The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) has announced a new alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle safety training suite of products.
The courses, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, will provide multiple new, underserved audiences with technical experience working on alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and advanced technology vehicles, thus filling a critical gap in educational opportunities and reducing apprehension and resistance to support these vehicles.
The courses include: AFV/EV Collision Repair Technician Training (classroom); AFV/EV Fueling, Repair, Maintenance and Conversion Facility Training (classroom); AFV and Advanced Technology Vehicle Training for Towing and Roadside Assistance (online); AFV and Advanced Technology Vehicle Training for Automotive Recycling Operators (online).
“The need for proper training really extends to a much larger audience than anyone previously considered. These cars are becoming more and more commonplace. Yet how many of us have considered what happens after these vehicles outlive their usefulness? What happens to your Prius after an accident or when it finally ends up in a salvage yard?” asked NAFTC Director Bill Davis.
These new trainings are tailored to the needs of workers who may come into contact with AFVs and advanced technology vehicles throughout or near the end of the vehicle’s lifespan. These audiences include collision repair personnel; maintenance technicians; repair facility personnel; tow truck and roadside assistance operators; and recycling operators.
The trainings will cover basic characteristics of various alternative fuels, proper protective equipment, potential hazards and issues of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, and safe procedures to work with these vehicles. The individual courses will be made available online or in classroom settings as the depth of the material and potential safety considerations dictate.
“Training participants will study in either a classroom or online environment according to the amount of hands on training that is needed for them to safely do their job.
“While some audiences can study the material online and learn everything that they need to do their job when encountering AFVs, other workers require more extensive, hands-on training and need to understand more technical aspects of AFV systems to safely work with these vehicles.
“Our goal is to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with an alternative fuel vehicle is trained to safely work with it,” said Davis.
The suite of trainings will be available nationwide in the spring of 2017.
