Career
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
Keep trucks and buses running.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
- Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
- Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
- Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
- Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Repairing, Troubleshooting, Operations Monitoring, Equipment Maintenance.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though long-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $61,770 a year and 24,400 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Diesel Mechanics Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0605
- Medium/Heavy Vehicle and Truck Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0613
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,510 · +6.7%
- Rail Car Repairers$67,530 · +2.6%
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$50,620 · +5.0%
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians$57,550 · +4.9%
- Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics$47,880 · +2.3%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.