Update: Colorado School Bus Mechanic, Inspector Competition Goes National

September 25, 2023

Stock photo showing two mechanic apprentices.

The second inspector and maintenance training and competition returns to Colorado next spring, this time inviting participants from across the country. The event was planned for October but was rescheduled due to the school bus driver shortage.

The skills and training competition is separate from America’s Best School Bus Inspector and Mechanics Training and Skills Competition organized by the National Association of Pupil Transportation (NAPT). America’s Best went on indefinite hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, and NAPT officials said there are no current plans to revive it.

While the Colorado State Pupil Transportation Association (CSPTA) is not hosting the event, the association is hosting the online registration portion of it. Event organizers received support from the NAPT Board to begin advertising the event nationwide. The National School Bus Technicians and Inspector Challenge, which was to be held next month at school bus dealer McCandless International in Aurora, Colorado, is not affiliated with NAPT or America’s Best. Still, the training and competition essentially follow the same format.

The national event is being rescheduled to this spring, as many could not attend due to the school bus driver shortage. New dates have not yet been announced.

A representative of CSPTA informed STN that the association is not hosting the event, which is what the article originally stated. Instead, volunteer individuals that are dedicated to bringing the training alive again decided to postpone the event, due to the school bus driver shortage.