Study Group Information Reports

ABSTRACT

TMC’s S.14 Last Mile & Vocational Vehicles Study Group undertook review of the applicability of the Council’s Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS) in specialty commercial vehicle applications. The Task Force assigned to this effort concluded that VMRS is directly applicable and a valuable tool in specialty commercial vehicle maintenance programs in its current format. No changes are needed to the current Recommended Practice TMC RP 802G, Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards, as existing processes for the addition of new codes as well as the availability of user-defined coding enables accommodation of these applications.

Impact of Emissions Regulations on Commercial Vehicle Procurement

Issued: September 9, 2024

ABSTRACT
The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of American Trucking Associations (ATA) conducted this survey of its fleet members to determine how approaching emissions technology mandates in commercial vehicle assets may be affecting early procurement planning for Class 6-8 trucks and/or truck-tractors.

The Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) S.5 Fleet Maintenance Management Study Group conducted an online survey of approximately 500 TMC Fleet Executive level members and 100 Service Provider Corporate level members in the second quarter of 2024. The results of this survey will be presented by S.5 at TMC’s 2024 Fall Meeting in Raleigh, N.C., as the basis for discussion by a panel of experts.

SUMMARY

TMC’s S.6 Chassis & Brake Systems Study Group conducted an online survey of approximately 500 TMC Fleet Executive level members in January and February 2024 to determine fleet brake system utilization. The survey was also posted to TMC’s LinkedIn Social Media Feed. Twenty-eight fleet representatives responded to the survey.

ABSTRACT
The American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) conducted this survey on behalf of its S.1 Electrical Study Group to assess fleet preferences regarding performance and characteristics for the next generation (NextGen) of tractor-trailer electrical and data connector(s) to be recommended as the successor to the current industry standard SAE J560 connector.

The results of the survey were collected from a representative cross section of fleet operations. The fleets responding to the survey indicated a high-priority need for development of a NextGen connector that maintains backward compatibility with existing SAE J560-equipped vehicles, as well as a need in the short-to-medium time frame for new features and technologies that would be enabled by whatever is ultimately selected as the NextGen connector.

Technology & Maintenance Council
S.5 Fleet Maintenance Management Study Group

TECHNICIAN COMPENSATION SURVEY RESULTS — JANUARY 2024

SUMMARY

TMC’s S.5 Fleet Maintenance Management Study Group conducted an online survey of approximately 500 TMC Fleet Executive level members and 100 Service Provide Corporate level members in the fourth quarter of 2023. Of these, 28 company representatives responded.

Most respondents were from Motor Carriers or Service Providers. About 48 percent were motor carrier representatives; 22 percent were service provider representatives. About 18 percent reported operations at a national level.

Fleet size ranged considerably across respondents. Number of technicians employed ranged considerably from a low of four (4) to a high of 450. About 46 percent of respondents reported operating between 1-5 maintenance shops.

About 25 percent of respondents said at least half of their technicians have attended a diesel training program. Ninety-two percent said less than a quarter of their technicians have attained ASE certification. Hourly rates for entry-level technicians ranged from $19 to $35.

Technology & Maintenance Council
S.5 Fleet Maintenance Management Study Group

TMC TECHNICIAN COMPENSATION SURVEY RESULTS

SUMMARY

TMC’s S.5 Fleet Maintenance Management Study Group conducted an online survey of approximately 500 TMC Fleet Executive level members and 100 Service Provide Corporate level members. Of these, 34 company representatives responded.

Most respondents were from Motor Carriers or Service Providers. About 38 percent were motor carrier representatives; 32 percent were service provider representatives. About 42 percent reported operations at a national level.

Fleet size ranged considerably across respondents. Number of technicians employed ranged considerably from a low of four (4) to a high of 750. About 54 percent of respondents reported operating between 1-5 maintenance shops.

About 35 percent of respondents said at least half of their technicians have attended a diesel training program. More than 70 percent said less than a quarter of their technicians have attained ASE certification. Hourly rates for entry-level technicians ranged from $12 to $25. Highest hourly rates ranged from about $22 to $36.

ABSTRACT

ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) has released its latest “Fleet & Service Provider Average Standard Repair Time (SRT) Survey,” which was administered in the second half of 2023. The purpose of the study was to aid in establishing baseline repair times that will improve shop productivity and profitability. This is the fifth year that TMC has conducted the survey, providing a four-year comparison of year-to-year SRT data.

Sixty-five individual TMC Fleet Executive level members responded to TMC’s “Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Phase 3 Member Survey,” which was administered in May and June 2023. The purpose of the study was to gather intelligence required for American Trucking Associations,Inc. (ATA) to offer a comprehensive response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) GHG Phase 3 proposal. The survey consisted of 25 questions, covering fleet demographics, experience with battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, as well as any future plans the responding fleets may have regarding these technologies and the infrastructure that supports them. The majority of those responding indicated little or no experience with either BEVs or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Of those that did report experience, a majority reported being either greatly dissatisfied or dissatisfied with respect to range, charging times and cost.

Thirty-four TMC member fleet and service provider members responded to TMC’s fourth “Fleet & Service Provider Average Standard Repair Time (SRT) Survey,” which was administered in the second half of 2022. The purpose of the study was to aid in establishing baseline repair times that will improve shop productivity and profitability. This is the fourth year that TMC has conducted the survey, providing a three-year comparison of year-to-year SRT data.