Announcements

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) earlier this year granted American Trucking Associations (ATA) and its Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) a five-year exemption that will cut the time new technicians need to spend preparing to enter the workforce while maintaining high standards for safety and competency. Under the new policy, which ATA requested in 2020, technicians will be allowed to shorten to 540 hours the federally required one-year of training or experience needed to conduct commercial vehicle inspections and brake-related repair and maintenance, provided they received training based on TMC’s Recommended Practices (RPs).

In this webinar, Robert Braswell with TMC will detail how this new exemption applies to motor carriers, intermodal equipment providers and individuals, allowing them to self-certify that they have completed a training program based on TMC’s RPs. This RP-based training and certification, rather than the currently required year of additional training or work experience, “would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety provided by the regulatory requirements,” according to the FMCSA.

You will receive a certificate of attendance for this session that is for Professional Development purposes only. Please allow one week for automatic Email delivery of your certificate.

Not sure you can attend? Register anyway and you can view a recording of the session at any time and still get a certificate. Access to recorded sessions is reserved for those who register in advance for the live event. Don't put it off--register now!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

To register, click here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2490664767121757022

This week, Tech Talk With TMC will be held on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10 from 9:30-10 am eastern.  Our guest is Mike Rowand, speaking on Strategies for Successful EV Infrastructure Implementation.

TMCSuperTech 2025 is now history! Congratulations to TMCSuperTech 2025 Grand Champion Matthew Sloan from FedEx Freight. 

Also congrats to TMCFutureTech 2025 champion Tully McKinley who won our student competition.

Video highlights from Day 2 of TMCSuperTech....

Video Highlights from Day 1 TMCSuperTech 2025

These are the 84 finalists for TMCSuperTech 2025. 

Raleigh, NC—Today, American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council opened TMC’s 2025 Fall Meeting & National Technician Skills Competitions here at the Raleigh Convention Center.

On this week’s edition of Tech Talk with TMC, host Jimmy Mac and co-host Robert Braswell, Executive Director of ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), welcome guest Dave Walters for an in-depth discussion on wheel and fastener maintenance.

Staff has received word today that Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) member Lisa Black, died on August 2, 2025.  She was 55 years old.

Born on January 14th, 1970, Black was an Irwin, Pennsylvania native. Black was said to be passionate in her work with trucking and safety at technologies companies including Amazon and Aurora. She was an avid traveler and had a passion for Pittsburgh sports and women’s soccer. 

Black was active in TMC’s S.18 Automated Vehicles Study Group having served S.18 as its Study Group Secretary from 2019 to 2024. She also chaired the Technician & Maintenance Shop Requirements for Automated Vehicles Task Force in S.18.  She was active in TMC’s Future Truck Committee as well, having served as Task Force Secretary for the Automated Driving and Platooning Task Force. 

Lisa was preceded in death by her mother Elaine Stewart. She is survived by her loving husband Pete; daughters Frances Black (Julianna Hubbard) and Sydney Black (Alec Boose); grandchildren Fiori Black and Tallulah Boose; father George Stewart III (Debbie); brothers George IV (Nancy), Chris (Barb), and Dan (Marty); sisters Michelle (Marty) and Colleen (Jim); countless aunts and uncles; countless cousins; countless nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews.

Burial and services were private. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ott Funeral Home, Inc., 805 Pennsylvania Ave. Irwin, PA 15642. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.ottfuneralhome.com.

This week, commercial motor vehicle inspectors throughout North America will focus on the importance of properly functioning and well-maintained brake systems by conducting brake-focused inspections as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week.

From Aug. 24-30, CVSA-certified inspectors will conduct routine commercial motor vehicle inspections, focusing on brake systems and components. Inspectors will record data about vehicle inspections and brake-related violations and submit that data to CVSA. The Alliance will report the results later this year.

In this special 20th anniversary edition of Tech Talk with TMC, hosts Dave Nemo and Jimmy Mac welcome back co-host Robert Braswell, Executive Director of the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), for a historic conversation with longtime trucking executive and friend of the show, Darry Stuart. Together, they celebrate two decades of tackling the industry's toughest technical challenges, giving maintenance professionals a voice, and helping fleets of all sizes stay safe, smart, and efficient on the road.

The things that keep fleet managers up at night shifted considerably through the end of May 2025, according to a spring survey conducted by ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) — at least when it comes to TMC fleet members’ top maintenance worries.  The top maintenance issue identified in the Winter 2025 Survey was Diagnostics.

It’s time for another edition of Tech Talk with TMC on Road Gang Radio. Your go-to segment for real-world answers to the industry’s toughest technical questions. Host Jimmy Mac is joined by co-host Robert Braswell, Executive Director of ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), for a deep dive into air system maintenance: what’s true, what’s myth, and what every technician and fleet professional needs to know. Special guest Brian Screeton, Manager of Technical Training & Service for Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, brings expert insights to the conversation, helping separate fact from fiction when it comes to keeping your air systems safe, efficient, and compliant. Plus, we take your calls and questions live, because Tech Talk with TMC is all about solutions that drive the industry forward.

