TORONTO, Ont. — Long recognized as a provider of quality online training modules for automotive technicians, the Cars Network is turning its attention to the heavy-duty trucking industry.

The Cars Council is a not-for-profit sector group funded by the federal government that develops online training programs for auto technicians and the Cars Network is the organization charged with delivering that training. As it spreads its reach to the trucking industry, the group will be known as Trucks on Demand. The group has been providing online training for auto technicians since the early 90s and is now preparing to launch a series of training programs for heavy-duty technicians through a new Web site TrucksonDemand.ca.

“What I’ve heard from the industry in the last six or seven months since we began working with the heavy-duty sector of the industry is that there really isn’t that much aftermarket training available,” Linda Brown, manager of industry relations with Cars Network told Trucknews.com. “I think this will prove itself to be a very cost-effective and convenient way for our technicians to access quality training.”

Each training program will be two hours in length and delivered entirely online. It will be accompanied by a 20-25 page learning guide featuring diagrams, illustrations and schematics. Upon completion of the course, the technician will take a test and be awarded with a certificate if achieving a grade of 75% or greater.

The group has already developed a half-dozen or so training programs, which will be uploaded to the site in September, Brown announced. Topics include: computerized management systems; diesel emission controls; electronic braking controls; and multiplexing, to name a few. In addition, Trucks on Demand will offer previously developed training courses on business management and light- and medium-duty truck repair.

“The way we arrive at determining what topics we will be covering is, we have an advisory committee consisting of key stakeholders within the heavy-duty sector, fleet managers, independent garage owners, a few OEMs and people who represent educational institutions,” Brown explained. “We bring these people together and they provide guidance and direction on what training is required to address the industry’s needs. They provide the topics and then we develop the curriculum.”

The online training involves visual demonstrations to replicate a classroom environment, Brown said, but the course can be taken at the technician’s convenience.

“People can come into the shop in the morning, do a bit of training and then as the shop gets busy go back on the shop floor and when the day is over, go home, have dinner and finish the course at that point in time,” Brown explained.  She also pointed out the online courses are easy to use, even for those with minimal computer skills.

Fleets and service providers that are interested in providing the training courses to their technicians must subscribe to the service. They’ll pay a monthly fee depending on how many technicians they have. Fleet managers or shop supervisors will be able to log in and view the courses their technicians have completed.

“This provides a very cost-effective way for people to get the training they need to stay up to date,” Brown said. “Everybody has expressed a lot of interest and enthusiasm with regards to this training. It’s been a long time coming and I think there’s a need for this training. It’s been difficult to find a source of aftermarket training for journeymen and I think once people have the opportunity to experience Trucks on Demand, I think they’re going to be sold on it.”

For more info, you can visit www.TrucksonDemand.ca in mid to late September or to get an idea of what the site will look like, you can visit the already existing CarsonDemand.com Web site. You can also call 888-224-3834 for more information.