A technician from Tennessee recently won a trucking company’s annual competition, and is now headed to a national skills contest.

Out of the 10 finalists, Jacob Grayson of Smyrna, Tennessee won Ruan’s eigth annual Top Technician event. Grayson received a $5,000 cash prize and will represent Ruan at the Technology and Maintenance Council SuperTech competition in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Brandon Crews of Cedartown, Georgia, secured second place, while Phillip Rorrer of Brooklyn, Ohio, finished third. Both earned cash prizes and will also represent Ruan at the SuperTech competition. 

The event was held at Ruan’s Des Moines, Iowa, headquarters.

“This past week, our technicians demonstrated the same precision, discipline, and commitment they apply every day to improve fleet uptime and deliver reliable service to our customers,” said Ruan Senior Vice President of Maintenance Operations Lance Cheney. “We are incredibly proud of their technical expertise, as well as the leadership and professionalism they consistently display. It is truly an honor to support and work alongside a team that forms the foundation of our success.”

The road to the finals began with a 100-question online assessment back in April, designed to measure a broad spectrum of maintenance knowledge. The 10 highest-scoring technicians advanced to the hands-on competition held at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Ankeny, Iowa. There, they rotated through 11 skill-based stations, including: DOT/PM Inspection, Wheel Ends, OEM Software, Steering and Suspension, Fifth Wheel, Brakes, Service Information, Heavy Duty Vehicle Fluids, Starting and Charing Systems, Fasteners, and Tires and Wheels. 

As part of our continued commitment to development, Ruan also hosted a student competition for DMACC technician students, who participated in a version of the Top Tech competition. Among the eight student participants, Carter Kies earned first place honors.