National Academies Press: OpenBook
« Previous: Front Matter
Page 1
Suggested Citation:"Summary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Use of Automotive Service Excellence Tests Within Transit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23487.
×
Page 1
Page 2
Suggested Citation:"Summary." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Use of Automotive Service Excellence Tests Within Transit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23487.
×
Page 2

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

Use of AUtomotive service excellence tests Within trAnsit The Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) program is nationally recognized as the standard industry credential provider for automotive professionals. What began as a technical knowledge validation program primarily for automotive and truck technicians was expanded, beginning in 2004, to include bus technicians as part of a TCRP-funded project. Test questions are developed by subject matter experts in various vehicle areas, such as engines and braking systems. Participation in the program is voluntary, although some transit agencies pay higher wages to those with ASE certifications. This synthesis documents how the ASE program is accepted and used within the transit bus maintenance community. Barriers preventing more widespread application and suggestions for additional research based on the findings are also provided. A total of 402 survey responses regarding the program were obtained from technicians, instructors, and maintenance managers, supervisors, and union representatives from 16 transit agencies, Also, 108 survey responses were received through a mailing generated by ASE to its list of transit bus participants. A literature review was also conducted to present informa- tion about ASE and its application to bus transit. In addition, three case examples provide targeted insight into how ASE is used to validate technician ability, provide incentives, and enhance training programs. A survey respondent from New York City Transit commented: “This survey is intriguing. I hope it’s used for more than just collecting data.” More than 500 survey responses combined with other investigations revealed several key findings about the ASE Transit Bus Certification Program that could help the program prosper: • Transit technicians, instructors and managers, supervisors, and union representatives value testing and certification as a way to validate technical ability and competence. • ASE is widely respected as the organization to provide national testing and certification for transit bus technicians. • Despite the support, nearly half of maintenance technicians surveyed are not sure about the purpose and value of ASE certification, suggesting that additional communication about the program and its value to transit is needed. A national webinar has been suggested, along with return on investment research. • Although most agencies do not pay maintenance personnel a higher wage for achiev- ing ASE certifications, there is widespread belief among survey respondents that those with ASE certifications should receive increased financial compensation and other incentives. • Although nearly all survey respondents support testing and certification, there are many who do not see it as proof of a technician’s abilities. A majority of all survey respondents believe it is possible to be a good technician but not pass ASE tests, despite ASE’s own studies in the automotive sector showing otherwise. • Labor and management are not seen by survey respondents as doing enough to support ASE in transit, and both groups could do more. sUmmAry

2 • As part of its standards program, APTA has developed training curriculum on a joint labor–management basis that incorporates elements of ASE testing, thereby allowing agencies to establish uniform training programs and increase the likelihood of technicians achieving ASE certifications. • A statewide technician training program in Florida developed by the Florida Department of Transportation and Center for Urban Transportation Research has integrated ASE style testing and tasks as part of its classroom and on-the-job curriculum, and requires students to take and pass all eight ASE transit certification tests as part of its own program. The program is highlighted as a case example. • ASE, Universal Technical Institute, CDX Global, the Southern California Regional Transit Training Consortium, the Transportation Learning Center, and other organizations also offer training assistance to help technicians pass ASE testing. • Training efforts already in place are viewed as insufficient for technicians to pass ASE testing. A majority of all survey respondents say they need more training. • The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, another case example, contracts its maintenance services and insists on ASE certification as a way to validate the contractor’s technical competence in maintaining the agency’s fleet and satisfying contractual obligations. • VIA Metropolitan Transit, San Antonio, Texas, the third case example, integrates elements of ASE to provide technician training and financial compensation. The findings report that transit maintenance personnel, like their peers in the automotive industry and other craft professionals, take pride in passing tests and acquiring certifications that validate their knowledge and skills. ASE is accepted by most agencies as the organization to provide such certifications, although more can be done to increase awareness of the program and prove its value to transit. Most of the transit maintenance personnel surveyed report that they require more training in an industry where ensuring passenger safety is paramount and where the pace of technological change is accelerating. In addition, about half of those technicians surveyed do not believe the training they receive is sufficient to pass ASE testing and achieve certification. The findings show that most technicians seek recognition for their abilities through certification, yet many believe there is not sufficient training to achieve it. Of the many comments received, several noted that technicians responsible for maintaining safety equipment on vehicles are not required to be certified.

Next: Chapter One - Introduction »
Use of Automotive Service Excellence Tests Within Transit Get This Book
×
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

TRB's Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 120: Use of Automotive Service Excellence Tests Within Transit documents how the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) program is accepted and used within the transit bus maintenance community. The ASE program is nationally recognized as the standard industry credential provider for automotive professionals. The report explores how a cross section of transit bus maintenance personnel view the ASE certification program and summarizes their perspectives to improve ASE certification acceptance and participation.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!