This Skills Challenge champions the work done by bus and coach technicians throughout the UK and Ireland, and the IRTE is inviting bus and coach operators large and small to pit their technicians against each other to discover the best in the UK.
The challenge is open to mechanical, electrical and bodywork technicians, and includes theoretical and practical assessments, with the primary focus on safety and reliability.
IRTE makes the point that it provides an invaluable opportunity to raise standards across the passenger transport industry.
Top teams and individuals have the opportunity to win an array of prizes, including a year's free membership of IRTE for the top team.
"It's a real confidence booster and confirmation that they are doing something right," comments Lloyd Mason, engineering development manager, Arriva UK Bus.
"As more operators participate each year, it is especially rewarding for these engineers to come out on top, proving they are the best in their discipline."
And Tower Transit's Paul Lenihan, top scoring Bodywork Technician 2014, adds: "This award not only highlights my skills as a coachbuilder, but represents the dedication and teamwork of my fellow teammates and managers."
The IRTE Skills Challenge is sponsored by Allison Transmission, Bridgestone, Knorr-Bremse and Shell.
To enter, bus and coach operators need to select teams of three technicians and apprentices by 27 March by clicking on the link below.