September Maintenance Council Newsletter 2010
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Transcript of September Maintenance Council Newsletter 2010
Annual Convention 2010
The annual convention and seminar of the NCTA
Maintenance Council was held at the Blockade
Runner Resort in Wrightsville Beach, NC on
October 1-4. Aside from some rain and cool
winds, the convention was enjoyed by everyone.
The convention included a Fleet Talk seminar on
CSA 2010. This was held on Friday afternoon and
speakers were Oren
Summers with FleetNet
America, Chris Hartley,
division administrator of
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of
Raleigh and Randall London from Professional Safety
Support. We want to thank these gentlemen for
coming to our convention and holding these
programs for us.
Many thanks to our speakers,
members and guests for
attending this Fleet Talk Seminar. The question and
answer session was very informative and everyone
seemed to enjoy the program.
Thanks to Vic Lammi of Trucksavvy.com, for
coordinating this event. It was a lot of hard work
for everything to fall in place and only he knows if
everything truly went as planned!
(continued page 2)
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MAINTENANCE COUNCIL NCTA
Oren Summers with FleetNet
America spoke at the Fleet Talk
meeting on CSA 2010
Randy London from
Professional Safety Support
Chris Hartley, Division
Administrator of the
Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration of
Raleigh
Matt Reilly, (pictured left) spoke about the BRAKES
safety program. This is a program for teen drivers
who want to improve their driving safety. BRAKES
stands for: Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe.
Every year 6,000 teens die in car accidents. This
program gives teen drivers the opportunity to
improve their response to certain driving situations
and improves their chance of avoiding accidents if
possible. This program: raises awareness about safe
driving, trains and educates teen drivers and
parents about the importance of safe and responsible driving and they do it all for free. If
you would like more information on the program, contact: B.R.A.K.E.S., 1443 E. Gaston
Street, Lincolnton, NC 28092 or email: [email protected].
Visit the website: www.putonthebrakes.com for more information or to become a
sponsor, volunteer or coordinator. Donations are accepted to help fund programs.
Surfing lessons were included if you so chose as
part of the convention weekend. There were also
other activities including an ice cream social on
Saturday night and a scavenger hunt.
Overall this year's convention was a great success.
Again, many thanks to those who joined us for the
weekend and for those who came out to the Fleet
talk seminar on Friday night.
Vic Lammi (left) and
James Palmer award
the scavenger hunt prizes
Mike Wall won a maintenance
council T-shirt during the Sunday
morning awards program
The art of technician training By Jack Roberts
Published September, 01 2010 CCJ Magazine
Can investing in training during tough times tighten up your bottom line?
Controlling costs is a hallmark of any successful company. But when times are as hard as they have been in the
trucking industry, managers must make tough choices to balance the books. All too often, technician training is
a target that bean-counters can‟t pass up.
In many ways, it‟s the technicians‟ own fault. “I think that for quite a long time, technicians in this industry
have done such an outstanding job keeping fleet vehicles on the road, their ability to do so kind of gets taken
for granted,” says Bonne Karim, fleet training manager for the U.S. Postal Service. “Why waste money
sending technicians to schools when they‟re clearly getting the job done anyway?”
Nick Knebel, a U.S. Postal Service lead automotive technician based in St. Louis, shows his skills at a USPS
SuperTech competition.
Savvy fleet managers like Karim know that‟s not how the world works. Technician motivation and training are
two key drivers in controlling maintenance costs and reducing downtime. For James Mathis, senior manager of
global vehicles for FedEx Express, highly trained technicians are vital to his company‟s success.
“Any time you can have a qualified technician – one who is highly skilled and educated in diagnostics and
repairs – you can control the quality and cost of a repair,” Mathis says. Benefits of highly trained technicians
include higher quality repairs and fewer road failures.
It‟s not hard to translate fewer road failures into additional profits. “Technicians have a direct impact on
customer service,” Mathis says. “They hold the key to minimizing loss of revenue from service failures.”
