AI, Safety, and Technician Training Take Center Stage This Fall

TMC Fall Meeting focuses on AI, safety and technician skills

PITTSBURGH — After the 2026 Technology & Maintenance Council SuperTech competition, the Technology & Maintenance Council Fall Meeting shifted its focus to the tools, diagnostic systems and workforce skills shaping truck and trailer maintenance.

The Sept. 20-24 meeting brought fleet maintenance professionals, technicians, equipment suppliers and service providers together under the theme “The Convergence of Technology & Maintenance.” The program reflected the growing overlap between traditional hands-on repair work, electronic vehicle systems, data-driven fleet decisions and emerging artificial intelligence applications.

For professional drivers, those changes are increasingly visible at the roadside and in the shop. Trucks and trailers rely on more electronic controls, while maintenance teams are being asked to diagnose problems quickly and keep equipment available for service. The meeting’s sessions addressed both sides of that challenge: the technology being added to modern fleets and the practical skills needed to use it effectively.

Competition highlights technician skills

Technician development remained a central part of the event through the TMCSuperTech and TMCFutureTech competitions. The events tested participants’ knowledge and troubleshooting abilities in a hands-on setting, putting attention on the importance of skilled maintenance personnel as equipment becomes more complex.

Jameson Haney, a senior mobile trailer repair technician with Cox Fleet, said the most noticeable change in this year’s SuperTech competition was the event’s layout and pace. His observation pointed to a broader issue for fleet maintenance: technicians must be able to work efficiently while moving between different systems, tools and diagnostic tasks.

That skill set matters beyond a competition floor. A technician working on a disabled trailer or tractor may need to identify an electrical issue, interpret electronic information, make a repair and return the vehicle to service under time pressure. Training events such as SuperTech provide a way to measure those abilities and highlight the value of experience and continued education.

AI moves into the maintenance discussion

New for 2026, TMC and Transport Topics co-hosted The AI Summit, a separate collection of discussions focused on how artificial intelligence is affecting maintenance and trucking operations. The summit was designed for a broad audience that included maintenance, operations, information technology, finance and executive personnel.

The program included seven educational sessions on the application of AI to fleet operations. One scheduled session, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) 101: What Fleets Need to Know,” featured Robert Braswell, Hans Galland, Chas Wurster, Greg Dieterich, Justin Brevik and Seth Clevenger.

The summit’s inclusion in the Fall Meeting reflected the industry’s effort to place AI within the larger context of fleet management rather than treat it as a separate technology topic. For maintenance departments, that means considering how data and software may support equipment decisions, technician training and fleet performance while still relying on established inspection, diagnostic and repair practices.

The meeting materials described the summit as connecting technical execution with business strategy. That approach is relevant to drivers because maintenance decisions affect vehicle availability, roadside interruptions and the condition of equipment placed into service. At the same time, the event’s programming did not replace the practical focus of the broader meeting, which continued to address specific repair and diagnostic skills.

Diagnostics and tools remain practical priorities

One technical session, “CAN Do Two: An Advanced Dive Into Controlled Area Network (CAN) Communications Diagnostics,” focused on a core issue in modern truck repair. CAN communications allow vehicle systems to exchange electronic information, and problems within those networks can affect troubleshooting across the tractor or trailer.

Electronic diagnostics can be especially important when a fault is not immediately visible. Understanding how systems communicate helps technicians distinguish between a failed component, a wiring problem and an issue involving network communication. Faster and more accurate diagnosis can reduce unnecessary parts replacement and limit the time a vehicle spends out of service.

Another session traced the development of cordless tools, from pneumatic equipment and early nickel-cadmium battery models to current lithium-ion platforms. Milwaukee Tool presenters Parker Clary, a key account manager, and AJ Fusco, a key account manager for transportation maintenance, described the changes in runtime and power that accompanied the newer systems.

For technicians, cordless equipment can affect how repairs are performed in the shop, at a terminal or in the field. The discussion connected tool development with the practical demands of transportation maintenance, where access to equipment and the ability to work efficiently can vary from one repair location to another.

Technology paired with hands-on expertise

The Fall Meeting’s combination of AI programming, electronic diagnostics, tool development and technician competitions underscored a straightforward reality for trucking: new technology does not eliminate the need for skilled people. Instead, it changes the information and equipment technicians must understand.

The meeting also included fleet-focused discussions, a town meeting and fleet operators’ forum, along with the TMCSuperTech and TMCFutureTech awards banquet. Together, those sessions kept the emphasis on the connection between equipment technology and the people responsible for keeping trucks and trailers safe, reliable and productive.