The crucial role of tyre technicians in keeping our roads safe can often be overlooked, but with more organisations now using irtec Tyre to accredit their engineers and establish a measure of best practice, the contribution they make to road safety is becoming more apparent.
Last January, Bridgestone became the first organisation to trial the new tyre accreditation scheme, irtec Tyre, by testing technicians on their practical and theoretical skills.
Now Tructyre, the Tyre fleet management specialist, has become the latest organisation to trial irtec Tyre, with four technicians at the Ashford depot accredited in recent months, and John Brand, Group Operations Manager, believes the scheme will thrive due to the impartiality of its assessments.
He said: “The key distinction with irtec Tyre is the objectivity, as the assessments are done independently. There could be a tendency to mark favourably when doing in-house assessments, as it can reflect the quality of training. With irtec Tyre, the technicians are graded impartially and given proper evaluation of their abilities. If they do not pass, they will be told exactly where they need to improve.”
Daniel Moir, SOE Head of Operations, said: “It can be a difficult environment to work in, given how much of the job is done at the side of the road, often in adverse weather conditions. Drivers want reassurance that the tyres on their vehicles are being maintained by a trained professional, and irtec tyre aims to do just that. Faulty tyres can go unnoticed, but the consequence of a faulty tyre does not.”
