By Todd Davis, NTEA Chairman, Phenix Truck Bodies & Van Equipment
Pomona, California
This article was published in the October 2018 edition of NTEA News.
In our industry, as in most, we face a complicated series of evolving and often new government regulations. Days are full handling normal business operations; finding time to research and understand the regulatory environment, then determining where action may be required or where changes create new opportunities, is nearly impossible.
Our Phenix team finds NTEA’s technical resource tools (i.e., Tech Trends) the most efficient instruments to ensure awareness and help interpret the regulations that most affect our organization. The subject matter offered by the Association’s technical services department can be additionally valuable when you expand utilization. Beyond regulations and conformance, as part of our enhanced training initiative, we have begun using the technical articles and white papers available from the technical services team as foundational training tools. We assign review of one article or paper a week by the sales, engineering and production teams, and dedicate time for discussion in staff meetings. The information exchange is invaluable as all business units exit the meeting more enlightened. On the sales side, the new technical information gained is used to create opportunities to share fresh, relevant industry information with customers. The products NTEA’s technical services department creates can provide a multitude of benefits to Association member companies. I have described several products below that can be used to educate your staff, and sharing the information can enhance your value proposition to existing and potential customers.
Commercial Vehicle Certification Guide
NTEA enhanced the Commercial Vehicle Certification Guide to capture the latest regulatory information in the U.S. and Canada. The 2018 edition offers a more complete representation of compliance mandates and implications facing work truck industry companies in North America. Content addresses safety certification and labeling requirements vital to conformance with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada. The Guide supports companies like mine in satisfying the complex standards relevant to intermediate and final-stage manufacturers and alterers.
U.S./Canada Federal Lighting Guide
The updated U.S./Canada Federal Lighting Guide provides illustrations that point out specific lighting requirements for commercial vehicles. These were designed with work truck industry shops in mind. Both laminated lighting guides for posting and a new and improved interactive tool are available.
Rear Visibility F/CMVSS 111 Field of View Conformity Manual
NTEA is developing a new edition of Rear Visibility F/CMVSS 111 Field of View Conformity Manual (coming in November) to help anyone upfitting light vehicles in the U.S. and Canada align with important government mandates. The manual will offer guidance on performing test procedures outlined in F/CMVSS 111 related to repositioning OEM-provided cameras to meet field of view criteria.
Full FMVSS 111 rear visibility conformance in the U.S. — which includes requirements for field of view, image size, response time, deactivation, durability, default view and linger time — took effect May 1, 2018. This requirement is applicable to vehicles with a 10,000-pound (4,536-kilogram) gross vehicle weight rating or less. The full equivalent regulation in Canada is mandatory starting May 2019 and includes three-wheeled vehicles.
Vehicle Center of Gravity and Axle Weight Calculator
The Vehicle Center of Gravity and Axle Weight Calculator is a web-based, interactive tool that provides vehicle specification and weight information.
When upfitting or modifying a vehicle, these calculations produce information to share with customers, and assist in understanding of Federal Bridge Law — both in spec’ing prior to purchase and after upfitting is complete. Interactive instructions make this a user-friendly tool for those in your company responsible for weight distribution and center of gravity calculations.
Other value-adds
Most work truck industry companies move personnel, parts and final products between the U.S. and Canada. NTEA’s Cross-Border Compliance Guide highlights the complexities and nuances of trade between the two countries that companies need to know, specifically related to commercial vehicle importation and exportation. A comprehensive acronym glossary and international trade questionnaire are included to help companies evaluate risk. Content covers Canada-U.S. regulatory and border initiatives; customs classification and valuation; rules of origin; import and export procedures; taxes and trade; legal risks, international treaties and conventions; and transportation considerations for traders — timely topics in this day and age.
If you’d like to give your employees an opportunity to review the basics, NTEA offers Truck Equipment 101, a training program covering all aspects of work trucks and the industry — from chassis and powertrains to bodies and cab styles. This introductory course, made up of 15 video-based modules, provides an industry overview, insight into systems that make up a truck, and basic regulatory requirements applicable to U.S. and Canadian markets.
To complement your efforts, consider joining NTEA’s Member Verification Program (MVP), which recognizes eligible companies in the work truck industry for outstanding business practices and successful implementation of quality standards. Association members are encouraged to apply for consideration. Candidates must provide documentation that they meet or exceed a given set of criteria. Once qualified, companies receive MVP member status for a three-year term. Upon renewal, MVP members must again document compliance, ensuring their ongoing commitment to professionalism, industry knowledge and high performance.
These are just a few examples of the resources NTEA offers to further the knowledge, growth and profitability of the commercial vehicle community. You can find additional detail at ntea.com/technicalresources. What other resources would you like to see NTEA developing? Let me know. Email info@ntea.com.