By Truck Parts & Service Staff
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Following are personnel changes and announcements in the trucking industry:
•Karmak, Inc. hired Ron Melendy as its Rocky Mountain regional manager.
•Grote Industries appointed Dominic Grote its president and COO.
•Thermo King Corporation named Dwayne Cowan its Auxiliary Power Unit product manager.
•Continental Tire North America, Inc. announced the following staffing changes to its commercial vehicle tire division: Mike Leigner is the new regional sales manager for the Southern region of the U.S.; Scott Pall is a new district sales manager for the Northern region of the U.S.; and Adam Willis is a new district sales manager for the Midwest region of the U.S.
NHTSA Issues New Braking Standard
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a long-awaited regulation to tighten the stopping distance standards on heavy-duty tractors. The new standard generally requires that a tractor traveling at 60 miles per hour come to a complete stop within 250 feet when loaded to its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The old standard required a complete stop within 355 feet.
For a small number of very heavy severe-service tractors, the stopping distance requirement will be 310 feet under these same conditions. And the final rule requires that all heavy truck tractors must stop within 235 feet when loaded to their “lightly loaded vehicle weight.”
Three-axle tractors with GVWRs of 59,600 pounds or less must meet the reduced stopping distance requirements by Aug. 1, 2011. Two-axle tractors and tractors with GVWRs above 59,600 pounds must meet requirements by Aug. 1, 2013.
Manufacturers can use any of several options to meet the requirement, including installation of enhanced drum brakes, air disc brakes or hybrid disc/drum systems, NHTSA said. The agency noted that a number of vehicles in the commercial fleet already use such braking systems and, therefore, already meet the requirements of the amended standard.
NHTSA estimates that the new braking requirement will save 227 lives annually and prevent 300 serious injuries. The agency also estimates that it will reduce property damage costs by more than $169 million a year.
WEB UPDATES: Following are announcements of new and improved aftermarket Web resources:
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC launched the revamped, password-protected Bendix Webshop (www.bendix.biz) for direct Bendix aftermarket customers. In addition to an updated look and feel, the site provides a number of enhanced features to improve efficiency, navigation and better tracking of orders.
The Bendix Webshop is a secure Web site providing online ordering and the ability to check core reports and warranty claims. The site also features a full Bendix product search engine, giving users the ability to order online and check the price of a product along with its availability.
Upgrades let customers search a full catalog of Bendix products from every page of the Web site. Additionally, the company said, text files can be directly uploaded into the www.bendix.biz system – rather than the previous manual method of entering each line item – for a more streamlined process.
Affinia Global Brake & Chassis announced it re-launched Affinia Online (www.affiniaonlie.com) with a streamlined ordering process, a time-saving quick order feature and a shopping cart feature that allows users to view which distribution facilities have the parts they need, enter a purchase order number and add special shipping instructions to the order.
“The new design will enhance our customers’ online experience by minimizing the time spent ordering parts,” said Greg Moreland, Web services manager, Affinia Group, Inc. “We are pleased with the aesthetics of the new site as well as the functionality.”
The company said a user ID and password are needed to access the site, which can be obtained through Raybestos Customer Service at (800) 323-0354.
Snap-on Tools recently added a news section to its Web site at http://news.snapon.com, where visitors to the site can stay up-to-date on the latest company happenings. In addition to new product announcements, visitors to the site can follow the No Compromise Tour and Snap-on’s motorsports involvement, as well as read technical references, Tool of the Month features and franchise information. There is also a section dedicated to Snap-on Diagnostics.
“The news section on the Snap-on Web site allows us to communicate with our different audiences at once, including Snap-on enthusiasts, professional automotive technicians, race fans, franchise owners and others,” said Alicia Smales, vice president of marketing for Snap-on Tools, based in Kenosha, Wis. “We now have the ability to continuously connect with them, as the news section changes frequently. It’s an added, valuable source of information about Snap-on Tools for everyone who visits our Web site.”
ASE Launches Maintenance, Inspection Program
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence has launched its new Maintenance and Inspection (M&I) Program. Delivered exclusively online and consisting of four e-learning training modules and a separate quiz, the program focuses on awareness of the tasks related to maintenance and inspection. An embedded glossary and safety zone section also help to promote proper safety measures.
ASE says the M&I Program was developed in response to requests from the industry for an ASE product targeting entry-level individuals whose responsibilities are concentrated in the vehicle maintenance area. This new e-learning product, a first for ASE, incorporates learning modules to both deliver and measure the knowledge necessary to perform basic maintenance tasks.
Program content includes:
Module 1 – Preparation and Documentation includes the following sections: A. Preparing Vehicle for Service, B. Locating Information, C. Tools and Equipment, and D. Preparing Vehicle for Customer;
Module 2 – Fluids, Filters, Belts and Hoses Inspection and Service consists of these sections: A. Underhood (Part 1), B. Underhood (Part 2), C. Undercar, and D. Filters and Drive Belts;
Module 3 – Suspension, Tire and Brake Inspection and Service incorporates content within sections: A. Suspension Inspection, B. Tire (Part 1), C. Tire (Part 2), and D. Brake;
Module 4 — Body, Battery, Charging and Electrical Systems Inspection and Service contains sections divided into: A. Body, B. Battery, C. Charging, and D. Electrical; and
Module 5 — A final quiz covering the content in modules 1–4. Upon earning a passing score, the user achieves recognition in maintenance and inspection.
The target audience for this new program includes prospective and entry-level maintenance personnel, as well as any service professional interested in this specialty area. The new M&I Program will be for many a step on the path to ASE’s certification program, according to the organization. Users who pass the M&I Quiz successfully may print a customized certificate of recognition, rather than an ASE certification. For more information on the new M&I Program, go to www.ase.com.