Education matters
An educated technician can better diagnose and repair a problem in a timely manner, which enhances the
entire team‟s productivity. “Educated technicians absolutely can have a positive impact on maintenance cost
by utilizing expensive shop diagnostic equipment more effectively to make good repair decisions, using only
the parts required and preventing repetitive failures and extensive downtime,” says Eric Benge, regional
maintenance manager for Wal-Mart Transportation.
Advanced technician training probably is more important than ever as vehicles grow in complexity. “An
untrained technician attempting to work on today‟s complex equipment will in many cases find themselves
chasing ghosts and throwing parts at a problem hoping for a positive outcome,” Benge says. This typically will
result in unnecessary high parts costs, along with extended, repetitive equipment downtime.
FedEx Express technicians show their skills on the floor during a company technician competition.
Everyone is under pressure to reduce operating expenses, especially in today‟s economic environment, Mathis
says. Unfortunately, maintenance is viewed as a cost because it doesn‟t generate a revenue stream. While that
makes accounting sense, Mathis argues it‟s a shortsighted strategy that ultimately is self-defeating.
“We always must be mindful that truck technology is ever-changing,” he says. “If the technician work force is
not up to date on the latest technology, your company will pay the cost down the road in excessive out-of-
service time, possible delivery service failures and progressive damage from improper diagnosis.”
Continuing education helps technicians add value to the organization by reducing repeat repairs and unneeded
parts replacement while increasing vehicle life. “Any time you can develop your people, the long-term result is
a reduction in overall operating expenses,” says Mathis.
Nick Knebel, a U.S. Postal Service lead automotive technician based in St. Louis, believes technician training
is a top priority. “In a fleet atmosphere, you‟re working on the same types of vehicles all the time, and then, all
of a sudden, you get a thousand new vehicles, and they‟re all high-tech and everything‟s different,” Knebel
says. “That‟s why you have to keep building your knowledge base. It‟s too overwhelming to just stay
complacent and then all of a sudden everything changes. You have to change with the flow of technology and
keep educating yourself slowly, so it‟s not such an overwhelming task to figure out how these new vehicles
work.”
Another argument for cutting technician training is that ever-increasing repair costs and complexity issues
make it justifiable to outsource major repairs to an experienced dealership or specialized repair shop. But it‟s
an argument most fleets don‟t buy for a variety of reasons – mostly because of the need to get the vehicle back
on the road quickly and earning money again.
Guy Warpness, campus president of WyoTech technical college in Laramie, Wyo., owns a pickup that‟s still
under warranty, but since his local dealership closed, he has to take it to Cheyenne for repairs – but only when
he has time, and only when he can secure a rare available slot at the Cheyenne dealer‟s shop to book an
appointment.
“It may take me a week to get it in the shop, and I don‟t think a lot of fleets can afford to have a truck sit for a
week before a dealership can take it in and turn around and have it be there for another week, and then be
without a vehicle for two weeks,” Warpness says. “Your technicians are a competitive tool that are absolutely
crucial to your fleet‟s ability to make a profit, because if your trucks aren‟t moving, they‟re not making
money.”
Outsourcing may make sense for some fleets, Mathis concedes. The issue, again, is cost. Sending complex
repairs off depends on the size of the fleet and the complexity of the equipment mix. “In some situations where
you have very small fleets – 50 to 100 power units – it may be more cost-effective to leave the complex
diagnostics to a specialist, dealer or repair facility, especially if the fleet will be required to invest in very
expensive equipment that may be used infrequently,” says Mathis.
Although Wal-Mart prefers to keep its maintenance work in-house, the company maintains good relationships
with dealer networks that support its fleet. “They are critical to our success,” Benge says. “For that reason, we
partner with our OEMs right out of the gate with new equipment.”
Understanding upper management‟s concerns regarding maintenance costs has helped Mathis acquire the tools
necessary to help make certain his technicians stay ahead of the ever-present learning curve so they can
perform those functions in-house and help control quality and cost. “We try to minimize the cost of the
equipment by encouraging our suppliers to provide the software and the diagnostics capability that we can load
onto the shop computers,” he says.
