In the last decade, repairing heavy duty equipment has become an increasingly complex process, with intricate technologies becoming ingrained in every vehicle system. To stay on top of today’s equipment maintenance – and to prepare for future technology – fleets need to take every opportunity to train, read manuals and network with their peers.
One effective way to tame the demanding maintenance beast while keeping an eye on the future is to become a member of ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC). TMC’s 2,500-plus members include technicians, educators, suppliers, OEMs and fleet maintenance professionals. TMC members are responsible for the maintenance of more than 1.5 million pieces of equipment across North America, and they have relied on the council for over six decades to keep their trucks in top working order and their operations on budget.
Creating resources
Council members participate in 15 diverse Study Groups that cover maintenance and engineering issues in all the systems of heavy duty vehicles. TMC’s Study Groups encompass more than 100 Task Forces, with volunteer members identifying and recommending real-world industry standards. The result of the council’s Study Group and Task Force work is an endless source of information about truck equipment maintenance, shop management and spec’ing, titled "TMC’s Recommended Practices Manual" (also known as the RPs).
“Several of TMC’s most recent RPs provide important resources for service provider shops that prove quite valuable in a fleet setting as well,” says Jack Legler, TMC’s technical director.
Legler refers to RP 1613, Shop Workload & Prioritization, which lays out a logical, systematic approach to scheduling shop workloads, taking into account available labor, skill levels, work complexity and customer urgency. Another new RP addresses technician training: RP 1614, Technician Mentor Program Guidelines, which provides a roadmap for establishing a shop program to increase technicians’ proficiency with on-the-job training, control planning, return on investment metrics, compensation, roles and responsibilities.
TMC’s RPs are available online to members and on a searchable compact disc – a handy feature since there are more than 500 individual RPs, many with diagrams and illustrations. While much of the RP development process is accomplished during TMC meetings held twice a year, members also have 24/7 access to TMC Connect (TMCConnect.trucking.org), an online collaborative platform which includes a searchable RP Library.
Other TMC RPs break down difficult repairs – such as the heavy duty exhaust or aftertreatment system, lighting systems and onboard vehicle electronics – into digestible portions. For example, individual RPs under TMC’s S.3 Engine Study Group provide a roadmap of preventive maintenance procedures for diesel particulate filters (DPFs) (see RP 355A) as well as guidelines for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology and its use of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) (see RP 360).
TMC’s RPs also simplify a maze of terms and dashboard codes for its user network. Today’s heavy duty equipment includes multiple computer components. The RPs address the most complicated systems while providing insights on future technologies and advancements. Also, TMC’s staff is always available to address member inquiries and help them find real-time answers.
Establishing standards
Another useful tool for shop managers is TMC’s Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS). “VMRS creates a single, concise method to manage fleet assets and analyze maintenance operations and costs,” said Jack Poster, TMC’s VMRS manager who is also known as the staff’s “Code Guru.”
As the industry’s trailblazers in “thought leadership,” TMC continues to work with OEMs to create standards that ensure the truck of the future is the most efficient to operate and maintain.
While TMC’s work to develop best equipment maintenance practices is a major focus, there are many other benefits of being a Council member. For example, TMC’s technical staff produce numerous publications and periodicals to keep members up-to-date on trucking industry regulations, maintenance parts recalls and other breaking news.
The primary focus of TMC’s staff and working members is to increase efficiencies in the upkeep of trucking equipment, and that goal is accomplished every day with better training, clearly written manuals and network opportunities.