PWPro talks to Temora Shire Council’s mechanic Larry Groth about how the role has changed over the years.
Fleet department mechanics have to be versatile animals. At any one time they could be called on to repair anything from a leaf blower to the latest roller. But as technology moves on and budgets tighten, how are the guys on the floor responding to the new challenges of fleet?
With 34 years’ experience as a mechanic, Larry Groth is well placed to discuss the changing role of mechanics in fleet departments. Groth has been the one and only mechanic at Temora Shire Council in NSW for the past 15 years and has noticed a number of changes over the years.
“Everything is getting bigger,” he tells
PWPro. “There’s a lot more electronics, and equipment is all run by computers nowadays. That’s the main change that I’ve seen.”
Training is now a pre-requisite with any purchase of a new piece of equipment, he says: “Things have totally changed. Now, new graders don’t have a steering wheel, they have a joystick.”
Modern expense
The more modern the equipment, the more expensive it is to replace says Groth. He recounts a recent incident where a low-hanging branch damaged the roof of a tractor. Although the damage was small, the cost to repair the cab was not, at around $4000.
Groth admits it may be tempting to go for the cheaper option when purchasing new equipment, but warns against it.
“We have taken short-cuts in the past,” he admits. “For instance, we bought a little spray unit and it came out with one of those cheap motors. It didn’t last long. Now if we’d spent a little bit more on a quality motor, we wouldn’t have that sort of issue.
“Buy good equipment, it usually lasts longer and you get a better service.”
Dinks lead to dimes
Paperwork has become an integral part of the mechanic’s role, according to Groth. Operators, for example, are required to conduct checks of the equipment before using it. Any problems must be noted on a pink slip.
Small incidents can add to a big expense. Groth adds that operators who use the same piece of equipment
on a regular basis tend to feel a sense of ownership and they are more likely to take more care of it.
“When you have got a machine that a lot of people can just hop into, they are the ones that start to get neglected and knocked about because the next bloke jumps in it and says ‘it was like that when I got in it’,” he says.
Groth is currently in the process of hiring for a mechanic and an apprentice, but has had few applications. He admits that council salaries are not competitive, especially against the mines.
However, after 15 years in the role he only has praise for the position: “the conditions are great”.
CIVENEX NSW 2015
Come along and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Australia’s premier infrastructure expo CIVENEX at Sydney Dragway on 20–21 May. Get up close and personal with all the latest machinery at one of the show’s live demonstrations or attend a seminar to hear the latest best practice in plant and fleet management?