Heavy Vehicle Mechanic/Technician

Also known as:

Bus Mechanic
Large Vehicle Mechanic
Lorry Mechanic
Mechanic, Heavy Vehicle
Truck Mechanic
Vehicle Mechanic, Heavy Vehicle

Introduction

Heavy vehicle mechanics service and repair heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses and coaches. Many work for road haulage companies, bus and coach operators, and commercial and industrial companies with fleets of heavy vehicles.

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Work Activities

Heavy vehicle mechanics carry out the routine servicing and repair of heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses and coaches. They also respond to faults that have been reported by drivers or their companies.

It is very costly for a road haulage, bus or coach company to have a vehicle off the road and not earning money, so their work is very important.

Each vehicle is serviced after a certain period of time, or after it has travelled a fixed number of miles. Mechanics replace, repair or adjust any worn parts and generally check, tune and adjust for good performance.

As part of a routine service, they check and change oil, and check and adjust brakes and steering. They use specialised equipment such as hand-held computers to test the performance of brakes and engines.

As well as routine servicing of parts like brakes and carburettors, mechanics also carry out major overhauls at regular intervals. This involves stripping vehicles, checking and cleaning their parts, and then putting them back again as quickly as possible.

They use computer-aided testing equipment to find electronic faults. For example, they plug a laptop computer into a vehicle's electronic system. This sends information to the computer screen, helping the mechanic to find and diagnose the problem.

Mechanics use a wide range of hand and power tools and measuring devices. They use jacks and hoists to lift and move heavy items. They may refer to technical manuals and drawings during their work. Increasingly, these are stored on CD-ROM, rather than in paper-based manuals.

The work involves standing, crouching and lying under vehicles, and reaching into awkward spaces in the engine compartment. Mechanics may have to drive out to breakdowns to make repairs on the spot, or to bring back the vehicle.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You must have good practical skills and a high level of technical knowledge. You need to be physically fit to cope with bending, lifting and stretching, although you will use ramps and pits, hoists and jacks for heavy work. You will need nimble fingers to handle small parts and hand tools.

You should be logical and patient in tracing faults, and have good organisational skills to prioritise your workload. It is important for mechanics to have good communication skills; they must be able to explain faults and repairs clearly to people from non-technical backgrounds.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Heavy vehicle mechanics/technicians earn in the range of £280 - £340 a week, rising to £410 - £490. Higher earners make around £580 a week.

They usually work a 39-hour week. Early starts, late finishes, nights and Saturdays may be worked as overtime or as part of a shift pattern.

Employers include road haulage companies, bus and coach operators, and commercial and industrial companies with fleets of heavy vehicles, for example, supermarket chains and petrol and chemical companies.

Some skilled technicians start their own vehicle service/repair businesses.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills and abilities gained as a garage assistant or tyre and exhaust fitter are useful for people wanting to go into this job.

Modern Apprenticeships may be available in some areas.

• 16% of people in occupations such as heavy vehicle mechanic/technician are self-employed.
• 2% work part-time.
• 1% have flexible hours.
• 1% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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