The purpose of the BharatBenz Regional Training Centres is to upskill and reskill the capability and competence of more than 3,500 drivers and, sales and service personnel across the BharatBenz network, annually.

The company reported that sales of Maxus vans grew by 46% in 2023, while its battery electric vans took fourth place in the UK LCV-EV market, and it forecasts growth of 50% across all brands this year. 

The new training centre, representing an investment of more than GBP300,000 from Volvo UK, houses three fully-equipped training bays, each large enough to accommodate two trucks, alongside a classroom.

The five locations which were recently added were Vanguard Truck Centers dealerships in Phoenix, Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Austin and Houston, Texas.

It is a 26,000-square-metre facility capable of producing up to 16,000 units per year; following a planned expansion to 40,000 square metres, it will be capable of producing 50,000 units.

The educational tour will stop off at all 34 DAF Trucks’ truck sales and aftermarket services centres in the UK and Ireland, to deliver in-person, hands-on training for all staff.

The aim is to increase road safety and to improve job satisfaction to increase driver retention throughout the country.

BharatBenz is a brand name of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, which is fully supported by Daimler Truck AG

Called ‘Decarbonisation Academy’, Renault Trucks’ educational platform is intended to “demystify” electric vehicles and provide clear and accurate information to customers looking to incorporate battery electric trucks into their fleets.

The programme - which covers servicing of Paccar MX engines, electrical systems, and braking and suspension systems - will provide students with nine factory-trained technician credentials, which Peterbilt claims will help fast-track them to careers at one of its North American dealerships.

The new facility will house up to 480 technicians and 100 commercial staff with the aim of training staff in both vehicle repair and maintenance as well as customer-facing skills that will be put into use in Iveco dealerships.

This month, T&BB spoke to Richard and Kara Demirjian of TCCI – a manufacturer of commercial vehicle compressors based in Decatur, Illinois – about its EV Innovation Hub: a veritable “triple threat” with an EV components production line, a climatic testing centre, and a training academy rolled into one facility, which it is developing as part of a public-private partnership with the state and local schools.