2016 Bus Maintenance Survey: Shops Still Dealing with Electrical Learning Curve. Last Modified Date: Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. . (our oldest route buses are 1995 with the spares being 1994's after our newest arrivals are put in service), I GUESS IN A PERFECT WORLD 15 TO 20 BUSES PER MECHANIC WOULD BE GREAT, HOWEVER 30 TO 35 IS CLOSER TO REALITY IN OUR DISTRICT. 0 Fleet age is another important factor. To investigate these discrepancies, the research team conducted two rounds of interviews with transit agencies. Which technician is correct? Comparing staffing levels to peer agencies - The tools main value lies in its ability to benchmark agency performance against other agencies of similar size. Ou)d}`z)UYQ(VBfbMiQ8 This could indicate an expired SSL certificate or a certificate that does not include the requested domain name. Less. Tool Maintenance. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, and other industries. endobj Regression analyses were performed, and results include standard deviations to help judge how closely peer agencies perform on various measures. More Information, Including Links to O*NET, automotive service technicians and mechanics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Technicians, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heavy-vehicle-and-mobile-equipment-service-technicians.htm, Farm and garden machinery and equipment merchant wholesalers, Consult equipment operating manuals, blueprints, and drawings, Perform scheduled maintenance, such as cleaning and lubricating parts, Diagnose and identify malfunctions, using computerized tools and equipment, Inspect, repair, and replace defective or worn parts, such as bearings, pistons, and gears, Overhaul and test major components, such as engines, hydraulic systems, and electrical systems, Disassemble and reassemble heavy equipment and components, Travel to worksites to repair large equipment, such as cranes, Maintain logs of equipment condition and work performed. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. What is the actual industry standard ratio for trucks:technicians? Performs a variety of assignments such as replacement of failed parts or equipment, test, operation and maintenance of . This sheet compares an agencys existing staffing levels to that of peer agencies. Top Member, largebus Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2c503a8d982eeb They often lift heavy parts and tools, handle greasy and dirty equipment, and stand or lie in uncomfortable positions. TCRP Report 184: Maintenance Technician Staffing Levels for Modern Public Transit Fleets, identifies existing tools and practices used to determine optimum maintenance technician staffing levels and provides an analysis of variables that influence maintenance technician staffing needs. MY IDEA HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO BE ROCKET SCIENTIEST, JUST HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE AND BE WILLING TO LEARN. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians typically do the following: Heavy vehicles and mobile equipment are critical to many industrial activities, including construction and railroad transportation. In the winter months, however, they may work less than full time. Although not required, certification can demonstrate a service technicians competence and usually commands higher pay. $200 - $5k. (937) 290-0529 info@crashcoursevillage.org. That formula is clearly from a time when engines were less complex, most fleets were using diesel fuel, and computers were not an essential mechanic tool. Geotab says this tool enhances data analysis and automated reporting capabilities. wsauer3481 Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. However, high school graduates often need further training to become fully qualified. The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. endstream endobj startxref Additional troubleshooting information here. This factor clearly must be considered when assessing how many mechanics an organization needs. Local offices of the state employment service also may have information on job openings and training programs. They also work on smaller consumer-grade lawn and garden tractors. Required fields are marked *. Rather, fleet managers have reported staffing levels at their shop have been the same for years and none can recall how the staff size was originally determined. Kenworth and Platform Science join forces to optimize fleet operations with integrated trucks and telematics. Diesel service technicians and mechanics inspect, repair, and overhaul buses, trucks, or any vehicle with a diesel engine. When leasing companies quote numbers, which are normally are very attractive, it does not include all the little extras technicians may be asked to do. Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. 160 is locally owned, in a state where a substantial subsidy is provided by the state for the upkeep, maintenance, and fueling of local school bus fleets. %%EOF On the demand side, outsourcing practices are probably the most important factor. This is usually a question that comes from a finance person talking to another finance person or a guaranteed maintenance provider quoting seeding answers in a way to obtain a new client, or a leasing company trying to take over the shops, or determining a lease for new equipment. endstream endobj startxref Hourly Rate. Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation. endstream endobj 664 0 obj <. The calculator was created by first analyzing fleet and staffing information from the 2010 National Transit Database (NTD). Because vehicle and equipment technology is increasingly sophisticated and computerized, some employers prefer to hire service technicians who have completed a formal training program at a postsecondary institution. Fleet managers need the flexibility to justify their staffing needs as their specific fleet requires, making proper adjustments as needed., Your email address will not be published. Prior to co-founding Mercury, he held positions as the chief of fleet management for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and as equipment management director for the city of Charlotte, N.C. Conversely, he said, a complex and maintenance-intensive piece of equipment, such as a refuse collection truck, might require the same effort to maintain as 10 standard sedans. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians work full time, and many work evenings or weekends. Advanced Member, Brad Barker 669 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<7022F297AD5B9C4C894041F0D3F5BDDD><2D3A11ECA97748468C7B3A740F6C16B2>]/Index[663 17]/Info 662 0 R/Length 53/Prev 664975/Root 664 0 R/Size 680/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Some manufacturers offer certification in specific repair methods or equipment. 6 0 obj New Vehicle Tech. Mall, K., & Sekera, J. Previewing 48 of 59 pages. One VEU is equal to 1015 labor hours, with technicians being assigned 100120 VEUs. The average number of labor hours each type of asset in the fleet consumes (i.e., labor demand). Vehicle Technicians can work with different vehicles, such as cars, lorries, vans, buses and motorcycles. This question can be answered by sampling repair task times against industry labor guides (ALLDATA or Mitchell On-Demand) and/or internally established time standards. This one calculates the required number of hours and full time equivalent (FTE) employees and compares this data to the actual existing staffing levels. These next two worksheets present the results of the tools calculations. An example would be to compare a base vehicle, such as a passenger sedan, to a fire engine, which is larger and heavier and requires more maintenance and repair than the smaller sedan does. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. But today, with the proliferation of digital technology, new fuel systems, and accelerated maintenance schedules, its more difficult to determine how many employees will be required to take care of a fleet. The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings. Buses used to be relatively simple, so a bus-to-mechanic ratio was sufficient to determine if a transit agency had enough staff to maintain its fleet. The SSL certificate presented by the server did not pass validation. Put simply, using VEUs means adding up how many sedans and sedan equivalencies an agency has in order to determine how many mechanics need to be hired. Contact Steve Hirano at Steve.Hirano@bobit.com. The methodology is used to equate the level of effort required to maintain dissimilar types of vehicles to a passenger car, which is given a baseline VEU (sometimes called a maintenance repair unit or MRU) of 1.0. Rope Rescue. Physical strength. The ratio of height to width. Many employers send new service technicians to training sessions conducted by equipment manufacturers. Another calculation includes maintenance and repair units, which involves comparing requirements of one vehicle group to another vehicle category. Responsibilities for vehicle technician. He was 53 years old. <> A team working for Transit Cooperative Research Program developed the Excel-based Maintenance Staffing Calculator to help agencies calculate optimum staffing levels. In this example, the labor demand is 10.3 mechanics (14,950 total annual demand for labor hours divided by 1,456 average labor hours available per mechanic.) In addition to these data gathering efforts, the research team developed the Maintenance Staffing Calculator and MS-Excel-based tool to help transit systems of various sizes determine the optimum number of maintenance technicians required to maintain a modern public transit fleet. Completing a vocational or other postsecondary training program in diesel technology or heavy equipment mechanics is increasingly considered the best preparation for some entry-level positions. To accomplish this objective, a review of fleet and staffing data from 321 transit agencies in the National Transit Database were analyzed and 2 rounds of in-depth interviews with transit agencies were conducted to identify main factors driving technician staffing levels. The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile. The effect on labour profits is then: Labour sales. It contains annual hours needed for core maintenance like preventative inspections and brake relines, as well as unscheduled maintenance. 49-3023 Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles. It is important that the staff listed here directly match the vehicles included in the first sheet. In addition, techs may be asked to deliver loads during peak periods or driver shortage times. By aggregating the vehicles in a fleet in terms of their vehicle equivalent units, uniform standards and benchmarks can be applied regardless of the fleets size, type or configuration. 90%. Roman, A. I asked that question about a month ago and did not receive a replay. 