‘Game-changing’ diagnostics from Dr Air Brake
For over 35 years, managing director of Doctor Air Brake (DAB), Jeff Lowe and his dedicated team have been solving the most persistent problems facing commercial vehicle fleet operators.
Their latest innovations – the Van Trailer Check Premium, Code Talk II, and Trailer Scope – are reshaping how businesses maintain their trailers, says the company, saving them precious time, reducing costly downtime, and enhancing safety across operations.
The Van Trailer Check Premium (VTC) was born from a simple observation, says DAB: traditional trailer diagnostics are slow, cumbersome, and often dangerous.
“We watched technicians struggle with multiple people, noisy equipment, and inefficient processes just to perform basic maintenance,” Lowe explained.
“We knew there had to be a better way.”
The VTC solution is said to offer comprehensive testing capabilities in a compact, mobile unit that can be operated by a single technician.
What makes the VTC groundbreaking is how it streamlines what was once a multi-person job into a one-person operation, says DAB. A technician simply connects the air and electrical lines to the trailer, and within minutes can evaluate lights, ABS-EBS systems, and all air brake circuits.
The time savings are said to be substantial – customers report diagnostic procedures that once took three hours now completed in just 30 minutes, representing an 85 per cent reduction in maintenance time. For businesses, this means dramatically reduced labour costs and faster turnaround times, adds DAB, with trailers spending less time in maintenance and more time on the road generating revenue.
“Since implementing the VTC system, we’ve reduced our diagnostic labour costs by nearly 60 per cent while keeping our fleet moving with minimal downtime,” siad one major logistics operator.
“It’s become an indispensable tool that we simply couldn’t run our business efficiently without. We’d never go back to the old ways.”
The system’s remote control functionality is reportedly proving particularly valuable for safety-conscious operators. ”
One of our customers reduced their workplace incidents by 30 per cent after implementing the VTC,” continued Lowe.
“Technicians can now safely test brake components without putting themselves in harm’s way, operating from a safe distance while still getting a close look at critical components like slack adjusters.”
For fleets battling persistent electrical gremlins and intermittent brake issues, Doctor Air Brake says its Code Talk II has become an essential troubleshooting companion. Unlike tools with multiple dongles and complex setups, it connects directly to the trailer’s EBS socket through a simple breakout lead, allowing technicians to quickly identify and clear fault codes.
“One of our fleet customers was spending thousands each month on roadside assistance for mysterious brake faults,” said Lowe.
“After implementing Code Talk II, they diagnosed a recurring issue that had been misdiagnosed for months, virtually eliminating their roadside callouts overnight.”
This translated to an annual saving of over £45,000 in roadside assistance costs alone, adds DAB, not counting the revenue gained from increased vehicle availability. The device’s ability to display real-time air pressures, wheel speeds, and system voltages is said to offer technicians unprecedented insight into trailer performance, catching 
potential failures before they cause breakdowns.
The company also highlights how trailer manufacturers facing rigorous quality control standards have embraced its Trailer Scope, which performs comprehensive leak testing, brake response timing, and electrical systems verification in one integrated package.
Manufacturers report a 40 per cent reduction in pre-delivery inspection time while achieving higher quality standards, says DAB; the wireless capability allows quality assurance teams to instantly document compliance with ECE13 regulations, creating a verifiable record that protects manufacturers from warranty disputes and liability concerns.
“These tools have fundamentally changed how we manage our fleet maintenance,” said a transport manager from a nationwide haulage firm.
“We’ve increased our vehicle uptime by 23 per cent since adopting Doctor Air Brake’s diagnostic systems. In our business, every hour a trailer sits idle costs us money. These tools have become as essential to our operation as the vehicles themselves.”
DAB cites the products’ adaptability to real-world conditions as a key factor that sets them apart.
“We test our equipment in the harshest environments – from freezing Finnish winters to scorching Middle Eastern summers,” Lowe emphasised.
“Just like our Reverse Smart system, which operates flawlessly even when covered in tar, our diagnostic tools are built to perform reliably in the challenging conditions fleet technicians face daily.”
All design and manufacturing takes place at Doctor Air Brake’s West Midlands facility. Here, skilled engineers customise each system to match specific customer requirements, says the firm, ensuring operators get exactly what they need to keep their fleets running smoothly, safely, and profitably.
