The National Truck Equipment Assn. (NTEA) is co-sponsoring a seminar next month to help commercial truck and transportation equipment manufacturers comply with the new Early Warning Reporting Criteria.

Co-hosted by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Assn. (RVIA) and the Motorcycle Industry Council, the seminar will look at the early warning criteria mandated by the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act. The seminar will be held Nov. 14 in Washington D.C.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently issued regulations mandated by Congress in the TREAD Act to help identify motor vehicle and equipment defect trends. These new TREAD Act regulations mandate that all manufacturers of motor vehicles, including trailers and motor vehicle equipment, report certain information regarding problems associated with an extensive list of vehicle components to NHTSA every quarter beginning with the second quarter of 2003.
Two levels of reporting have been identified -- a lower level for equipment manufacturers and motor vehicle manufacturers with an annual production of less than 500 vehicles, and a higher level of reporting for larger motor vehicle manufacturers. As part of its member advocacy activities, the NTEA is also working with the NHTSA to expand the definition of "small-volume manufacturer." The association hopes to expand the definition significantly beyond the current level of less than 500 vehicles per year so that more manufacturers of commercial truck and transportation equipment will fall into the lower level of reporting.
At the highest level of reporting, reports are required for every model of vehicle manufactured and include, but are not limited to, the number of warranty claims, property damage claims, consumer complaints, certain legal proceedings, fires, deaths and injuries. Small volume motor vehicle manufacturers and equipment manufacturers are only required to report on deaths involving their products.
Erika Jones, a partner in the law firm of Mayer, Brown, Rowe and Maw, Washington, D.C., and former chief counsel for NHTSA, is the foremost vehicle industry expert on Early Warning Reporting and is the featured speaker.
The cost of the seminar is $225 per person. Registration is required prior to Nov. 7 due to limited space. To register, contact Tami Wilson at RVIA's Standards and Education Department at (800) 336-0154, Ext. 348.