Squeezed Out
I had an unusual conversation at the Mid-America Truck Show a few weeks back that keeps rattling around in my brain for some reason (a lot of things rattle around in my brain, but that’s another story). At MATS, I was talking to specific component suppliers about a specific Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Recommended Practice (RP). Not only did I assume that all of the component suppliers would be familar with the RP (they were), I also assumed that many of them would have taken part in developing the RP (they weren’t.) And therein lies a problem.
For those of you who don’t follow TMC activities, an RP is a maintenance standard developed by a Task Force that ideally consists of both fleet maintenance professionals and technical experts from OEMs and component suppliers. I said ideally, because it doesn’t always work out that way.
I found that out the hard way when I asked representatives of one of these component suppliers about this particular RP, and I was told that they had wanted to participate but had backed out of the Task Force in question… I asked why, and they said that the Task Force had been more or less “taken over” by a competing component supplier, and that the RP was essentially a reflection of that one company’s needs and concerns. Because of this, the folks I was talking to had pulled their company out of the TMC and never looked back.
Now, obviously, something about the way the TMC goes about its work has failed in this instance, although it’s hard to say just what. TMC Task Forces are volunteer-driven, and the spoils often go to to those who are willing to volunteer. Still, I imagine the type of falling out and disillusionment that was described to me is quite common, and it seems to me that the TMC should be taking a close look at these issues. Losing membership over turf wars is not an acceptable option.
April 18th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Sounds like sour grapes to me. Did this individual discuss this issue with the Study Group Chairman under which the Task force fell? Did they drop-out because they didn’t get their way? There are always two sides to every story. Don’t slam TMC without getting all of the facts. Any good reporter knows that. I’ve been around TMC long enough to know that there always underlying issues which can make or break the efforts of a Task Force.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Boy… may be sour grapes. I’ve been involved in the production of numerous RP’s in the S-1 group and even though thru various phases we didn’t all agree… we came to a resolution before we moved on or continued on and circled back to that bone of contention for resolution after we’d done some research. We always have component suppliers, truck OEMs, Industry Experts, and Fleets represented. You do make a good point that “the spoils often go to those who are willing to volunteer”… and they should! If you are involved you can get something done! If you are not involved you’ll just have to accept what others produce. These RP’s take lot’s of time, “free” work, time from your real job, and a commitment to improving a industry. I would doubt that someone would be cut out as long as he stayed involved and was productive. Is it possible that this person / company just didn’t get his way and quit?
April 24th, 2008 at 11:04 am
OK now I see why my parts are so high. You guys just talk (full of bull s**t) you don’t have a clue what trucking is about. You guys are a waste of time. You are spending money that I could use for my fuel bill, which by the way would pay all of your wages for a year in just one month. Oh thanks for taking my mind off our government who has ripped me off more than you. And by the way my small company (I have 14 trucks) puts 3 million dollars back in my community every year. (Except for 1 million going to our governments for taxes) So give me a brake and get and get a real job. Sorry for being so blunt but enough is enough.