CVSA Forms Strategic Alliance to Enhance CMV Safety

CVSA, Zurich Services Corporation, Interactive Driving Systems Unveil Online Airbrake Training

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2007; The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in association with Zurich Services Corporation and Interactive Driving Systems, has completed the development of an online airbrake training program to enhance commercial motor vehicle safety across North America.

The online training program, called Virtual Risk Manager -- Airbrakes, responds to the recommendations identified in a March 2006 U.S. government study that found brake deficiencies are a factor in nearly 30 percent of all serious truck crashes that involve a fatality or injury. According to CVSA, the findings show that brake training is essential to increase drivers, mechanics and roadside safety enforcement officer's knowledge of airbrake systems.

"Drivers, inspectors and mechanics require reliable and readily available information to assist in developing proficiency and skills," said Collin Mooney, CVSA, Director of Enforcement Programs. "When it comes to these systems, we need to increase awareness of the unique and special characteristics of airbrake systems."

The online training program leverages the use of multimedia technology to help drivers, mechanics and safety enforcement officers understand the workings of airbrake systems. The program delivers virtual training based on recognized sources from industry experts, and contains the recommendations made in the February 2006 National Transportation Safety Board report on the adjustment of automatic slack adjusters.

The program is an interactive experience with instructional animations and a narrator to guide users through the program. At every step throughout the program, users will have access to interactive exercises to help them master the concepts and practicalities of working with airbrake technology and is structured to cater to all levels of experience and education.

Users begin with a 'Training Needs Analysis' designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in the users' knowledge. As a result, individual training programs are automatically assembled to help the user focus on their weaknesses before taking the final assessment.

In the final assessment, every user takes a 50-question knowledge check that confirms their mastery of the entire subject and generates a certificate of completion for their employers training records. Additionally, individual users will also receive a full color presentation certificate and a glove box resource guide to better ensure they have key information available to them away from the computer, including CVSA guidance on what to expect during a roadside inspection.

"We are very pleased to work with CVSA and Interactive Driving Systems to make available training that we hope will reduce serious truck accidents," said Armand Fernandez, Vice President, Zurich Services Corporation. "We are always looking for opportunities to proactively stop accidents from occurring in the first place."

"A huge amount of work has gone in to creating Virtual Risk Manager - Airbrakes, that takes full advantage of the technology available to us today," said Ed Dubens, Interactive Driving Systems. "Every user of this program has an opportunity to create their own training course targeted towards their individual strengths and weaknesses."

For more information, visit http://www.virtualriskmanager.net/airbrakes and enjoy free access to the Airbrake Challenge to determine if your drivers, mechanics or enforcement officers would benefit from the program.

CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals; uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more on CVSA visit http://www.cvsa.org/.