Trine BUV team wins competition

May 01, 2019

CINCINNATI, Ohio — A Trine University team bested other universities at the 19th annual national Basic Utility Vehicle competition near Cincinnati, Ohio.

It marked the first time Trine has won the event outright.

Five schools took part in the annual event hosted the weekend of April 26 by the Institute for Affordable Transportation on a course owned by the University of Cincinnati. Each school designs a simple, low-cost vehicle that could hypothetically be used in a developing African country to perform daily tasks over rough terrain.

The vehicles must be capable of pumping water onto their vehicle from a pond, successfully navigating a muddy 2.2-mile course and returning the water to the pond. The team that transports the most water during the allotted time period is declared the winner.

Trine team members were senior mechanical engineering majors Nathan Lane from Solon, Ohio, Austin Snyder from St. Joe, Indiana, Erin Boles from Pittsboro, Indiana, and Damon Prifogle from Terre Haute, Indiana.

Working from Trine’s entry in last year’s competition, the team designed a new, lighter frame that reduced the weight of the vehicle by more than 400 pounds. They also developed a new drive linkage and detachable winch, ensuring the vehicle is more reliable and robust in the harsh conditions of rural areas.

Trine last placed in the competition in 2011, finishing third.

Photo: From left, Joe Thompson II, laboratory manager and instructor at Trine University, Nathan Lane, Austin Snyder, Erin Boles and Damon Prifogle with the first-place trophy from the Basic Utility Vehicle competition.

News Information

Read More

All News
Student on mechanical bull at Trine Fest

4th Trine Fest coming this Saturday

August 20, 2025

The City of Angola and Trine University are hosting the fourth annual Trine Fest from noon-4 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 23, in downtown Angola.

2/3
DPT students and Dr. Jodi Sandvik with PhysioGait system

Trine DPT among elite programs with 100% licensure pass rate

August 20, 2025

The 72 students who graduated from Trine University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program over the past two years all passed their national licensure exam on the first try, a rate matched only by a handful of schools.

3/3