CCAR Introduces 'HazMatU,' Online HazMat Training Program for Automotive Dealers

Overland Park, KS (PRWEB) February 8, 2006

“HazMatU,” the newest Internet-based training program from the Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR®), is now available for automotive dealers and parts operations.

HazMatU trains individuals working in the automotive industry to gain a clear and accurate understanding of the complex U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for the transport of hazardous materials, also known as “HazMat.”

“We welcome the opportunity to work with dealers and parts distribution centers with HazMatU,” said Guy Bargnes, CCAR Chairman. “The introduction of HazMatU represents a continuation of CCAR’s efforts to provide assist the automotive industry to have a greater understanding of its compliance responsibilities in areas related to safety and the environment." Bargnes is Director of Marketing, BASF Corporation, NAFTA Region/Automotive Refinish.

CCAR, working in cooperation with ShipMate, Inc., a HazMat specialty training company based in Torrance, Calif., was selected to develop and provide the HazMat training by the North American Automotive HazMat Action Committee (NAAHAC), a group of regulatory compliance specialists representing the major automotive manufacturers in North America.

"NAAHAC and the automobile industry expect that this new program will not only improve hazardous product transportation compliance and safety, but serve as a model for other industries and shippers as well,” said John Dho, 2006 NAAHAC Chair, who is Regulatory Coordinator of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

HazMatU is available 24 hours a day to subscribers. At a per facility cost of $299 for the annual subscription, HazMatU allows employees in a dealership or parts center to access the program.

"Maintaining Hazmat training compliance at multiple parts distributions centers across the U. S. has been a challenge,” said Tim Hess, NAAHAC member and Manager-Parts Transportation of Hyundai Motor America. “The CCAR/ShipMate online training program has added the ability to train our employees without disrupting the work schedules, and we are also able to train new employees faster."

CCAR is a not-for-profit organization which operates the National Environmental Compliance Assistance Center for Auto Repair -- CCAR-GreenLink® -- in cooperation with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. CCAR also supplies online Safety and Pollution Prevention (S/P2) training to over 6,000 dealer and independent auto repair facilities, and it provides S/P2 free of charge to more than 2,400 automotive career/technical schools.

CCAR’s HazMatU training will also be available at no cost to schools, beginning with the 2006-07 school year.

For more information on HazMatU, visit http://www.hazmatu.org or call toll-free to 1-888-686-4445.

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