Michelin America will host four days of training opportunities for school bus inspectors and technicians from across the country that will result in two individuals being crowned the best in their respective fields.

America’s Best School Bus Technician & School Bus Inspector Training & Skills Competition is in its sixth year presented by NAPT and sponsored by Automotive Service Excellence, Bus Parts Warehouse, Hydrotex and Zonar Systems. The event, held Sept. 22-24 in Greenville, S.C., features hours of classroom and hands-on instruction on the latest inspection and maintenance issues as well as a written tests administered by ASE for both groups. Event organizers also point to opportunities for participants to discuss the latest techniques they use and issues they see when servicing school buses.

The school bus inspectors must then perform visual inspections of three buses and all related components and identify 30 pre-set problem areas. Meanwhile, technicians must diagnose and troubleshoot certain mechanical issues at three different diagnostic stations.

Winners will receive all-expense paid trips to the annual NAPT conference and trade show held in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 31-Nov. 5 and will be recognized during an award ceremony. Last year’s winners were Tim Speer of North Carolina in the inspection category and Matt Bliss of New Jersey in the Technician category.