The Tire Industry Association (TIA) will take its Certified Commercial Tire Service (CTS) program on the road next year.
The "CTS Training Tour" will stop in 20 different cities across the United States from Feb. 4 through April 11. It will sponsor back-to-back, one-day seminars per city beginning in Akron, Ohio, and ending in Sacramento, Calif.
The purpose of the "tour" is to offer CTS training and certification to hundreds of technicians who might not otherwise receive them. Normally, CTS training is held at TIA's training headquarters in Louisville, Ky.
"This training is critical for all employees in commercial tire businesses," says TIA President Tom Raben. "OSHA regulations require documented training for any employee who handles inflated truck tires and wheels, regardless of their level of experience.
"This course certifies that the OSHA-mandated training has taken place. This is one of the most important training courses offered in the commercial tire market."
TIA will charge a flat fee for each student in the touring program, regardless of TIA membership status. The cost for the one-day seminar is $250 for each participant who does not have a copy of the 250-page TIA Commercial Tire Service Manual. For those students who already have a copy, the cost is $175.
Students who successfully complete the certification exam will receive a TIA certificate, 13 uniform emplems and a two-year subscription to "CommercialTireServicetoday."
TIA's Certified CTS Technician Program covers OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Standard 29 CFR 1910.177, manufacturer guidelines and industry-recommended practices for servicing truck tires and wheels.
Topics include tire construction, OSHA regulations, zipper rupture inspection procedures, road service safety guidelines, vehicle jacking procedures, hub-piloted and stud-piloted wheel inspection, installation and torque specifications, demountable rim inspection, mounting and inflation procedures, general tire repair guidelines, nail hole repair procedures and more.
TIA's program exceeds OSHA's minimum training requirements, adds Raben.
Jeff Faubion, president of Tire Training Services in Denver, Colo., will teach all of the Training Tour courses. Formerly national service trainer for Bandag Inc.'s Tire Distribution Systems subsidiary, he has four years of experience as a TIA Certified CTS instructor.
For information and registration forms, contact TIA by phone at 800-426-8835 or by FAX at 502-964-7859, or visit the association's Web site at www.tireindustry.org.
The CTS program, launched in 1997, has trained and certified more than 800 instructors and 8,000 technicians. An additional 2,000 technicians have completed the association's Basic CTS Program.