Simple steps, impressive results
The thought of establishing an effective technician training program from scratch may seem daunting. Even
simply recommitting resources to renew or upgrade existing programs can be tough for fleet managers facing
reduced budgets and lack of management support.
Luckily, help is available: OEMs and dealers are outstanding resources, technical colleges are emphasizing
computers and sophisticated electronics, and state, regional and national associates such as the Technology &
Maintenance Council are placing new emphasis on technician training.
“Training of technicians should not be an afterthought,” says Lee Long, director of maintenance for
Southeastern Freight Lines and chairman of TMC‟s national SuperTech competition. Before signing any
equipment purchase contracts, fleets should include a supplier agreement letter asking for technical training,
diagnostic software and access to service literature so technicians can maintain the units being placing into
service.
“You may not get everything that you have asked for, but you should be able to negotiate some of these items
from the supplier,” Long says. “Many of the OEMs have internal training. There may be a possibility to access
this information to allow for the training to your shop associates. In doing so, this will drive down your
training costs.”
A good – and easy – starting point is encouraging technicians to participate in voluntary ASE certification
programs as a basis for developing their baseline skill set.
“Listen to your technicians,” Benge advises. “They‟ll tell you what they need. Seek out a continuing education
platform that works for your organization. Establish a multipronged approach, and remember there is no „one
size fits all‟ program out there.”
Mike Jeffress, vice president of maintenance for Maverick Transportation, says fleets considering additional
training must take generational differences into account. About five years ago, Maverick began offering
different types of classes for its technicians in order to give them the optimal means of educating themselves.
“We found that senior employees prefer classroom theory and then a hands-on approach,” Jeffress says. “Our
younger technicians just wanted online courses and time to research the material at their own pace. Both
approaches required additional planning and organization.”
Maverick‟s courses evolved over time, and today most of the company‟s technicians use online courses first
and then follow up with hands-on instruction. “I feel this works best because we all learn at a different pace
and no one likes to be ridiculed for how fast or slow they may read or learn,” Jeffress says. “I don‟t care how
long it takes as long as we are putting an effort toward continuous development.”
Getting away from the shop – even for just a few hours – is another trick Warpness has found to be effective.
“Training onsite never seems to work as well as I‟d like it to,” he says. “The problem is you get the technician
in class, and the service manager is coming in there every 30 minutes and pulling him out because they have a
problem. But if you can get them away, even two blocks away, they get more out of their training.” Leaving
the shop also is seen as a reward. “They feel special that they‟ve been sent somewhere and the company is
investing in them.”
High-tech techs are crucial in today‟s environment, Mathis says. “You hear a lot about the costs of these
programs, and I know a lot of fleets are small and they have a very difficult time doing the cost-analysis to
justify the return on their investment,” he says. “They‟ve just got to remember to keep it very simple. What is
the cost of the training? Add in the wages for the tech that‟s going to be in the training, and divide that out by
the return that you‟re going to get by not having downtime or service failures.”
It‟s easy to capture the cost of training, but it‟s more difficult to quantify ROI, Benge says. “But you see the
benefits of advanced training in technician morale, confidence and productivity.”
DOT: Highway deaths at lowest level since 1950
By Jeff Crissey
Published September, 09 2010 CCJ Magazine
Updated 2009 fatality and injury data released by the Department of Transportation show that highway deaths
fell to 33,808 for the year, even though estimated vehicle miles traveled increased slightly from 2008. The
number of highway deaths in 2009 is the lowest number since 1950. In addition, 2009 saw the lowest fatality
and injury rates ever recorded: 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2009, compared to 1.26
deaths for 2008.
“At the Department of Transportation, we are laser-focused on our top priority: safety,” said U.S.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Today‟s announcement shows that America ‟s roads are the safest
they‟ve ever been. But they must be safer. And we will not rest until they are.”
As part of the Department‟s campaign to reduce traffic fatalities, it will convene a National Distracted Driving
Summit on Sept. 21 in Washington, D.C., bringing together leading transportation officials, safety advocates,
law enforcement, industry representatives, researchers and victims affected by distraction-related crashes to
address challenges and identify opportunities for national anti-distracted driving efforts.
