After two rounds of competition, the 2nd Annual TCI Tech Challenge competition yielded a new champion. James Krikie, an 11-year veteran of TCI-Mt. Vernon, secured top honors and a $3,500 cash prize during the hands-on finale at the company’s training center in Troy, Ill., on Oct. 24. Krikie’s consistent performance at all workstations and speed at diagnosis at the Engine Wiring/Fault Code Station presented by Freightliner solidified his first place ranking.
Truck Centers Inc. launched the competition in 2010 to highlight the knowledge and professional skills of its service technicians. Sixty technicians from five Truck Centers Inc. service departments vied for top honors in the competition that tested the participants’ abilities in common diagnostic problems and basic Class 7-8 truck repairs, as well as advanced topics relating to Daimler Trucks North America products, including Freightliner and Western Star trucks and Detroit Diesel engines, with a 150-question written examination.
The 10 technicians with the highest cumulative written scores then gathered at Truck Centers’ Training Center for the final round of hands-on skills competition in five modules that included Engine Wiring/Fault Codes, Literature/AccessFreightliner Resources, Chassis Wiring, Wheel End/Brake Systems and Engine Mechanics. The finalists were graded on procedures, diagnostic processes and thorough repair of the issue in timed exercises for a composite score at each station. In addition to the recognition of their abilities, participants were competing for nearly $8,000 in cash prizes.
“The Tech Challenge Competition was created to highlight the skills and professional training that our technicians bring to the Truck Centers’ network of dealerships,” says Katie Hopkins, executive vice president. “Their talents are what help us consistently deliver superior customer service and minimal downtime to our customers. The fact that all of our full-service dealerships were represented in the final round indicates the consistency and quality that we strive to deliver with every visit. I would like to congratulate James Krikie and the other finalists as well as all of the participants for their involvement, support and suggestions that will help us prepare for another exciting competition next year.”
