Is Diesel Tech School worth it?

It wouldnt hurt but dont think its gonna have you doing roadside repairs anytime soon.I have been working in this business since 1988 (Since I was 18) and I can tell you that 9 out of 10 drivers on the road dont seem to know an S-cam from a clutch brake.Having knowledge about your truck is a great thing but it seems the current crop of newer drivers think the job is just holding the wheel between the lines.That being said having the tools and the parts to do many jobs on the road is unrealistic probably but wanting to learn about the mechanical side of your truck is a good thing and will come in handy at times.Kudos to you for your ambition!!

 

We call roadside and keep track of our time. I would hate to make the problem worse.

We do change out our own gaskets on the glad hands and lights.

 

Knock your self out.

You can never know too much about anything... except the mob.

 

Maybe the locals and line haul guys, not me.

 

We make a note of issue on the elog. Log off. When issue is fixed we log in do an inter trip inspection and notate that the issue was resolved. Then we go. We Keep track of the hours and let our manager know how long we were delayed there is pay involved for that.

 

Knowledge is power. Usually school gives you enough knowledge and confidence to be dangerous . Hands on experience outside of school is what really counts.

Usually bigger companies seem to want their own mechanics to do everything above and beyond your basic light bulb changes and light cord repairs. Some smaller outfits with 3 or 4 trucks might pay you to wash and do basic servicing and repairs. When you own the iron you get all the joys of fixing it .