Alltrucks multi-brand certification: Why operators and technicians are aiming for it

In many commercial vehicle workshops, mixed fleets are part of day-to-day business. When a lorry from a different make comes in, it is usually already out of action. The customer needs it back quickly, and time is tight. Using a multi-brand diagnostic tool, the technician can read out the control units from various manufacturers via a single interface. The key is then to ensure that they read the fault memory accurately and narrow down the cause. This means they replace fewer parts on a hunch and keep downtime to a minimum.

The same question arises with regard to the trailer. It is often a different make to the tractor unit, and its EBS comes from a separate supplier. After replacing a modulator, the workshop must reconfigure the system. The EBS, modulator and PIN therefore determine whether the trailer remains in the workshop’s own premises.

For many of our partners, their own brand forms the basis of their business. Manufacturer training remains the cornerstone of this, and warranties, genuine parts and manufacturer-specific software continue to be provided through the brand channel. Alltrucks training programmes complement this approach by offering multi-brand services alongside the brand agreement. This includes third-party EBS systems, exhaust gas control and automated transmission control systems, which are rarely covered to the same extent in brand-specific training.

The Alltrucks multi-brand certification is a training programme comprising eight modules, leading to two certificates. The partner company with the highest standard of training is a testament to a site’s expertise. Anyone who has completed all the training modules themselves is designated a Multi-Brand Systems Technician. Both titles are based on the same series.

The two-year qualification period begins upon registration. Please check beforehand which courses your staff have already attended, as these will be credited to you as an existing partner. The same applies to high-voltage systems. Any existing OE training for Level 2S or 3S in accordance with DGUV 209-093 is recognised by us as equivalent to the high-voltage training. Many authorised dealerships have already established this qualification for their own brand anyway. As soon as an electric lorry enters the workshop, you will need such qualified personnel for high-voltage work.

It is not necessary for a single colleague to attend all eight modules in order to obtain the operational certificate. Decide who will undertake which training course and coordinate the dates with your team’s work schedule. This ensures that knowledge remains in-house, even if someone is on holiday or off sick. That is why the certificate belongs to the site and is not tied to any one individual. Anyone wishing to become a multi-brand systems technician themselves should schedule all eight sessions for themselves and complete them alongside their day-to-day work.

The training programme comprises eight qualifications. We have developed six of these ourselves for our network; they are available exclusively from Alltrucks.

• Multi-brand diagnostic tester with Trailer PIN, available exclusively from Alltrucks
• Multi Trailer EBS, exclusively at Alltrucks
• Modern braking systems in lorries and buses
• Engine Management 1, exclusively at Alltrucks
• Engine Management 2, exclusively at Alltrucks
• Efficient diagnostics for exhaust control systems, exclusively at Alltrucks
• Automated transmission control systems, available exclusively from Alltrucks
• High-voltage technology as a qualified person 2S

The course on the multi-brand diagnostic tester with Trailer PIN lasts three days. As a new partner, you will attend this course during your first year of membership as an integral part of your training programme. Thereafter, our partners work with the Alltrucks diagnostics system and the KTS Truck V3. This combines Bosch’s diagnostic software with integrated Knorr-Bremse functionality.

In addition to the six exclusive courses, the series includes High-Voltage Systems – Level 2 Specialist and Modern Braking Systems in Trucks and Buses. This package, which includes a training pass and two certificates, makes the series unique. The title ‘Alltrucks Multi-Brand Systems Technician’ is only available publicly through Alltrucks.

Each attendance is recorded in the personal training log. Please ensure that the entry is correct after each session, as both you and your technician can see from the pass which modules are still missing. Once all eight have been ticked off, you submit the completed pass. Certification then follows, and we award the Alltrucks seal of approval to you and your partner company.

The training sessions are challenging, which is why the content really sticks. The greatest benefits come from diagnostics and the systems that are used on the farm every day: trailers, exhaust systems and gearboxes. With third-party makes, uncertainty often centres on the EBS and the exhaust system. Those who can read actual values and narrow down the fault can ask more targeted questions and are less likely to replace components on a hunch. On the trailer, the technician reads out faults and measured values stored via the EBS. Using the correct PIN, they adjust the parameters after a component has been replaced.

In the case of an automated manual gearbox, for example, the control unit must programme the new clutch via diagnostics following a clutch replacement. A new gearbox control unit is also commissioned via a diagnostic procedure. In the exhaust after-treatment system, a fault in the SCR system often leads to a reduction in performance, and the lorry needs to be back on the road quickly. The cause is frequently a fault with an NOx sensor or the AdBlue dosing system. Using the measurement results, you can decide – following clear diagnostic steps – whether your workshop should carry out the repair itself or refer the case to a specialist.

Fleet customers often ask whether a service centre can diagnose and repair their vehicles. This question comes up particularly often when a fleet comprises several different makes, trailers and vans. The certificate builds trust with these customers and underpins a fast, targeted service. Please mention it in the order acceptance section when an existing customer with a mixed fleet makes an enquiry or when a job is outside the warranty period.

Within our own organisation, the role of the multi-brand systems engineer is becoming increasingly important. If a fleet vehicle of a different make comes in, colleagues ask him first. In doing so, he passes on his knowledge to the team, so that his colleagues can also handle other makes with greater confidence.

Your systems consultant will be happy to discuss with you in person which components you still need to complete the certification process, as well as any questions you may have regarding the certification.

Would you like to register for certification? As usual, you’ll find the registration link on the Alltrucks portal. We look forward to receiving your registration!