RTAC Vehicle Maintenance and Regional Maintenance Centers
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 – 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
TO: Personnel of agencies who have received vehicles through the IDOT Consolidated Vehicle Procurement program
FROM: Mable Kreps, Rural Transit Assistance Center
SUBJECT: Vehicle Maintenance Workshop & Maintenance Roadeo, Wednesday, October 21, 2026 – 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
The Springfield Regional Maintenance Center, the Sangamon Mass Transit District, and the Illinois Rural Transit Assistance Center (RTAC) at Western Illinois University are pleased to announce an upcoming vehicle maintenance workshop and maintenance roadeo on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 starting at 8:30 AM.
This year, RTAC is fortunate enough to have speakers from fellow Illinois transit agencies present sessions on roof leaks/undercoating and diagnostics. We had a great session on cutaway floors last year from SMTD, and I think getting honest best practices from fellow transit maintenance professionals will really add value for attendees and spark fantastic discussion.
Bring your questions and discussion issues to the workshop, or if you prefer, please feel free to email any questions that you would like discussed to me at MR-Kreps@wiu.edu ahead of time, and we will work to prepare answers and ideas. If you have someone who’s not on the 5311 or maintenance email distribution lists, please have them email me as well to get an invite to join.
After the presentation, for the first time, we will hold a Maintenance Roadeo. This is a competition where mechanics and maintenance professionals will compete to diagnose defects in multiple vehicles in different categories. Participants will all get a certificate, our appreciation, and a token of that appreciation. Winners will receive a plaque, a prize (we’ll try to make it something people want), and bragging rights. Florida does both a driving and a maintenance roadeo, and we are excited to bring this to Illinois to highlight the critical work of transit maintenance and mechanics keeping vehicles safely on the road. It’ll be a lot of fun and nothing motivates people to learn like competition – we hope agencies participate.
The program date is Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at the Springfield Mass Transit District facility at 928 S. 9th Street, Springfield, IL 62703. Please call Spencer Sidwell, Superintendent of Maintenance, at 217-747-1254 for questions or directions. In-lot parking is limited next to the Admin building, but there is plenty of on-street parking west of the facility. Registration, with coffee and light snacks provided, will start at 8:30 a.m. The maintenance workshop is from 9:00 a.m. – approximately 3:00 p.m. We will provide lunch for the Maintenance Roadeo participants. Personnel from IDOT OIPI will also be on hand and may provide a brief update on the status of the CVP program.
2026 Vehicle Maintenance Schedule
Please call RTAC at 309-298-2141 or email Mable Kreps at MR-Kreps@wiu.edu if you have questions.