The Colorado State Pupil Transportation Association’s Fleet Service Committee announced that Ryan Texer of Colorado Springs District 11 won the state’s annual school bus technician contest. He will represent the state at the NAPT America’s Best School Bus Technician Training & Skills Competition this fall in Raleigh, N.C.
Joining Texer at the national competition held at Cummins Inc. Sept. 25-28 will be second-place finisher Patrick Maloney of Douglas County Schools. In all, 29 technicians from across Colorado competed, said David Anderson, director of transportation at Adams 12 Five Star Schools near Denver, director of NAPT Region 5 and chair of the Colorado Fleet Service Committee.
The state competition was held June 19. Randall Briggs of Falcon 49 Schools in Peyton, Colo., finished in third place.
Now in it’s ninth year, the America’s Best School Bus Technician Training and Skills Competition provides requires technicians to demonstrate exemplary skills in such areas as technical knowledge and diagnostic troubleshooting.
The event also awards America’s Best School Bus Inspector. Last year’s national winners were Alan Fidler of Tippecanoe School Corporation in Lafayette, Ind., as the best technician and Jack Defibaugh for Greenbrier County Schools in Lewisburg, W.V., as the best inspector.
CSPTA’s Fleet Service Committee aims to set a higher, safer standard in school bus transportation for children through the increased education of school bus technicians.
