Truck Technicians Even Tougher To Find These Days
Dec 14, 2010 3:08 PM, By Sean Kilcarr, Fleet Owner senior editor
SAN ANTONIO, TX . Demand for truck technicians is surging again, especially among dealerships, as the overall age of the industry’s fleet reaches levels not seen in decades and sales of new equipment remains below historical norms.
“We are busy enough already, with all the older equipment out there now,” Mike Besson, vp-operations for Rush Truck Centers (RTC), a division of Rush Enterprises, told Fleet Owner here at the company’s fifth annual “Tech Skills Rodeo” competition.
With the average age of Class 8 trucks in U.S. fleets now pegged at 6.5 years – the highest it’s been in 30 years – dealers Like Rush are witnessing a spike in parts and service demand. Fred Scott, service manager for RTC’s San Antonio facility, said demand has “exploded” since this April.
“We now have 50 technicians on staff at our location alone because of this increase in business,” Scott told Fleet Owner. Those higher business volumes resulted in over $600,000 worth of technician labor hours billed out in October this year alone. “Everybody is looking for technicians now,” he added.
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