BIG NEWS FOR HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES

Major players in the heavy-duty vehicle industry announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on September 15, 2015 regarding access to heavy-duty vehicle service information. Model year 2010 and later trucks, as well as buses over 10,000 lbs sold in the United States and Canada will be the beneficiaries of the MOU.

“The Equipment and Tool Institute is heavily invested in supporting our industry by advocating for the release of diagnostic information to aftermarket equipment and tool companies to ensure that there are options for the safe and effective repair of vehicles. ETI recognizes the importance the aftermarket plays in vehicle repair and the MOU is a viable solution for ETI members, the OEM’s, and independent repair facilities and their customers. It is great to see the positive effects when the aftermarket and manufacturers work together on a common resolution in an effort to eliminate the need for legislative mandates,” said Greg Potter, ETI’s Executive Manager. “Most of the credit for ETI’s involvement on the MOU goes to my predecessor, Charlie Gorman. Charlie did an outstanding job representing ETI in the negotiations and revisions that led to the final version of this document.”
The important memorandum makes it possible for vehicle owners and independent repair facilities to have the necessary access to the OEM-controlled service information, tools, and parts they require to repair commercial vehicles in the fashion they need. This MOU also places great importance on current industry practices of providing diagnostic tool information to third-party manufacturers, which provides owners with service options when maintaining and/or repairing their vehicles.

“The MOU was developed to address concerns expressed by independent service providers that they have better and more-timely access to OEM-controlled information. The MOU helps ensure that access, thereby eliminating any need for state, provincial, or federal regulation,” said Mr. Jed Mandel, EMA President.
Mr. Marc Karon, Chairman of the Commercial Right to Repair Coalition added, “With today’s complex, computer-controlled heavy-duty vehicles, having access to the correct information and latest diagnostic tools is essential to being able to complete repairs for our customers. The MOU addresses our need for reasonable access to OEM service information and diagnostic tools. I am pleased that we were able to finalize a practical and workable solution through the MOU process.”

Under the terms of this landmark MOU, the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network, the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, and other associations will comply in conjunction to monitor the exchange of service information, and address access issues with the goal of helping to ensure that vehicles are properly and safely maintained with the correct parts and tools.

“One of the significant benefits of the MOU is that it addresses the unique characteristics of the heavy-duty vehicle manufacturing industry as well as the special needs of independent heavy-duty repair shops,” Mr. Mandel continued. “With that accomplished, we can avoid a patch-work and potentially disruptive effort to regulate service information through government action.”

Mr. David Scheer, CEO of Inland Truck Parts and Service and a longtime advocate of independent provider access to service information, weighed in as well, “We were able to craft an MOU that benefits independent repair facilities and OEMs as well as our joint customers – heavy-duty vehicle owners and operators.”

Founded in 1947, the Equipment and Tool Institute is a trade association of automotive tool and equipment manufacturers and technical information providers. ETI’s mission is to: Advance the vehicle service industry by providing technical data and open dialog between the manufacturers of transportation products, government regulators and the providers of tools, equipment and service information.

For more details about ETI programs and activities, contact Jessie Korosec, Marketing and Events Manager, Equipment and Tool Institute, 37899 12 Mile Rd, Suite 220, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331. Phone: 248-656-5085; e-mail: jessiek@etools.org.