Top bus engineers named at Palace of Westminster 28 June 2011

The best bus engineers in the country were named yesterday (27 June 2011) during the inaugural IRTE Skills Challenge winners' ceremony, held at the Houses of Parliament.

Following months of preparation, which saw five bus operators compete head-to-head earlier this month at the state-of-the-art premises of S&B Automotive Academy in Bristol, leading industry representatives applauded as IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers) president Chris Grime announced the winners.

Teams from Arriva, Ipswich Bus, Translink, Go-Ahead and First Group all took part in this first IRTE Skills Challenge, which is now expected to return annually, and spread to the haulage sector's technicians.

Grime states that the aim of the IRTE Skills Challenge is to reward excellence in engineering, while celebrating an industry that often goes unrecognised.

He also explains that the competition was based around the IRTE's technician licensing scheme irtec, and included individual bodywork, electrical and mechanical categories, as well as three team awards.

"The IRTE Skills Challenge represents the IRTE's key aims: to support, develop, recognise and reward engineering competence within the road transport industry," says Grime.

"Engineering professionals are an essential part of society and none more so than those technicians working on buses. They really are the unsung heroes of the industry and it is high time their work is appreciated," he adds.

Winners of the IRTE Skills Challenge 2011 were:

Top scoring mechanical technician (presented by Allison Transmission): William Scott, Translink
Top scoring electrical technician (presented by Cummins): Nick Field, Go-Ahead London
Top scoring bodywork technician (presented by Shell FuelSave Diesel): Gary Jones, Arriva North West & Wales
Electrical, mechanical & body team award (presented by Knorr-Bremse): Go Ahead London
Mechanical & electrical combined award (presented by Bridgestone): Go-Ahead London
Best collaboration on teamwork challenge award (presented by IRTE): Translink.

Sponsorship came from industry leaders including Allison Transmission, Bridgestone, Cummins, Knorr-Bremse and Shell FuelSave Diesel, while prizes were donated by Halfords Trade.

Author
Brian Tinham

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