UNOH Student Wins at Ohio Trucking Association Tech Competition

Posted on Thursday, June 13, 2019

UNOH Student Spencer Pettingill, 3rd from left, accepts 1st place trophy for the fasteners category at the Ohio Trucking Association's 2019 Tech Competition

The University of Northwestern Ohio sent two College of Applied Technologies instructors and three students to participate in the 2019 Ohio Trucking Association (OTA) Tech Competition with one student walking away as the winner of a station event!   There were dozens of technicians competing and nearly 1,000 people in attendance at the event which also included 235 drivers competing in the Truck Driving Championships. 

Technicians competing in TechComp take a written test, participate in two hours of educational sessions, and then compete at nine stations designed to test their knowledge of truck maintenance. These stations include: brakes, electrical, engine diagnostics, fasteners, fifth wheel, HVAC, live engine, PMI, and tire & wheel.

UNOH student Spencer Pettingill, who also competed in the 2018 competition, returned this year and his hard work paid off as he took home First Place in the Fasteners Stations of the Tech Competition. UNOH students Nick Unema and Colt Heneveld also attended and were first time competitors, both placed in the top 21 for their diesel technician skills.

This is the first time a UNOH student has won a station event at the annual OTA Tech Competition. Winners from these events have the opportunity to compete on the national stage at the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) National Truck Driving Championships and the ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) SuperTech Competition.

In addition to Pettingill, Heneveld, and Unema, College of Applied Technologies Dean Bob Marshal, Diesel Division Head Chuck Elwer, and Instructor Jeremy Garretson all assisted the OTA competition by judging the HVAC station. The competition ended with an awards banquet at Kalahari Conference Center in Sandusky, Ohio.  

Category: Applied Technologies

Keywords: OTA, Diesel, Competition