Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanics diagnose, repair and service highway buses and trucks. They work for commercial transport vehicle dealers, garages and service stations. A Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic is a nationally designated trade under the Inter-provincial Red Seal program. (Find out about Red Seal in the Trades Lingo section.)

What do these workers do?
(Source: BC Work Futures)

Tune and perform service work on vehicles. Routine maintenance and scheduled servicing are needed to keep vehicles running and to ensure they last a long time. Manufacturers suggest service intervals and describe the work that should be done at these intervals.

Note wear patterns and make maintenance recommendations. With experience in the service and mechanic trades you will begin to recognize patterns of component wear and make predictions about the problems indicated by certain types of wear. With this knowledge you can recommend early replacement of parts or suggest specific maintenance programs. Owners of large diesel powered vehicles are careful to maintain their investment. A large part of this maintenance involves a regular service cycle that includes scheduled replacement of parts filters and fluids. During this process, mechanics rely on their experience to check that wear patterns are normal and if they are not, to determine what the underlying problem might be. Engine checks and repairs are entered into equipment reports and log books.

Perform fluid analyses. Microscopic and chemical analyses of oil and coolants can pinpoint engine and hydraulic problems before they cause costly damage. While only a few diesel mechanics take the training to do these analyses, all mechanics learn to interpret the computerized test results.

Trouble shoot electrical systems. Heavy-duty diesel-powered equipment has a lot of electrical and electronic machinery on board. Troubleshooting electrical problems requires knowledge of electrical and micro-electronic principles and a good understanding of the equipment's entire electrical system.

Order parts and track down hard to find equipment. Knowing how used and new parts sales operate can be a huge advantage in tracking down the right part at a reasonable price for your customer.

Keep accurate and detailed service records. On large transport vehicles, it is particularly important to record the work carried out and the mileage interval.

Read the full Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic Profile (64kb pdf).

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