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20 • SEPTEMBER 2023 JOB RESOURCES
TECHNICIAN cont. from Page 19 TIPS cont. from Page 19
combines classroom instruction with
hands-on experience in seven heavy-duty
truck systems. Love’s program is the only
accelerated diesel technician training
program of its kind for beginners.
Along with diesel mechanics, the
need for technicians to maintain
battery-powered vehicles is increasing
as the electric vehicle (EV) segment
of the trucking industry slowly grows.
Community college programs, including
several in California’s San Bernardino
County, have pioneered programs to
introduce would-be diesel mechanics
to a whole new aspect of the trucking
business.
San Bernardino Valley College
launched its EV technician training program,
funded by Volvo LIGHTS through
California Climate Investments in 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic truncated the
original course schedule, but when the
program reopened its doors, more students
joined, bringing the program’s total
enrollment to 26. The program can lead to
a certificate or an associate degree for students
who want to pursue college.
Kenny Melanchon, faculty chair of the
college’s heavy- and medium-duty trucks
technology program notes that EVs’
share of the heavy-duty vehicle market is
growing.
“They’re saying by 2026, all diesel buses
will be gone,” he said. “They’re almost all
gone now.”
The alternatives will be engines
powered by compressed natural gas or
electricity, and trained technicians will be
needed to maintain both.
For the time being, however, most
long-haul trucks are powered by diesel
engines. No downturn is expected in the
near future, and the need for diesel technicians
will continue to grow. With numerous
initiatives launched to bring new
truck drivers into the industry, it’s only
natural that the ratio of technicians to
drivers will have to keep pace. That means
new jobs and new opportunities in various
areas of the trucking industry.
Subler firmly believes the need for additional
diesel technicians will continue,
and as technology evolves, so will the role.
“The diesel tech trade has evolved
immensely over the past 30 years, and I
believe it will continue to do so,” he said.
“Thirty years ago, a good tech would listen
to an engine and diagnose what they
thought was making the noise. Today,
they plug (the truck) into their laptop for
a diagnosis.”
This means education and training
will become more important to the mechanic
profession.
“Our next generation of techs must be
as good — or better — with a computer
as they are with a 9/16th wrench,” Subler
said. “I believe this shift to a more technological
role has helped gain interest in
our industry as it is not the ‘dirty old mechanic’
trade anymore.” 8
allowing more violations on a driving record or a
shorter waiting period after a felony conviction.
It’s easier for a driver to find work, and there’s
a chance the pay will be higher, too, as carriers
adjust payrolls.
When carrier fleets are shrinking, the
opposite occurs. Hiring standards are tightened
to ensure that the carrier is only hiring the best
drivers available. Pay rates stagnate. Owneroperators
exacerbate the problem by selling
their unprofitable trucks and competing for
open company driver jobs.
The gist of all this is this: Right now might not
be the best time to look for another trucking job.
Carriers have downsized their fleets by about 3%
in the past six months. Throw in the competition
from some 22,000 Yellow Corp. drivers who are
entering the job market because of the company
closing its doors, and you can see that there are
more drivers competing for fewer jobs.
Additionally, drivers who are unhappy with
the number of miles they’re getting may not be
happier elsewhere, since market conditions are
something every carrier deals with. When times
are good, carriers can decline shorter runs and
those with unpopular origins or destinations. In
difficult times, they may accept shorter runs in
order to keep trucks running. The reality is that
whatever carrier you jump to may also be having
trouble finding enough miles for its drivers.
Pay rates follow a pattern similar to hiring
policies. When freight is plentiful, carriers tend
to raise pay rates in order to attract more drivers.
Some institute or increase sign-on bonuses, some
raise per-mile rates. When one offers raises,
Thetrucker.com
however, it’s not unusual to see other carriers
follow so they don’t lose drivers to the churn.
Right not, carriers are not offering raises.
They are tightening their belts, conserving cash
while they wait for the market to turn.
Benefits are another consideration. Many
carriers have waiting periods before health
insurance becomes effective. A new job means
starting over to accrue vacation or paid leave
time. Drivers who have families that are covered
by health care might consider how long they’ll be
without coverage before leaping into a new job.
Don’t discount relationships, either. A
strong relationship between driver and fleet
manager is key to a smooth operation and can
put more miles — and more money — in the
driver’s pocket. Starting over at a new carrier
often means starting at the bottom and taking
whatever’s given by a manager who is just getting
to know you.
If you’re looking for a job because you don’t
have one, or because conditions at your current
carrier are unbearable, you should be able to find
one. However, if you’re thinking the grass looks
greener in another carrier’s truck, it may be
better to bite the bullet and stay where you are
until the trucking economy opens up.
After all, the more jobs listed on your job
application, the more likely you’ll be seen as a job
hopper, someone who never sticks with anything
for very long.
It’s better to understand the market and
research your next carrier thoroughly so that
when you do make the decision to change, you’ll
know what you’re getting into. Holding off on the
job change until conditions improve is sound
advice. 8