AVON, Ohio – The Bendix On-Line Brake School has surpassed 200,000 registered users since its 2013 debut.
“Reaching a wide range of industry professionals with free expert education when it fits their schedule – that’s been the purpose of Brake-School.com since its launch,” said TJ Thomas, Bendix director – marketing and customer solutions. “Knowledge sharing and access to in-depth, up-to-date technical information are crucial components of fleet, vehicle, and highway safety. We’re grateful for everyone who’s turned to the Bendix experts as a resource, and we’ll continue working to support their efforts toward safer highways and vehicles.”
Accessible Instruction
According to a company press release, Bendix On-Line Brake School has delivered expert, accessible instruction and technical education to the trucking industry. Brake-School.com is a continually evolving platform that provides easy and convenient access to more than 100 courses, as well as customized educational plans for fleets and industry organizations. The ever-expanding, 24/7/365 education resource reaches drivers, technicians, distributors, fleet personnel, owner-operators, and others responsible for keeping North America’s fleets and truckers rolling safely.
Full Spectrum Education
Through registration at Brake-School.com, students can access a curriculum covering the full spectrum of braking and active vehicle safety system product topics, all developed by the team at Bendix. Courses tackle the latest technologies, as well as basic foundational components, providing general education on product features and operation, troubleshooting, diagnostics, and maintenance best practices.
“Ongoing communication between the Bendix sales team and Bendix customers is a key to the program’s success,” Thomas said.
The Brake-School.com curriculum is a byproduct of direct requests from fleet, OE, and aftermarket customers, as well as insights and trends identified by the company’s sales and marketing team.
“Our customers share a drive for vehicle service efficiency, technology operational awareness, and lower total cost of ownership,” Thomas said. “We listen carefully and respond to their needs, developing educational programs to support them.”
Brake-School.com Featured Courses
- Air disc brakes.
- Air dryers.
- Bendix ACom PRO and Bendix ACom AE diagnostic tools.
- Compressors.
- Electronic safety systems (including side object detection, lane departure warning, tire pressure monitoring, stability, and the Bendix Wingman and Bendix Fusion family of collision mitigation technologies).
- Foundation drum brakes.
- Slack adjusters.
- Trailer safety systems.
- Valves.
Courses currently number 126 in all, exploring complex systems in-depth while offering an easy-to-navigate interface. Others discuss highway safety and Reduced Stopping Distance (RSD). Additionally, the Bendix On-Line Brake School offers a comprehensive air brake education course from the team that developed the widely respected in-person Bendix Brake Training School.
Providing Customized Programs
According to the release, in close cooperation with customer needs, Bendix offers customized programming to make the best use of everyone’s time and resources, enabling companies to monitor their registered employees’ participation and progress through Brake-School.com courses. Remote education sessions can also be set up directly with fleets and technicians.
“One size doesn’t fit all – every trucking company can have a specific set of education needs, whether it’s a single-vehicle operation, a fleet of several thousand, or any number in between,” Thomas said. “From the launch of the portal, integrating Brake-School.com’s content into our customers’ training programs with ease and efficiency has been a constant goal. Specialized plans and tracking systems put these tools in the hands of the people who best know their fleet requirements.”
Expert Industry Support Where and When It’s Needed
The company’s online brake school is only one way Bendix helps to support the needs of the commercial vehicle industry. Bendix’s history as a leader in providing a broad menu of technical know-how dates back more than a half-century.
The in-person Bendix Brake Training School is among the industry’s longest-running programs, offering training via two- and three-day brake schools across the United States. Live demonstrations of Bendix technology throughout the year continue to be available at Bendix’s regional demos, where drivers, technicians, and others can experience various safety technologies right from the passenger seat.
Bendix’s comprehensive portfolio of education and product information access also includes B2Bendix.com, the company’s robust ecommerce platform featuring high-resolution, 360-degree views of more than 11,500 Bendix products, kits, and related service items. It delivers streamlined product searches, accelerated ordering, online warranty and core services, verification of genuine parts, software downloads, and more.
Additional Bendix post-sales support options include webinars, podcasts, blogs, and video tech talks. The Bendix Knowledge Dock multimedia center at knowledge-dock.com offers access to archives of Bendix Tech Tips and the “Truck Talk with Bendix” podcast, which includes the Driver Insight series for the people behind the wheel. The Bendix YouTube channel also provides provides Bendix Tech Talks from industry shows, as well as OE-specific demonstrations and instructional videos.
Heart of Bendix Education
Field-tested sales and service professionals form the heart of Bendix’s education programs. Combined, the Bendix veteran field Service Engineers and the Bendix Tech Team at 1-800-AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725) are an expert technical support group providing service advice, brake system troubleshooting, and product training.
“For more than 60 years, Bendix braking experts have defined the standard of excellence in education for the commercial vehicle industry,” Thomas said. “Through Brake-School.com and many other resources, we’re proud to maintain that legacy and support the individuals and teams who help keep today’s highly advanced commercial vehicles on the road and in safe operating condition.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
