Intermodal transportation provider installs driver training, maintenance program
Online training for about 120 technicians at Interstate Distributor is used as an advancement program.
CarriersEdge, a Canada-based provider of online safety and compliance training tools for the North American transportation industry, announced that Interstate Distributor, Tacoma, Wash., is using its platform to provide customized maintenance training. Driver and maintenance training needs at the company are being managed on the CarriersEdge system, and an integration with the carrier’s human resources operation is used to distribute training materials and company policies and track compliance.
“We moved our entire maintenance training program to the CarriersEdge platform and used their expertise to review and adjust those materials, so they are presented in a learning format designed for adults,” says Scott Manthey CDS, vice president of safety and compliance at Interstate Distributor. “We also integrated CarriersEdge with our human resources system, so we can use it to deliver new policies and company updates and track that training is being completed. CarriersEdge has become a huge part of our organization because it is convenient, user-friendly and a product that fits many of our needs.”
Interstate Distributor provides regional and trans-continental refrigerated and intermodal transportation services with a network of terminal and yard facilities in major markets throughout the United States, western Canada and along the Mexican border.
Online training for about 120 technicians at Interstate Distributor is used as an advancement program. Technician training courses on the CarriersEdge platform include everything from basic service to in-depth repair and component replacement, as well as shop safety topics.
Converting from another supplier, Interstate Distributor utilizes CarriersEdge training for about 1,700 drivers. The training library covers defensive driving, hours of service, cargo securement and hazardous materials, among others, for re-training following a regulatory or company policy violation.
“CarriersEdge content and its adult learning focus are clearly superior to the program we used in the past,” Manthey adds. “We also polled our drivers, and they like the ability to complete training online without having to come into a terminal, and that has a positive impact on productivity.
“Tracking compliance is much better and simpler with CarriersEdge,” Manthey says. “Before, it was hard for fleet managers to monitor a driver’s progress. With CarriersEdge, we have better accountability because the system automatically sends updates and notifications.”
“The CarriersEdge approach is to provide training without impacting operations and to present complex topics in an interactive context,” says Jane Jazrawy, chief executive officer at CarriersEdge. “We are pleased that Interstate Distributor has adopted our library of safety and compliance courses, and has also realized the benefits of our approach for maintenance training, as well as our ability to help manage compliance more effectively.”
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