Recognizing the need to cultivate highly skilled truck technicians, Mack Trucks, in cooperation with two customers, provided 12 Mack Pinnacle DayCab models for the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) National Technician Skills Competition – TMCSuperTech 2012.
Christopher Barnett of Ryder Systems, Inc. in Hebron, KY, won the eighth annual competition, in which trucking technicians from the U.S. and Canada are recognized for superior skill and professionalism. Many TMCSuperTech contenders won the right to compete by first winning state or company-level contests, and most work for service providers or major fleets.
"It was an honor for Mack Trucks to have the top truck technicians in North America working on our trucks during the competition," said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing. "We are committed to fostering excellence among truck technicians and congratulate the TMCSuperTech winners for being the best in the industry."
Just 114 technicians qualified to compete in the hands-on portion of the competition, testing their skills in 17 categories such as HVAC, drivetrain and brake repair. Awards for the event were presented to the winners of the individual skills contests, as well as to the top three overall finishers. According to TMC, as the Grand Champion, Barnett is considered the most highly skilled truck technician in North America and won a trip to the 2013 Daytona 500. Second-place finisher John Ragland from FedEx Express, Kansas City, MO won a trip to the 2013 Brickyard 400, and third-place finisher Christopher Tate of Mohawk Truck, Inc., West Seneca, NY received a battery/electrical system tester.
The 12 Mack Pinnacle models were used for the HVAC and brake repair competitions. PITT OHIO and UPS, two Mack customers, provided the trucks. TransEdge Truck Centers, a Pittsburgh-based Mack dealer and Mack's 2011 North American Dealer of the Year, detailed the trucks in preparation for the event and transported them to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.
