Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Go Back to List Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Computer aided design CAD software

Tasks
	Use handtools such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, and precision instruments, as well as power tools such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, and jacks and hoists.
	Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
	Perform routine maintenance such as changing oil, checking batteries, and lubricating equipment and machinery.
	Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
	Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
	Test drive trucks and buses to diagnose malfunctions or to ensure that they are working properly.
	Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, and pressure gauges.
	Examine and adjust protective guards, loose bolts, and specified safety devices.
	Inspect and verify dimensions and clearances of parts to ensure conformance to factory specifications.
	Specialize in repairing and maintaining parts of the engine, such as fuel injection systems.

Skills
	Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
	Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
	Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
	Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
	Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
	Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Knowledge
	Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
	Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
	Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
	Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
	Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
	Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.   Related Experience:   Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $64,876.00 $31.18  $21.29  $24.15 - $37.57  Bridgeport/Stamford $69,622.00 $33.47  $24.19  $26.02 - $38.08  Danbury $65,435.00 $31.45  $22.91  $25.96 - $36.77  Hartford $67,000.00 $32.21  $21.85  $24.52 - $38.62  New Haven $61,041.00 $29.35  $19.69  $22.28 - $36.30  New London/Norwich $60,088.00 $28.88  $20.87  $23.37 - $34.37  Waterbury $57,217.00 $27.50  $19.38  $23.18 - $31.09  Torrington $60,264.00 $28.98  $21.67  $23.98 - $34.72

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   267   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow faster than average, and the number of annual openings will offer very good job opportunities.

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	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.