Discover opportunities through new prospects in technical achievement

Today’s challenging world of increasing vehicle complexity and rapid technological change demands diligent attention to detail and careful consideration. Shipper expectations, government regulations, engineering advances, and CSA compliance issues all require commercial vehicle fleets to be ever vigilant in order to stay safe, efficient, and profitable. Smart fleets scrutinize the investments they make for their operations and vehicle maintenance programs, and many turn to American Trucking Association’s (ATA) Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) to help them make smart business decisions on maintenance and specifying issues.

Technology is transforming the way fleets specify and operate equipment in both intentional and unintended ways. Staying ahead of the learning curve is paramount to maintaining and securing fleet operations. That’s why it is appropriate that the theme of TMC’s 2019 Fall Meeting is “New Prospects for Technical Achievement.”

This year’s meeting will take place September 15-19 at Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, N.C.

At TMC, equipment and technology professionals can also:

• Participate in TMC’s Future Truck Initiative, where TMC and its member companies work together with OEM’s 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 the most efficient to operate and maintain.
• Gain and share information with hundreds of peers at TMC’s Shop Talk, a free-form discussion on equipment issues.
• Resolve troublesome equipment issues at TMC’s Town Meeting and Fleet Operators’ Forum.
• Participate in voluntary standards-setting efforts through TMC’s Study Groups and Task Forces, which are addressing important issues such as electronic logging devices, natural gas-powered vehicles and emerging onboard technologies.

Educational sessions

TMC’s 2019 Fall Meeting offers a comprehensive collection of educational sessions designed to keep your maintenance personnel on the cutting edge of vehicle technology.

Technical sessions

How to Navigate Aftertreatment System Maintenance, Breakdowns, and Vendor Management Best Practices

During this session, a panel of fleet, manufacturer and service provider representatives will discuss best practices for leveraging vendor relationships to minimize costs and downtime when dealing with both local and over-the-road vendors. Topics to be covered include outsourced maintenance management; purchase order process management; cost management strategies; route optimization and service provider relationships; third-party vendor communication practices; enforcing fleet standards when outsourcing maintenance tasks; how to work with independent shops or outside-of-dealer-network facilities for non-warranty repairs; and adjusting preventive maintenance programs to deal with aftertreatment realities.

Attend this session and learn how fleet practices and procedures — good or bad — directly impact a company’s ability to successfully manage aftertreatment-related costs. If you run diesel-powered equipment, this session is a must.

Technical Session #1—

Wednesday, September 18

8-9:30 AM

New Approaches to Preventive Maintenance, Vehicle Triage, and Shop Design

Through timely, quality preventive maintenance inspections (PMIs), fleet operators should be able to detect, correct, and prevent the development of costly vehicle breakdowns. In addition, a quality PMI program should provide fleets with the maximum return on assets by attaining optimum component life of major vehicle systems before failure or replacement. A PMI program should also provide management with an instrument for predicting vehicle operating costs more accurately.

Attend this session and learn what the latest recommendations are for preventive maintenance. Panelists will also present how technology is changing their approaches to vehicle triage, repair strategies, and shop design. This session will provide attendees practical suggestions and insights they can put to work to reduce PMI costs and increase asset availability.

Technical Session #2—

Thursday, September 19

7:30-9 AM

Study group sessions

Rolling Into Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Phase 2

Federal “Phase 2” greenhouse gas emission (GHG) /fuel economy requirements aren’t just for engine and vehicle manufacturers. Tire manufacturers have to meet tough new standards, too; and how they meet these mandates will impact how fleet managers specify and maintain their rolling stock in the coming decade.

Attend this session and learn what to expect from the next generation of Class 7 and 8 commercial vehicle tires. Tire manufacturer representatives will address their strategies for meeting the new federal requirements and meeting fleet expectations for tire performance. Since fuel and tires represent most fleets top-two equipment-related costs, this is a session you will not want to miss.

S.2 Tire & Wheel Study Group—

Wednesday, September 18

3-4:30 PM

Overcoming Capital Expenditure Restraints and Timing Economic Disposal

During this session, panelists will present details of proven strategies for overcoming these situations and others. For example, cash flow problems might be addressed by turning to short-term equipment rentals or longer-term equipment leasing. If purchasing, longer-term financing or less expensive specifying options might do the trick. We’ll also present ideas for building a more effective return on investment (ROI) strategy, such as finding ways to extend service life or achieve longer amortization.

Making do with less and maximizing the value of end-of-life assets are things all fleet managers must master. Attend this session and learn tried and true lessons from industry experts.

S.5 Fleet Maintenance Management Study Group—

Wednesday, September 18

1:15-2:45 PM

A Fresh Look at Automated Manual Transmissions and Clutches

While it’s true some veteran drivers will always prefer traditional manual transmissions, many are singing the praises of the automated manual gearbox. Automated manual transmissions (AMTs) help drivers stay better focused on driving and be less fatigued while on duty. Fleet owners recognize AMTs help them recruit and retain drivers, as well as improve overall fleet fuel economy. In fact, AMTs are the primary spec in many fleets now because of these and other benefits.

