Features Editor
FedEx Freight's Eric Vos Repeats as TMC SuperTech Grand Champion
RALEIGH, North Carolina — FedEx Freight technician Eric Vos earned the title of Grand Champion of TMC SuperTech for the second consecutive year in the competition, which was swept by FedEx Freight.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Vos told TRANSPORT TOPICS on Sept. 21. “This was going to be my last year no matter how I did. I’ve been in it for 10 years, so I’m just glad to go out on top.”
He won the title at the National Technician Skills Competition during American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council’s fall meeting Sept. 18-22 at the convention center here.
“I always like working with my hands so that was probably the most enjoyable part,” Vos said.
Vos said he now looks forward to putting his knowledge and skills to use in a different, yet related, role: training truck technicians.
It’s his last year competing as a technician, but he expects that enjoyment will continue. “I plan on teaching, trying to get into a different role within FedEx,” he said.
LIVEONWEB, OCTOBER 2015: Interview with Vos, a potential future leader
2015 RECAP: Vos named 2015 Grand Champion
The SuperTech competition includes a qualifying written test and qualifying rounds of diagnostic skills competitions. Competitors then advance to the hands-on skills challenge.
About 150 contestants competed across 24 skills stations and the written examination.
“For 12 years, TMC SuperTech has provided an opportunity to recognize the outstanding work of our industry’s technicians, and this year was no different,” ATA President Chris Spear said in a statement. “I’d like to congratulate Eric on being named Grand Champion and recognize all of this year’s competitors for their professionalism and dedication.”
George Arrants, contest chairman, said last year that Vos won without winning any stations. “Obviously, he upped his game,” Arrants said. “He won a lot of work stations this year, so that tells me he is a true professional and is committed to his craft.”
Vos won eight station competitions during Sept. 20-21, including wheel end No. 2, fifth wheel, preventive maintenance inspection, steering and suspension, and starting and charging.
Starting and charging “was fairly easy for me,” Vos said. “I studied really hard on that, and I try to do that every day on every truck that we PM.”
He said HVAC was his “most challenging” station. “Just not familiar with the system that they had on that truck.”
FedEx Freight’s Mark McLean Jr. and Stephen Weaver finished second and third overall, respectively.
McLean also is a two-time SuperTech grand champ, capturing the top spot in 2013 and 2014.
Asked about any friendly rivalry between him and Vos, McLean said: “It’s friendly, but it’s extremely competitive … probably since 2012 now, so the last four years.”
Vos and McLean also won the team competition on behalf of FedEx Freight.
Joe Oleson, director of equipment and maintenance support at FedEx Freight, said Vos “is part of a bigger team — call them the wolf pack. The pack is as good as the wolf, and the wolf is as good as the pack, and that’s how they support each other.”
Meanwhile, the winner of the first trailer technician competition at SuperTech was Scott Davidson of TravelCenters of America.
Matthew Adams, of Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City, won the National Student Technician Skills Competition, or TMC FutureTech.
Arrants also noted that out of 47 competitors, five were female students. “That’s a high percentage,” he said. “That tells us more women are considering us as an option for their occupation or their trade.”
Lindsay Dunham of WyoTech won the safety and environmental station. “That was the first time a female has ever won a work station,” Arrants said.
In the FutureTech competition, Daniel Hanna from Forsyth Technical Community College finished second, and Clancy Johnson from Utah Valley University finished third.
When asked what he views as the challenges and opportunities for tomorrow’s truck technicians, Vos said, “Just getting into a decent job” is among the challenges. “But once you find that job that you like and the company treats you well, it’s worth staying with them,” he said.
“Just keep on going at it and learn as much as you can because every day, it’s changing,” Vos said.
Amanda Vos, Eric’s wife, described her husband as “very humble.” He “doesn’t brag; I’m the one that does all the bragging on him,” said Amanda, a salon owner and stylist.
A full list of station winners and overall results is available at http://tmc.trucking.org as well as below.
