TMC Resource Center

Vehicle crashes are greatly impacted by a driver’s knowledge of what exists around his or her vehicle. The term “360° Driver Awareness” describes technologies and devices that improve safety by increasing a driver’s knowledge of what is around his or her vehicle. This paper serves as a request for manufacturers and suppliers to share their plans for products that will be marketed within the next 10 years (or as soon as possible) to allow equipment users to better assess and implement the technology in their operations.

Traditional methods for both pre- and post-trip inspections have existed for decades with few changes or improvements. Traditional tools and technology limit inspection effectiveness, add time to both the inspection and reporting, and contribute to the potential for errors and miscommunication of the resulting data. This paper explores technologies that may increasethe efficiency of pre- and post-trip trailer inspections and provides a vision for future development of technologies and systems for that purpose.

Issued: July 2014

The purpose of this Recommended Practice (RP) is to provide information for judging the performance of aftermarket brake linings on air-actuated foundation brakes, including testing in accordance with the dynamometer test procedure in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 121 and lining supplierqualification information. Such information will assist fleet operators in choosing aftermarket brake liningsthat will perform adequately on typical combination (tractor/trailer) vehicles and single trucks.

Issued: June 2014

Equipment users have reported to TMC experiences of mirror obscuration during inclementweather. Testing has confirmed cab and mirror design contributes to the concentrated flow of air that can contain water borne dirt. Large windshield wipers sweep significant fluid off the windshield and into the air flow path of the mirror heads, resulting in dirt deposits on the mirror surface. TMC has determined that a generic field fix cannot be developed since the causal factors are different for each manufacturer’s vehicle design.

ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) strives to be the industry thought leader on issues of truck technology and maintenance. As the only industry association that is focused solely on truck technology and maintenance, TMC and its member companies work together with manufacturers and other industry stakeholders to create the industry’s standards for future truck technology and equipment that help ensure that the truck of the future is one that is themost efficient to operate and maintain. The Council’s Future Truck Committee is responsiblefor this initiative within TMC.

Users of light- and medium-duty vehicles (LMVs) have similar expectations for future equip- ment as do users of heavy-duty vehicles when it comes to matters of performance, maintain- ability, durability, reliability and serviceability. Those expectations are outlined in other TMC Future Truck Position papers concerning tires, wheels and retread/repair issues. However, LMV users do have some very unique operational circumstances that suppliers and manu-facturers should consider. This paper will outline these unique needs as identified by TMC’sFuture LMV Task Force.

As with many sectors of the U.S. economy, counterfeit parts have found their way into thetrucking industry. While the exact cost to the trucking industry is difficult to determine, it is estimated that counterfeiting represents a $12 billion per year problem for the entire automotive industry. Beyond just the monetary costs are the added safety concerns of these counterfeitproducts. For example, a single counterfeit brake valve can significantly decrease the overallperformance of a truck’s brake system.

The Performance Review Institute (PRI) has released an updated list of products reviewed by its Brake Lining Review Committee.The committee verifies the brakelinings have met test criteria established in TMC RP 628B and agrees with the specification data submitted by the manufacturer.

Issued: July 2011

This TMC Information Report provides equipment managers insight into how “Standard Repair Time” (SRT) guides are developed and used in support of equipment maintenance and repair. Equipment managers should recognize that SRT guides used by service providers vary for avariety reasons, such as corporate policy and affiliation, and access to specific SRT guides.

Issued: June 2011

Most fleets use a thoughtful approach in the hiring of technicians. However, many of these same companies take a minimalist approach to matriculation. This can lead to poor performance, unacceptable conduct issues and poor employee retention. The purpose of this document is to help fleet managers ensure that all newly hired graduates of technical trade schools make a successful transition to the next level of their career objectives.