Mid-State Truck Service technician wins Navistar Rodeo

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Updated Jun 17, 2010

Navistar Tech

Jason Kleman of Plover, Wis.-based Mid-State Truck Service Inc. took top honors at the fourth annual Navistar Service-Technician Rodeo, where he beat out 10 other commercial truck service technicians to be crowned “Top Service Technician.” The rodeo, held at the Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Ill., featured the top 11 service technicians from International dealerships across North America in a competition designed to test their skills in key areas of commercial truck servicing.

Competition stations simulate service areas for air conditioning, brakes, drive train, electrical and MaxxForce engines. “Kleman demonstrated the highest skills and abilities among the top eight Diamond certified techs competing in the event,” says Vaughn Allen, vice president of product and customer support for Navistar.

Each of the technicians went head-to-head in a hands-on test of their technical skill and speed. Throughout the day, their training was put to the test as they navigated their way through vehicle issues at 12 stations, where they diagnosed and fixed problems. Technicians involved in the competition either are Automotive Service Excellence-certified or Canadian provincial-certified in addition to Diamond-certified, Navistar’s official certification program for its service technicians.

Participants were selected from an overall group of the top 400 technicians at International dealerships. From there, the group was narrowed through online testing with the highest-scoring technicians in each region of the United States and Canada being selected for the rodeo.

“Those participating in this competition have completed all the required and optional training and are at the top of their game,” says John Pfennig, service education manager for Navistar. “They represent our 10,000-plus service technicians from International dealerships, the highest number of any medium/heavy commercial-truck manufacturer.”

In addition to Mid-State Truck Service, technicians from the following dealerships competed in the rodeo:
• East Coast International Trucks Inc., Dartmouth, Nova Scotia;
• Roberts Truck Center of Albuquerque, N.M.;
• Lee-Smith Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn.;
• Rush International, Twin Falls, Idaho;
• Archer Truck Center, Welland, Ontario;
• Mid-State Truck Service Inc., Marshfield, Wis.;
• Truck King International Sales and Service, Bronx, N.Y.;
• IRL International Truck Center, Vernon, B.C.;
• Garage Lague, Carignan, P.Q.; and
• Gibbs International Inc., Fresno, Calif.