We have a new Welcome New Members Link at the top header of every TMC Connect (next to your profile picture) web page where you can see the names of people who recently joined TMC. We'll update this list monthly starting July 1.

Richard G. Sippl

Long-time Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) member and TMC Silver Spark Plug Richard G. “Dick” Sippl, died on June 24, 2025 in Mequon, Wisconsin.  He was 83 years old.  Sippl joined TMC in 1986. He served as Chairman of TMC’s S.12 Total Vehicle Electronics Study Group for several years until his appointment to the Council’s Board of Directors in March 1993. He served on TMC’s Board as a Director-at-Large until March 1995. He was honored with the Council’s highest honor — the Silver Spark Plug — in 1997. He was also active in the Wisconsin Truck Maintenance Council, where he served a term as its president.

Listen to Past Shows of Tech Talk With TMC for FREE!

June 25, 2025  The Future of Diesel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4-ahzzy-80

June 18, 2025.  Guidelines for Total Vehicle Alignment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tcrxGsHa4E

June 11, 2025 Summer Vehicle Prep 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFKokMrO-2c

Celebrating the hard work and commitment of professional technicians, the American Trucking Associations and ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council announced June 5 that the sixth annual National Technician Appreciation Week will be held September 21-27.

RadioNemo of North America is expanding its broadcast to internet-based radio/podcasting and Tech Talk With TMC is coming along for the ride!

Beginning June 2, RadioNemo will stream 24 hours a day at RadioNemo.com and you can watch/listen to all its programming on various social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, & YouTube,

Live broadcasts will continue each day as always but you now will be able to watch/listen to broadcasts whenever you wish 24/7.

Tech Talk With TMC will continue to broadcast live but now on a new day and time each Wednesday at 9 am eastern / 8 am central.  Listen at RadioNemo’s social channels and/or the RadioNemo website https://www.radionemo.com starting Wednesday, June 11 at 9 am ET.

For the current Tech Talk With TMC schedule go to: https://tmc.trucking.org/blog/tech-talk-tmc-radionemocom

For details, check out this video or visit RadioNemo.com.

#davenemo. #nemonation. #roadgang

Ten TMC member fleet and service provider members responded to TMC’s “Fleet & Service Provider Average Standard Repair Time (SRT) Survey,” which was administered in the first half of 2025. The purpose of the study was to aid in establishing baseline repair times that will improve shop productivity and profitability. This is the sixth year that TMC has conducted the survey, providing a comparison of year-to-year SRT data.

Registration is now open for TMC's 2025 Fall Meeting & National Technician Skills Competitions.  Schedules are released and our meeting promotional brochure is available at our event microsite.

Sept. 14-18, Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, N.C.

Below is the link to the recording of today's webinar on why you should be CDM/E certified!

TMC_NATMI - Why Pursue CDM_E Certification_-20250514_130107-Meeting Recording.mp4

ATA's Technology & Maintenance Council is gathering information on current trends involving experienced vs. expected service life for specific commercial vehicle components. Accordingly, we invite you as fleet managers/executives to take this brief survey to help us in this effort.

Your participation will help TMC gain valuable insights into the current state of durability and reliability in the trucking industry for the following 14 components:

    •    NOX Sensor - VMRS 043-001-165
    •    DEF Quality Sensor – VMRS 043-007-171
    •    DEF Pump – VMRS 043-007-197
    •    Automated Manual Transmission Clutch – VMRS 026-015-109
    •    Clutch Actuator – VMRS 026-015-047
    •    Shift Lever (Stalk) – VMRS 026-011-054
    •    Starter – VMRS 032-002-001
    •    Disc Brake Pads – VMRS 013-001-029
    •    Disc Rotor – VMRS 013-001-026
    •    VGT Actuator – VMRS 043-004-174
    •    Particulate Matter Sensor — VMRS 043-006-120
    •    Soot Sensor – VMRS 043-007-172
    •    Coolant Reservoir – VMRS 042-008-004
    •    Dash Blower Motor – VMRS 001-001-082

Results will be released in a public report to be posted on TMC's public-facing website https://tmc.trucking.org.

Please respond by May 30, 2025. We appreciate your cooperation in completing this survey!

The things that keep fleet managers up at night shifted slightly through the end of March 2025, according to a winter survey conducted by ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) — at least when it comes to TMC fleet members’ top maintenance worries. 

More than 400 TMC fleet members were asked to share their current top five fleet maintenance concerns, based on a wide-ranging list of 85 possible choices from which to select. Of those responding, the following were identified as the top reported concerns in descending order:

1.  The top maintenance issue identified in the Winter 2025 Survey was Emissions/GHG.

2.  Aftertreatment was identified as the number two maintenance issue facing fleets.

3.  Tires was identified by fleets as number three.

4.  Cost Containment was identified as number four.

5.  Inflation (Parts, Oil, Fuel, Equipment) was identified as number five.

— Robert Braswell, TMC Executive Director

Recap Video of TMC's 2025 Annual Meeting Posted on Council's youTube channel. 

