vehicles to technician ratio

About the Author: Randy Owen is senior vice president of Mercury Associates Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. In these cases it might be a good idea to perform separate analyses for each location. (Illustration: Shutterstock & Richard Aguirre). /Length 4010 >> I have experienced both challenges and benefits regarding the utilization of the VEU model to justify maintenance and repair staffing needs, said Fay. Learn more about heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations. 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. 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. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. Possible Range. This is where the bulk of the calculators work takes place. The median annual wage for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians was $53,770 in May 2021. Please advise on the appropriate number of buses and vehicles per mechanic? Each program may last 1 to 2 years and lead to a certificate of completion. and current staffing ratios (i.e., vehicles maintained per technician, vehicle miles per technician, etc.). For more information about careers and training programs, visit, National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines. 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. For example, they may use an oscilloscope to observe the signals produced by electronic components. By taking an approach that is less focused on the VEU model and more concentrated on our people, their known abilities and anticipated workload, we have found more value in not utilizing the VEU model to justify staffing requirements but rather empower managers to justify staffing in relationship to the enterprises needs. SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians and mechanics, Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians, Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines. (Illustration: Shutterstock & Richard Aguirre). 90%. Technician B says to inflate the tires to . The site is secure. The Maintenance Staffing Calculator, a user guide and a Power Point presentation summarizing TCRP Project E-10 are available on TRB.org by searching for TCRP Report 184., _________________________________________________________. endobj The below graph illustrates how this technique works, reflecting VEU values based on Mercury Associates experience with hundreds of fleets across North America. Over 100 electric Blue Bird school buses have Five time-saving apps for tech-savvy fleets. Mechanics who work primarily on automobiles are described in the profile on automotive service technicians and mechanics. (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. 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. Generally, more experienced service technicians specialize in field service. A . The companys top priority is to ensure safety and support the operational teams by sustaining a very high percentage of asset uptime and availability. stream Latinas: 3.1%. The average number of labor hours each type of asset in the fleet consumes (i.e., labor demand). 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. This one calculates the required number of hours and full time equivalent (FTE) employees and compares this data to the actual existing staffing levels. endstream endobj 930 0 obj <. Regression analyses were performed, and results include standard deviations to help judge how closely peer agencies perform on various measures. Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation. Metro Magazine, Required Hours - Heavy Repair and Overhaul, http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/173927.aspx, https://www.transitwiki.org/TransitWiki/index.php?title=Bus_Maintenance_Staffing_Calculator&oldid=4266, Caltrans Division of Rail and Mass Transportation. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. Additional troubleshooting information here. A fleet of one hundred patrol cars, rated at 2.5 VEUs each, constitutes a fleet of 250 VEUs. Join Our List. 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. A. Technician A says that the gear ratios of both differentials are the same in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. 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. <> Geotab announces Data Connector for business insights, Three autonomous truck aspects to start seriously considering, EVs roll into the data-centric Geotab Connect 2023, Frito-Lay transforms California facility into showcase for sustainability. Or, if you have a simple standardize fleet, say all day cabs, and an established trade cycle, a ratio can be determined. Owen added that outsourcing 1020 percent should be included in calculations of staffing needs. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. 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. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Information provided by Randy Owen. The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. The type of work performed, seasonal demand on resources and the consistency of labor hours forecasted for assigned tasks versus actual all play a large part in challenging any fleet department.. Once the labor demand is quantified, the number of productive hours available to service the fleet must be determined. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries. endobj Mechanics inspect, repair, and replace defective or worn parts. 1 tech x 40 att. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code. November 9, 2009 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). Learn about salaries, benefits, salary satisfaction and where you could earn the most. Some high-performance vehicles have firmer steering than other similar vehicles. 0 As a consequence, fleet managers have difficulty defending themselves against a newly elected administration who suggest shop staffing is bloated and should be downsized. Diesel service technicians and mechanics inspect, repair, and overhaul buses, trucks, or any vehicle with a diesel engine. During busy planting and harvesting seasons, for example, mechanics often work six or seven 12-hour days per week. In maintaining and managing a municipal fleet operation, fleet managers can take a page from the private sectors use of vehicle equivalency units to calculate the ratio of technician-to-vehicles. Who is correct? Service technicians usually work indoors in noisy repair shops. The origin web server does not have a valid SSL certificate. 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. Here is how you know. 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. <>/ExtGState <>/ProcSet [/PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC /ImageI ] Common workplace injuries include small cuts, sprains, and bruises. Transit Cooperative Research Program. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. . Small engine mechanics inspect, service, and repair motorized power equipment. It contains annual hours needed for core maintenance like preventative inspections and brake relines, as well as unscheduled maintenance. Administrator, Diesel3446 The .gov means it's official. The difference clearly would be best met through additional outsourcing or overtime rather than hiring another mechanic. 5 0 obj $29.57. This could indicate an expired SSL certificate or a certificate that does not include the requested domain name. Job Outlook Overall employment of heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians is projected to grow 8 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations. The higher costs are probably less related to the number of technicians and more related to new emissions and warranty engagements, or that the labor rate is higher than it use to be. Tech b C. Both techs D. Neither C A transfer case is extremely noisy and all selections except neutral whenever the vehicle is moving. Women were 21.1% of automobile dealers and 9.0% of automotive repair and maintenance employees. Many public transit buses are in service well beyond the FTA minimum requirement of 12 years, 500,000 miles. Maintenance Staffing Calculator User Guide. 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. The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Thursday, September 8, 2022. 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. For more details about job openings for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, consult local heavy and mobile equipment dealers and distributors, construction contractors, and government agencies. Perhaps you would be willing to write an article about it. Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. In May 2021, the median annual wage for all workers was $45,760. Even with the responses to the surveys, the study yielded limited correlative data. 929 0 obj <> endobj information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.