In just under 12 months of operation, www.brake-school.com, the on-line training site from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems – the North American leader in the development and manufacture of leading-edge active safety and braking system technologies, now serves more than 16,000 registered users, with new participants signing up weekly.
Drivers, technicians, distributors, fleets, and owner operators are turning to the on-line school for the most current and in-depth training available, says Barbara Gould, the company’s director of communications.
Bendix opened access to its knowledge database and technical resources in March 2013. The Bendix On-Line Brake School covers all aspects of electronics and air brake maintenance, including courses on lane departure warning systems, air compressors, tire pressure monitoring systems, wheel-end maintenance and radar alignment for active safety systems. New content is generally uploaded bimonthly.
The on-line school – open to registrations from both companies and individuals – is international in scope. Along with users from North America, professionals from Peru, Germany, Colombia, India, Australia, China, South Africa, New Zealand, Korea and Jordan are enrolled and taking courses to date.
“The Bendix On-Line Brake School allows users to advance their education on their own terms, from the site’s 24/7/365 accessibility to its new level of training flexibility and customization featuring the most current topics,” Gould says. We’re gratified by the school’s fast growth because it shows the program is meeting an industry need for easily accessible, in-depth training.
“One key benefit of brake-school.com is that the tool can be readily integrated into customer training systems. This feature of the school enables us to present complex systems and components in a way that is understandable and complete.”
Range of training
Students logging into the brake school can choose from a broad range of training tools, including a dynamic menu of five- to seven-minute video segments. Other tools include interactive presentation modules, allowing students to review the information at their own pace and – with the site always available – on their own schedule.
Knowledge checks at the end of each course measure what they’ve learned.
The password-protected site offers a variety of access levels, most of which enable companies to track their registered technicians’ and employees’ participation and progress.
Through the school, students can access Bendix’s comprehensive and interactive Air Brake Training course, as well as a curriculum covering the full spectrum of braking and active vehicle safety system product topics. The topics range from overall education on product features and operation to troubleshooting, diagnostics, and maintenance best practices.
Other content includes segments addressing highway safety, emissions regulations, and the federal RSD mandate.
Customized training
HDA Truck Pride – North America’s largest independent provider of parts and services to the commercial vehicle aftermarket – is among the ever-growing list of companies offering customized training through the Bendix On-Line Brake School. Bendix developed a program specifically for HDA Truck Pride focusing on product knowledge, technical expertise, diagnostics and system solutions.
The online training is available to the entire HDA Truck Pride network, including members and their registered Truck Service Experts.
“With HDA Truck Pride’s focus on training, it was a natural fit to partner with Bendix on this customized technical training program for our network,” said Tina Alread, director of sales and marketing for HDA Truck Pride. “In the seven months since it launched, the program has gotten nothing but rave reviews.
“Several hundred users are signed up – representing a cross-section of the industry, from counter people to technicians. They appreciate the comprehensive range of updated courses, the freedom to access the program at their convenience, and the certificates that mark their completion of major sections.”
Bendix is also completing development of customized sites for a number of major fleets, which will have access to the specialized training soon.
Other tools
Among other tools, Bendix offers field-tested sales and service professionals; a 100 percent ASE-certified field technical support team; and the Bendix Tech Team, an expert technical support group providing service advice, brake system troubleshooting, and product training.
More than 250,000 people have successfully completed Bendix’s in-person and computer-driven training, logging nearly 350,000 student training hours during the past 10 years alone.
By delivering on post-sales support and other areas critical to fleets’ success – including safety, value, and product performance – Bendix helps fleets and drivers lower total cost of vehicle ownership and strengthen return on investment in equipment and technology, increasing safety for everyone on the road, notes Gould.