50.63.164.4 Utilizing vehicle equivalency units means adding up how many sedans and sedan equivalencies an agency has, in order to determine how many mechanics need to be hired. And the number of additional vehicles required for maintenance activities can be minimized by scheduling most maintenance activities during non-peak vehicle periods. Transit Cooperative Research Program. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Fleets should outsource work that requires special tools, equipment, training; work that would tie up a mechanic or work bay for long periods of time; and work during periods of peak workload to maintain high rates of vehicle availability, said Owen. We have two full-time mechanics (one lead mechanic and one regular mechanic), and one driver who was originally hired as a mechanic but only helps out as needed now on a part-time basis. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Wafler's system, which he uses through BLIG, looks at the bay-to-technician ratio of a shop and how that can be used to find its maximum production and efficiency. Note if productive hours were 1,300 hours rather than 1,456, the number of mechanics required for this fleet jumps from 10.3 to 11.5. Asian women: 1.7%. EDSI Consulting prepared this report under TCRP Project E-10. With new labor-intensive engines, various fuel types, highly sophisticated electronics, and an increase in preventive maintenance frequencies, many maintenance managers realize they need to hire additional staff. As the stock of heavy vehicles and mobile equipment continues to increase, more service technicians will be needed to maintain it. Service technicians also use many different hand tools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches, to work on small parts and in hard-to-reach areas. Benchmarking fleet age is complicated because fleet composition must be considered. The median annual wage for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians was $53,770 in May 2021. (2016). Trainees advance to more complex work as they show competence, and they usually become fully qualified after 3 to 4 years of work. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. I work in a system where the fleet of approx. Tech b C. Both techs D. Neither C A transfer case is extremely noisy and all selections except neutral whenever the vehicle is moving. >>/Group <> IT IS NOT ALL THAT BAD IF YOU HAVE GOOD KEY PERSONEL IN THE RIGHT PLACES. hours x 44 weeks x 107.8% overall efficiency x 60 per hour = 113,520. Senior Member. The secure and easy all-access connection to your content. After identifying malfunctioning equipment, service technicians repair, replace, and recalibrate components such as hydraulic pumps and spark plugs. Babcox Media mourns the passing of Tim Fritz, longtime editor and friend. This means that it relies heavily on telematics to identify diagnostic codes that provide fleet personnel with the information they need to address smaller issues before they become larger ones. Maintenance Staffing Calculator User Guide. We're Not Just Extrication. The companys top priority is to ensure safety and support the operational teams by sustaining a very high percentage of asset uptime and availability. While mechanics are typically paid for 2,080 hours per year, exclusive of overtime (52 weeks x 40 hours per week), they are clearly not available to work on vehicles this number of hours. Please advise on the appropriate number of buses and vehicles per mechanic? Once the labor demand is quantified, the number of productive hours available to service the fleet must be determined. Bonus. This level of detail proved to be difficult to collect, so the second round of interviews involved a streamlined questionnaire. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each states websites where these data may be retrieved. At the end of the day, the ideal is the fewest techs, a simplified program with no complicated proceduresand no delays related to busy work. In addition, equipment should not be over-maintained, such technicians being taken off maintenance to do: Yard checks; snow plowing; cutting the grass; polishing my boat; washing someones car; or other non-essential tasks that take away from the maintenance jobs at hand. Put simply, using VEUs means adding up how many sedans and sedan equivalencies an agency has in order to determine how many mechanics need to be hired. If this value is less than 1, your shop is losing money because the actual time it takes to repair a vehicle is not being invoiced properly on a regular basis. %%EOF The site is secure. Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PcpkHT8xaU. Some service technicians travel to worksites to make repairs. The report also documents the research team's development of an MS Excel-based Maintenance Staffing . Technology Maintenance Council,(new name for. Fleet Management Lessons From the Private Sector. Other programs, which lead to associates degrees, generally take 2 years to complete. The Maintenance Staffing Calculator is designed to help maintenance managers (1) breakdown staff by location or sub-fleet; (2) adjust raw employee numbers to full time equivalents and available productive hours using information on current technician staffing, other employees contributing to maintenance, breaks, vacations, and shift information;(3) calculate preventive maintenance, core maintenance, and unscheduled maintenance task hours required, by sub-fleet; (4) calculate heavy maintenance and repair hours required; (5) model effects on staffing of changes to fleet composition or usage; (6) model effects on staffing of changes to maintenance times or intervals, accounting for overtime required; and (7) compare results to a group of peer agencies. On the supply side in addition to the available productive hours factors already discussed factors to consider include mechanic training and skill levels, maintenance management practices, work rules (dictated, for example, by collective bargaining agreements), parts provisioning practices, and shop considerations (e.g., facility location, size, layout, condition, equipment, and tooling). 