Meet the Mitchell 1 Team: Dan Kincaid (Part 2)

TruckSeries Repair Information - Mitchell 1 Team with Dan Kincaid

Dan Kincaid – Senior Technical Editor of the Commercial Vehicle Group

The TruckSeries Movement from Evolution to Competition

They’re not just another cog in the wheel. At Mitchell 1, we like to take the time to recognize our team. We acknowledge the fact that we have many experts here who have at one point or another been on the front lines of the commercial truck and automotive repair industry. These professionals are not only passionate about the heavy-duty truck repair industry, but they are also excited about being able to pass on small nuggets of wisdom as to how to make life around the shop a bit easier.

This is true of Dan Kincaid, Senior Technical Editor of the Commercial Vehicle Group, who has been with Mitchell 1 for over 15 years. Here is the second installment showcasing Dan; he shares some insights into his experience with our TruckSeries truck repair software and also Mitchell 1’s involvement with the TMC SuperTech skills testing program

1. Was it hard transitioning from car to truck?

Not really. It was a progression to TruckSeries. When I first started at Mitchell 1, our truck line didn’t exist. It was just cars, so I worked on the automotive side for about five years. Then what started out as simply information on a disc for trucks was brought out of hibernation.

We put a lot of love into getting it updated and made sure we had all of our own proprietary information. We even took it a step further and took all of our own color photos that we still use today, collecting them from shops, schools, wrecking yards and any other places we could gather them. The first website, Tractor.Trailor.net, was launched in 2006. Our customers really found the color photos helpful and the product has been growing ever since.

As for my transition from car to truck, it was definitely a bit different. Yes, even though they all have the same components, like engines, wheels, brakes and so on, the truck parts are far larger and they most often run on diesel. I am talking 10,000 lb. engines. For example, there is a big difference between a Corvette and a Peterbilt engine. Learning the commercial side of trucks just took a little adjustment but the skills of automotive were transferable.

2. So, you coordinate Mitchell 1’s participation with the TMC skills testing program. Tell us about that. How does it work?

Yes, I do manage the Mitchell 1 testing process for the Service Information Skills station. Each year individual states run their own skills testing competitions where they administer multiple tests similar to an ASE test. All the top achievers automatically qualify for the annual TMC SuperTech National Technician Skills Competition in the fall. We started creating these tests for a couple of states and have now increased to providing onsite tests for about 12 state events, as well as the national competition every year.

The tests use Mitchell 1 TruckSeries software to test technicians on their ability to use computers and web-based truck repair information. Creating the tests is a lot of work. The test comes from a pool of 150 questions, and each year we will add 20 to 30 new ones. It’s a meticulous process: We write the questions, proof them and thoroughly test for errors. We like to make sure all the questions are answerable. We test all the way from Class 4-8. It’s a pretty rigorous test with students rotating through each station about every 20 minutes.

3. How does Mitchell 1 participate in these competitions?

We will provide a test for each state that requests it. We have different options for working with states. For example, for some states that we have been working with and committed to for quite some time, we actually take our own computers to the competition, set up 4-10 stations and help run the test.

For other states, they ask for us to supply the test, and they use their own equipment and materials. At an even more basic level, we have some states that will use the test as a prequalifier and have it completed by the technician before entering the competition. We are really excited to be a part of these competitions, and it is always rewarding to see these inspiring techs compete.