The Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) is celebrating Britain’s best in bus and coach engineering with its annual Bus and Skills Challenge, giving everyone from apprentices to experienced technicians the chance to shine on the national stage. 2024 marks the 12th year the IRTE has staged the Challenge – and this year’s competition, to be held at the S&B Automotive Academy in Bristol between 3 and 7 June, promises to be the toughest yet.
Many of UK bus engineering’s brightest young apprentices will line up alongside experienced and ambitious technicians to show their skills in competition to win one of several prestigious awards – at a time of rapid change as the industry moves towards electric buses, including this year at Transdev’s Harrogate and Keighley depots.
Transdev is entering Keighley-based Engineering Supervisor Zach Loker and Bodybuilding Engineer Mason Beanland as a two-man team.
Photo: Bodybuilding Engineer Mason Beanland is among bus operator Transdev’s team of seven mechanical, electrical and bodywork engineers competing in the 2024 IRTE Skills Challenge.
Three of Transdev’s experienced engineers are also entering individually in the Mechanical Challenge: Harrogate’s John Knox, Bradford-based Joni Ruston and York’s Tim Bowman, while two of the company’s rising stars, Blackburn’s Matt Glass and York’s Drew Fleming, will compete in the Apprentice Challenge.
Photo: Matthew Glass, an engineering apprentice at The Blackburn Bus Company’s Intack depot.
Our competitors include some of our most experienced mechanical, electrical and bodywork engineers, alongside two of our most promising apprentices from Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Through a combination of theoretical and practical tests, everyone taking part gets the chance to show what they’re made of, whether individually or as a team.
As well as road-testing our industry’s newest technology, it’s a great opportunity to meet others with a passion for engineering and share knowledge, experience and ideas. We think we’ve put together a very talented team: every one of them is looking forward to taking part and hopefully, being among the winners.
Vitto Pizzuti, Transdev Operations Director
The theme for this year’s competition is ‘Challenging The Status Quo’ and over the years since its inception, over 650 aspiring technicians from major national bus groups and leading regional operators have put themselves to the test.
The IRTE Skills Challenge isn’t just celebrating excellence, it’s redefining it.
By challenging the status quo and embracing new technologies, we’re not just testing skills, we’re empowering the next generation to thrive in an environment where innovation and alternative fuels to power public transport will become essential.
Oliver Teasell, Society of Engineers Membership and Registration Manager
After five days of intense competition, a panel of experienced judges will choose winners in 16 categories, with results due to be revealed in July. Each will take home a trophy and membership of the Society of Engineers, plus a further prize to be announced.
Transdev has engineering workshops at its nine operating centres across Yorkshire and Lancashire, including at Malton, York, Harrogate, Bradford (Idle), Keighley, Halifax (Elland), Huddersfield (Waterloo), Burnley and Blackburn.