Student transportation company Stock Transportation announced its first Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Blue Seal of Excellence location – North Bay, Ontario. The Blue Seal of Excellence is awarded to businesses that are comprised of the highest trained technicians who work continuously to improve their knowledge and skills while being at the forefront of industry standards.

ASE’s Blue Seal of Excellence is one of the highest accolades within the automotive service industry. To achieve Blue Seal recognition, a minimum of 75% of technicians must be ASE certified at the location and must have ASE-certified technicians in place and working for each area of services performed.  

Three of the four technicians on the North Bay team have earned ASE Master Technician status, with the fourth technician currently working to earn his Master Technician status. Achieving Master Technician status means the technician has achieved certification in all testing areas for a sub-specialty (e.g. school bus, automobiles, medium/heavy truck, etc.) and is now an expert in that sub-specialty.

“This accreditation is a significant achievement because it is the first Stock Transportation Blue Seal location. More importantly, it aligns our shop perfectly with our company values of excellence and safety and is yet another way that demonstrates we are the best in class in our industry,” said Sheldon Goers, area maintenance director. “The shop manager motivated and guided the team through the process. They loved the challenge and rewarding feeling of being an expert in their field and contributing firsthand to getting students to school safely, on time and ready to learn.”

National Express LLC, Stock Transportation’s parent company, supports the ASE certification of its technicians through an internal ASE Advantage Program. This program provides training and incentives for technicians who seek to be certified in all maintenance aspects of the transportation industry, including transit, student transportation, automotive, and inventory management.