endstream endobj 664 0 obj <. in our city owned fleet we have 400+ buses. Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education. However, there was significant variation across agencies in regards to most variables examined. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. One VEU is equal to 1015 labor hours, with technicians being assigned 100120 VEUs; but these calculations do not include nonroutine work, he said. Troubleshooting skills. Remember that only repairs conducted by employees in the existing staff worksheet are included, so outsourced work should be left out. Rail car repairers specialize in servicing railroad locomotives, subway cars, and other rolling stock. Because vehicle and equipment technology is increasingly sophisticated and computerized, some employers prefer to hire service technicians who have completed a training program at a postsecondary institution. What we really need is another supervisor/dispatcher for our department. Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation. Doing this may involve disassembling and reassembling major equipment or making adjustments through an onboard computer program. 50.63.164.4 But many agencies conduct maintenance across locations or use a mix of in-house and contracted work. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Conversely, some city and county fleet organizations perform nearly all services in-house. Additional troubleshooting information here. For more information, visit www.darrystuart.com or email comments or questions requests to Darry at: [emailprotected]. 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. Last Modified Date: Previewing 48 of 59 pages. What kind of outsource work couldnt be achieved by regular fleet staff ? The estimated total pay for a Vehicle Technician is $55,631 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $51,429 per year. Additionally, organizations that do not actively manage labor reporting tend to lose hours during the year. Common workplace injuries include small cuts, sprains, and bruises. Staffing to the peaks rather than valleys in the workload demand is never a good idea. To answer the question of vehicles to technicians ratios, I suggest that you look at previous averages, set a goal so at the end of the day you can perform like a leasing company, which is lean, not so mean, and efficient. Service technicians usually work indoors in noisy repair shops. After identifying malfunctioning equipment, service technicians repair, replace, and recalibrate components such as hydraulic pumps and spark plugs. Technician B only c. Both Technicians A and B d. Neither Technician A nor B The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensatedannual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH. The report also provides an analysis of variables that influence maintenance technician staffing needs.STATUS: Completed. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians work full time, and many work evenings or weekends. Labor supply is 10. Technician B says that the rear differential has a slightly higher ratio (lower number) than the front differential. Input cells are clearly labeled and color-coded. Many employers send new service technicians to training sessions conducted by equipment manufacturers. While a 70-percent of payroll hours (i.e., 1,456 hours per year) measure is a commonly used benchmark, each organization should calculate its actual performance based on detailed time-keeping records. What Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service Technicians Do, How to Become a Heavy Vehicle or Mobile Equipment Service Technician, Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers, Employment projections data for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, 2021-31, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, Top Picks, One Screen, Multi-Screen, and Maps, Industry Finder from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. If we drop the gear ratio to 3:1, however, the driveshaft only has to spin at 6150RPM. <> Maintenance Staffing Calculator User Guide. Sometimes the tech has to drive two hours to swap drivers because he has run out of hours. He was 53 years old. <> Technician B says to inflate the tires to . 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. 3 0 obj Tech a B. 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. Or, if you have a simple standardize fleet, say all day cabs, and an established trade cycle, a ratio can be determined. However, when I fire back more questions to help me determine the answer, those who ask me the question dont understand why I dont have a set response. endstream endobj startxref If an agency does all its maintenance in one location then using the tool once is sufficient. 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. Measuring the performance of your technicians, as a whole and individually, shouldn't feel like punishment or micro-managing. Even with the responses to the surveys, the study yielded limited correlative data. Roman, A. Over the past three years, OEMs have invested heavily in driver-focused equipment benefitsfrom cozy creature comforts to uptime- and productivity-boosting technology. What is the actual industry standard ratio for trucks:technicians? As the premiere online publication for the heavy-duty truck market, charting the latest in trucking equipment, technology, and service trends, Fleet Equipment has a knack for digging up the stories behind the stories (while having a lot of fun along the way). The average hourly pay for an Automotive Technician is $19.19. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each states websites where these data may be retrieved. 960 0 obj <>stream Maintenance activities not included in the previous sheet are entered here. Women of color made up a fraction of employees in the industry: 16. Providing Quality Fire Training to First Responders. Imperial Metric Vehicle speed in MPH 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. (2016). Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. At one time, a simple measurement was used to determine if a transit agency had adequate maintenance technician staff using a basic bus-to-mechanic ratio. (T/F) True Higher compression ratios tend to speed up combustion. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. endobj Once the labor demand is quantified, the number of productive hours available to service the fleet must be determined. Fleets with large geographic service territories, such as state governments, tend to outsource a large percentage of their repair work 100 percent in some cases. hb```I,, Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. To calculate mechanic staffing requirements, the following data and information are needed: When fleet managers talk to their boss, elected officials, budget and finance directors, or city managers about mechanic staffing requirements for their shops, it is much better to be armed with calculations resulting from a coherent quantitative methodology than relying on anecdotes and stories. The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. Technician A only b. It may also be used as a predictive tool, to determine staffing needs during the vehicle procurement process. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation. (937) 290-0529 info@crashcoursevillage.org. Please contact your hosting provider to ensure that an up-to-date and valid SSL certificate issued by a Certificate Authority is configured for this domain name on the origin server. Fueling: who fuels the trucks, and who puts DEF in the trucks? Completion of all specific company and official paperwork. Service technicians who have completed a postsecondary training program in diesel technology or heavy equipment mechanics typically require less on-the-job training. The secure and easy all-access connection to your content. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. QBU\~Rp4c1QHsKI:C6u+~uT*3d=9KV*LihZ/HyIX\:c5@~`%V/D@0(]'G^f7|BJ^_3M_OW Q^h;y5+jSdPA6)07HHltD3)IA33Z8W. TU3(')C%Yyi0}J o(sC%/$ =-LumbWe B3u+sapEL2)ehZ=Y8m(TJD_f>`u0%&X;ZhMKaHm,(B- lC]:@6,@$n$[`w'XQ%fxavt7IWu-gX0m5Uzbasr `?o='R#Ip; 40G3k\x1)G %]D=Mu8',GL+. Fleet Management Lessons From the Private Sector. In these cases it might be a good idea to perform separate analyses for each location. We get by with what we have, but our staff is always busy. hours x 44 weeks x 107.8% overall efficiency x 60 per hour = 113,520. at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/installation-maintenance-and-repair/heavy-vehicle-and-mobile-equipment-service-technicians.htm (visited March 03, 2023). 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. Hours worked = Time spent actively completing work orders Multiply each number in the ratio by the value of one part: 6 x 8.75 and 2 x 8.75. PHW, I'd like to hear more about your program and I'm sure others would also. After all, talk is cheap and the trust me days of fleet management ended many years ago. Technician A says that the gear ratios of both differentials are the same in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Planning for necessary staffing levels - Agencies can add potential new vehicles to the inventory worksheet and see what effect this would have on required staffing. The average salary for a Automotive Technician is $24.11 per hour in United States. Bonus. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Labor supply is 10. Physical strength. About 23,900 openings for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. The Virtual Vehicle platform, which Platform Science says is designed to provide fleets with a range of benefits including productivity, flexibility, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness, will be integrated into Kenworth's trucks to enhance the overall performance and efficiency of the vehicles. National estimates for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties. TCRP Report 184 resources available online include the following:* TheMaintenance Staffing Calculator User Guide* TheMaintenance Staffing Calculator* An completedexample case showing how the Calculator works* A PowerPoint presentation providing asummary of the work done under TCRP Project E-10, Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2). To create a link to this page, use this URL: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA), Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS), TRID (A Transportation Research Database), http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3327. Maintenance Technician Staffing Levels for Modern Public Transit Fleets, 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. The report also documents the research teams development of an MS Excel-based Maintenance Staffing Calculator, a tool for managers of transit agencies of any size to use in estimating the optimal number of bus maintenance staff to meet current maintenance needs. 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. Dayton, Ohio. Less. In extreme cases, these values can be significantly lower (such as with a brand new fleet) or materially higher (due to fleet age, high use, or challenging operating conditions). Truck industry content for fleet owners and managers, - Detroit introduces Detroit Connect Video Capture service, - Synop, Geotab announce EV charging integration solution, - Michelin Connected Fleet delivers new suite of fleet-management solutions, Explaining the truck operating system thats spanning makes, models, The importance of flexibility in truck maintenance, ADAS in truck winterization plans, Geotab, Cummins partner to enhance OTA connectivity, Maintenance to keep your heavy-duty truck wheels going round and round, Inside the intelligence that powers truck powertrain efficiency, Setting heavy-duty truck service benchmarks, Freightliner M2, SD Plus Series launch updates its medium-duty truck offering, Truck cruise control technology that looks at the road ahead, Four ways A.I. But, Babcox Media Editor Tim Fritz passed away on Feb. 23 from a heart attack. I work in a system where the fleet of approx. 