New Zealand’s top Hino technician, Heidi Inkster

The first ever Hino Trans-Tasman Technical Challenge was held on August 2018 at the Hino Australia’s Training Centre in Sydney, Australia. The competition saw two technicians, Heidi Inkster and Asa Pearson, battle head to head for the title of the top technician. Asa was the 2016 Australian champion and had a lot playing in her favour. On the other hand, Inkster was new to the challenge and had minimal experience with Hino trucks. In Australia, new model Hino trucks are common. However, New Zealand has few Hino trucks and Inkster had no experience with the new models. The competition was the first time she pulled one apart.

Heidi Inkster represented Hino New Zealand and their aftersales partner Truck Stops. Although she wasn’t too familiar with new Hino models, her experience with Hino truck spares gave her enough knowledge to see through the competition. Inkster had read a lot on Hino trucks and was acquainted with some of the systems used. Before qualifying for the Trans-Tasman Technical Challenge she had out-witted 28 other Hino technicians to win the New Zealand Hino Skills Competition. She was the only female in the competition but that did not intimidate her. Online modules with 20 questions formed the first part of the competition. Heidi took the top slot in the modules despite the complicated questions that required a lot of research to answer.

The practical test saw Inkster go against Chito Dimaculangan from Truck Stops. Both competitors were given two hours to fix three faults in a GH1A. The first fault necessitated one to go on the laptop, look up the fault and fix it after finding the process on the work manual. It was an AdBlue system fault. The second fault was an ABS fault while the third practical test had a test engine on a stand for the competitors to do a top tune on it. Inkster did not assume she would emerge victorious but her skills proved to be superior. The Truck Stop team was proud of her victory and backed her to the competition in Australia.

Heidi Inkster did not come from a trucking background as most technicians. She developed a passion for fixing vehicles after a DIY experiment on her car. Her initial attempts at the job were sloppy and the results weren’t exceptional. However, she kept at it and learnt on the job. Heidi joined Truck Stops in Wellington in May 2013 and finished her training in March 2016. It wasn’t long before she got into the more lucrative diesel machinery and started handling complex technical work. Despite her gender, she has not been a victim of discrimination or harassment in the male-dominated industry.

The Hino Trans-Tasman Technical Challenge was a different ball game for Inkster. For the challenge, Inkster and Asa had to compete against each other and against the clock. The competitors only had 30 minutes to find four faults on the new GH1A wide cab Hino. Each fault had a time limit which meant once the time elapsed, you had to proceed to the next fault. The time frame was shorter than what Inkster was used to and the conditions were more stressful. The competitors had a Go Pro strapped to their heads and a crowd of 160 watching the event. The competition was fast-paced but both competitors were evenly matched. The competition ended in a draw-something Inkster was not anticipating.

Inkster and Asa garnered 14 points each out of the possible 27. They were both awarded the grand prize of a trip to a car racing at the Gold Coast. Moreover, the two are scheduled to travel to Hino Japan to attend an award ceremony this year. In the build-up to the competition, Inkster admits she learnt a lot and her experience has advanced further especially when it comes to Hino trucks.

The victory accomplished by Heidi Inkster has inspired many technicians to enter the Hino competition. Her endurance and ability to perform efficiently and effectively under stressful circumstances have made her an icon among many technicians. Truck Stops Wellington branch manager Chris Groves admits that four technicians from their company are already looking to enter the competition. Inkster’s advice to those interested in joining the competition, “Give it a go and give it heaps!”

Part of the motivation for Heidi entering the competition was to set her path into training. Other technicians have followed a similar path including one of the Truck Stops trainers who won the Volvo Vista competition. After her victory, Heidi is probably going to end up as a trainer for Hino trucks. Her relentlessness in solving problems is unmatched and her strong spirit shows in her work. She is a true definition of grime to glory and her achievement is one that will inspire many.