TIA ATS tour certifies trainers nationwide

Dec. 11, 2012

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has released the results of surveys completed by students of the 2012 Advanced Automotive Tire Service (ATS) Instructor Tour.

The four-day, in-depth hands-on training classes were conducted around the U.S. with the goal of educating tire retailers on the proper procedures and guidelines for servicing passenger and light truck tire and wheel assemblies.

The tour was created to develop a network of qualified instructors from coast-to-coast who can train technicians on a regional basis to improve the image of the industry. TIA visited 24 cities in 2012 and had 170 participants.

"Our goal was to reach as many people as possible using the ‘train-the-trainer’ approach that has been incredibly successful since 1997 in the truck tire industry," says Kevin Rohlwing, TIA senior vice president of training.

"By visiting cities all across the country, we now have certified ATS instructors in almost every metropolitan area, significantly increasing the access to TIA's ATS certification for tire retailers. We are confident that a highly trained workforce will raise the bar for the industry and promote safety on the highway and in the shop."

Of the 110 attendees who returned the survey, 106 rated the course as excellent, and everyone would recommend it to others. Students were also given the opportunity to provide comments, and the majority was positive. Here are a few quotes from the attendees:

  • "One of the best and most informative classes I have ever attended!"
  • "I learned more in three days than I ever expected. Thank you for changing my perspective on the industry."
  • "Anyone who wants to take their business to the next level should take this course."

The 2012 ATS Training Tour was sponsored by numerous industry suppliers, who also provided company-specific information for each student in addition to products that were used during the hands-on portions of the course.

"A huge part of the success of the Tour is due to our generous sponsors," says Roy Littlefield, TIA executive vice president. "This Tour was a brand-new idea and had never been attempted before. They took a risk and put their faith in TIA's brand and it paid off for everyone involved."

The sponsors for the 2012 ATS Instructor Tour are:

1800EveryRim

AME International

American Tire Distributors

ATEQ Inc.

BADA Hennessy Industries

Bartec USA LLC

Continental Automotive Systems US Inc.

Dill Air Controls

Group 31

Ingersoll-Rand

Mighty Auto Parts

Modern Tire Dealer

Mohawk Rubber Sales

Myers Tire Supply

NAPA Tire Hardware

Patch Rubber

Plombco Inc.

REMA Tip Top

Tech International

Tiremetrix

Tuffy Manufacturing

 

At TIA’s first ATS Tour stop in North Canton, Ohio, Modern Tire Dealer Senior Editor Bob Bissler participated and is now a certified ATS instructor.

For more information go to http://tinyurl.com/tiatour or contact Director of Training Chris Marnett at [email protected] or (800) 876-8372 x106.