PITTSBURGH — Christopher Barnett, a technician with Ryder System Inc., won the title of SuperTech grand champion this week, with a consistently strong performance as he navigated a written test and 17 diverse hands-on skills stations designed to challenge the nation’s top truck technicians.
Although he did not place first in any of the individual events, Barnett accumulated a higher overall score than 113 other finalists in the eighth annual competition held by American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council.
“I’m usually pretty nervous going into a competition, but once I get started, it’s just like another day at work,” said Barnett, who works at Ryder’s Hebron, Ky., shop.
The contest took place Monday and Tuesday and culminated with an awards presentation on Wednesday during TMC’s fall meeting here.
The 30-year-old resident of Crittenden, Ky., said he specializes in electronic diagnostics but dabbles in a broad range of truck maintenance areas in his everyday job as a fleet mechanic.