663 0 obj <> endobj Mall, K., & Sekera, J. Related: Fleet Management Lessons From the Private Sector. The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2021, which is the base year of the 2021-31 employment projections. 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. The data is broken down into statistics like vehicles maintained per technician, FTE technicians per vehicle, and annual maintenance hours per 10,000 vehicle miles. Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles. endobj This doesn' t include helpers, parts personnel, foremen, or any other garage staff. As such, the results of the calculator should be considered to reflect broad comparisons rather than objectively correct staffing levels. A team working for Transit Cooperative Research Program developed the Excel-based Maintenance Staffing Calculator to help agencies calculate optimum staffing levels. 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. Recalls, in the fleet world today, are at an all-time high; cost containment is always a concern as vehicles and equipment possess far more technology than ever before. 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. This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians. 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. About the Author: Randy Owen is senior vice president of Mercury Associates Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. During busy planting and harvesting seasons, for example, mechanics often work six or seven 12-hour days per week. https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights install, maintain, and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery. IT IS NOT ALL THAT BAD IF YOU HAVE GOOD KEY PERSONEL IN THE RIGHT PLACES. Other elements that impact labor demand include usage levels, operating environment, and fleet assignment practices (i.e. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. As a consequence, fleet managers have difficulty defending themselves against a newly elected administration who suggest shop staffing is bloated and should be downsized. Efficiency numbers should hover around 125 percent, which means a technician working on cars for 7.2 hours in a day should produce 9 billable hours of work. Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. A. Required fields are marked *. November 9, 2009 Some manufacturers offer certification in specific repair methods or equipment. According to an article by Moog Parts, rack and pinion steering works by using a gear system to translate the steering wheel's circular motion into the linear motion needed to turn the wheels. Which technician is correct? This sheet compares an agencys existing staffing levels to that of peer agencies. VEHICLE TO TECHNI C IAN RATIO This is a question asked by every fleet owner, fleet manager and workshop manager who maintain their own fleet of vehicles. /Contents 4 0 R>> 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. It depends on various factors, example; Is it a fleet cars or pickups or busses or trucks or a mix? 15. Bookmark +. can help cut diesel fuel costs, Peterbilt GM Jason Skoog charts todays truck support, tomorrows truck solutions, Diesel engine filtration tips for better fuel efficiency, U.S. Bank: Truck freight volumes continue to decline, Significant increase in TL spot rates observed for early 2023. Some high-performance vehicles have firmer steering than other similar vehicles. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. 929 0 obj <> endobj Before sharing sensitive information, Technology Maintenance Council,(new name for. This one calculates the required number of hours and full time equivalent (FTE) employees and compares this data to the actual existing staffing levels. Contact Steve Hirano at Steve.Hirano@bobit.com. hb``` Farm equipment mechanics and service techs frequently work with heavy parts and tools. Discover jobs. and current staffing ratios (i.e., vehicles maintained per technician, vehicle miles per technician, etc.). Technician a says that the pressure should never exceed the maximum pressure imprinted on the sidewall of the tire. 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. Save Your Own. The result of this calculation for all mechanics is the number of productive hours a fleet has available. Tire inflation is very important to the safe and economical operation of any vehicle. 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. They also work on smaller consumer-grade lawn and garden tractors. Information provided by Randy Owen. Tech b C. Both techs D. Neither C A transfer case is extremely noisy and all selections except neutral whenever the vehicle is moving. Entry-level workers with no formal background in heavy vehicle repair often receive a few months of on-the-job training before they begin performing routine service tasks and making minor repairs. How many degrees will the front wheels be rotated? 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. Transit Cooperative Research Program. Mechanics who work primarily on large trucks and buses are described in the profile on diesel service technicians and mechanics. Technician A says that the CVT shifts from gear-to-gear, up and down, as needed to maintain optimal speed and torque. endstream I asked that question about a month ago and did not receive a replay. The table below provides an example calculation. The Director does everything else (even training). GM Vehicles +25.86% salary. The median annual wage for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians was $53,770 in May 2021. Assuming recordkeeping practices are sound, the fleet manager can determine the average number of labor hours each type of vehicle and piece of equipment has historically consumed, then multiply the result by the number of assets in each class. 