Engineers at Transdev in Yorkshire and Lancashire entering the Bus and Skills Challenge

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.

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.

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.