The diesel engine is the workhorse powering the Nation’s trucks
and buses, because it delivers more power and is more durable than its
gasoline-burning counterpart. Diesel-powered engines also are becoming
more prevalent in light vehicles, including pickups and other work
trucks.
Diesel service technicians and mechanics, also known as bus
and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, repair and
maintain the diesel engines that power transportation equipment such as
heavy trucks, buses, and locomotives. Some diesel technicians and
mechanics also work on heavy vehicles and mobile equipment, including
bulldozers, cranes, road graders, farm tractors, and combines. A small
number of technicians repair diesel-powered passenger automobiles, light
trucks, or boats. (For information on technicians and mechanics working
primarily on automobiles, heavy vehicles, mobile equipment, or boats,
see the Handbook statements on automotive,
heavy vehicle, and mobile
equipment; and small engine
service mechanics).
Technicians who work for organizations that maintain their own
vehicles spend most of their time doing preventive maintenance, to
ensure that equipment will operate safely. These workers also eliminate
unnecessary wear on, and damage to, parts that could result in costly
breakdowns. During a routine maintenance check on a vehicle, technicians
follow a checklist that includes inspecting brake systems, steering
mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts. Following
inspection, technicians repair or adjust parts that do not work properly
or remove and replace parts that cannot be fixed.
Increasingly, technicians must be flexible, in order to adapt to
customers’ needs and new technologies. It is common for technicians to
handle all kinds of repairs, from working on a vehicle’s electrical
system one day to doing major engine repairs the next. Diesel
maintenance is becoming increasingly complex, as more electronic
components are used to control the operation of an engine. For example,
microprocessors now regulate and manage fuel timing, increasing the
engine’s efficiency. In modern shops, diesel service technicians use
hand-held computers to diagnose problems and adjust engine functions.
Technicians must continually learn about new techniques and advanced
materials.
Diesel service technicians use a variety of tools in their work,
including power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, to remove bolts
quickly; machine tools, such as lathes and grinding machines, to rebuild
brakes; welding and flame-cutting equipment, to remove and repair
exhaust systems; and jacks and hoists, to lift and move large parts.
Common handtools—screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches—are used to work
on small parts and get at hard-to-reach places. Diesel service
technicians and mechanics also use a variety of computerized testing
equipment to pinpoint and analyze malfunctions in electrical systems and
engines.
In large shops, technicians generally receive their assignments from
shop supervisors or service managers. Most supervisors and managers are
experienced technicians who also assist in diagnosing problems and
maintaining quality standards. Technicians may work as a team or be
assisted by an apprentice or helper when doing heavy work, such as
removing engines and transmissions.
Diesel technicians usually work indoors, although they occasionally
make repairs to vehicles on the road. Diesel technicians may lift heavy
parts and tools, handle greasy and dirty parts, and stand or lie in
awkward positions to repair vehicles and equipment. Minor cuts, burns,
and bruises are common, although serious accidents can usually be
avoided if the shop is kept clean and orderly and if safety procedures
are followed. Technicians normally work in well-lighted, heated, and
ventilated areas; however, some shops are drafty and noisy. Many
employers provide lockers and shower facilities.
Diesel service technicians and mechanics held about 267,000 jobs in
2002. About 20 percent serviced buses, trucks, and other diesel-powered
equipment for customers of automotive repair and maintenance shops,
motor vehicle and parts wholesalers, or automotive equipment rental and
leasing agencies. About 19 percent maintained the buses, trucks, and
other equipment of buslines, public transit companies, school systems,
or State and local governments, and another 17 percent worked for
freight trucking companies. The remaining technicians maintained
vehicles and other equipment for manufacturing, construction, or other
companies. A relatively small number were self-employed. Nearly every
section of the country employs diesel service technicians and mechanics,
although most work in towns and cities where trucking companies,
buslines, and other fleet owners have large operations.
Although many persons qualify for diesel service technician and
mechanic jobs through years of on-the-job training, authorities
recommend the completion of a formal diesel engine training program.
