Update on Elite Truck & Van Body Repair Standard
Tom Hudd, national technical manager, VBRA gives CVW an update on the Elite Truck & Van Body Repair Standard.
Back in September 2022, the Vehicle Builders and Repair Association (VBRA) launched its Elite Truck & Van Body Repair Standard. The rationale was clear. We wanted to reduce risk, improve the quality of the repair network and ultimately lower costs by avoiding costly rectification of poor workmanship. Only the framing of a nationally recognised repair standard for commercial vehicles could achieve that. Hence, we launched the Elite Truck & Van Body Repair Standard.
Since then things have moved quickly! The VBRA executive committee has seen a change of chairperson and Jason Mole from CarComm Coachworks has formally been appointed as chair. Now then, you may be thinking how does that impact the Elite Truck Standard? CarComm Coachworks was the second repairer to achieve the Elite Truck Standard and as such Jason is well placed to discuss the issues in the commercial repair sector and promote the standard and assist the group in further development.
To quote Jason: “Since achieving the Elite Truck Standard (structural) we have had nothing but praise from both insurance engineers and businesses we work with as it is a transparent means of showing existing and potential customers that CarComm Coachworks is compliant and competent to repair all their types of commercial vehicles. I actively promote this within the commercial repair industry, as it is a long overdue standard, and the good repairers will support this by achieving all its necessary requirements.”
Numbers grow
The VBRA Commercial has seen an influx of members because of the standard and we now have seventeen repairers on the Elite Truck platform either with the standard or working towards the standard.
The VBRA has been approached by several insurers in relation to the standard and how they may adopt it for their network of commercial repairers and discussions are in hand. As a result of the standard Bret Maycock from Bremco has developed training and is due to receive IMI certification on commercial chassis straightening and awareness training which will include ladder chassis and cab chassis which is the first in the UK.
Talking to Brett he said: “ We have always delivered commercial chassis training and the Elite Truck Standard has prompted Bremco to make the next step and have the training certified by the IMI. It has also created an opportunity to create awareness among repairers that would like to progress onto structural repairs. This is also available to insurance engineers and vehicle damage assessors to upskill the sector.”
Next generation
One of the aims of the VBRA is also to address the issue of apprentices and the skills shortage. At present there is no dedicated commercial panel apprentice standard and as such this is causing a vacuum in this sector. The new commercial chassis training/certification will help pull together a specific standard that can entice apprentices into the sector and, more importantly, the likelihood of local colleges being able to offer the training will be significant if we can work with government to fund the apprentice standard correctly.
There is a lot going on and the landscape of commercial accident repair is changing for the better. This should persuade fleet managers and insurers to act in a diligent manner and use commercial repairers that hold the Elite Truck Standard.
Standard recap
The standard consists of several grades of membership:
Elite Truck & Van Body Repair (structural with cab and chassis repair)
Elite Truck Repair (structural with cab and chassis repair)
Elite Van Repair (structural with chassis repair)
Elite Truck & Van (non-structural no cab or chassis repairs)
Each potential Elite Truck & Van Body Repair member must undergo a full audit and inspection before being granted membership. Full details of each member will be held on a VBRA platform specially developed with ITAS which is already used by many manufacturers and insurers. It enables virtual online audit of all qualifications, service and calibration of all equipment with all assets.
This leaves a physical visit to cover any other areas of the standard to be inspected with ongoing inspections being mostly managed online.
The standard will utilise the certifications from the IMI and other bodies to identify competency of technicians in this complex repair sector.
As part of the standard the Elite member will be expected to ensure an independent inspection of completed work over a cost threshold with the inspection available to view online. This is intended to give ongoing quality control to the member and customer.