1 tech x 40 att. Common workplace injuries include small cuts, sprains, and bruises. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Possible Range. Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation. These workers drive trucks that are specially equipped with replacement parts and tools, and they spend considerable time outdoors and often drive long distances. The number of people employed as Automotive service technicians & mechanics has been growing at a rate of 0.0547%, from 762,427 people in 2019 to 762,844 people in 2020. This only includes bus mechanics and technicians, not facility maintenance staff, mechanics who deal only with non-revenue vehicles, or supervisors. Maintenance Staffing Calculator User Guide 6 . agency must have the appropriate number and class of vehicles to handle trip demand. Population and business growth should result in greater demand for new houses, office buildings, bridges, and other structures, which in turn may require more mobile heavy equipment mechanics in the construction industry. Offered by vocational schools and community colleges, these programs cover the basics of diagnostic techniques, electronics, and other related subjects. Your IP: This process involves calculating the number of annual hours available to mechanics to devote to wrench-turning activities. For example, he noted that all technicians and mechanics are not equal when it comes to their experience and ability to work at a standard pace. Now you can be a part of it! Excludes "Automotive Body and Related Repairers" (49-3021), "Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists" (49-3031), and "Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles" (49-2096). The Maintenance Staffing Calculator is an Excel tool consisting of seven worksheets. stream (2016). The number of maintenance technicians at a transit agency is based on financial constraints, fleet age, annual miles, powertrain type, how much work is outsourced, and a multitude of other key factors. Agricultural production requires the use of increasingly complex and sophisticated software-driven farm equipment, which is expected to create demand for farm equipment mechanics and service technicians to maintain the equipment and to train customers in its use. (T/F) True Higher compression ratios tend to speed up combustion. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. What is the tread depth, are there recaps, what is the damage? These service technicians use diagnostic computers and equipment to identify problems and make adjustments or repairs. endobj For more information, visit www.darrystuart.com or email comments or questions requests to Darry at: [emailprotected]. A. Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians. Most work for dealer repair shops, where farmers increasingly send their equipment for maintenance. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Small engine mechanics inspect, service, and repair motorized power equipment. It may also be used as a predictive tool, to determine staffing needs during the vehicle procurement process. This showed some broad trends in regards to agency size, duty cycle, and spare ratio, but there was significant variation between agencies. Mercury Associates Inc. in Rockville, Md., provides comprehensive fuel and fleet management consulting services to state and local governments, federal governments and private companies. Technician A says that the CVT shifts from gear-to-gear, up and down, as needed to maintain optimal speed and torque. Doing this may involve disassembling and reassembling major equipment or making adjustments through an onboard computer program. Technician A says that the power steering pump . The average Automotive Technician salary in the United States is $53,639 as of January 26, 2023, but the salary range typically falls between $45,872 and $61,344. Women held 26.1% of jobs in the motor vehicles and motor vehicles equipment manufacturing industry. By clicking the submit button below, you are agreeing with Bobit Business Medias Privacy Policy and this outlined level of consent. There is no textbook formula for maintenance managers to determine the optimum ratio of maintenance technicians for their fleet size, as the number varies tremendously between public transit fleets. https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any 945 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<37BAF6D55ADF124382CB24C4417C0A4B><83C917919D77EB4E91CD4A0E46DD1A25>]/Index[929 32]/Info 928 0 R/Length 79/Prev 122727/Root 930 0 R/Size 961/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream The technician to vehicle question is asked many times and there is always someone who will say it should be X vehicles per tech. But there is no real industry formula because there are too many variables, such as: Number of locations; use of outside vendors; PM intervals; detailed PM requirements; miles between PMs; domiciled or non-domiciled vehicles; age of the equipment; warranty work internal or external; tech experience and quality; and size of the shop.