Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
52%
risk level
POLLING
30%
Based on 114 votes
LABOR DEMAND
GROWTH
4.3%
by year 2032
WAGES
$58,970
or $28.35 per hour
Volume
285,030
as of 2023
SUMMARY
JOB SCORE
5.5/10

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Automation risk

52% (Moderate Risk)

Moderate Risk (41-60%): Occupations with a moderate risk of automation usually involve routine tasks but still require some human judgment and interaction.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some very important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Finger Dexterity

  • Manual Dexterity

User poll

30% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted there's a low chance this occupation will be automated. However, the automation risk level we have generated suggests a higher chance of automation: 52% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?






Sentiment

The following graph(s) are included wherever there is a substantial amount of votes to render meaningful data. These visual representations display user poll results over time, providing a significant indication of sentiment trends.

Sentiment over time (yearly)

Growth

Moderate growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists' job openings is expected to rise 4.3% by 2032

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2021 and 2031
Updated projections are due 09-2023.

Wages

Moderately paid relative to other professions

In 2023, the median annual wage for 'Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists' was $58,970, or $28 per hour

'Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists' were paid 22.7% higher than the national median wage, which stood at $48,060

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Significantly greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2023 there were 285,030 people employed as 'Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists' within the United States.

This represents around 0.19% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 532 people are employed as 'Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists'.

Job description

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.

SOC Code: 49-3031.00

Comments

Leeroy (Low) 9 months ago
Diagnosis is already widely aided by computers and AI, but to replace the physical technician would be more money than its worth right now. Androids aren't quite there yet.
0 0 Reply
Charlie J Sierra (Low) 1 year ago
Unless the entire configuration of trucks and buses is redesigned, a robot cannot handle the complexity of tasks involved in heavy vehicle maintenance.

Sure, if the drivetrain is replaced with batteries and electric motors, a large part of a mechanic's routine work will be eliminated. This would result in a decrease in the number of mechanics needed in a workshop. However, even then, the chance of automation replacing all mechanical repair work is 30% or less.

No robot exists that could undertake even the relatively simple task of replacing a headlight bulb, let alone diagnosing a problem such as "vibration at 55 km/h".
0 0 Reply
Brett Coker (Low) 1 year ago
A Diesel Technician is a job that requires very specific movements and positions that a machine will likely not be able to reach.

Also, in the case of a catastrophic mechanical failure, certain steps must be taken depending on the kind of failure. This too, is very difficult for machines to accomplish.
0 0 Reply
Fraser Proudfoot (Highly likely) 2 years ago
Everything is going electric. I've seen it first hand.
0 0 Reply
Walker Ryan 12 days ago
I have to disagree, electric power is not practical for long haul truckers because the batteries are heavy, the range is sub-par, and the time it takes to refuel a diesel truck compared to recharging even the most advanced electric vehicle isn’t practical for distance driving. Not to mention the lack of infrastructure to charge.
0 0 Reply
Jason (No chance) 2 years ago
There's absolutely no way a robot will be able to think out of the box as effectively as humans can to solve a problem
0 0 Reply
Dee Snuts (No chance) 4 years ago
Machines don't have advanced enough AI to diagnose and solve problems
0 0 Reply
EC 3 years ago
Unless machines make machines that they are able to repair and maintain yea they'll take over but before that its gonna be a very long time because humans always fight off opps, humans are kind of like the honey badgers of the universe except we destroy our own habitats
0 0 Reply

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