Fleet Maintenance - 19
TECHNICIAN TRAINING
IN THE
DIGI TA L AGE
How REMOTE TRAINING options can keep fleet
personnel up to date on the LATEST SERVICE and
MAINTENANCE PRACTICES.
By David Brierley
[ EDUCATION & TRAINING ]
T
raining is important to any job, including technicians servicing commercial vehicles. The safety
of the truck drivers, as well as the safety of other drivers on the road around them, is at stake.
What's more, the financial well-being of the fleet relies heavily on technicians to ensure vehicle
uptime is maximized as well as keep the latest vehicle technologies up to date.
There is a lot riding on the performance of technicians, so continuous training is crucial to
maintain a fleet's viability.
The importance of training
Whether working at a fleet, a dealership, or a third-party repair shop, a major concern for technicians is safety. They need to know the proper procedures to service
and repair trucks to keep the vehicles safe while on
the road.
Safety
"The main factor is safety," says Joe Baumer, aftermarket training manager at Meritor, a supplier
of commercial vehicle brakes and components.
"Annually, about 30 percent of major heavy duty
truck accidents are attributed to brake issues. We're
operating on our nation's highways and trucks are
having accidents just like automobiles, but when
a truck accident occurs it usually results in larger
consequences. I believe that training can do a lot to
prevent that."
A properly trained technician is more likely to use
appropriate procedures when servicing critical vehicle systems such as brakes, and less likely to make a
mistake that could be catastrophic.
1147985100 | AniGraphics | Getty Images
Efficiency
Cost is another consideration when it comes to maintaining vehicle safety, and an efficient fleet is a cost
effective one. Training can help here, too. Keeping
technicians up to date on the latest repair and service
processes means they can do quality work at a more
rapid pace, thereby improving efficiency and uptime.
"Customers want their trucks on the road as quickly
as possible," says Charlie McKinney, manager, technical communications and training at heavy duty
power management manufacturer Eaton. "Every day
of downtime is potentially thousands of dollars in lost
revenue, so it's critically important for these dealerships to have trained technicians who know how to
repair the product properly and quickly."
McKinney adds that when completing warranty
work, technicians need to be able to make repairs
properly within the standard repair times in order
for the work to remain cost effective.
Equally concerning when it comes to cost, Baumer
notes that violations discovered during roadside
checks can be costly to fleets both in terms of mandated repairs and downtime.
July 2020 | VehicleServicePros.com
19
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
Fleet Maintenance
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fleet Maintenance
Uptime: Fleet feedback from electric truck adoption
Editor's Note: Future-proofing your fleet
Engine idle reduction systems and solutions
In the Bay: Technician training in the digital age
Shop Operations: How fleets can use ELDs to improve preventive maintenance
Volvo LIGHTS establishes path to managing service and maintenance of electric heavy duty trucks
The right fit
Management: Getting in the zone
Diagnostics: How aftermarket diagnostic tools can assist with DPF maintenance
Economic Outlook: The seven percent solution
Fleet Parts & Components
TMC Fall Meeting and National Technician Appreciation Week 2020
TMC Special Section: Letter from the Technology & Maintenance Council
TMC Special Section: Celebrate the individuals who the trucking industry could not survive without
TMC Special Section: TMC Membership - A stepping-stone to the future
TMC Special Section: VMRS - Charting new horizons to improve cost equipment reporting
Tools & Equipment
Guest Editorial: Considerations before buying a mobile lift
Fleet Maintenance - 1
Fleet Maintenance - 2
Fleet Maintenance - 3
Fleet Maintenance - 4
Fleet Maintenance - 5
Fleet Maintenance - 6
Fleet Maintenance - 7
Fleet Maintenance - Uptime: Fleet feedback from electric truck adoption
Fleet Maintenance - 9
Fleet Maintenance - Editor's Note: Future-proofing your fleet
Fleet Maintenance - 11
Fleet Maintenance - Engine idle reduction systems and solutions
Fleet Maintenance - 13
Fleet Maintenance - 14
Fleet Maintenance - 15
Fleet Maintenance - 16
Fleet Maintenance - 17
Fleet Maintenance - In the Bay: Technician training in the digital age
Fleet Maintenance - 19
Fleet Maintenance - 20
Fleet Maintenance - 21
Fleet Maintenance - 22
Fleet Maintenance - 23
Fleet Maintenance - Shop Operations: How fleets can use ELDs to improve preventive maintenance
Fleet Maintenance - 25
Fleet Maintenance - 26
Fleet Maintenance - 27
Fleet Maintenance - Volvo LIGHTS establishes path to managing service and maintenance of electric heavy duty trucks
Fleet Maintenance - 29
Fleet Maintenance - The right fit
Fleet Maintenance - 31
Fleet Maintenance - Management: Getting in the zone
Fleet Maintenance - 33
Fleet Maintenance - Diagnostics: How aftermarket diagnostic tools can assist with DPF maintenance
Fleet Maintenance - 35
Fleet Maintenance - Economic Outlook: The seven percent solution
Fleet Maintenance - Fleet Parts & Components
Fleet Maintenance - TMC Fall Meeting and National Technician Appreciation Week 2020
Fleet Maintenance - TMC Special Section: Letter from the Technology & Maintenance Council
Fleet Maintenance - 40
Fleet Maintenance - 41
Fleet Maintenance - 42
Fleet Maintenance - 43
Fleet Maintenance - TMC Special Section: Celebrate the individuals who the trucking industry could not survive without
Fleet Maintenance - TMC Special Section: TMC Membership - A stepping-stone to the future
Fleet Maintenance - TMC Special Section: VMRS - Charting new horizons to improve cost equipment reporting
Fleet Maintenance - 47
Fleet Maintenance - Tools & Equipment
Fleet Maintenance - 49
Fleet Maintenance - Guest Editorial: Considerations before buying a mobile lift
Fleet Maintenance - 51
Fleet Maintenance - 52
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