SIDNEY — Three Kirk NationaLease technicians showcased their technical knowledge and skills in a hands-on challenge to practice for a national competition on Aug. 8. This was part of the company’s first technician challenge.

According to the Kirk NationaLease website, “We are a privately owned fleet solutions company specializing in truck/trailer/bus repair and equipment leasing. What started in 1969 as a single location at our Sidney, Ohio headquarters has grown to 24 locations in nine states.”

The tech challenge started with a computer-based exam on June 8. Forty-five techs from different Kirk NationaLease locations took the 50-question exam with 45 minutes to complete it. The top three techs from the exam advanced to the hands-on challenge to practice for national competitions, like the TMC Super Tech Competition in Cleveland in September, which the top tech from the local challenge will be attending.

John Rue took first place; he works at the Troy location and has been with the company for nine years. Mike Chaffin took second place; he works at the Louisville, Kentucky location and has been with the company for 22 years. Charles Dilsaver placed third; he works at the Findlay location and has been with the company for four years. Rue received prizes valued at $4,500; Chaffin received prizes valued at $3,000; and Dilsaver received prizes valued at $2,000, all of which were donated by the company’s vendors.

The hands-on competition occurred for most of the day, and participants had 30 minutes to an hour to fix the problems set up by the training department at each of the seven stations: starting and charging, air disc brakes, wheel seal installation, diagnostics, HVAC, air brake system, and electrical.

According to Kirk NationaLease’s Vice President of Operation Brandon Bishop, the competition took six months to prepare and the set-up mimicked what the competitors would face in a national competition. The company is hoping for the number of people taking the test to double next year.

“We just wanted to put a little friendly competition out for everybody, not only on the virtual side, but awarding the top three guys coming in to do a hands-on piece. They’re busting our butts for us day in and day out,” Bishop said. “Our whole goal in this is obviously to show appreciation for the techs and to prepare them for the competitions on a national level.”