The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) has introduced a certified specialist program for users of the its Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS), the industry standard coding convention for tracking equipment and maintenance information.
The Certified VMRS Specialist Program was established to provide current VMRS users a means of demonstrating their expertise and proficiency, and to create a greater awareness of the knowledge and use of VMRS. The program highlights the importance of VMRS to employers and encourages employees to continue their VMRS education.
Certified VMRS Specialists will have an added credential that documents their expertise.
“VMRS has been an important tool for successful fleet operation for more than 40 years and now users can receive acknowledgment of their skills,” says Carl Kirk, vice president of maintenance, information technology and logistics of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and executive director of TMC. “The Certified VMRS Specialist Program will help broaden the scope and importance of VMRS to the maintenance community.”
INDUSTRY STANDARD
Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards has been the industry standard coding convention since 1969. It is the ultimate building block for tracking equipment and maintenance information and brings a consistent methodology to any size maintenance facility.
VMRS coding has been adopted by truck OEMs, fleets, manufacturers, suppliers and anyone interested in achieving maintenance data accuracy.
The proper implementation of VMRS is important in making sure the correct maintenance information is communicated to all parties involved. To help with the proper use and understanding of VMRS, and to ensure its ongoing accuracy, TMC developed the Certified VMRS Specialist Program. It has been designed for all users of VMRS.
The certification procedure consists of an online test of 15 multiple choice and one essay question pertaining to the use and implementation of VMRS. The test accesses an applicant’s overall knowledge of the VMRS coding structure and guidelines.
THE POWER OF VMRS
Steve Saltzgiver, vice president of fleet management for Republic Services, a waste service company, says he has a long-term strategic plan to ensure Republic’s data accuracy and TMC’s new certification program is right on target. Republic is creating a Data Champion role for those who will lead its data accuracy initiatives.
VMRS is a key factor in guiding equipment managers when making business decisions, such as parts purchasing, technician productivity, etc. VMRS lends itself to accurate data collection at any level in an organization.
“Accurate data is the lifeblood to great fleet management and an integral part of Republic’s strategic plan is to enroll their employees in ATA/TMC’s Certified VMRS Specialist program,” Saltzgiver says.
Paul Moszak, truck division vice president and general manager at Motor Information Systems, a leading supplier of automotive data, says he is a firm believer in the power of VMRS. He believes that recognizing staff members as Certified VMRS Specialists is a logical step, since they have individuals with more than 20 years’ experience using VMRS codes throughout many Motor product and data offerings.
Motor currently employees six Certified VMRS Specialists on staff, including Moszak himself.
THE NEXT LEVEL
Many fleet managers ask how VMRS can help their fleet and why should they use it. The answer is easy. VMRS is the key ingredient that can take fleet management to the next level by helping to make for better communications, more precise inventory control, improved PMs, better warranty claims and, most of all, a better business sense and increased profits.
VMRS keeps a fleet running efficiently by providing a clear, accurate picture of what maintenance has been performed on any type of equipment. But VMRS is much more than numbers. It provides the foundation for the information a fleet needs to accurately report about the performance of its facility and equipment.
Data accuracy can be a struggle for any organization, especially fleet maintenance. Proper VMRS implementation can help to alleviate any inaccuracies by providing a standard methodology and maintenance language.
Instituting the Certified VMRS Specialist Program is also a way of ensuring correct data collection and acknowledging employee’s expertise and proficiency in using VMRS.
For the current list of Certified VMRS Specialists, go online to: http://www.trucking.org/ATA%20Docs/About/Organization/TMC/Documents/certified_VMRS.html.
To learn more about the TMC’s Certified VMRS Specialist, contact me at 703-838-7928 or [email protected].
Jack Poster is the Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS) services manager for the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), North America’s premier technical society for truck equipment technology and maintenance professionals. As such, he is the caretaker of the VMRS coding convention, working with fleets, OEMs, software firms and all users of VMRS to ensure the integrity of the codes.