Attend this session and learn what your fleet needs to know about spec’ing and maintaining the latest generation of AMT offerings. We will cover tooling and training requirements for technicians, as well as strategies for improving driver training and acceptance. We’ll also provide insights into what the next generation of AMT technology will look like in the coming decade.

S.6 Chassis & Brake Systems Group—

Thursday, September 19

9:15-10:45 AM

How to Spec and Maintain Trailers for Your Operation’s Life Cycle

Fleets that don’t pay close attention to trailer specs will ultimately learn the hard way that the 12- to 20-year trailer they purchased is not going to experience the service life they expected. Disposing of units that don’t meet the first owner’s expectations will be much more challenging when it comes time to sell to a second owner. Doing all of this isn’t easy as it is very vocation dependent. What works well in one operation can be a disaster in another.

Attend this session and learn from our panel of experts how to spec and maintain a trailer to your operation’s expected duty cycle. We’ll present recommendations based on fleet experience and existing TMC Recommended Practices covering trailer bodies, flooring, doors, chassis, and much more.

S.7 Trailers, Bodies and Material Handling Study Group—

Wednesday, September 18

3-4:30 PM

Fleet Experiences in Achieving Fuel Efficiency Gains

If there’s one constant truth about fleet management — it’s that you don’t have to convince fleet managers on the virtues of saving fuel. The trick is, of course, finding the right combination of specifying options, technology, and techniques to maximize one’s efforts at achieving maximum fuel savings for a given application.

Attend this session as presenters will offer fleet experiences in achieving and verifying fuel efficiency gains. Representatives from fleets as well as fleet testing and research organizations will share data and case studies as to what works when it comes to maximizing fuel economy for a range of different industry applications.

S.11 Sustainability and Environmental Technologies Study Group—

Thursday, September 19

9:15-10:45 AM

What's Next in Vehicle Databus Architecture and Diagnostics?

Attend this session and learn from our panel of experts what’s coming as it relates to current and future databus technology to support the specialty and higher data throughput requirements of future electronic systems. We will cover “CAN with Flexible Data Rate (CAN-FD),” “Local Interconnect Network (LIN),” and “Automotive Ethernet,” and shed light as to when these will be appearing on your fleet’s vehicles.

Truck manufacturers will be asked to present the databus types they will be using for 2020 vehicles — both at the diagnostic connector as well as behind the diagnostic connector. We’ll also address the issue of using specialty cables instead of software scanning the channels on the diagnostic connector and what that means for vehicle maintenance operations and RP1210 compliance.

S.12 Onboard Vehicle Electronics Study Group—

Wednesday, September 18

9:45-11:15 AM

The Evolution of a Professional Diesel Technician

Great technicians and shop leaders aren’t born – they’re developed. Given our industry’s technician shortage, it’s critical that maintenance operations “get it right the first time” when it comes to onboarding, training, and developing their technical talent — especially at a time when the equipment technicians are expected to service is evolving as rapidly as the training environment itself.

Attend this session and learn from our panel of experts how to create opportunities for the greenest rookies all the way to the most seasoned veterans, and thereby ensuring continued success and improvement for your company’s maintenance services operations. We’ll focus on the process of transitioning technicians to supervision, management, and other maintenance departments or roles such as warranty and training.

S.16 Service Provider Study Group—

Wednesday, September 18

9:45-11:15 AM

Corrosion of Suspension and Underride Components

Anything in the “hot zone” of the vehicle is subject to the corrosive effects of salt and deicing chemicals, but the hidden underbelly of the truck is especially susceptible to this serious and costly problem. If not properly addressed through specification and maintenance, corrosion can quickly degrade critical components of frames, spring and air suspensions, and substructures such as rear impact guards on trailers.

Attend this session and learn what your fleet needs to know to protect itself from the perils of corrosion. We’ll review the latest activity from the 7 Corrosion Control Study Group, including RP 1705, “Guidelines for Corrosion Protection During Chassis Modifications.”

S.17 Corrosion Control Study Group—

Wednesday, September 18

4:45-6 PM

TMC New Technology Presentations

TMC’s New Technology Presentations inform council members of innovative features or applications of new technologies without engaging in blatant merchandising, advertising, or harmful competitive references. Products presented should be in production and available to the industry at the time the request is made. Products on the market for more than two years will not normally be considered. Products shown must be a component, tool, or service used in the commercial transportation industry that is conceptually unique in its design — from a manufacturer or service supplier company which is an active TMC member in good standing. Marginal improvements or ‘upgrades’ of existing products will not be considered for presentation.

Wednesday, September 18 — 4:45-6 PM