Rush Truck Rodeo tech solves three problems in under 18 minutes

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Updated Dec 13, 2017
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You’ve got three problems with a truck and only 45 minutes to fix them all.

But what if it only takes you 17 minutes and 42 seconds?

Well, then that’s the guy you want on your team, and in this case, Rush Truck Centers and Hino is lucky to have him.

Tom Marchini, senior manager of training at Hino, said it was veteran mechanic Steven Brain from Dallas who nailed that time while working on a medium-duty Hino 268. It’s the best time that Marchini has seen in the nine years that he’s been assisting at the annual Rush Truck Centers Tech Skills Rodeo. Brain is listed as a Hino finalist along with Billy Stanley from the Rush Truck Center in Houston. (See the list below for other finalists.)

“I have noticed that the more experienced guys are really getting fast at diagnosing problems on the truck because they’ve got more time on the Hino product and the way we can make the truck fail is kind of in a little bit of a box now,” Marchini said. “So, they’re getting a little smarter and we’re having a harder time challenging them.”

Though it’s doubtful that Marchini will see a better time than that this week, technicians, regardless of their completion time, will have a chance later to meet with Hino service reps to discuss their work on the truck.

“I would say over time they are definitely improving,” Marchini said.

Hear the rest of Marchini’s comments in the video below.

Note: This story has been updated from an earlier version.

2017 Rush Truck Tech Rodeo Finalists

Heavy Duty

Navistar

Andrew Frieling, Rush Truck Center – Joliet

Maciej Gal, Rush Truck Center – Chicago

Dylan Moser, Rush Truck Center – Richmond

 

Vocational

Carl Trevino, Custom Vehicle Solutions

Travis Webster, Rush Truck Center – Houston Medium-Duty

 

PACCAR MX

Glenn Boothe, Rush Truck Center – Nashville

Eduardo Gutierrez, Rush Truck Center – Phoenix

Johnny Mendez, Rush Truck Center – San Antonio

 

Cummins

Wesley Appleton, Rush Truck Center – Odessa

Michael Jones, Rush Truck Center – Tucson

Erick Lincoln, Rush Truck Center – Albuquerque

 

Alternative Fuels

Matt Chilson Rush Truck Center – Houston Northwest

Gonzalo Uribe, Rush Truck Center – Fontana Vocational Services

 

Eaton

Sylvester Chandler, Rush Truck Center – Dallas

Peter Dezwart, Rush Truck Center – Doraville

Jason Swann, Rush Truck Center – Dallas

 

Medium-Duty

 Bus

Derrick Kollin, Rush Truck Center – Cincinnati

Barry Thompson, Rush Bus Center – Dallas

 

Hino

Steven Brain, Rush Truck Center – Dallas Medium-Duty

Billy Stanley, Rush Truck Center – Houston

 

International

Justin Euler, Rush Truck Center – St. Peters

Tom Hamilton, Rush Truck Center – Smyrna

 

Isuzu

Mark Smith, Rush Truck Center – Doraville

Kory Sangster, Rush Truck Center – Dallas Light- and Medium-Duty

 

Peterbilt

Louis Fontano, Rush Truck Center – Fontana

Travis Graham, Rush Truck Center – Orlando

 

Parts Finalists (representing all Parts categories)

Timothy Howard, Rush Truck Center – Las Vegas

Michael Lyles, Rush Truck Center – Phoenix

Tom Murray, Rush Truck Center – Gary

John O’Brien, Rush Truck Center – Orlando South

David Zainfeld, Rush Truck Center – Houston