TMC has posted its 2025 RP Supplement on TMC Connect. Go to the red bar under RPs and Other Technical Information to pull down the link.  Includes new calculator downloads.

Read the Latest News From TMC's 2025 Annual Meeting. Find our official news releases from Nashville, Tennessee. 

As part of the TMC 2025 Fall Meeting the S.5 VMRS Codes Committee will conduct a public meeting on Monday March 10, 2025 from 8:30 am to 9:00 am local time. 

The Agenda will be as follows: 
1. Opening Remarks/Antitrust Review 
2. Welcome all First Timers
3. Task Force Reports
4. VMRS House Keeping – Jack Poster
5. New Business

I look forward to connecting with you all.

TMC Board of Directors and Study Group Leadership 2025 Annual Meeting Preparation Meeting-20250206_120305-Meeting Recording.mp4

The final Chats with the General Chairman was this afternoon and the recording is now available:

Chat With the Chairman - Topic TBD-20250115_150201-Meeting Recording.mp4

TMC’s S.14 Last Mile & Vocational Vehicles Study Group undertook review of the applicability of the Council’s Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards (VMRS) in specialty commercial vehicle applications. The Task Force assigned to this effort concluded that VMRS is directly applicable and a valuable tool in specialty commercial vehicle maintenance programs in its current format. No changes are needed to the current Recommended Practice TMC RP 802G, Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards, as existing processes for the addition of new codes as well as the availability of user-defined coding enables accommodation of these applications.

TMC Recommended Practices Training & Certification Program Now Available

TMC is now offering certification testing on knowledge of the Council's Recommended Practices.

ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) introduces a new program designed for Apple and Android mobile devices that provides users the opportunity to attain certification in their knowledge of TMC Recommended Practices (RPs). This smart-device-based application also features training modules for selected RPs using augmented reality technology developed by Design Interactive to help students prepare for the certification testing.

Here is link to the modules…

https://www.atabusinesssolutions.com/Shopping/?Category=Technology%20&%20Maintenance

S.6 Chassis & Brake Systems

https://www.atabusinesssolutions.com/Shopping/Product/viewproduct/10924577/TMC%20Recommended%20Practices%20Training%20%20Certification%20Program%20%20S6%20Chassis%20%20Brake%20Systems

S.1 Electrical

https://www.atabusinesssolutions.com/Shopping/Product/viewproduct/10910339/TMC%20Recommended%20Practices%20Training%20%20Certification%20Program%20%20S1%20Electrical

More modules will be coming in 2025. 

FMCSA Settles Rear Underride Guard Label Issue — CVSA Will Not Issue Roadside Violations for Missing Labels

Question: Does an illegible, incomplete, or missing rear impact guard certification label establish a violation of 49 CFR 393.86(a)(6), or indicate that the impact guard did not meet the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) strength and energy absorption requirements applicable to manufacturers at the time the trailer was built?

Guidance: No. The regulation in 49 CFR 393.86(a)(6) requires a rear impact guard to be permanently marked or labeled as required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 223. NHTSA determined that labels that wear, fade, or are removed during repair do not indicate a current compliance issue with the requirements in FMVSS No. 223. (88 FR 5844-5845, Jan. 30, 2023). FMCSA is also aware that a motor carrier may be unable to replace an illegible, incomplete, or missing certification label. 
 
The condition of rear impact guards should be inspected to ensure compliance with all other FMVSS Nos. 223 and 224 requirements, including:

• General requirements (§ 393.86(a)(1));
• Guard width (§ 393.86(a)(2));
• Guard height (§ 393.86(a)(3));
• Guard rear surface (§ 393.86(a)(4)); and
• Cross-sectional vertical height of the horizontal member (§ 393.86(a)(5)).
•  

Contact Info: FMCSA Information Line, 1-800-832-5660. 

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Premier Trucking Technology Event Slated for March in Nashville

Washington – The American Trucking Associations has opened registration for ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition, the nation’s foremost trucking technology event.

“The TMC Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition is central to the Council’s mission to raise professional and technical standards for the trucking industry,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “Whether it is on the exhibit hall floor, or in one of TMC’s many study groups or educational sessions and task forces, the events taking place at TMC’s Annual Meeting drive the industry’s success.”

Scheduled for March 10-13 at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee, TMC’s 2025 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition will take place on two tracks – one geared toward attendees seeking to dive deep into the details of the issues facing the industry, and the other providing a high-level overview of the technological trends that will be driving change in trucking. Both tracks will address critical issues ranging from emissions and efficiency to safety and emerging technologies, under this year’s theme – Advancing Technology Through Industry Engagement.

“The Council’s 2025 Annual Meeting carries on its tradition of providing thought leadership with a focus on ways to improve maintenance, sustainability and fuel efficiency,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “Each of our educational sessions will center around one of two valuable tracks — Back to Basics, and Advanced Technology. These sessions will address pressing regulatory compliance issues, emerging truck/trailer technologies, maintenance, diagnostic and repair topics, key performance indicators and benchmarking solutions, and equipment specification trends.”

For more information on TMC’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, or to register, visit https://tmcannual.trucking.org/.