Darryl Syler, fleet operations manager for Little Rock, Ark., and 38 technicians operate four shops in which they maintain some 1200 vehicles and machines for the city. “Our biggest challenge is to stay up-to-date with the ability to diagnose and repair our fleet and equipment,” he said.
Benefits packages help public works departments attract and retain qualified fleet mechanics, even if public-sector wages run somewhat below the private sector, say fleet managers. Shortages of qualified mechanics appear to be a regional problem.
Providing training for mechanics these days—especially for new heavy equipment—can be a challenge, especially for smaller cities and counties. The solution, most fleet managers have found, is to write training into the purchase contracts for the equipment. Then it becomes the vendor's responsibility to supply the training.
Should you do tire maintenance in-house or contract for it? With your own people, you may have more control, but a contracted shop often can do it for less money.
