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. Welcome to the Electric Vehicle (EV) Technician Training Program In defense of those who are asking the question, the justification of their job may come from getting maintenance managers to look closerdo a deep diveand figure out what is going on. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics repair and maintain construction and surface mining equipment, such as bulldozers, cranes, graders, and excavators. 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. In addition, techs may be asked to deliver loads during peak periods or driver shortage times. 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. Maintenance Technician Staffing Levels for Modern Public Transit Fleets. Today, significant R&D investment is going into the development of electric trucksprobing the possibilities of untested powertrains in hopes of producing a product that meets application needs. 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. endobj The first round of interviews was extremely detailed and covered agency profiles and service data, profiles of maintenance facilities, fleet inventories, maintenance times and requirements, maintenance workforce roles, and training practices. TRBs Transit Cooperative Research Program (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. 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. endstream 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. One of the best way to do it is to project the costs, divide the total dollars by two, (labor and parts average 50% each) then divide the 50% labor dollars by a fully burdened labor rate average, the calculation determines the hoursthen back into the hours of operational required. 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. Second the backup vehicle ratio must be adequate to ensure minimal disruption in service. Fleet Management Lessons From the Private Sector. IT IS NOT ALL THAT BAD IF YOU HAVE GOOD KEY PERSONEL IN THE RIGHT PLACES. %%EOF While this approach may introduce some additional variables, flexibility is key when making decisions on what gets outsourced. Join Our List. Imperial Metric Vehicle speed in MPH These service technicians use diagnostic computers and equipment to identify problems and make adjustments or repairs. 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. 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. PTO days? hb```I,, Neither Technician A or B Which part is splined to the clutch disc? 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. #)1Qt ehY,SpRm @@@:{7fc`g~ T!u _q But many agencies conduct maintenance across locations or use a mix of in-house and contracted work. November 9, 2009 Most service technicians work full time, and many work evenings and weekends. According to Vanson Bourne, average industrial downtime costs are 250.000 USD per hour, according to field service and IT decision-makers. Vehicle Technician Job Description | Velvet Jobs Mechanics inspect, repair, and replace defective or worn parts. This page was last edited 21:23, 15 June 2017 by. 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. Predicting repair staffing, maintenance needs with VEUs These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The calculator can help agencies perform three mains tasks: The calculator can be used by all sorts of agencies; survey participants had fleet sizes ranging from 10 vehicles to more than 1,000. Various types of equipment, such as tractors, cranes, and bulldozers, are used to haul materials, till land, lift beams, and dig earth to pave the way for development and construction. wsauer3481 <> 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. Performs a variety of assignments such as replacement of failed parts or equipment, test, operation and maintenance of . This can lead to frustration when a fleet manager attempts to justify their staffing requirements, as it is rare in my experience that municipalities and private companies meet the national averages published by industry studies. Your IP: endobj Rack and Pinion Steering: Everything You Need to Know - Car and Driver (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. 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.) 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. Senior Member. Rail car repairers specialize in servicing railroad locomotives, subway cars, and other rolling stock. This showed some broad trends in regards to agency size, duty cycle, and spare ratio, but there was significant variation between agencies. 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. 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. In total, more than 60 agencies of varying size were surveyed. Public Works fleets with a concentration of trucks and construction equipment clearly would be higher in age, while law enforcement fleets typically would be lower. Or, if you have a simple standardize fleet, say all day cabs, and an established trade cycle, a ratio can be determined. Offered by vocational schools and community colleges, these programs cover the basics of diagnostic techniques, electronics, and other related subjects. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. If someone determines that the body count is too high, you may be asked to defend your staff. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. How to reasonably assess mechanic staffing in a public sector garage is an often-posed question among government agency fleet managers. stream vehicles to technician ratiodo doctors get pay for refills on prescriptions vehicles to technician ratio vehicles to technician ratio Navigation. The Maintenance Staffing Calculator is an Excel tool consisting of seven worksheets. I think thats a great ratio if you can achieve it. Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians work full time, and many work evenings or weekends. Service technicians also use many different power and machine tools, including pneumatic wrenches, lathes, and welding equipment. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be familiar with diagnostic equipment to find the source of malfunctions. 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. Fleet organizations with liberal leave policies and a senior staff clearly will have a lower number of available labor hours. 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. 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. shared use or take-home vehicles). 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. I always get asked, How many vehicles per technician? As a seasoned iron doctor, I should know. Unfortunately, there is no standard formula or thumb rule to get the magic number. This doesn' t include helpers, parts personnel, foremen, or any other garage staff. 