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Date: 03/17/2026

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

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.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Specialize in repairing and maintaining parts of the engine, such as fuel injection systems.
    • Dismount, mount, and repair or replace tires.
    • Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
    • Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, or pressure gauges.
    • Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, or pressure gauges.
    • Align front ends and suspension systems.
    • Repair or adjust seats, doors, or windows.
    • Install or repair accessories.
    • Follow green operational practices involving conservation of water or energy or reduction of solid waste.
    • Inspect, repair, and maintain automotive and mechanical equipment and machinery, such as pumps and compressors.
    • Rebuild gas or diesel engines.
    • Dismount, mount, and repair or replace tires.
    • Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
    • Rewire ignition systems, lights, and instrument panels.
    • Repair or adjust seats, doors, or windows.
    • Inspect and verify dimensions and clearances of parts to ensure conformance to factory specifications.
    • Inspect, repair, and maintain automotive and mechanical equipment and machinery, such as pumps and compressors.
    • Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
    • Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, or pressure gauges.
    • Disassemble and overhaul internal combustion engines, pumps, generators, transmissions, clutches, and differential units.
    • Test drive trucks and buses to diagnose malfunctions or to ensure that they are working properly.
    • Inspect and verify dimensions and clearances of parts to ensure conformance to factory specifications.
    • Diagnose and repair vehicle heating and cooling systems.
    • Operate valve-grinding machines to grind and reset valves.
    • Perform routine maintenance such as changing oil, checking batteries, and lubricating equipment and machinery.
    • 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.
    • Diagnose and repair vehicle heating and cooling systems.
    • Adjust or repair computer controlled exhaust emissions devices.
    • Recondition and replace parts, pistons, bearings, gears, and valves.
    • Recondition and replace parts, pistons, bearings, gears, and valves.
    • Maintain or repair vehicles with alternative fuel systems, including biodiesel, hybrid, or compressed natural gas vehicles.
    • Adjust or repair computer controlled exhaust emissions devices.
    • Disassemble and overhaul internal combustion engines, pumps, generators, transmissions, clutches, and differential units.
    • Perform routine maintenance such as changing oil, checking batteries, and lubricating equipment and machinery.
    • Install or repair accessories.
    • Measure vehicle emissions to determine whether they are within acceptable limits.
    • Examine and adjust protective guards, loose bolts, and specified safety devices.
    • Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.

    Skills

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    5
    Workplace Documents
    5
    Graphic Literacy
    5

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    Knowledge

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • 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.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • 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.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • 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.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 59670/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 28.69/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 13,320
    • Yearly Projected Openings 1100

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Perseverance

    Tools

    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Automotive honing machine
    • Ball peen hammer
    • Battery chargers
    • Blow torch
    • Boring machines
    • Box end wrenches
    • Brake repair kits
    • Calipers
    • Circuit tester
    • Claw hammer
    • Cold chisels
    • Combination wrenches
    • Compressed air gun
    • Cross and straight pein hammer
    • Depth gauges
    • Desktop computers
    • Diagonal cut pliers
    • Dial indicator or dial gauge
    • Drill press or radial drill
    • Dynamometers
    • Ear plugs
    • Engine or component test stands
    • Feeler gauges
    • Forklifts
    • Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus
    • Hacksaw
    • Hammers
    • Hand reamer
    • Hex keys
    • Hoists
    • Hole gauge
    • Hydraulic pumps
    • Impact wrenches
    • Induction heaters
    • Jacks
    • Locking pliers
    • Metal inert gas welding machine
    • Micrometers
    • Mill saw file
    • Milling machines
    • Multimeters
    • Needlenose pliers
    • Open end wrenches
    • Paint sprayers
    • Personal computers
    • Pneumatic impact wrenches
    • Pneumatic sanding machines
    • Portable data input terminals
    • Power drills
    • Power grinders
    • Power sanders
    • Power saws
    • Pressure indicators
    • Pressure or steam cleaners
    • Pressure sensors
    • Protective gloves
    • Pry bars
    • Punches or nail sets or drifts
    • Putty knives
    • Ratchets
    • Retaining ring pliers
    • Rivet tools
    • Round file
    • Safety glasses
    • Screwdrivers
    • Shears
    • Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine
    • Sledge hammer
    • Slings
    • Slip or groove joint pliers
    • Socket sets
    • Spark plug wrench
    • Specialty wrenches
    • Speed sensors
    • Spot welding machine
    • Stamping dies or punches
    • Stripping tools
    • Tachometers
    • Tape measures
    • Thickness measuring devices
    • Tire pressure gauge
    • Torque wrenches
    • Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe
    • Tungsten inert gas welding machine
    • Two way radios
    • Utility knives
    • Vacuum pumps
    • Valve refacer
    • Voltage or current meters
    • Welder torch
    • Welding masks
    • Wheel balancing equipment
    • Wire cutters
    • Wire lug crimping tool
    • Workshop cranes

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Facilities management software
    • Inventory management software
    • Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
    • Office suite software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

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