Introducing Calibrate, Our New Publication

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The more things change, the more they stay the same. The mission of any maintenance shop is to repair vehicles as quickly and precisely as possible. There are scheduled maintenance needs sprinkled with the occasional emergency repairs. Efficiency is key. Those concepts will always stay the same.

However, at the same time, there also is the constant drumbeat of change in the form of updated regulations, equipment upgrades and, most importantly, the technicians working in the shop. As with any shop or office, there is always a need to maximize time and effort to meet these challenges. Our feature on running an efficient tech shop dives deep into what fleets are doing to save time and resources while juggling the many priorities that come with equipment maintenance.

Another topic that has remained a constant concern while continually evolving is the driver’s seat. Our cover story takes a look at how one of the most used parts of the cab is improving through innovation by keeping an ear toward truckers’ needs — No. 1, of course, being comfort.

Freeze

As truck drivers customize their seat adjustments, fleet managers are adjusting to the innovation of technology pertaining to trailers, and with much success.

One main thread that connects all of this is change. If you have read any of my previous columns, I may sound like a broken record, but this recurring theme keeps surfacing when speaking with industry professionals.

Of course, constant change is nothing new. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was heated debate about what was more viable: horse or motor transportation. And just 15 years ago, a tire pressure monitoring system was considered a next-level innovation. Now, it’s commonplace in passenger cars and commercial vehicles alike.

Q3 Calibrate Stories

►Investing in Seat Technology
►Shops Improve Efficiency, Productivity
►Frequent Overhead Maintenance: Worth the Trouble?
►Volvo, Bendix Team Up on Safety, Training
►Menig: Technology Solutions for Trailers

As you peruse the articles, you’ll see that we, too, have changed. Indeed, the Transport Topics quarterly Equipment & Maintenance Update is now Calibrate.

“Why Calibrate?” you might ask.

Well … it’s simple, actually. The industry is in a constant cycle of change, but it’s not so much a change as it is a calibration, an adjustment. Like a technician who not only turns a wrench but also uses a tablet or smartphone to monitor trucking equipment and diagnose maintenance problems, calibration is part of the trucking industry’s work.

And much like the maintenance shop, the core mission of Calibrate will remain the same. The pages may look fresh and new, but they will cover the same important topics and provide the same service to the industry. We will still provide a closer look at trucking equipment and explain the trends and issues that matter most in fleet maintenance. In addition, our columns will continue to explain the intricacies of equipment maintenance and repair, and of course, TMC Corner still will provide an overview of the workings of technology and maintenance in the trucking industry.

Equipment & Maintenance Update has long been a staple of Transport Topics. Personally, the publication was part of my evolution as a writer and now as the editor of Calibrate. Going forward, we will use this publication to illustrate, educate and explain the world of equipment and maintenance as we all continue to calibrate our operations.

Enjoy!

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