663 0 obj <> endobj Maintenance activities not included in the previous sheet are entered here. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code. Bookmark +. Please advise on the appropriate number of buses and vehicles per mechanic? Most heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians have a high school diploma or equivalent. . Local offices of the state employment service also may have information on job openings and training programs. Sometimes the tech has to drive two hours to swap drivers because he has run out of hours. Training sessions may focus on particular components and technologies or particular types of equipment. Input cells are clearly labeled and color-coded. Technician A says that the CVT shifts from gear-to-gear, up and down, as needed to maintain optimal speed and torque. Mechanics who work primarily on large trucks and buses are described in the profile on diesel service technicians and mechanics. A . The result of this calculation for all mechanics is the number of productive hours a fleet has available. 1 0 obj vehicles to technician ratio - Kazuyasu 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. 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. 7 0 obj We have 24 buses and 78 other pieces of equipment (trucks, vans, etc.). Ou)d}`z)UYQ(VBfbMiQ8 <> Senior Member, thomasvista2012 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. 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. 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 table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians. Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be able to lift and move heavy equipment, tools, and parts without risking injury. Women in the Automotive Industry (Quick Take) | Catalyst Another method of determining labor demand is using a technique known as Vehicle Equivalent Unit (VEU) Analysis. However, there was significant variation across agencies in regards to most variables examined. Transmission Ratio RPM Calculator | Spicer Parts Other elements that impact labor demand include usage levels, operating environment, and fleet assignment practices (i.e. 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. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service Technicians, Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Mechanics who work primarily on automobiles are described in the profile on automotive service technicians and mechanics. 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 Technician A The driving gear has 15 teeth and the driven gear has 29 teeth. During busy planting and harvesting seasons, for example, mechanics often work six or seven 12-hour days per week. 8 "r.qEp92e,JY0gnT6Hdgq=~6E>=|hvOgoYPl QItc[ B`2=^Fa OrBvxvWfPK@ .c@(p m ?Q\ 50.63.164.4 It may also be used as a predictive tool, to determine staffing needs during the vehicle procurement process. The type of fleet business you are in effects this number greatly. Chad Fay, director of fleet operations at Centuri Construction Group in Phoenix, Ariz., shared pros and cons of employing VEUs, from a personal outlook. This one calculates the required number of hours and full time equivalent (FTE) employees and compares this data to the actual existing staffing levels. in our city owned fleet we have 400+ buses. The reason the question is asked often comes from managements assumption that the shop has too many peoplebecause the costs are running high. Some manufacturers offer certification in specific repair methods or equipment. High school courses in automotive repair, electronics, physics, and welding provide a strong foundation for a service technicians career. Organizational skills. Some rail car repairers should continue to be needed to service trains used for freight shipping and transportation, as well as for public transportation. Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) for Maintenance - Dynaway The origin web server does not have a valid SSL certificate. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must maintain accurate service records and parts inventories. Automotive Technician Hourly Pay | PayScale This can be as specific as the agency wants, with vehicles broken down by broad category (35-foot buses, cutaway buses) all the way down to year, manufacturer, or other specifics. Rope Rescue. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Once the labor demand is quantified, the number of productive hours available to service the fleet must be determined. Many government organizations do not have a methodology to determine how many mechanics are required to maintain their fleet. 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. Doing this may involve disassembling and reassembling major equipment or making adjustments through an onboard computer program. Most work for governments, equipment rental and leasing shops, and large construction and mining companies. Technician A says that the power steering pump . (2016). 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. Another calculation includes maintenance and repair units, which involves comparing requirements of one vehicle group to another vehicle category. 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. Technician A says that the gear ratios of both differentials are the same in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. 6 0 obj On the demand side, outsourcing practices are probably the most important factor. Vehicles to mechanic, technician ratio algebra - Fleet Equipment Mag 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. Astro Optics: Traffic Guard Portable Speed Bump System. Kenworth and Platform Science have announced a strategic partnership that will see the integration of Platform Science's Virtual Vehicle platform into Kenworth trucks using factory-installed telematics hardware. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. So you want to write for Fleet Equipment? 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. 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. Staffing to the peaks rather than valleys in the workload demand is never a good idea. Both a and b which of the following vehicle emissions - Course Hero Chapter 24 study guide Automotive 145 Flashcards | Quizlet hours x 44 weeks x 107.8% overall efficiency x 60 per hour = 113,520. It is true that costs are going through the roof, and that there are dealership backlogs. The average growth rate for all occupations is5 percent. 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.