedEx Freight's Eric Vos wins his first TMCSuperTech

Year after year, Eric Vos enters the TMCSuperTech National Technicians Skills Competition with something to prove.

The two-day competition is held in conjunction with the American Trucking Associations' Technology & Maintenance Council Fall Meeting, and it calls for participants to qualify on 12 skill stations on day one and then deal with 14 hands-on challenges on the second and final day. Vos, a Boise, Idaho-based FedEx Freight technician, has participated annually since 2006, finishing in second place on three occasions and in sixth twice.

The title of grand champion eluded him until this year, when he bested nearly 150 contestants en route to his first-ever victory.

“I like to prove myself to be a good technician,” says Vos, who has worked at FedEx Freight for 11 years. “That’s why I keep on going, just to prove to myself that I’m good at what I do. There’s a lot of pressure, but it’s also a lot of fun.”

Keys to success

Vos credits his consistent success in the TMCSuperTech competition over the years to his willingness to study prior to the event and be diligent in his efforts to gain knowledge on the latest maintenance trends and technology.

“You just need to get out there and start reading information, and try to get your hands on the new products,” he says. “That’s the biggest thing. New technologies are coming day in and day out, so you just need to keep on top things and constantly learn.”

About a third of the way through the most recent TMCSuperTech competition, Vos says everything came together for him. A strong start on the first few stations led him to believe he could compete for the win, as was his ability to overcome some fatigue down the stretch.

“My third-to-last station was HVAC, and I was just almost overwhelmed with what I needed to do,” he explains. “That one I struggled with. That’s one of my weaknesses as of right now, so I’m going to be studying up on that one.

“Then the last two or three stations started dragging a little bit, just because I was getting tired. But I just had to push through. That’s all you can really do.”

Focus

Vos says focusing on what’s in front of him during the competition is vital to helping him navigate his way through the challenges.

“The biggest thing is, once that station is over, you just need let it go,” he says. “You can’t change it, so you just have to let it go. I’ve watched some people just break down after one station. Get rid of it and just move on to the next challenge.”

Understanding how to compete effectively is also crucial to Vos’s ability to regularly secure a top-ten finish at TMCSuperTech. Some of the stations change from year to year, so adopting the right attitude can go a long way toward finding success.

“You just have to take it as it is, go with the flow and do the best you can do,” Vos says.

The longtime FedFex freight employee also recognizes his strengths as a technician. He says he excels at working with tires and electrical issues, and that those types of stations helped put him in position to prevail this year.

“It’s just being consistent with those ones that I think really help me push through to the top” Vos adds.