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VIRTUAL CONFERENCE: TECHNICAL SESSION RECAP By Jeff Johnston
Tips on Getting Factory Training
For Your Fleet Technicians
Keeping a fleet operating at peak capacity Steps to Receiving Factory Training and software that is needed to perform
is a challenge for any fleet manager. It Obviously, there is no one place to diagnostics or repairs and make sure
may be even more of a challenge for a that these can be made available to
fleet manager in a municipality or state receive the training to work on these types purchase. If the manufacturer will not
maintenance facility. The wide variety of equipment. Technical schools often sell you the tooling or software, then
of equipment that keeps a municipality will only teach the basics for mechanical you need to think ahead about how you
functioning is on a scale that few other fleet theory, and technicians who come from are going to handle the maintenance
managers must experience. dealerships rarely work on more than two and repairs, since modern equipment is
or three different types of vehicles. The both technical and complicated.
Examples of such a diverse fleet include only logical solution is to pursue factory 2. Become Warranty Certified - This is
fire trucks, police cars, light pickups, training from the manufacturers. This can the single most important tip to follow.
medium and heavy duty trucks, trailers, be difficult, since manufacturers usually It is also the most difficult. You will not
lawn mowers, golf course equipment, want to keep their training and tooling only have to jump through all of the
chainsaws, weed eaters, knuckleboom proprietary so they can increase their hoops that the manufacturer requires,
brush loaders, jetter trucks, snow plows, revenue through performing repairs. Here you will also have to navigate your
dump trucks, sign boards, tractors are a few steps that may help you receive own purchasing, financial and legal
with boom mowers and side cutting factory training for your technicians... departments. Sometimes even city
decks, paint trucks, blowers, sweepers, without blowing your budget. councils and county commissions are
Zambonis, electric cars, and anything else 1. Create relationships with your vendors involved. Working directly with the
mechanical that a department might need. manufacturer to perform your own
and manufacturers - This is key to warranty repairs, factory recalls, TSBs
One of the most daunting challenges obtaining training for your staff. Talk and PDIs gives you a leg up in the
is getting your technicians trained to with them when writing equipment industry. You will have access to factory
perform maintenance and repairs on all specs. Find out if they offer factory tooling, OEM software, and important
of this equipment. Unfortunately, as we all training at no charge or a minimal cost. repair information.
are very aware, a career for a mechanic no If possible, include this training in your Being warranty certified will largely
longer means having a toolbox full of tools equipment specs. Talk to your vendors decrease the equipment down time as
and mechanical know-how. Due to new early in the process. Do not just spring well as giving you a cost reduction in
electronic and emission systems on nearly it on them (when the bid comes out) fuel and manpower in lieu of taking it
all equipment, it’s nearly impossible to that you want to perform warranty work to a dealer. An additional byproduct
diagnose and repair without the ongoing or require factory training, since there
training, tools and technical information will need to be many people involved on
to do the job. their end. Ask about any special tooling
18 TPW January/February 2021