Employers prefer to hire graduates of formal training programs because
those workers often have a head start in training and are able to
advance quickly to the journey level.
Many community colleges and trade and vocational schools offer
programs in diesel repair. These programs, lasting 6 months to 2 years,
lead to a certificate of completion or an associate degree. Programs
vary in the degree of hands-on training they provide on equipment. Some
offer about 30 hours per week on equipment, whereas others offer more
lab or classroom instruction. Training provides a foundation in the
latest diesel technology and instruction in the service and repair of
the vehicles and equipment that technicians will encounter on the job.
Training programs also improve the skills needed to interpret technical
manuals and to communicate with coworkers and customers. In addition to
the hands-on aspects of the training, many institutions teach
communication skills, customer service, basic understanding of physics,
and logical thought. Increasingly, employers work closely with
representatives of training programs, providing instructors with the
latest equipment, techniques, and tools and offering jobs to graduates.
Whereas most employers prefer to hire persons who have completed
formal training programs, some technicians and mechanics continue to
learn their skills on the job. Unskilled beginners generally are
assigned tasks such as cleaning parts, fueling and lubricating vehicles,
and driving vehicles into and out of the shop. Beginners usually are
promoted to trainee positions as they gain experience and as vacancies
become available. In some shops, beginners with experience in automobile
service start as trainee technicians.
Most trainees perform routine service tasks and make minor repairs
after a few months’ experience. These workers advance to increasingly
difficult jobs as they prove their ability and competence. After
technicians master the repair and service of diesel engines, they learn
to work on related components, such as brakes, transmissions, and
electrical systems. Generally, technicians with at least 3 to 4 years of
on-the-job experience will qualify as journey-level diesel technicians.
The completion of a formal training program speeds advancement to the
journey level.
For unskilled entry-level jobs, employers usually look for
applicants who have mechanical aptitude and strong problem-solving
skills and who are at least 18 years of age and in good physical
condition. Nearly all employers require the completion of high school.
Courses in automotive repair, electronics, English, mathematics, and
physics provide a strong educational background for a career as a diesel
service technician or mechanic. Technicians need a State commercial
driver’s license to test-drive trucks or buses on public roads. Many
companies also require applicants to pass a drug test. Practical
experience in automobile repair at a gasoline service station, in the
Armed Forces, or as a hobby is valuable as well.
Employers often send experienced technicians and mechanics to
special training classes conducted by manufacturers and vendors, in
which workers learn the latest technology and repair techniques.
Technicians constantly receive updated technical manuals and
instructions outlining changes in techniques and standards for repair.
It is essential for technicians to read, interpret, and comprehend
service manuals in order to keep abreast of engineering changes.
Voluntary certification by the National Institute for Automotive
Service Excellence (ASE) is recognized as the standard of achievement
for diesel service technicians and mechanics. Technicians may be
certified as master truck technicians or in specific areas of truck
repair, such as gasoline engines, drivetrains, brakes, suspension and
steering, electrical and electronic systems, or preventive maintenance
and inspection.
For certification in each area, a technician must pass one or more
of the ASE-administered exams and present proof of 2 years of relevant
hands-on work experience. Two years of relevant formal training from a
high school, vocational or trade school, or community or junior college
program may be substituted for up to 1 year of the work experience
requirement. To remain certified, technicians must be retested every 5
years. Retesting ensures that service technicians and mechanics keep up
with changing technology. Diesel service technicians and mechanics also
may opt for ASE certification as master school bus technicians or master
truck equipment technicians.
The most important work possessions of technicians and mechanics are
their handtools. Technicians and mechanics usually provide their own
tools, and many experienced workers have thousands of dollars invested
in them. Employers typically furnish expensive power tools, computerized
engine analyzers, and other diagnostic equipment, but individual workers
ordinarily accumulate handtools with experience.
Experienced technicians and mechanics with leadership ability may
advance to shop supervisor or service manager. Technicians and mechanics
with sales ability sometimes become sales representatives. Some open
their own repair shops.
