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!

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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