TravelCenters techs among trucking competition winners

WESTLAKE, Ohio (Oct. 13, 2015) — Technicians from TravelCenters of America L.L.C. (TA) were among truck mechanics nationwide picking up awards in the annual TMC SuperTech competition sponsored by the American Trucking Associations' (ATA) Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC).

Westlake-based TA, which operates the TA and Petro Stopping Centers travel center brands, had four technicians with a combined 28 years of experience from TA Truck Service facilities throughout the U.S. who earned titles in three hands-on skills challenges as well as an overall score title.

The company said these wins “represent the commitment TA and Petro have to seek to hire the best technicians and provide them with comprehensive training in order to have the best truck service maintenance and repair centers on the highway.”

The TMC SuperTech is described as an elite competition bringing the best truck service and repair technicians from U.S. original equipment manufacturers, trucking companies and repair facilities together to compete nationally. The competitions consist of written tests and nine hands-on skills challenges, including wheel-end, engine diagnostics, brakes and preventive maintenance. The challenges are designed to help technicians improve their knowledge and skills, according to TA, and winners are selected for each station, as well as overall scores. The winners were announced recently in Orlando, Fla.

The winning TA and Petro mechanics, all ASE-certified master technicians, are: Steven Fraser of Petro in Sparks, Nev., who placed first in the coolant/DEF skills challenge; Robert Anderson of TA in Mobile, Ala., who placed first in the  brakes skills challenge; Russ Whitaker of TA in Rawlins, Wyo., who placed first in the tire and wheel skills challenge; and Mike Gavrielides of TA in Madison, Ga., who finished eleventh overall.

“Our trucking customers expect our technicians to be experienced and certified to keep them rolling. Our extensive on-going efforts in recruitment, training and mentoring have helped TA develop our repair professionals into a deep resource of technical expertise that is relied upon by customers operating a very wide variety of equipment,” said Tom O'Brien, president and CEO of TravelCenters.

“The TMC SuperTech competition gives TravelCenters, and individuals who are part of the TravelCenters team, a great opportunity to be recognized for their skills. Only the hard work and dedication shown by our winners this year and by all of their team members throughout the country can provide the quality truck service our customers demand, and I couldn't be more proud to congratulate our winners, and our other participants, not just for the wins, but for representing the only nationwide travel center that even showed up to compete at the leading technician skills competition in the country.”

The more than 3,000 technicians working in TA Truck Service and Petro:Lube locations have a combined more than 2,300 ASE certifications, according to the company, which operates a network of 241 truck service facilities, more than 1,000 repair bays and a fleet of more than 1,600 RoadSquad Connect emergency roadside assistance vehicles and RoadSquad OnSite mobile maintenance vehicles.

According to the TMC, here's how techs from the following companies placed in the competition:

1. FedEx Freight
2. Ryder
3. WalMart
4. Omaha Truck Center
5. Con-way
6. Swift Transportation
7. Mohawk Truck
8. TA/Petro
9. Old Dominion Freight Line
10. Clarke Power Services
11. Southeastern Freight Lines
12. W.W. Williams
13. Penn Power
14. Inland
15. Maverick Transportation