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. hbbd``b`_ H3@ 0 'Q Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. Creating a chart that allows for a certain number of staff technicians to repair each class of vehicles in the fleet is a tremendous boon for municipal fleet managers. Generally, more experienced service technicians specialize in field service. Technician A The driving gear has 15 teeth and the driven gear has 29 teeth. We have 24 buses and 78 other pieces of equipment (trucks, vans, etc.). Entering basic operations information into the calculator will provide a quick snapshot of the agency's staffing needs, but it is also possible to go into much more detail. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. Which technician is correct? This leads to unexpected failures and expensive downtime. Over 100 electric Blue Bird school buses have Five time-saving apps for tech-savvy fleets. JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. We respect your data and privacy. 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. . Updates include the replacement of diesel fleet assets with zero-emissions alternatives. %PDF-1.5 % Take a look at how Geotabs data-centeric conference makes the OEM connection. So you want to write for Fleet Equipment? stream Although the whole idea of VEUs was first created by the U.S. Air Force in the 1970s, the idea is becoming more utilized by both the private and public sectors. Maintenance Staffing Calculator User Guide 6 . The final worksheet provides a summary of data for all peer groups. 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 This could indicate an expired SSL certificate or a certificate that does not include the requested domain name. 0 Hours Invoiced / Hours Worked = X Goal: Greater than 1. Projected employment of heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians varies by occupation (see table). Today, a computer is as essential as a socket wrench and the number of maintenance technicians needed to maintain a modern fleet can be difficult to measure. agency must have the appropriate number and class of vehicles to handle trip demand. Please enable javascript to play this video. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must perform many tasks, such as disassembling engine parts, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools, with a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other. Mechanics who work primarily on motorboats, motorcycles, and small all-terrain vehicles are described in the profile on small engine mechanics. 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. If past efficiency performance is close to industry standards, a fleet manager can be confident the fleets historical labor data accurately reflects labor demand. This could indicate an expired SSL certificate or a certificate that does not include the requested domain name. This lack of reporting has consequences for both the accuracy of historical repair records and for cost recovery when a charge-back system is in place. The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Most service technicians work full time, and many work evenings and weekends. Women were 21.1% of automobile dealers and 9.0% of automotive repair and maintenance employees. VEUS EXAMPLES Each sedan represents 1 VEU. This level of detail proved to be difficult to collect, so the second round of interviews involved a streamlined questionnaire. 5 0 obj endobj Then there are the questions involving required operational shop hours, accidents, damages, internal damages and, to some degree, the specifications of the vehicles, the number of DVIRS, type of electronic equipment. A: There are many variables when calculating the number of technicians required per number of trucks. Mercury Associates Inc. in Rockville, Md., provides comprehensive fuel and fleet management consulting services to state and local governments, federal governments and private companies. A Vehicle Technician inspects and repairs vehicles so they run safely, efficiently and reliably. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face. Mall, K., & Sekera, J. The primary objective of this research was to produce an interactive staffing tool for use in determining optimum maintenance technician staffing levels for small, medium, and large public transit bus and other revenue fleets. Technician a says the drive chain may be stretched, causing the noise as it hits the inside of the case. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians frequently lift heavy parts and tools, handle greasy and dirty equipment, and stand or lie in awkward positions. <> Although not required, certification can demonstrate a service technicians competence and usually commands higher pay. Once the demand and supply of labor is known, mechanic staffing requirements can be calculated. Mechanics who work primarily on automobiles are described in the profile on automotive service technicians and mechanics. In total, more than 60 agencies of varying size were surveyed. The results of this research provides a resource to help maintenance managers evaluate staffing requirements to maintain an aging, high-mileage fleet or to transition into new technology hybrid or battery-powered engines. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be able to lift and move heavy equipment, tools, and parts without risking injury. %PDF-1.7 To investigate these discrepancies, the research team conducted two rounds of interviews with transit agencies. Once the demand and supply of labor is known, mechanic staffing requirements can be calculated. Your email address will not be published. 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.