Traditional Track
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | COMPANY | |
1 | Eric | Vos | FedEx Freight |
2 | Mark | McLean | FedEx Freight |
3 | Stephen | Weaver | FedEx Freight |
4 | Robert | Gonzalez | Ryder System |
5 | Michael | Gavrielides | TravelCenters of America |
6 | Kevin | Roumpapas | FedEx Freight |
7 | Christopher | Tate | Mohawk Truck Inc. |
8 | Kelby | Bentley | FedEx Freight |
9 | Richard | Davis | Hogan Truck Leasing |
10 | Darrell | Duggan | Wal-Mart Transportation |
11 | Joseph | Calaway | Wal-Mart Transportation |
12 | Doug | Nickles | FedEx Freight |
13 | Larry | Coatney | FedEx Freight |
14 | Nicholas | Moeller | Wal-Mart Transportation |
15 | Matt | Sloan | FedEx Freight |
16 | Aaron | Martin | Truck Centers of Arkansas |
17 | Brody | Warner | Swift Transportation Company |
18 | Mark | Galliand | FedEx Freight |
19 | Jasen | Weers | Wal-Mart Transportation |
20 | Robert | Bruen | Swift Transportation Company |
Trailer Track
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | COMPANY | |
1 | Scott | Davidson | Travel Centers of America |
2 | Robert | Anderson | Travel Centers of America |
3 | Michael | Kerfoot | Travel Centers of America |
FutureTech 2016
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | SCHOOL | |
1 | Matthew | Adams | Francis Tuttle Technology Center |
2 | Daniel | Hanna | Forsyth Technical Community College |
3 | Clancy | Johnson | Utah Valley University |
Monday Station Winners
CATEGORY | WINNER | |
ASE WRITTEN TEST (traditional) | Christopher Tate, Mohawk Truck | |
ASE WRITTEN TEST (trailer) | Richard Holt, Tyson Foods | |
DIVISION | WINNER | |
1. | Lighting | Joseph Calaway, Wal-Mart Transportation |
2. | Fasteners | Mark McLean, Jr., FedEx Freight |
3. | RP Manual | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
4. | Electrical Diagrams | Sergio Mingo, H-E-B Grocery Company |
5. | CSA Compliance | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
6. | Electrical #1 | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
7. | Safety & Environmental | Glenroy Schad, XPO Logistics |
8. | Wheel End #1 | Michael Gavrielides, Travel Centers of America |
9. | Torque | Terry Podralski, W.W. Williams |
10. | Precision Measuring | Richard Davis, Hogan Truck Leasing |
11. | Coolants/DEF | Joseph Gatlin, Mohawk Truck |
12. | CNG Safety | Mike Paitz, Truck Center Companies |
13. | Hydraulics | Robert Gonzalez, Ryder System |
14. | Trailer Lighting | David Thrower, Old Dominion Freight Line |
Tuesday Station Winners
SuperTech 2016 Traditional Track
DIVISION | WINNER | |
1. | Brakes | Mark McLean, FedEx Freight |
2. | Wheel End #2 | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
3. | Fifth Wheel | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
4. | Electrical #2 | Darrel Duggan, Wal-Mart Transportation |
5. | Tire & Wheel | Daniel Howell, Wal-Mart Transportation |
6. | Liftgates | Doug Nickels, FedEx Freight |
7. | PMI | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
8. | HVAC | Stephen Weaver, FedEx Freight |
9. | Drivetrain | Christopher Tate, Mohawk Truck |
10. | Starting & Charging | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
11. | Service Information | Michael Gavrielides, Travel Centers of America |
12. | Vehicle Control Systems | Glenroy Schad, XPO Logistics |
13. | Steering & Suspension | Eric Vos, FedEx Freight |
14. | Engine (Electronics) | David Thrower, Old Dominion Freight Line |
15. | Engine (Hardware) | Robert Gonzalez, Ryder System |
SuperTech 2016 Trailer Track
DIVISION | WINNER | |
T1 | Brakes | Scott Davidson, Travel Centers of America |
T3 | Trailer Coupler | Michael Kerfoot, Travel Centers of America |
T4 | Trailer Electrical | Robert Anderson, Travel Centers of America |
T5 | Trailer Tire and Wheel | Robert Anderson, Travel Centers of America |
T6 | Trailer Liftgates | Scott Davidson, Travel Centers of America |
T7 | Trailer Alignment | Richard Holt, Tyson Foods |
T8 | Roll-up Doors | Sean Bailey, Old Dominion Freight Line |
T9 | Trailer Antilock Braking System | ScottDavidson, Travel Centers of America |
T10 | Trailer Electrical System Corrosion | Michael Kerfoot, Travel Centers of America |
T11 | 7-Pin Connector Repair | Justin Munoz, Travel Centers of America |
T12 | Trailer Fasteners | Scott Davidson, Travel Centers of America |
FutureTech 2016 Station Winners
DIVISION | WINNER | |
1. | Written Test | Glenn Huber, Wyotech |
2. | Wheel End | Matthew Adams, Francis Tuttle Technical Center |
3. | Trailer Lighting | Cody Schuck, Lincoln Tech |
4. | Wiring Diagrams | Taylor Owler, Orange Technical College |
5. | PMI | Daniel Hanna, Forsyth Technical Community College |
6. | Precision Measurement | Adam Sprock, Lincoln Tech |
7. | Service Information | Daniel Hanna, Forsyth Technical Community College |
8. | RP Manual | Kevin Mills, Wyotech |
9. | Coolants & DEF | Daniel Hanna, Forsyth Technical Community College |
10. | Electrical #1 | Clancy Johnson, Utah Valley University |
11. | Lighting Systems | Taylor Owler, Orange Technical College |
12. | Fasteners | Matthew Adams, Francis Tuttle Technical Center |
13. | Torque | Daniel Hanna, Forsyth Technical Community College |
14. | Safety & Environmental | Lindsay Dunham, WyoTech |
15. | Drive Belts | Daniel Hanna, Forsyth Technical Community College |