Preparing Fleet Technicians to provide Safe, Reliable Braking Performance—Across Diesel and Electric HD Vehicles

 

Heavy-duty air brake systems remain the standard for commercial trucks and buses, providing powerful, reliable braking through compressed air delivery, redundant circuit design, and fail-safe emergency braking functions. Today’s battery-electric heavy-duty vehicles use many of the same air brake components and operating principles—while adding new layers of electronic control, diagnostics, and brake blending with regenerative braking. Technicians maintaining mixed fleets need both the core pneumatic fundamentals and the practical service knowledge required to inspect, diagnose, and repair these systems in a real shop environment.

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Technicians who complete WTA's Air Brake Repair & Maintenance Training for HD vehicles will understand how to inspect, diagnose, and service heavy-duty air brake systems safely and correctly, supporting uptime, compliance, and public safety. Fleet managers will gain confidence that their maintenance teams can apply best-practice inspection and troubleshooting methods across both conventional diesel vehicles and newer battery-electric platforms that share similar braking architecture.

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This two-day, in-person course combines classroom instruction with hands-on training to teach technicians air system architecture, component operation, inspection procedures, diagnostic workflows, and safety practices. It bridges the gap to electric HD platforms by addressing electronic braking controls, system communications basics, and how regenerative braking interacts with conventional friction braking, so technicians are prepared for both Diesel and zero-emission vehicles.

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Course Topics:

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• Fundamentals of compressed air supply, storage, and brake system operation in heavy-duty vehicles

• Air brake system components: compressor, governor, air dryer, reservoirs, valves, lines, and fittings

• Service braking and foundation brake systems: S-cam drum and air disc brake operation and inspection points

• Brake actuators and control devices: service chambers, spring brakes, slack adjusters, and common failure modes

• Dual-circuit and emergency braking principles, including system redundancy and fail-safe operation

• Shop-applicable inspection procedures: leak checks, air build-up tests, component condition assessment, and safety checks

• Diagnostic workflows for common service conditions, fault symptoms, and corrective actions

• ABS/EBS fundamentals and practical troubleshooting considerations in fleet service

• Electric heavy-duty vehicle considerations: electric air compressors, brake blending concepts, and service implications

• Intro to brake-related communications and diagnostics to support modern fleet service environments

• Federal & California Braking Regulations (FMCSA, FMVSS 121, CHP BIT)

Prepare your team with the practical air brake expertise needed to keep heavy-duty diesel and electric fleets safe, reliable, and road-ready.

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16 HOURS I IN PERSON HANDS-ON AND CLASSROOM TRAINING