In addition to the record-breaking drop in fatalities, the number of people injured in motor vehicle crashes in
2009 declined for a 10th straight year in a row, falling an estimated 5.5 percent from 2008, according to
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
Alcohol impaired driving fatalities declined by 7.4 percent in 2009 – 10,839 compared to 11,711 reported in
2008. Overall, 33 states and Puerto Rico experienced a decline in the number of alcohol-impaired driving
fatalities in 2009 compared to 2008.
“Today‟s numbers reflect the tangible benefits of record seat belt use and strong anti-drunk driving
enforcement campaigns,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “But we are still losing more than
30,000 lives a year on our highways, and about a third of these involve drunk driving. We will continue to
work with our state partners to strictly enforce both seat belt use and anti-drunk driving laws across this nation,
every day and every night.”
(SUBMITTED BY STEVE BLACKBURN)
NORTH CAROLINA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION SAFETY COUNCIL
DOWN EAST CHAPTER MEETING
WHEN: October 7, 2010 @ 5:00 PM Thursday
WHERE: BILL ELLIS BARBECUE
WILSON, NC
GUEST SPEAKER
Marc Tucker Smith, Moore Leatherwood
Topic
How CSA2010 will affect claims, litigation, etc.
Bring a Guest
The next Eastern Chapter meeting will be held on October 14, at 7:00pm. We will meet at Lowell Mill Restaurant exit 105 off I-95 (Big Boy's Truck Stop) Kenly, NC. Mr. Tom Hammond with Bendix will make a presentation on air disc brakes. Please make plans to attend and invite a friend.
The October meeting of the Charlotte Chapter of the NCTA Maintenance Council will be on Tuesday, October 12 at 6:00 PM. This month’s meeting will be hosted by Carolina Cat, 9000 Statesville Road in Charlotte (Directions: Take I-77 exit 18, go ¼ mile east to U. S. 21 (Statesville Road), Carolina Cat Truck Service facility is on the corner. Phone number is 704-598-2201).
CT Truck and Trailer Division of Carolina Cat, and Transcraft will present an update on trailer design and technology including Transcraft “Zero Maintenance” features. We will also request nominations for the next term of Charlotte Chapter officers (to be elected at November meeting). Supper will be served at 6:00 PM with meeting to follow. Please RSVP by phone to 704-483-9428, e-mail at [email protected] or send a fax to 704-483-0204. Bring a friend or coworker and introduce them to our Maintenance Council Community. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, October 12.
The Triad Chapter Oct meeting will be held at and hosted by Parrish Tire in Greensboro
on Thurston Rd. Meeting will start at 6PM. Hope you can all come out and support your
chapter. Bring a friend and introduce them to our maintenance community.
**NOTE for November Triad Chapter Meeting: Meeting will be held on the 15th of the
month due to scheduling conflict. More will follow.
**CAPE FEAR CHAPTER AND THE WESTERN CHAPTER WILL SEND OUT MORE
INFORMATION ON THEIR UPCOMING MEETINGS WHEN THEY CONFIRM ALL
THE DETAILS. WE WILL FORWARD OUT A SPECIAL FLYER AT THAT TIME.
JOB OPENING
KERNS TRUCKING IN KINGS MOUNTAIN IS LOOKING FOR
A SHOP MANAGER. CALL 704-739-4747 FOR MORE INFO.
EMAIL: [email protected]
PLEASE SUBMIT ALL INFORMATION FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER BY THE LAST
DAY OF OCTOBER. THIS INCLUDES: ARTICLES, EVENTS, MEETINGS, AND OTHER
MAINTENANCE COUNCIL NEWS.
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR SENDING IN THEIR TOPICS, KEEP UP THE GOOD
WORK!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PUT “NEWSLETTER” INTO THE TITLE OF ALL EMAILS SO
THEY CAN BE FOUND FASTER. SOME EMAILS ARE GETTING LOST BECAUSE THEY
AREN’T TITLED.
HAVE A GOOD OCTOBER EVERYONE!
THANKS, TERRY CALLAWAY