CHICAGO – The shortage of qualified diesel mechanics is getting worse – many new hires enter with zero hands-on experience, requiring hundreds of training hours. In the meantime, drivers are turning their rigs into trade fairs for spare parts.
Fleet managers now budget for “mentor time,” during which veteran drivers tutor inexperienced techs about hose clamps, wiring quirks, and existential dread related to broken turbochargers. One driver quipped, “I’ve taught more techs than I’ve made deliveries this month.”
At stops, rigs often swap hoses, belts, pumps, and even mystery brackets. A driver once traded a spare mirror for a coffee voucher and a promise of “technical goodwill” down the road.
Mechanic shops are overwhelmed. When asked for an ETA on repairs, one shop answered: “If I had a functioning apprentice, maybe tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, drivers keep parts in lockboxes, trading them like baseball cards. One rig carried six spare hoses at all times, while another rig’s dash was decorated with bracket catalogs.
*All articles on this website are crafted with human creativity and a touch of AI-inspired humor. These stories are entirely fictional, written purely for fun and entertainment, and should not be taken as factual or advice. Keep smiling and stay safe! And remember – don’t read while driving; tune in to our podcast instead 🙂