Employment of diesel service technicians and mechanics is expected
to grow about as fast as the
average for all occupations through the year 2012. Besides openings
resulting from employment growth, opportunities will be created by the
need to replace workers who retire or transfer to other occupations.
Employment of diesel service technicians and mechanics is expected
to grow as freight transportation by truck increases. Additional trucks
will be needed to keep pace with the increasing volume of freight
shipped nationwide. Trucks also serve as intermediaries for other forms
of transportation, such as rail and air. Due to the greater durability
and economy of the diesel engine relative to the gasoline engine, buses
and trucks of all sizes are expected to be increasingly powered by
diesels. In addition, diesel service technicians will be needed to
maintain and repair the growing number of schoolbuses in operation.
Careers as diesel service technicians attract many because they
offer relatively high wages and the challenge of skilled repair work.
Opportunities should be good for persons who complete formal training in
diesel mechanics at community and junior colleges or vocational and
technical schools. Applicants without formal training may face stiffer
competition for entry-level jobs.
Most persons entering this occupation can expect relatively steady
work, because changes in economic conditions have less of an effect on
the diesel repair business than on other sectors of the economy. During
a downturn in the economy, however, some employers may lay off workers
or be reluctant to hire new workers.
Median hourly earnings of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine
specialists, including incentive pay, were $16.53 in 2002. The middle 50
percent earned between $13.13 and $20.54 an hour. The lowest 10 percent
earned less than $10.66, and the highest 10 percent earned more than
$24.61 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the
largest numbers of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
in 2002 were as follows:
Local government
$19.58
Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies
merchant wholesalers
16.80
General freight and trucking
15.62
Automotive repair and maintenance
15.36
Elementary and secondary schools
15.10
Because many experienced technicians employed by truck fleet dealers
and independent repair shops receive a commission related to the labor
cost charged to the customer, weekly earnings depend on the amount of
work completed. Beginners usually earn from 50 to 75 percent of the rate
of skilled workers and receive increases as they become more skilled,
until they reach the rates of skilled service technicians.
The majority of service technicians work a standard 40-hour week,
although some work longer hours, particularly if they are self-employed.
A growing number of shops have expanded their hours, either to perform
repairs and routine service in a more timely fashion or as a convenience
to customers. Those technicians employed by truck and bus firms
providing service around the clock may work evenings, nights, and
weekends, usually at a higher rate of pay than those working traditional
hours.
Many diesel service technicians and mechanics are members of labor
unions, including the International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers; the Amalgamated Transit Union; the International
Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers
of America; the Transport Workers Union of America; the Sheet Metal
Workers’ International Association; and the International Brotherhood
of Teamsters.
Links to non-BLS Internet sites are provided for your
convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
More details about work opportunities for diesel service technicians
and mechanics may be obtained from local employers such as trucking
companies, truck dealers, or buslines; locals of the unions previously
mentioned; and local offices of your State employment service. Local
State employment service offices also may have information about
training programs. State boards of postsecondary career schools have
information on licensed schools with training programs for diesel
service technicians and mechanics.
For general information about a career as a diesel service
technician or mechanic, write:
Detroit Diesel, Personnel Director, MS B39, 13400 West Outer
Dr., Detroit, MI 48239.
Information on how to become a certified diesel technician of medium
to heavy-duty vehicles or a certified bus technician is available from:
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), 101
Blue Seal Dr. SE, Suite 101, Leesburg, VA 20175. Internet: http://www.asecert.org
For a directory of accredited private trade and technical schools
with training programs for diesel service technicians and mechanics,
contact:
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of
Technology, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 302, Arlington, VA 22201.
Internet: http://www.accsct.org
National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, 101 Blue
Seal Dr., SE., Suite 101, Leesburg, VA 20175. Internet: http://www.natef.org
For a list of public training programs for diesel service
technicians and mechanics, contact:
Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics,
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2004-05 Edition,
Diesel Service Technicians and Mechanics
, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/
ocos182.htm
(visited January 27, 2005).
